AgdaPkt 2003-12-01 - Laserfiche WebLink

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�4A -a THE LOCAL TAXPAYERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY PROTECTION ACT FACT SHEET ENSURING VOTER CONTROL OVER LOCAL TAX DOLLARS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND OTHER ESSENTIAL LOCAL SERVICES The Problem: For more than a decade, the California State Legislature has been taking away increasing amounts of local tax dollars that local govern- ments use to provide essential services like police and fire protection, emergency and public health care, roads, parks, libraries and water delivery. In fact, through good times and bad, the State has been taking away billions in local tax dollars each year — forcing local governments to either raise local fees or taxes to maintain services, or cut back on critically needed services. The system is broken. Voters must act now to protect local services by protecting local revenues from being taken by the State. The Solution: provide new or expanded programs or services, then the State would have to reimburse local governments for the cost of those programs. o Provides flexibility for state budgeting decisions, but requires voter - approval on any future State Legislative actions that would reduce funding for essential local services. What this measure DOES NOT do: o Does not raise taxes. In fact, this measure will help decrease pressures for local fees and taxes by protecting local revenue sources from State raids. o Does not increase funding to local govern- ments. Simply prevents the State Legislature from raiding future local government funding. The 2004 Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act would increase local control over our local tax dollars. This measure would let the voters have the final say on proposed actions by the State Legislature that would further reduce local government funding. It would protect the vital local services that California residents rely on each and every day – such as public safety and emergency care, roads, libraries, parks and transportation – by requiring voter approval before the State could reduce funding for local services or shift more costs to local governments. What this measure does: o Requires voter approval before the Legisla- ture can reduce local government revenues or take them for state, rather than local, purposes. o Ensures that local tax dollars are available to fund local services like police and fire, emer- gency and trauma care, parks, roads, libraries and water delivery. o Makes it absolutely clear that if the State Legislature mandates that local governments o Does not reduce funding that schools receive from local property taxes or funding that schools receive from the State. o Does not reduce funding for other state programs like schools or highways. CALPERS HEALTH ANNOUNCES NEW ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jarvio Grevious has been appointed as the new Assistant Executive Officer of the CalPERS Health program. Mr. Grevious comes to CalPERS with an extensive back- ground. He was chief deputy director for the Department of Social Services and has worked with the California Energy Commis- sion and the Legislative Analyst's Office. Mr. Grevious will oversee the purchasing of health care for 1.2 million public employees, retirees and their families in the state. He replaces Allen Feezor, who resigned this past May. PAGE 2 /PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site-- www.cacities.org