Reso 2004-678RESOLUTION NO. 2004-678
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COSTA
MESA SANITARY DISTRICT SUPPORTING A STATEWIDE BALLOT
INITIATIVE TO REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL BEFORE STATE
GOVERNMENT MAY TAKE LOCAL TAX FUNDS
WHEREAS, state government currently seizes over $400 million in special
district property tax funds (ERAF) statewide, seriously reducing resources available for
local public services such as parks and recreation, police and fire protection, water and
wastewater, library and many others;
WHEREAS, in adopting the state budget this year the Legislature and Governor
appropriated local revenue streams such as the Vehicle License Fee (VLF), sales taxes
and property taxes that are needed to finance critical local services such as public
safety, parks, street maintenance, housing and economic development; and
WHEREAS, the state budget also relies on a deficit bond financing program that
is predicated on a local property and sales tax swap that leaves city services vulnerable
to future losses if the state's economic condition fails to improve; and
WHEREAS, -the adopted budget assumes the state will continue to face an
ongoing structural budget deficit of at least $8 billion, putting local government financial
resources at risk in future years; and
WHEREAS, it is abundantly clear that the state 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 by the legislature to
finance an ever expanding state government; and
WHEREAS, California Special Districts Association (CSDA) at its annual
membership meeting held on September 16, 2003, voted to support 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, CSDA has requested that special districts 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.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
THE COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT, that the District 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 Board of Directors and staff provide such
educational materials on the possible impacts of such an initiative as may be lawfully
provided by the District's representatives; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the constituents of the District are encouraged to
become well informed on the opportunities available to them through such an initiative
to safeguard the critical local services on which they rely; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Clerk of the District is hereby directed to send a
copy of this Resolution to the Executive Director of the California Special Districts
Association.
ADOPTED this _I�L day of 2004.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 8th day of January 2004.
ATTEST:
Se a ry, Costae Mesa Sa tary District
Board of Directors
President, Costa Mesa Sa itary District
Board of Directors
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY O;F ORANGE ) ss
COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT )
I, JOAN REVAK, Clerk of the Costa Mesa Sanitary District, hereby certify that the
above and foregoing Resolution No. 2004 -678 was duly and regularly passed and
adopted by said Board of Directors at a regular meeting thereof held on the 8th day of
January 2004.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of
the Costa Mesa Sanitary District this 8th day of January 2004.
Clerk of e;Co��,,ta,Mesa `�;�nitary District
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