City Council Seeks Leverage With ABAG

Last summer the Pinole City Council tried to sever its relationship with a Bay Area government advocacy and lobbyist organization that purports to look out for the interests of members.

The in July not to renew its membership with the Association of Bay Area Governments. Then ABAG informed the city that the deadline for noticing non-renewal of the $4,030 annual membership fee had already passed. Two months later, the the agency.

At Tuesday's council meeting, the move to secede, and the vitriol against ABAG, continued. The council voted 4-1 not to renew membership, but also to invite ABAG to a future council meeting to defend itself.

The association, founded in 1951, provides planning assistance, some funding and lobbying for cities and counties around the nine-county Bay Area. It also sets regional policy guidelines on housing, planning and transportation issues.

Council members have questioned the value of membership, citing concerns that smaller cities like Pinole have a influence and relevance for their cost of membership.

The council directed City Clerk Patricia Athenour to invite an ABAG representative to a May council meeting to make a case for continuing membership. The city's current membership includes the 2012-13 fiscal year, so at issue is renewing the membership for 2013-14.

Councilwoman Debbie Long noted that the ABAG president addressed the council at a September meeting to encourage ties with the organization. She said the tension encouraged the group to listen to Pinole's concern and that the council should call ABAG to meetings on an annual basis.

"If that's what gets them out here, to get their attention, I would happy not to support this again and let them come before us and let them convince us that we need them," Long said.

Councilman Roy Swearingen called ABAG "another layer of government." Councilman Tim Banuelos said it has a "one-world order" agenda that doesn't serve Pinole's interests. Councilman Phil Green called the membership dues a waste of money.

Mayor Pete Murray said that while he questions Pinole's need for membership, he noted that for an investment of about $8,000 in the past two years for membership, the city benefited from about $200,000 in grants through ABAG. He previously had  criticized ABAG for imposing goals such as the number of housing units that should be added in the city.

"I've never really been happy with ABAG," Murray said Tuesday. "But one of the things I found out is they do all these things but it doesn't mean a whole lot."

Murray stopped short of withdrawing from the agency.

"As one big agency they have more pull getting funds from the federal government that we could ever think of," Murray said. "Why shouldn't we consider maintaining a relationship with them? If you want to call and ask them to come down here and give us a presentation, that's fine."

Last month the city of Corte Madera declined to renew its participation the 101-member organization.

Is Pinole's membership in ABAG worthwhile? Share  your opinion in the comments box below.