League of Cities looks to protect local revenues

Here is a news release from the California League of Cities:

On September 18, the General Assembly of the League of California Cities overwhelmingly authorized its board of directors to evaluate and, if feasible, seek voter approval of a November 2010 ballot measure to provide broad constitutional protection of local revenues.

The ballot measure would constitutionally protect against future efforts to divert, borrow, or steal revenues that fund local government services. This measure would go beyond the protections of Prop. 1A and would include the following revenues: property tax, sales tax, local share of gas tax funds, gasoline sales tax funds, redevelopment property tax increment, UUT’s, TOT’s, and business license taxes.

City officials will be asked to devote personal time to gather signatures, raise private funds, and help organize a statewide grassroots coalition to secure this ballot measure. The promotion of ballot measures or participation in ballot measure advocacy activity cannot occur on city time or using city facilities or equipment.

Once again, the state has left us no other options, as they continue to decimate our budgets instead of fixing their own problems. While this won't solve all of our troubles, it should help reduce the ways in which the state can steal our funds. Hopefully, we can force them into a position where they will actually have to reduce state government instead of taking from us.