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Home My WebLink About20-Council Office .' , CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION From: Susan Lien-LongviIle Subject: 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. Dept: Council Office Date: February 17, 20040 RIG I N A l MCC Date: March 1, 2004 Synopsis of Previous Council Action: August 9, 2001 August 20, 2001 January 13, 2003 February 18, 2004 Presentation to Legislative Review Committee by Ron Loveridge, Mayor, City of Riverside; item recommended for approval by Mayor and Common. Council. Resolution authorizing establishment of a voluntary contribution check-off program to support Action for Better Cities (ABC) through voluntary financial assistance was approved. Resolution adopting the mission statement for a coalition of organized labor and local governments within the inland empire created under the auspices of the League of California Cities grassroots effort for the purpose of protecting local government services and revenues was approved. Legislative Review Committee recommended approval of a resolution to support a statewide ballot initiative to require voter approval before State government may take local tax funds. / .~. / / \i~a7~ Signature Recommended motion: Adopt Resolution. Contact person: Councilmember Lien.LongviIle Phone: 5188 Supporting data attached: Staff Report, Resolution Ward: FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: None Source: (Accl. No,) (Accl. Description) Finance: Council Notes: \.2t=o~'~2..0a4-(." '1 Agenda Item No. ~ 0 b/J/bcJ r----- . " CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION STAFF REPORT Subiect: 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. Backaround: In August of 2001, a resolution authorizing the establishment of a voluntary contribution check- off program to support Action for Better Cities (ABC) was approved. ABC is a political action committee that was created by the League of California Cities to promote constitutional protection of local government revenues in California. The voluntary contribution check-off program allows elected and appointed officials to make a monthly contribution through payroll deduction to help fund ABC activities. In 2001, the League of California Cities authorized the creation of a grassroots movement to facilitate the organizing of member cities' efforts to influence the legislature on matters that directly affect cities. In 2002, eighteen new League staff members were added as grassroots coordinators. The grassroots coordinators have been successful in organizing various groups that have significant influence with members of the legislature. These groups include a coalition of concerned community businesses and elected leaders known as Leave Our Community Assets Local (LOCAL). The "LOCAL" coalition voices concerns over the erosion of local services because of the loss of local revenue streams. Councilmember Longville and Councilmember McCanunack represent the City of San Bernardino on this coalition. In January of 2003, a resolution was approved which adopted the mission statement for a coalition of organized labor and local government within the Inland Empire, created under the auspices of the League of California Cities grassroots effort, for the purpose of protecting local government services and revenues. The California State legislature has been taking away increasing amounts oflocal tax dollars that local governments use to provide essential services for more than a decade. Billions of dollars in lost revenue year after year force local governments to raise fees and taxes to maintain services or cut back on those vital services. In an effort to increase control over our local tax dollars, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, and the California Special Districts Association sponsored the 2004 Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act (Act). The Act would prevent the state from taking, confiscating, shifting, or diverting any more revenues from local government to fund state government operations and responsibilities. In order to bring the Act before the voters in the November 2004 election, a campaign is underway to gather approximately 600,000 valid signatures. In order to support this measure, the League is asking cities across the state to adopt a resolution that officially endorses the ballot measure and confirms the prohibition on using government funds for political purposes at a public meeting. The attached resolution does just that. Fiscal Impact: If passed by the voters, would potentially save hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. Recommendation: Adopt resolution. . . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 . . ~oo~ 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 MA Y 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. III III lLo ~D <0// /CJY III , e 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 e e r 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 MA Y TAKE LOCAL TAX FU:\'DS I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the Mayor and Conunon Council of the City of San Bernardino at a meeting thereof, held on the _ day of , 2004, by the following vote, to wit: Council Members: AYES ABSTAIN ABSENT NAYS ESTRADA LIEN-LONGVILLE MCGINNIS DERRY KELLEY JOHNSON MCCAMMACK City Clerk The foregoing resolution is hereby approved this day of 2004. Judith Valles, Mayor City of San Bernardino Approved as to Form and legal content: JAMES F. P NMAN, City At! By: