Res 03-080 RESOLUTION NO. 03-080
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF POWAY, CALIFORNIA,
SUPPORTING A STATEWlDE 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 State government may
appropriate local tax funds to fund State government operations and responsibilities.
Resolution No. 03- 080
Page 2
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Poway, California, as follows:
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 Manager is hereby directed to send a copy
to the Executive Director of the League of California Cities.
PASSSED, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of
Poway, California, at a regular meeting this 14th day of October, 2003.
'L-"~ril/~,nne PeOples, City-Clerkl
Resolution No. 03-080
Page 3
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
)SS
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO )
I, Lori Anne Peoples, City Clerk of the City of Poway, do hereby certify under
penalty of perjury that the foregoing Resolution No. 03.- 080was du~y adopted by the City
Council at a meeting of said City Council held on the 14th day of October, 2003, and
that it was so adopted by the following vote:
AYES: EMERY, GOLDBY, HIGGINSON, REXFORD, CAFAGNA
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
Lori nne Peoples, City Clerl~
City'o[ Poway