EXHIBIT 7-A
RESOLUTION NO. 2004-__
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
OF THE MONTEREY PENINSULA
WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
SUPPORTING A STATEWIDE
BALLOT INITIATIVE TO REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL BEFORE STATE GOVERNMENT MAY TAKE
LOCAL TAX FUNDS
WHEREAS, state government currently
seizes over $400 million in special district property tax funds (ERAF)
statewide, seriously reducing resources available for local public services
such as water related services; and
WHEREAS, the Monterey Peninsula Water
Management District has lost approximately $4,850,000 in property taxes since
Fiscal Year 1992-1993, including over $597,200 in Fiscal Year 2003-2004; and
WHEREAS, in adopting the state
budget this year, the Legislature and Governor appropriated local revenue
streams such as property taxes that are needed to finance critical local
services such as water related services; and
WHEREAS, the state budget also
relies on a deficit bond financing program that is predicated on a local
property tax swap that leaves local services 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 ongoing structural budget deficit of at
least $8 billion, putting local government financial resources at risk in
future years; and
WHEREAS, it is abundantly clear
that the state will continue to use local tax funds to balance the state budget
unless the voters limit the power of the legislature and governor to do
so; and
WHEREAS,
the voters of California are the best judges of whether local tax funds should
be diverted, confiscated, shifted or otherwise taken by the legislature to
finance an ever expanding state government; and
WHEREAS,
the California Special Districts Association (CSDA) officially took its
place as the third leg in local government by joining the League of California
Cities and the California State Association of Counties in the formation of the
Leave Our Assets Local (LOCAL) coalition; and
WHEREAS,
at the CSDA annual membership meeting held on September 16, 2003 voted
to support LOCALs effort for a statewide ballot initiative to empower the
voters to limit the ability of state government to confiscate local 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 government may
appropriate local tax funds to fund state government operations and
responsibilities.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MONTEREY PENINSULA
WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT that the District hereby expresses its
strong support for a statewide ballot initiative to allow voters to decide
whether local tax funds may be taken, confiscated, shifted, diverted or
otherwise used to fund state government operations and responsibilities; and
RESOLVED
FURTHER, that the Board of Directors and staff provide
such educational materials on the possible impacts of such an initiative as may
be lawfully provided by the District’s representatives; and
RESOLVED
FURTHER, that the constituents of the District are
encouraged to become well informed on the opportunities available to them
through such an initiative to safeguard the critical local services on which
they rely; and
RESOLVED
FURTHER, that the Board Secretary is hereby directed to
send a copy of this resolution to the Executive Director of the California
Special Districts Association.
On motion by Director ___________, and seconded by Director ____________, the foregoing resolution is duly adopted on this 19th day of February, 2004 by the following votes:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
I,
Witness my hand and seal of the Board of Directors this __th day of February 2004
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