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<br /> 1. 13,4 <br /> RESOLUTION NO, <br /> RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE "LOCAL TAXPAYERS AND <br /> PUBIJC SAFETY PROTECTION ACT" INITIATIVE FOR THE <br /> NOVEMBER 2,2004 STATEWIDE BALLOT, REQUIRING VOTER <br /> APPROVAL BEFORE STATE GOVERNMI..:NT MAY CONFISCATE <br /> LOCAL TAX FUNDS <br /> WHEREAS, State of California annually seizes over $800 million in city property <br /> tax funds (ERAF) statewide, costing cities over $6.9 billion in lost revenues over the <br /> past 12 years and seriously reducing resources available for local public safety ànd <br /> other services; and <br /> WHEREAS, in adopting the state budget this year the Legislature and Govemor <br /> appropriated local vehicle license fee backfill and redevelopment property tax funds that <br /> are needed to finance critical city services such as public safety, parks, street <br /> maintenance, housing and economic development; and <br /> WHEREAS, the deficit financing plan in the state budget depends on a local <br /> property and sales tax "swap. that leaves city services vulnerable if the state's <br /> economic condition fails to improve; and <br /> WHEREAS, the adopted state budget assumes an ongoing structural budget <br /> deficit of at least $8 billion, putting city resources and services at risk of additional state <br /> revenue raids in future years; and <br /> WHEREAS, since fiscal year 1992/1993, the State has taken over $35 million of <br /> Redwood City's funding as part of the so-called ERAF property tax shift, with a <br /> continuing diversion of over $4 million annually, and in just the last two fiscal years the <br /> State has taken nearly $400,000 from the City's Redevelopment Agency funds; and <br /> WHEREAS, it is abundantly clear that state leaders will continue to use local tax <br /> funds to balance the state budget unless the voters limit the power of the Legislature <br /> and Governor to do so; and <br /> WHEREAS, the voters of California are the best judges of whether local tax <br /> funds should be diverted, confiscated, shifted or otherwise taken to finance an ever- <br /> expanding state government; and <br /> WHEREAS, the General Assembly of Voting Delegates of the League of <br /> California Cities at its September 10, 2003 meeting voted to sponsor a statewide ballot <br /> initiative to empower the voters to limit the ability of state government to confiscate local <br /> tax funds to fund state government; and <br /> Atty/Reso/Reso.1456 1 <br /> 031704 <br />