GOP Eyes Plan to Eliminate Obama’s National Monuments; California’s Preemptive Move on Immigration
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Connecting state and local government leaders
Also in our State and Local Daily Digest: Restructuring Arkansas’ Medicaid; McCrory’s N.C. state government office building plan; and Denver plans a ‘base camp.’
PUBLIC LANDS | Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah has met with President-elect Trump’s transition team to discuss the possibility of undoing national monument designations made by President Obama. The designations were made under what’s known as the Antiquities Act. "Any monument designation that lacks local support, is excessive, or violates the terms of the Antiquities Act will be scrutinized and is easier to abolish. Today's discussions with the transition team examined options for the incoming administration. The talks were positive and encouraging," Bishop said in a news release. [The Salt Lake Tribune]
IMMIGRATION | California legislators passed two resolutions expressing their commitment to fixing the U.S. immigration system and aim to pass two more increasing undocumented immigrants’ legal representation, possibly with public defenders, at a cost of $10 million to $80 million. The votes are a preemptive move in response to President-elect Trump’s xenophobic comments on the campaign trail. “We are here because the president-elect said immigration would be one of his first targets," said Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. "There is still a lot of uncertainty about what the administration will actually do. But again, we have all heard the insults, and we have all heard the lies. We have also all heard the threats." [The San Diego Union-Tribune]
MEDICAID | With less than a month before federal waivers are set to expire, state and federal officials are still trying to reach an agreement on how to restructure Arkansas’ expanded Medicaid program. "We're certainly trying to get it wrapped up so everyone knows what's in place for the next year," said Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Roughly one in 10 Arkansans, or about 300,000 people, are enrolled in the state’s existing program. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette]
GOVERNMENT REAL ESTATE | North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, who just conceded his re-election bid, used his last Council of State meeting to urge state government to sell buildings in downtown Raleigh he deemed “an embarrassment”. A staple of McCrory’s four years in office was his push to reuse, sell or demolish outdated government facilities. "That piece of land is the biggest damned eyesore," McCrory said of an old training center. "It's a piece of crap building." He might not have to look at it much longer. President-elect Trump plans to meet with the outgoing governor at Trump Tower on Wednesday amid rumors McCrory might seek a position in the new administration. [WRAL-TV; The Charlotte Observer]
LAND USE | Plans are taking shape for co-working space and other developments that would offer easy access to the outdoors and would be located at the end of a future rail line west of downtown Denver. Informally dubbed “Base Camp,” the plan is centered around Ward Station in the city of Wheat Ridge. The idea is to take advantage of an area that is both connected to Denver International Airport and the city’s downtown but also serves as a gateway to the Rocky Mountains. [The Denver Post]
COUNTY GOVERNMENT | Monday marked the inauguration of two members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The addition of Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger means the five-member board is now made up of four women and four Democrats. Early priorities of the board include tackling the county’s homelessness problem; Hahn has already announced plans to introduce a motion to declare homelessness a county-level emergency. [Los Angeles Times]
CRIME | Missouri Gov.-elect Eric Greitens’ wife, Sheena, was robbed at gunpoint in St. Louis on Monday. Three suspects between the ages of 14 and 19 were later arrested. [St. Louis Dispatch]
ENERGY | The developers of a 119-turbine wind energy project near Bridgewater, Maine have withdrawn their request for a state permit. EDP Renewables has encountered difficulties connecting to the electricity grid and finding customers. [Bangor Daily News]
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