HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-337
RESOLUTION NO. 2008-337
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RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
2 SAN BERNARDINO OPPOSING FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE STATE BUDGET
DECISIONS THAT WOULD "BORROW" LOCAL GOVERNMENT
3 TRANSPORTATION FUNDS
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WHEREAS, on July 1, 2008 the State Legislature missed its Constitutional budget
deadline; and
WHEREAS, both the Governor and the Legislative Budget Conference Committee
have recommended balanced budgets without resorting to "loans" oflocal government property
tax and transportation sales tax funds; and
WHEREAS, in 2004 by an 84% margin of approval the voters of California approved
Proposition lA and sent a loud and unambiguous message to state leaders that they should stop
the destructive and irresponsible practice of taking local government funds to finance the state
budget and paper over the state deficit; and
WHEREAS, in 2006 by a 77% margin of approval the voters of California also
approved Proposition lA, providing similar protections to transportation funding for state and
local transportation projects, including important street maintenance and public transit
programs; and
WHEREAS, both ballot measures allow the Governor to declare a "severe state of
fiscal hardship" and "borrow" these funds if they are repaid in three years with interest, but the
Governor believes it would be irresponsible to "borrow" such funds because it would deepen
the state's structural deficit and cripple local government and transportation services; and
WHEREAS, refusal by the Legislature to carryout its constitutional obligation to
compromise on a balanced budget is not a "severe state of fiscal hardship" and would not
justify reductions in critical local services and infrastructure at a time when cities are struggling
to balance their own budgets during this economic down turn; and
t:('OI)N(IL,Rf{',\ R[SOU if!ONS'LRC FISCALLY IRRF,SPON STATE BUDGET DFClSI()><~(l~"rjS.2(~'~ .1"<'
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RESOLUTION NO. 2008-337
RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SAN BERNARDINO OPPOSING FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE STATE BUDGET
DECISIONS THAT WOULD "BORROW" LOCAL GOVERNMENT
TRANSPORT A TION FUNDS
WHEREAS, the Legislature should balance the state budget with state revenues and
respect the overwhelming support of voters for not using local property taxes and transportation
sales tax funds to fund the day-to-day operating cost of state programs; and
WHEREAS, it would be the height of fiscal irresponsibility to paper over the state
structural deficit with more borrowing, and Californians deserve state leaders who will tell
them honestly what needs to be done to produce a balanced budget; and
WHEREAS, it is time for the State of California to cut up its local government credit
cards and deal with the budget deficit in a straightforward way, Balance the state budget with
state funds,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of San Bernardino hereby
opposes any and all efforts by state government to "borrow" local tax funds and transportation
sales tax funds to finance state operations, Such a move would be fiscally irresponsible for the
state and hamper effective local services and infrastructure investments,
BE IT RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Mayor is hereby directed to send this
resolution and communicate this Council's strong and unswerving opposition on this matter to
our Legislators and the Governor along with an expression of our continued appreciation for
the Governor's steadfast opposition to further legislative borrowing and raids on local
government and transportation funding,
III
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RESOLUTION NO. 2008-337
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RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SAN BERNARDINO OPPOSING FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE STATE BUDGET
DECISIONS THAT WOULD "BORROW" LOCAL GOVERNMENT
TRANSPORTATION FUNDS
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the Mayor
joint
and Common Council of the City of San Bernardino at a regular meeting thereof, held on the
18th day of August
, 2008, by the following vote, to wit:
Council Members:
AYES
NAYS
ABSTAIN ABSENT
ESTRADA
x
x
BAXTER
x
BRINKER
x
DERRY
x
KELLEY
x
JOHNSON
MCCAMMACK
-1L
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,
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The foregoing resolution is hereby approved this cXOnl day of August ,2008
~~or
City of San Bernardino
Approved as to form
and legal content:
JAMES F, PENMAN
City ttorney ~
By: '/~
u '..cOL\iCII,AI.I(A RESOl.l'IIO'-'S,LR( FISCAI.LY IRRFSWN STATE BUnGET m:{'ISJON." ,08.<l52(J{,g,j,K