HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-0672
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RESOLUTION NO. 2004-67
RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN
BERNARDINO SUPPORTING A STATEWIDE BALLOT INITIATIVE TO REQUIRE
VOTER APPROVAL BEFORE STATE GOVERNMENT MAY TAKE LOCAL TAX FUNDS
WHEREAS, state government annually seizes over $800 million in city property tax funds
(ERAF) statewide, costing cities over $6.9 billion in lost revenues over the past 12 years and seriously
reducing resources available for local public safety and other services; and
WHEREAS, in adopting the state budget this year the Legislature and Governor appropriated
local vehicle license fee backfill and redevelopment property tax funds that are needed to finance
critical city services such as public safety, parks, street maintenance, housing and economic
development; and
WHEREAS, the deficit financing plan in the state budget depends on a local property and sales
tax swap that leaves city services vulnerable if the state's economic condition fails to improve; and
WHEREAS, the adopted state budget assumes an ongoing structural budget deficit of at least
$8 billion, putting city resources and services at risk in future years to additional state revenue raids; and
WHEREAS, it is abundantly clear that state leaders will continue to use local tax funds to
balance the state budget unless the voters limit the power of the Legislature and Governor to do so; and
WHEREAS, the voters of California are the best judges of whether local tax funds should be
diverted, confiscated, shifted or otherwise taken to finance an ever-expanding state government; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly of Voting Delegates of the League of California Cities at
its September 10, 2003 meeting voted to sponsor a statewide ballot initiative to empower the voters to
limit the ability of state government to confiscate local tax funds to fund state government; and
WHEREAS, the League has requested that cities offer support for a November 2004 ballot
initiative that will allow voters to decide whether state government may appropriate local tax funds to
fund state government operations and responsibilities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL that the
City hereby expresses its strong support for a statewide ballot initiative to allow voters to decide
whether local tax funds may be taken, confiscated, shifted, diverted or otherwise used to fund state
government operations and responsibilities; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the residents of the City are encouraged to become well
informed on the initiative and its possible impacts on the critical local services on which they rely; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Mayor is hereby directed to send a copy to the Executive
Director of the League of California Cities.
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2004-67 40rl
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RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN
BERNARDINO SUPPORTING A STATEWIDE BALLOT INITIATIVE TO REQUIRE
VOTER APPROVAL BEFORE STATE GOVERNMENT MAY TAKE LOCAL TAX FUNDS
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the Mayor
Jt.
and Common Council of the City of San Bernardino at a reg • meeting thereof, held on the
1stday of March 2004, by the following vote, to wit:
Council Members: AYES NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT
ESTRADA x
LIEN-LONGVILLE x
MCGINNIS x
DERRY x
KELLEY x
JOHNSON x
MCCAMMACK x
City Clerk
The foregoing resolution is hereby approved this _ `ii, day of March
R111
Approved as to
Form and legal content:
JAMES F. P NMAN,
City AttA
h Valles, Mayor
of San Bernardino