Resolution 13687CITY OF ALAMEDA RESOLUTION NO. 13 6 8 7
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 that the City Council of the City of Alameda
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.
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly
adopted and passed by the Council of the City of Alameda in a regular meeting of the City Council
on the 2 "d day of March, 2004, by the following vote to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT: None.
ABSTENTIONS: None
Councilmembers Daysog, Gilmore, Kerr, Matarrese,
and Mayor Johnson - 5.
None.
IN WITNESS, WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of said City this
3rd day of March, 2004.
Lara Weisiger, City
City of Alameda