Artesia News

Coalition protects local government from state raids

A coalition calling itself Californians to Protect Local Taxpayers and Vital Services is currently collecting signatures to qualify the Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Protection act for California’s November 2010 statewide ballot.

If passed, proponents say this constitutional amendment would prevent the state from diverting, borrowing or taking funds that are currently dedicated to local governments. The measure would also prevent the state from diverting gas tax revenues that voters have dedicated to transportation and transit improvements and services.

Following are the major provisions of the constitutional amendment:

Revokes the state’s ability to borrow local government property tax funds (currently authorized by 2004 Prop 1A)
Prohibits the state from borrowing Prop 42 funds (gas tax) which voters have dedicated to transportation and mass transit.
Prohibits the state from taking or borrowing the Highway User Tax on gasoline (HUTA), which currently fund city, county and state road, highway, transit and other transportation improvements and services.
Prevents the state from redirecting or diverting locally levied taxes, including parcel taxes, sales taxes, utility user taxes, TOT’s and other imposed taxes that are currently passed by local governments and/or their voters and dedicated to cities, counties, and special districts.
Prohibits the state from taking, borrowing or redirecting existing funding for public transit, including existing taxes on gas and “spillover” funds dedicated to the Public Transportation Account.
Adds additional constitutional protections to prevent the state from raiding redevelopment funds or shifting redevelopment funds to other state purposes.

Proponents say this measure is needed because, over the past several years, the state has passed budgets that have diverted or borrowed billions of dollars in local government, transportation and redevelopment funds.

Here in Artesia, for example, the Redevelopment Agency may lose up to $542,000; the City may also lose up to $324,000 in Gas Tax, and $224,000 from the Sales Tax Compensation Fund.

Proponents have until mid-April to collect 694,354 valid signatures to qualify for the November 2010 ballot. Coalition representatives say they will collect more than 1.1 million signatures to ensure qualification.

Please visit www.savelocalservices.com for more information.