HomeMy WebLinkAbout003-04RESOLUTION NO. 3-2004
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 negatively impacts cash flow and interest earnings and leaves city
services at risk in future years to additional state revenue raids; 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, that the Danville Town Council 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 be it further
RESOLVED, that the Danville Town Council and staff are authorized to provide impartial
informational materials on the initiative as may be lawfully provided by the Town's
representatives. No public funds shall be used to campaign for or against the initiative;
and be it further
RESOLVED, that the residents of the Town of Danville are encouraged to become well
informed on the initiative and its possible impacts on the critical local services on which
they rely.
APPROVED by the Danville Town Council at a regular meeting on January 13, 2004, by
the following vote:
AYES: Arnerich,
NOES: None
ABSTAINED: None
ABSENT: None
Doyle, Andersen,
Shimansky, Stepper
MA~R~~~~
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
PAGE 2 OF RESOLUTION NO. 3-2004