HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-087 - Voter Approval Before the State Government May Take Local Tax FundsRESOLUTION NO. 2003-087
bk:10/24/03
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA ANA SUPPORTING A STATEWlDE BALLOT
INITIATIVE TO REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL BEFORE
THE STATE GOVERNMENT MAY TAKE LOCAL TAX
FUNDS
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines
and declares as follows:
State government annually seized over $800 million in city property tax
funds (ERAF)s tatewide, costing cities over $ 6.9 billion i n lost revenues
over the past twelve (12) years and seriously reducing resources available
for local public safety and other services.
In adopting the state budget for 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.
The deficit financing plan in the state budget depends on local property tax
and sales tax swap that leaves city resources and services at risk in future
years to additional state revenue raids.
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 state revenue raids.
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.
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.
The General Assembly of Voting Delegates of the League of California
Cities (League) 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.
The League has requested that cities offer support for a November 2004
ballot imitative that will allow voters to decide whether state government
Resolution No. 2003-087
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may appropriate local tax funds to fund state government operations and
responsibility.
Section 2. 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 govemment operations and
responsibilities.
Section 3. 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.
Section 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by
the City Council, and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting
this Resolution.
ADOPTED this 3rd day of Novembe[, 2003.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Joseph W. Fletcher, City Attorney
BY:Be~j~in ~K! If~man
CffieffAssistant City Attorney
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
NOT PRESENT:
Councilmembers:
Councilmembers:
Councilmembers:
Councilmembers:
Alvarez, Bist, Christy, Franklin, Garcia, Pulido,
Solorio (7)
None (0)
None (0)
None (0)
Resolution No. 2003-087
Page 2 of 3
CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY
I, PATRICIA E. HEALY, Clerk of the Council, do hereby attest to and certify the
attached Resolution No. 2003-087 to be the original resolution adopted by the City
Council of the City of Santa Ana on November 3, 2003.
Date:
Clerk of the Council
City of Santa Ana
Resolution No. 2003°087
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