2003/09/23 City Council ResolutionRESOLUTION NO. 2003 -218
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
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 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.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ROHNERT PARK 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
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED 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 FURTHER RESOLVED that the residents of the City are encouraged to become well informed
on the initiative and its possible impact on the critical local services on which they rely; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager (or City Clerk) is hereby directed to send a copy ITY
of this resolution to the Executive Director of the League of California Cities. WuuN
DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED this 23`d day of September, 2003.
ATTEST:
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
De iyy i t Jerk Mayor
MACKENZIE: AYE NORDIN: AYE SPRADLIN: AYE VIDAK- MARTINEZ: AYE FLORES: AYE
AYES: (5) NOES: (0) ABSENT: (0) ABSTAIN: (0)