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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4028 RESOLUTION NO. 4028 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA OPPOSING THE ADOPTION OF PROPOSITION 9, THE SO-CALLED WATSON PROPERTY TAX INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL APPEAR ON THE BALLOT IN THE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 5, 1968. WHEREAS, at the general election to be held November 5, 1968, Proposition 9 will appear on the ballot, which proposition is the so-called Watson Property Tax Initiative; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA DOES DETERMINE AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. That the City Council recommends a "No" vote on Proposition 9 for the following reasons: 1. The proposition is not a tax reform measure. For example, it completely removes any and all forms of property tax as a source of income for the support of all public schools through the junior college level but does not provide any alternate source of revenue for the support of such schools. 2. Schools will have to depend entirely upon revenue from the State for their support. Home rule with respect to schools would be virtually abolished since the State Legislature would de- cide how much and where money should be spent for operation of schools. Further, capital improvements for the City or schools, financed by bonds, would be precluded. 3. The State; in order to maintain programs at their present levels, would have to raise taxes annually an additional Two and One-half Billion Dollars. Personal income tax and the sales tax would be the probable source of this increase. The per- sonal income tax would have to be increased by an over-all 300%, or the sales tax raised to 12%, or some combination of a raise in these two taxes. -1- 4028 4. The measure is so drawn that "people-related services" could include public libraries, parks, and recreation. This means that adoption of the program could ultimately result in the extinc- tion of publicly operated libraries, recreation and park facilities or at least a vastly dimished level of service for these programs. 5. Adoption of the proposition would benefit apartment house owners and other landlords, real estate speculators, and some large land owners and developers. The average home owner would receive no benefit since the loss of revenue which would result from adoption of the proposition would be made up by increased State taxes which would fall most heavily upon the average home owner. 6. The proposition is vague, ambiguous, and uncertain. No provision is made for allocation of the property tax between taxing agencies such as the State, the City, and the County. The State could preempt the property tax and thus remove this as a source for operation of any functions of local government. This, in turn, would make local government dependent upon the State for income to perform local functions; home rule would virtually cease to exist. SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution. I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing resolution was adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcadia held on the l7th day of september, 1968, by the affirmative vote of at least three Councilmen: AYES: NOES: ,Councilmen Arth, Butterworth, Considine , Helms and Hage None ABSENT: None ~ -- " - - -. ~f~~(~api~~ 1968. ia /" ... , S~GNED-AND APPROVED ,~ .-, y - ~ \,.~ /, r,' ATTES!l!: ~-. /~ -. F Ci ty Clerk .' '::' (SEALl.~ . ~_ ~-l~ 7~5' '-~::--:v---~'>\.\ .r , ~ ' -2- 4028