HomeMy WebLinkAbout75-03 • •
Resolution No. 75-03
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF LOS ALTOS HILLS
SUPPORTING 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 fmance 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 Town
Los Altos Hills 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 of the Town of Los Altos Hills
and staff are authorized to provide impartial informational materials on the initiative as
may be lawfully provided by the Town's representatives; and
RESOLVED FURTHER,that the residents of the Town 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 is herby directed to send a copy
of this Resolution to the Executive Director of the League of California Cities.
DATED: October 2, 2003
By c7z_/
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