Resolution 2782-04
'-
\.r
~
1
2
RESOLUTION NO. 2782-04
A RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
SUPPORTING THE LOCAL TAXPAYER AND PUBLIC
SAFETY PROTECTION ACT
3
4
5
WHEREAS, state government currently seizes over $400 million in special
6 district property tax funds (ERAF) statewide, seriously reducing resources available for
7 local public services such as parks and recreation, police and fire protection, water and
8 wastewater, library and many others;
9 WHEREAS, in adopting the state budget this year the Legislature and Governor
10 appropriated local revenue streams such as the Vehicle License Fee (VLF), sales taxes
11 and property taxes that are needed to finance critical local services such as public
12 safety, parks, street maintenance, housing and economic development; and
WHEREAS, the state budget also relies on a deficit bond financing program that
14 is predicated on a local property and sales tax swap that leaves district services
15 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
16
ongoing structural budget deficit of at least $8 billion, putting local government financial
17
resources at risk in future years; and
18
WHEREAS, it is abundantly clear that state will continue to use local tax funds to
19 balance the state budget unless the voters limit the power of the legislature and
20 governor to do so; and
21 WHEREAS, the voters of California are the best judges of whether local tax
22 funds should be diverted, confiscated, shifted or otherwise taken by the legislature to
23 finance an ever expanding state government; and
WHEREAS, at the California Special Districts Association (CSDA) 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
27 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
13
24
25
26
28
29
30
government may appropriate local tax funds to fund state government operations and
responsibilities.
-1-
'-
1
2
3 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
4 THE SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT that the District hereby expresses its
5 strong support for a statewide ballot initiative to allow voters to decide whether local tax
6 funds may be taken, confiscated, shifted, diverted or otherwise used to fund state
7 government operations and responsibilities; and
Resolution No. 2782-04
Page 2
\.,
8 RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Board of Directors and staff provide such
9 educational materials on the possible impacts of such an initiative as may be lawfully
provided by the District's representatives; and
11 RESOLVED FURTHER, that the constituents of the District are encouraged to
become well informed on the opportunities available to them through such an initiative
12
to safeguard the critical local services on which they rely; and
13
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Clerk of the Board is hereby directed to send a
14 copy to the Executive Director of the California Special Districts Association.
We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that the above and foregoing resolution
16 was duly and regularly adopted and passed by the Board of Directors of the South
17 Tahoe Public Utility District at a regular meeting duly held on the 18th day of March,
18 2004, by the following vote:
10
15
\.,
19
20 AYES: Directors Wallace, Schafer, Jones, Comte, Mosbacher
21 NOES: None
22 ABSENT: None
23 ABSTAIN: None
24
25
26
27
28 ATTEST:
29 =k6.--.u# <,ba."" A?
30 Kathy Sharp, . k of the Boarc(imd
Ex-officio Secretary to the Board of Directors
, Board President
ublic Utility District
-2-