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<br />8A <br />Page 2 <br /> <br />'Ballot Measure' Continued from Page 1... <br /> <br />The measure, if passed by voters, would close loopholes and prevent the state from borrowing, <br />raiding or otherwise redirecting local government (local taxes, property taxes, redevelopment), <br />transportation (HUTA and Prop. 42 funds) and public transit funds. <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />More than 300 city officials and 200 county and school board officials participated in a historic <br />summit this summer on the need for state governance and fiscal reform. Summit participants <br />selected "Local Revenue Protection" as the highest reform priority. <br /> <br />Many city officials also attended the League's annual conference last month in San Jose where <br />voting delegates unanimously voted to support the League's co-sponsorship of a ballot measure <br />for November 2010 to tighten protections of city and transportation revenues. <br /> <br />No one doubts the need for this measure after the state came dangerously close to stealing $1 <br />billion in local gas tax revenues and then actually borrowed $2 billion in local property taxes, <br />seized billions in redevelopment agency funds and took $697 million of transit funds. <br /> <br />Ballot Measure Details <br /> <br />The ballot that was filed by the growing coalition working to protect local revenues and local <br />services would: <br /> <br />Prohibit the state from takina. borrowina or redirectlna local taxoaver funds dedicated to DubUc <br />safety. emeraencv resoonse and other vital local aovernment services lincludina redeveloomentl. <br />The measure would close loopholes to prevent the taking of local taxpayer funds currently <br />dedicated to cities, counties and special districts. It would also revoke the state's authority to <br />borrow local government property tax funds or divert local redevelopment funds. <br /> <br />Protect vital. dedicated transoortation and oubUc transit funds from state raids. The measure <br />would prevent state borrowing, taking or redirecting of the state sales tax on gasoline (Prop.42 <br />funds) and Highway User Tax on gasoline (HUTA) funds that are dedicated to transportation <br />maintenance and improvements. It would also prevent the state from redirecting or taking public <br />transit funds. <br /> <br />Next Steps <br /> <br />Filing the measure with the Attorney General's office is just the first step in a long and expensive <br />process of qualifying a measure for the November 2010 ballot and securing voter approval. The <br />coalition will receive the official Title and Summary in late November or early December 2009. At <br />that time, the coalition can proceed with collecting the approximately 1 million signatures needed <br />to qualify for the November 2010 ballot. <br /> <br />With the state continuing to raid and borrow local government, transit and transportation funds, <br />this measure is desperately needed to protect taxpayers and the vital local government and <br />transportation services that support our quality of life and economy. <br /> <br />Grassroots organization and fundralsing will be paramount to the success of this measure if it <br />moves forward. The strength of interest and commitment to signature gathering and fundraising <br />by city officials is the most important factor to the League board in determining whether to support <br />gathering signatures and filing one of the measures. <br /> <br />The coalition released its announcement of the filing of the measure on Oct. 20. It's posted on the <br />League's Web site at www.cacities.ora/resource files/28386.10-20-09 Local Protection Measure <br />Filed.doc. <br /> <br />Although, two alternative versions of the ballot measure were actually filed, their content is <br />virtually identical. The major difference is formatting. Copies of the short and long versions of the <br />ballot measures filed with the Attorney General are posted on the League's Web site. <br /> <br />2 <br />