HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-057 - Resolutions RESOLUTION NO. 04-057
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING THE
LOCAL TAXPAYERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY PROTECTION
ACT, A STATEWIDE BALLOT INITIATIVE TO REQUIRE VOTER
APPROVAL BEFORE STATE GOVERNMENT MAY
CONFISCATE LOCAL TAX FUNDS
WHEREAS, for more than a decade, the California State Legislature has been
taking away increasing amounts of local tax dollars that local governments use to provide
essential services like police and fire protection, roads, parks, and libraries; and
WHEREAS, since 1991 more than $30 billion of local property taxes have been
drained from cities, counties and special districts, costing cities alone $800 million in Fiscal Year
2003/04 and $6.9 billion over the last 12 years; and
WHEREAS, in recent years the state has shifted costs for state-sponsored
programs and delayed constitutionally required reimbursements to local governments for state
mandated programs and services, thereby burdening local government budgets and taking
funds that should be used for important local services; and
WHEREAS, the adopted state budget for FY 2003/04 assumes an on-going
structural deficit of approximately $15 billion, putting local government funding at on-going risk
for future years; and
WHEREAS, it is entirely possible that the state will continue to use local funds to
balance the state budget unless the voters limit the power of the legislature and the Governor to
do so; and
WHEREAS, the voters of California are the best judges of whether local funds
should be diverted, confiscated, shifted or otherwise taken to finance state government; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly of Voting Delegates of the League of
California Cities at its September 10, 2003 meeting voted unanimously to support a statewide
ballot initiative to empower the voters to limit the ability of state government to confiscate local
revenues to fund state government operations and responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, the League has requested support for a ballot initiative, titled "The
Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act", which requires voter approval of any state
law that reduces the sales, property, and vehicle license fee funds of cities, counties and special
districts and clarifies the state's duty to reimburse cities in a timely way for new mandated
programs or higher levels of service.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Rancho Cucamonga that the City of Rancho Cucamonga hereby expresses its strong support
for the Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act, a statewide ballot initiative to allow
voters to decide whether local funds may be taken, confiscated, shifted, diverted or otherwise
used to fund state government operations and responsibilities; and
Resolution No. 04-057
Page 2 of 2
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the City may provide impartial informational
materials on the initiative understanding that no public funds shall be used to campaign for or
against this initiative.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 18th day of February 2004.
AYES: Gutierrez, Howdyshell, Kurth, Williams
NOES: None
ABSENT: Alexander
ABSTAINED: None
Diane Williams, Mayor Pro Tem
ATTEST:
ebra J. A s, CMC, City Clerk
I, DEBRA J. ADAMS, CITY CLERK of the City of Rancho Cucamonga,
California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly passed, approved and
adopted by the City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, California, at a Regular Meeting
of said City Council held on the 18th day of February 2004.
Executed this 1 gth day of February 2004, at Rancho Cucamonga, California.
Debra J. Adam MC, City Clerk