R 3714
RESOLUTION NO. 3714
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ARROYO GRANDE SUPPORTIN(3 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 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 local tax funds may
be taken, confiscated, shifted, diverted or otherwise used to fund state
government operations and responsibilities.
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RESOLUTION NO. 3714
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ARROYO GRANDE that the City hereby expresses its strong support for a
statewide ballot initiative to allow voters to decide whether local fax funds may be
taken, confiscated, shifted, diverted or otherwise used to fund state government
operations and responsibilities; and
BE IT 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
BE IT 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
BE IT RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Director of Administrative
Services/Deputy City Clerk is hereby directed to send. a copy to the Executive
Director of the League of California Cities.
On motion of Council Member Lubin, and seconded by Council Member Run~ls,
by the following roll call vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members Lubin, Runels, Dickens and Mayor Ferrara
NOES: None
ABSENT: Council Member Costello
the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this 14th day of October, 2003.
RESOLUTION NO. 3714
PAGE 3
ATTEST:
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APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
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STE ADAMS, CITY MANAGER
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
RESOLUTION NO. 3714
OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION
I, KELLY WETMORE, Director of Administrative Services/Deputy City Clerk of
the City of Arroyo Grande, County of San Luis Obispo, State of California, do
hereby certify under penalty of perjury, that Resolution No. 3714 is a true, full,
and correct copy of said Resolution passed and adopted at a regular meeting of
the City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande on the 14th day of October, 2003.
WITNESS my hand and the Seal of the City of Arroyo Grande affixed this 16th
day of October, 2003.
?J-L-
RE, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICESI
DEPUTY CITY CLERK