CHAIR'S MESSAGE

By Daniel J. Curtin, Jr.

Our State and Local Government Law Section programs for the 2002 Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association in Washington, D.C., August 8–11, at the Omni Shoreham, have now been completed. We have a very exciting CLE program that not only includes the annual Robert Freilich Report on the latest U.S. Supreme Court decisions, but also a joint program with the Real Property Section relating to takings, including a detailed discussion of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Tahoe Sierra Preservation Council, Inc. v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. Please mark your calendars to attend this very important meeting.

In April, we had a very successful Section Spring Meeting in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The major CLE program involved brownfields and environmental justice. This program was presented in cooperation with the Planning & Law Division of the American Planning Association. This was one of the best-attended Spring Meetings in many years.

For the last few years, the American Planning Association, Planning & Law Division, and our Section have been working together to present joint programs, both at ABA Section meetings and at the annual American Planning Association meetings. This joint cooperation has benefited both associations and we look forward to this continuing for many years to come.

On April 15 and 16, our Section in conjunction with the Bond Market Association and Standard & Poor’s, presented a program entitled "Sub-Sovereign Finance in the New Europe," held in Prague, Czech Republic. The chair of our Section’s Public Finance Committee, Roy Koegen, with the assistance of vice chair, Steven J. Weinstein, organized and spoke at this very well attended conference. We contemplate a similar conference will be given again next year in Budapest, Hungary.

Because of the increased concerns of home security and the worry of future terrorism, especially at the local government level, the Section has organized a task force on this subject and that task force will be chaired by Ernest B. Abbott. Chair-Elect Mary Massaron Ross will be the Executive Committee’s liaison to this task force and, in addition, the Section will liaison with the International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) on this important subject. Our Section Delegate, Sholem Friedman, will serve as the liaison to IMLA on this matter. If any member is interested in participating on this task force, please contact Chair-Elect Mary Massaron Ross, at mmassaron@plunkettcooney.com.

Since this will be my last "Chair’s Message," because my term of office expires after the Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., I want to thank all of you for your assistance during this past year. In particular, I want to thank the excellent work performed by the Section’s staff, Jackie Baker, Section administrator, Lisa Allen, administrative assistant, and Richard Bright, managing editor, State & Local Law News. Without their help, my task as Chair would have been very difficult. We all look forward to Mary Massaron Ross’ term as Chair during the 2002–03 year. I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. in August.

Daniel J. Curtin, Jr., is Chair of the Section and practices law with McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enerson, LLP, in Walnut Creek, California.