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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-53 - Require Voter Approval Before State Takes Local Tax FundsRESOLUTION NO. 2003 -53 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF NEWPORT BEACH CALIFORNIA SUPPORTING A STATEWIDE BALLOT INITIATIVE TO REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL BEFORE STATE GOVERNMENT MAY TAKE LOCAL TAX FUNDS WHEREAS, state government annually removes over $800 million from local government in 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 backflll 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. 1 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA, 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 City Council and staff are authorized to provide impartial informational materials on the initiative as may be lawfully provided by the city's representatives. No public funds shall be used to campaign for or against the initiative; 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 City Clerk is hereby directed to send a copy to the Executive Director of the League of California Cities. ADOPTED on this 28th day of Octchn' inn z ATTEST: LaVonne Harkless, City Clerk 2 STATE OF CALIFORNIA } COUNTY OF ORANGE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH } I, LaVonne M. Harkless, City Clerk of the City of Newport Beach, California, do hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council is seven, that the foregoing resolution, being Resolution No. 2003 -53 was duly and regularly introduced before and adopted by the City Council of said City at a regular meeting of said Council, duly and regularly held on the 28th day of October, 2003, and that the same was so passed and adopted by the following vote, to wit: Ayes: Heffernan, Rosansky, Ridgeway, Webb, Nichols, Mayor Bromberg Noes: None Absent: Adams Abstain: None IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the official seal of said City this 29th day of October, 2003. (Seal) City Clerk Newport Beach, California