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Home My WebLink About07-01-2014ph2 mejia (2)0 r Council Memorandum I 'f� Date: July 1, 2014 TO: City Council FROM: Anthony Mejia, City Clerk VIA: Katie Lichtig, City Manager SUBJECT: Past Ballot Measure Signatures JUL 0 l 2014 AGENDA CORRESPONDENCE Date 7 - 1' I � Item# L In response to a request from a Council Member, staff is providing the 2006 Local Revenue Ballot Measure Arguments, Rebuttals, and Impartial Analysis. In addition, below is a list of authors of ballot arguments /rebuttals since 2006. 2006 Measure Y — Local Revenue Ballot Measure Arguments in Favor Arguments Against Mary Verdin, Peg Pinard, Chair, Chamber of Commerce Former Mayor/Former County Su ervisor _ Karen Merriam, Richard Schmidt, Chair, Santa Lucia Chapter Sierra Club Former Planning Commissioner Pierre Rademaker, Past President, SLO Downtown Association Agatha Reardon, Vice President, SLO Senior Citizens Center Sandi Sigurdson, Executive Director, SLO Symphony Rebuttal to ANuments in Favor Rebuttal to Arguments Against Peg Pinard, Mary Verdin, Chair, Former Mayor/Former County Supervisor Chamber of Commerce Richard Schmidt, Karen Merriam, Former Planning Commissioner Chair, Santa Lucia_ Chapter Sierra Club Pierre Rademaker, Past President, SLO Downtown Association Amy Kardel, Ad Hoc Citizen's Advisory Committee Member __. Ken Schwartz, former Mayor of San Luis Obispo, Ad Hoc Citizen's Advisory Committee Member Ballot Measure Past Signatures Page 2 2010 Measure H — Prado Road Arguments in Favor Arguments Against ' Bill Wilson, Dave Romero, Teacher Mayor Michael C. Sullivan, Allen Settle, Park Ranger Council Member and former Mayor Mila Vujovich -La Barre, Sherri Stoddard, RN Teacher Rebuttal to Arguments Against Eric S. Baskin, Lauren Brown, President, IAFF L3523 San Luis Obispo City Retired scientist Rebuttal to Arguments in Favor Rebuttal to Ar ments Against John Spatafore, Christine Mulholland, Youth Sports Association founder, former Former City Councilmember school board member Dan Hinz, Hilary Trout, Eugene Jud, Mom, child advocacy leaser (CASA President), Fellow Institute of Transportation Engineers CPA WorkinE mother Stacey White, Bill Wilson, AYSO Coach, Broad Advisory Committee, Teacher green building architect Dan Dale, Rosemary Wilvert, Retired traffic officer, President Santa Lucia Former President Citizens for Planning Homeowners Association Res onsibl (CPR) John Ewan, Mila Vujovich -La Barre, City Council Member (1998- 2006), business Teacher and environmental leader 2011 Measure A - Retirement ments in Favor A ments Against Jan Marx, Jack O'Connell Ma or Andrew Carter, Eric Baskin Council Member Sherri Stoddard, RN Rebuttal to Arguments in Favor Rebuttal to Arguments Against Eric S. Baskin, Lauren Brown, President, IAFF L3523 San Luis Obispo City Retired scientist Firefi hters Jack O'Connell April Strong, Physical therapist Dan Hinz, Retired military Amy Kardel, WorkinE mother Russ Levanway, Small business owner Ballot Measure Past Sianatures 2011 Measure B - Binding Arbitration in Favor Ar ments Against .Arguments Jan Marx, Jack O'Connell Mayor Andrew Carter, Eric Baskin Council Member Kathy Smith, Council Member Don A. Ernst Rebuttal to Arguments in Favor Sherri Stoddard, RN Katcho Achad' ian Rebuttal to Arguments in Favor Rebuttal to Ar ments Against Eric S. Baskin Dave Romero, President, IAFF L3523 San Luis Obispo City former mayor Fire fi hters Jack O'Connell Ken Schwartz, former mayor Don A. Ernst John Ewan, former council member Paul Brown, former council member _ Christine Mulholland, former council member 2012 Measure D -12 — Utility Users Tax Ar iments in Favor Arguments Against John Ashbaugh, Council Member Dan Carpenter, Vice Mayor Andrew Carter, Council Member Jan Marx, Mayor Kathy Smith, Council Member Rebuttal to Arguments in Favor Rebuttal to Arguments Against ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE ARGUMENT AGAIN MEASURE Y -05 Keep San Luis Obispo our special place For the future of SLO, vote YES ON Y The State has taken away S22 million from SLO during the past IS years and continues to lake $3 million every year to balance its budget These takeaways have torced SLO to cut essential services • YES ON Y gives San Luis Obispo local control — all funds �cneraled twill remain /tare • YES ON