19731 NEWS IN REVIEW 217

Citizen Action . . . . . Kim Taylor, Editor

Citizen Groups Active in Car.

Work on Incorporation in Growing North Areas

SEVERAL citizen groups in different parts of northern California are study-

ing the feasibility of incorporating their communities to provide services demanded by their growing populations.

Unincorporated areas are presently gov- erned by the county. County services were adequate until recently since the popula- tions were small and scattered over wide areas. But the population has been grow- ing, primarily people from southern Cali- fornia and the San Francisco Bay area seeking to escape the congestion and smog of the two most urban parts of the state. Many of the newcomers are retired and living in mobile homes.

An example of such an unincorporated area is Paradise, one of the fastest grow- ing communities in the northern part of the state with a current estimated popu- lation of 30,000. Paradise originally at- tracted large waves of retired people but now young families are also being drawn to the area.

The services provided to Paradise resi- dents by Butte County are necessarily limited, since it is only one of many com- munities which the county must serve. Paradise residents are concerned over the lack of traffic signals in the downtown business area, the lack of zoning which makes it possible for newcomers to cut down the trees for which the area is fa- mous, and the lack of services which only incorporated cities can provide. Incorpo- ration was sought by many residents a number of years ago, but was defeated. A new citizens’ group has been formed to study the problem.

In West Sacramento the issue of in- corporation remains alive despite defeat of a proposal by voters last November. The proposal would have created a city of 12,500 population, making it possible for residents to have local control over land use planning, zoning, sign regulation, rec- reation, traffic safety and street main- tenance. The new city would have con- tracted with Yo10 Counw for police protection, building inspection and other services, while special districts would have been retained to continue providing trash and garbage collection, fire protec- tion, sanitary sewer service, flood control and storm drainage protection.

The proposal was defeated by a margin of a thousand votes. It was the second time in less than five years that incorpo- ration had been defeated at the polls. In both instances the question of taxation was a central part of the controversy, although in the last election an additional issue was raised-the proposed incorpora- tion would have excluded about half of the area’s residents. A third try a t incor- poration appears likely.

In Yuba County a move is under way to incorporate two neighboring commu- nities, Linda and Olivehurst, into one city. It is the second time that incorporation of Olivehurst is being proposed; the first proposal was defeated in the 1950s. Those supporting the newest move for incorpo- ration favor conducting a feasibility study to determine its advantages.

California law permits incorporation as a general law or a charter city. A charter city adopts its own form of gov- ernment, sets its own tax limitations, and in most cases administers its own affairs under its charter authority.

Procedural requirements are that a com- munity be incorporated first as a general law city, and then convert to a charter city if so desired. Most of California’s

218 NATIONAL CIVIC REVIEW [April

404 cities are governed under general state law; 75, which include the largest cities in the state, have charters.

One of the main incentives for incorpo- ration is the fact that unincorporated areas are ineligible to receive many fed- eral grants, particularly revenue sharing funds, since these are distributed only to governmental units. In addition, incorpo- rated communities frequently receive bet- ter insurance rates.

All proposals for incorporation must be approved by the county board of super- visors and the local agency formation commission. If approval is granted and if there is no protest by landowners whose property represents 51 percent of the assessed value of all land in the pro- posed city, the matter is placed on the ballot. A majority vote is required for incorporation.

ROSALINE LEVENSON California State University, Chico

RAND Studies MRC TV Communications

The RAND Corporation has released a summary report on intergovernmental communication in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut metropolitan region. Sponsored by the National Science Foun- dation the communication study was part of a three-phase program designed to monitor the impact of Metropolitan Re- gional Council (MRC) of New York T V on governments in the region. The study described the existing patterns of com- munication.

MRC-TV serves the region’s local gov- ernment!;. It uses a two-way microwave television system to link public officials and other groups for conferences, infor- mation exchange and training.

To learn about the present communica- tions patterns in the region the study team presented questionnaires to and in- terviewed more than 700 public officials. From these results the team learned that

the most important communications meth- ods for officials were informal peer groups, professional organizations and government associations. These informal systems do not cross state or county lines which is why the study concluded that MRC-TV programing should cross po- litical boundaries.

The study also found that official con- tacts were generally by phone but that there is no systematic means to transmit data or exchange information on a region- wide basis. In addition most officials felt that their government training effort had been inadequate. If they could have 45 minutes a day of job-related training, half said that they would like to talk to someone knowledgeable in their field. The study commented that the implication for quality programing to supplement train- ing is apparent.

One of the major obstacles to inter- governmental communication was the dif- ficulty in knowing who to contact in an- other government for related studies or planning, though 67 percent of the respon- dents listed the same major problems fac- ing the region.

As a result of the survey the program areas of MRC-TV needing development have been isolated. Programing will fall into several general classifications of training, education conferences, meetings, information exchange, administrative and special uses. The two-way capability al- lows instant response and feedback so that the T V will be a tool used by local gov- ernment and citizens.

‘Earthkeeping’ Shows on Chicago ETV

A series of educational, environmental television shows has been produced by Chicago’s Channel 11, to be aired by an educational television station. Funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting the nine Earthkeeping shows, six for gen- eral audiences and three for children, as- sume that the audience knows of the pol-

19731 NEWS IN REVIEW 219

lution crisis and seeks to channel awareness toward appropriate action, The first show, viewed in Chicago in late January, discussed economy versus ecol- ogy. The others will deal with unplanned growth and its impact on the landscape, frontier values in an urban age, the megalopolis, city life and citizen action to guide environmental change. The young people’s shows are entitled Wheelies- the car comes out of the earth before it comes from Detroit, Garbage-modern man’s newly created resource, and Us and Changes-you can’t fool Mother Na- ture.

