CC Resolution 2003-098 RESOLUTION NO. 2003-098
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, 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.
Resolution No. 2003-098
Power Limitations on Legislature & Governor
Adopted: October 7, 2003
Page 2
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
La Quinta, California, as follows:
RESOLVED, 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 (or clerk) is hereby directed to
send a copy to the Executive Director of the League of California Cities.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the La Quinta
City Council held on this 7th day of October, 2003, by the following vote to wit:
AYES: Council Members Henderson, Osborne, Perkins, Sniff, Mayor Adolph
NOES: None
ABSENT' None
ABSTAIN: None ~
DO~ ~-D ,yor
City of La Quinta, California
Resolution No. 2003-098
{- ..... Power Umitations on Legislature & Governor
Adopted: October 7, 2003
P~I~ 3
ATTEST:
J~ S. GREEK, CMC, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California
(City Seal)
APPROVED AS TO FORM'
~ ;~K oAfT~aE (~,~nEt aJ,E N a~l i f oN;n~ai t y Attorney