Briefly in the news

Bryce Alderton

Go get us more money.

That was the edict of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee. The

group, headed by chairwoman and Huntington Beach City Councilwoman

Shirley Dettloff, was responsible for hiring Advocations Inc. a company

charged with the task of tracking down potential sources of revenue for

city projects.

Advocations Inc. will be lobbying in Sacramento for grant money for

Huntington Beach, while also lobbying against legislation that could mean

a dire financial loss to the city.

If Gov. Gray Davis approves a plan to repeal the state’s vehicle

license fee it could hurt the city’s already depleted budget. The loss of

those fees could mean a loss of $7 million for the city, Dettloff said.

Dettloff is joined in the committee by Mayor Pro Tem Debbie Cook and

Councilman Ralph Bauer.

“There’s a list of projects important to the city of Huntington Beach

and [Advocations Inc.] needs to let us know what funding sources are

available,” Dettloff said.

Key areas the company has been instructed to find funding for are

water quality, senior citizens, beaches and parks, highway improvements

and sewage.

Once grants are identified, Advocations will help the city to apply

for the funds and draft legislation in what could be one of the city’s

most difficult budget years. The city announced last month that it was

reducing next year’s budget by $8 million.

The city already has a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., The Ferguson

Group, which it’s had for the past six years, helping to bring in

millions of dollars for the city.

“It’s great getting the higher return by having a lobbyist do the work

we can’t do with a limited staff,” said Huntington Beach City

Administrator Ray Silver.