The series has developed into a docu- mentary with a story line interspersed with interviews with known scientists. In- stead of commercials the series presents a Chicago theater group in pieces comment- ing on themes raised in the documentary part of the show. The general information presented in the programs is related to issues at the local level. Environmentalists from universities, government and citizen groups advised the producers about issues discussed.

A tabloid newspaper, Earth Times, will outline the programs, list environmental groups and related publications, and have a centerfold Earthkepifig poster.

New Views Offered on Citizen Participation

An article from the Human Resources Development Newsletter reprinted in the February 1973 issue of Minnesota Mu- nicipalities discusses the implications of citizen planning on issues likely to con- front government officials in the 1970s. Getting citizens to participate in the gov- erning processes, although much discussed, has accomplished little. As governments combine to provide services, the article suggests, citizen participation will be ac- companied by demands for value and changes in training for public adminis- trators, with increased pressure to make government efforts relevant to the times.

The report says that less attention will be paid to conflict between citizen action and traditional administration and more concern will be directed to finding solutions through cooperative action. Pub- lic officials will be forced to change their attitudes about their role vis-A-vis the public to measure better the adequacy of public services and to tolerate inefficien- cies resulting from increased lay partici- pation. Face-to-face contacts will increase communication between admin- istrators and public and decisional au- thority will be shared so that the concept of advocacy planning will be more acceptable.

The newsletter promulgates these new tenets because of local officials’ previous experiences to encourage citizen partici- pation in decision making. Some of the political realities which hinder participa- tion were outlined by James A. Riedel of the State University of New York in Public Administration Review: (1) even under optimum conditions people tend to avoid participation ; (2) though our po- litical system encourages group rather than individuaI action most individuals are activated by single issues and avoid multi-interest groups ; (3) localizing con- trol does not necessarily increase par- ticipation; (4) resistance to action in- creases with the seriousness of the problem ; ( 5 ) citizen groups working out- side the government tend to handicap themselves; (6) official and citizen opin- ions of participation are inherently contradictory ; (7) officially sponsored participation often is co-optation not rep- resentation ; (8) direct citizen action though seemingly hostile has strong his- toric support; (9) in our pragmatic society the best form of citizen participa- tion is the one that works.

COG Land Use Policy The Metropolitan Washington COG

land use policy committee has chosen a two-part technique for obtaining citi-

2 20 NATIONAL CIVIC REVIEW [April

Zen views and comments on the future development of the Washington area. The technique presents the issues in a re- gional goals and issues context and in- cludes specific statements on areawide development, open space, employment, housing, transportation, governmental co- operation and other topics. The land use committee then requested that the Metro- politan Washington Congress of Citi- zens, a federation of business and citizen organizations, host several regional meet- ings. At these sessions COG staff used slides and sound to outline objectives, technical procedures and issues in the overall planning process. COG used this information to revise its goals and objec- tives to respond to those of citizens. These were presented in a special edition of COG’S Regional Report.

Keep America Beautiful Begins ’73 Awards Program

Keep America Beautiful is seeking en- tries in its 1973 awards program designed to honor the superior environmental ef- forts of citizens groups, government and industry and in its photography contest for pictures illustrating community im- provement programs.

Any organization conducting an on- going litter-control program as an in- tegral part of a long-range environmental improvement effort is eligible to enter. Awards are offered in the following cate- gories: state, community, county, re- gional, business, government agency, me- dia, private organization and youth.

Co-sponsored by the Eastman Kodak Company of Rochester, New York, the photography contest is an effort to s t h u - late visual documentation of effective com- munity efforts.

Photcigraphers may submit entries in black and white and/or color categories for a series of photographs depicting “be- fore, during and after” scenes of a project. Winning entries in each category will receive $100 in cash or, a t the winners’

option, the equivalent in photographic equipment. Second place winners will re- ceive $50 in cash or equipment.

Entry forms are available from Keep America Beautiful, 99 Park Avenue, New York 10016 and from its regional offices in Atlanta, Boston, St. Louis and San Francisco. Nominations must be received at the office in New York City by August 31.

With the LWVs DUNN COUNTY: Government and fhe

Citizen. League of Women Voters of Dunn County, Route 4, Menomonie, Wis- consin 54751, 1972. 77 pp. Illus. ERIE COUNTY: A Study of the Goverlz-

ment by the League of Women Voters. League of Women Voters in Erie County, % Mrs. Bettey Becker, 1455 Sheridan Drive, Buffalo, New York 14217, 1972 83 pp. Illus. $1.00.

JUVENILE JUSTICE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY. League of Women Voters of Minneapolis, 1200 Second Avenue South, Minneapolis 55403, 1972. 55 pp. Charts, tables. $1.50.

KEY TO THE KEYSTONE STATE: Pealz- sylvania. League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, Education Fund, Room B, Strawbridge & Clothier, 8th and Market Street, Philadelphia 19105, 1972. 158 pp.

THE KEY TO OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Chicago-Cook Cozllzty Metropolitan Area. League of Women Voters of Chicago, Citizens Information Service, 67 East Madison Street, Chicago 60603, 1972. 234 pp. Illus. $2.25.

KNOW YOUR CITY GOVERNMENT: A Guide for Houston Citizens. The League of. Women Voters of Houston, 614 Harold Street, Houston 77006, 1972. 52 pp. Maps, charts. 50 cents.

KNOW YOUR TOWN GOVERNMENT: An- dover, Newbury, New London, Sunapee and Wilmot. League of Women Voters of New London, New London, New Hampshire 03257, 1972. 47 pp. 75 cents.

Illus. $2.00.