HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 18-2004 RESOLUTION NO. 18-2004
CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A STATEWIDE BALLOT
INITIATWE 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 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 City Council of the City of South San
Francisco that the City 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
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 Manager (or Clerk) is hereby directed to send a
copy to the Executive Director of the League of California Cities.
I hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was regularly introduced and ad.othPted by
the City Council of the City of South San Francisco at a regular meeting held on the 25 day of
February 2004 by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Joseph A. Femekes, Richard A. Garbarino, and Pedro Gonzalez,
Vice Mayor Raymond L. Green, and Mayor Karvl Matsumoto
NOES: None.
ABSTAIN: None.
ABSENT: None.
ATTEST:
/City Clerk