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Ø(-4 UUT from page 1. ... . . . . ... .. .... CHAMPION AWARD from page 1 ...... utility user taxes (UUT) the consumption of com- pressed natural gas by a local agency or a school district for transportation purposes under specific circumstances. (For full text, committee analysis of the bill, and copies of the League's opposition letter go to www.cacities.org, click on bill search on the navigation bar and type in AS 343.) This is an issue of local control. The UUT is a tax that is imposed and administered at the local level and, since Proposition 218 has been in effect, voted on by the citizens residing in the local juris- diction. Local jurisdictions should be able to retain control over the application of the UUT at the local level. This bill sets a bad precedent and opens the door for state intervention over locally imposed UUT's going forward. To our knowledge, there is no identified local dispute driving the need for this bill. Neither the author, nor the transit district supporters who testified in committee (and who have received a waiver from the cities in their district) could cite a situation where a local jL'risdiction has refused to provide a waiver upon request. In addition, the particular situation the author cited that precipitated this legislation has been resolved at the localleve/. Additionally, the analysis from the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee could be mis- leading to members of the Assembly. The analysis states that" this bill would grant cities the . authority to exempt a tax that they are not expressly authorized to impose. " Generallaw and charter cities currently have authoritvto impose UUT's. For charter cities, authority is found in the Califomia Constitution, Article XI, Section 5 ("Municipal Affairs"). General law cities are granted authority under Govemment Code, section 37100.5. We need your calls, letterslfaxes ~to oppose AS 343 on the Assembly floor (could be heard soon). Contact Jean Korinke, (916) 658- 8245, ikorinke@cacities.orQ or Frances Medema (916) 658-8218, fmedema@cacities.orQ with any questions. Please fax copies of your letters to the League at 916-658-8240. "We're honoring Governor Schwarzenegger in recognition of his demonstrated commitment to local democracy, and for his leadership in negotiat- ing a constitutional protection measure to end state raids on local funds," said League President Pat Eklund, Council Member in the city of Novato. "No governor in recent memory has so grasped the importance of local services as Governor Schwarzenegger," said outgoing League President Ron Loveridge, Mayor of Riverside. "From the day he was elected he seemed to understand that people value local services and treasure the ac- cess to government they have at the loeallevel." "The govemor kept his promises to local gov- ernment, by working with us to win voter support for Prop 1A," said League 2nd Vice President Maria Alegria, Council Member in Pinole. "With his help, we were able to win by an astonishing 84 % of the vote last November." Mayors Alan Autry of Fresno, Heather Fargo of Sacramento, Beverly O'Neill of Long Beach and Curt Pringle of Anaheim, and Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Bist of Santa Ana, joined the League officers in presenting the award today at the State Capito/. Also participating in the ceremony were Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez of San Jose, and Council Members Greig Smith of Los Angeles and Jim Madaffer of San Diego. ............................... . . : REGISTER NOW! : . . : LEGISLATIVE ACTION: : DAYS: . . . . : May 11- 12, 2005 : : Sheraton Grand Hotel : : Sacramento : . . . . : To register visit: www.cacities.org/events : . orca" 916-658-8291. . . . . . ............................... PAGE 4/PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the league's Official Web Site--www.cacities.org