HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-02-17; City Council; Resolution 2004-059Exhibit 2
RESOLUTION NO. 2004-059
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE “LOCAL TAXPAYERS AND PUBLIC
SAFETY PROTECTION ACT” INITIATIVE
WHEREAS, the state annually seizes $824 million of city property tax funds (ERAF),
seriously reducing resources available for local public safety and other services and increasing
pressure on cities to raise fees on new housing developments, increasing the cost of housing;
and
WHEREAS, in adopting the FY 2003-04 state budget the Legislature and Governor
confiscated local vehicle license fee backfill and redevelopment property tax funds that are
needed to finance critical city services such as public safety, housing and economic development;
and
WHEREAS, the FY 2003-04 budget also relies on a deficit bond financing program
opposed by the League that is predicated on a local property and sales tax swap that leaves
cities vulnerable to future losses if the state’s economic condition fails to improve; and
WHEREAS, the adopted budget assumes the state will continue to face an ongoing
structural budget deficit of at least $8 billion, putting local government financial resources at risk
in future years; 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, research conducted by the League of California Cities in recent years
indicates than an initiative that requires voter approval before the state government can
confiscate local tax funds would likely be supported by an overwhelming number of voters; and
WHEREAS, the voters of California are the best judges of whether funds traditionally used
to finance valuable community services should be diverted, confiscated, shifted or otherwise
taken by the Legislature to finance an ever-expanding state government; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the League of California Cities by unanimous roll
call vote at its July 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 Board of Directors has established a political action committee,
known as ClTlPAC, to raise private funds to finance part of the cost of such statewide initiative
campaigns; and
WHEREAS, the Board has requested that city officials across the state participate in this
private fundraising to finance such a ballot measure campaign; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Carlsbad City Council, in order to safeguard local revenues,
supports the proposed “Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection” initiative.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the
City of Carlsbad, California, held on the 17th day of February ,2004 by the
following vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members Lewis, Finnila, Kulchin, Hall and Packard
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ATTEST: / I
Page 2 of Resolution No. 2004-059