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.
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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
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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