Y restores essential neighborhood services, such as street paving and pothole repair • YES ON Y helps relieve traffic congestion • YES ON Y keeps our community We by restoring police and fire positrons that had to be cut • YES ON Y provides urgently needed money for flood protection and storm drain repair • YES ON Y ensures essential programs and facilities for our growing senior population • YES ON Y allows the City to restore funding for open space protection and acquisition, a program that has been all but eliminated in recent years The sales tax rate in SLO is curret n r at the lowest level in the slat "wen vnlh Ihts mirror iricre se our rate wl f! be the same or tower lhan lhaf aid b 85% o the state's resfdenls • YE ON Y Is a low cost high impact solution Non residents and tourrsrs vnN over hall Santa Maria has been at this rate for over 16 years • YES on Y has slrvnri public saleuuards to ensure that funds vat[ be spent as lesidenis prefer independent audits, citizen oversight including yearly reports to every household, and an 8 year "sunset" provisicti so the Measure will go back to voters for reauthorization More retail development won't lix the problem It would lake NINE CoStco's to generate the same amount of revenue SLO's bait is simply out of notches Please join us in protecting SLO s future Vote YES ON Y s/ Mary Verdin, Chair, Chamber of Commerce sl Karen Merriam Chair, Santa Lucia Chapter Sierra Club s/ Pierre Rademaker' Past President, SLO Downtown Association sl Agatha Reardon, Vice President, SLO Senior Cilizens Center s/ Sandi Siguidson Executive Oirector, SLO Symphony REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE Ya Proponents paint an appealing picture of how San Luis Obispo will use Measure Y revenues Bui promises' about use of Measure Y luinds are unenforceable There's no requiiement Measure Y revenues be used only for 'essential services " By law ihis money can be used for any "general purpose" the City wishes and cannof be earmarked Voters have every right to be skeptical For example, our General Plan says development pays its own way, yet San Luis Obispo continues to offer developers financial subsidy • Last year voters rejected a multimillion dollar sales lax rebate the City had altered Marketplace developers • Yet the same day the Cit Council placed ivteasur,e Y on the ballot t also authorized ursuinq another subsidized pnvate development ( arden Street Terraces) fns features include • S2 a million cash advanced to the developer by the City • Valuing a City parking lot tieing transferred to the developer at Si 5 million instead of its S5 million appraised value • Rebate of most new property tax from the development for 30 years Basic resident services should be San Luis Obispo's first priority Please send a message to City Hall to put first things first Please vote noon Measure Y sl Peg Pinard, Former Mayor /Former County Supervisor s/ Richard Schmidt Former Planning Commissioner OR xxxx 4 t Is it true San Luis Obispo cannot provide basic citizen services without raising our sales tax? With years of service inside City government, we are dubious We see nonessential spending We believe San Luis Obispo's 'money problem" is more about priorities than finances Here's why Traditionally, city government exists to provide tesidents with important things we cannot provide ourselves in San Luis Obispo these "basic services" include utilities, streets, parks, open space preservation flood control, police and fire service These are the fundamental reasons we have a City govomment Providing basic services to residents must come first In San Luis Obispo however the Ctty Irequenify considers its 'Customers to be developers and a low vested commercial interests -Service' means making them happy Government has came to mean deals and subsidies for developers, endless costly rewriting of recduhlions to weaken popular environmental and neighborhood protections, promoting development many citizens don't want, and well paid stall to support and advocate for developers These items now compeie financially with providing basic citizen services San Luis Obispo must not regard basic citizen services as a sideline - as things residents should pay extra for if they really want them rather than ils topmost priority We believe San Luis Obispo has distorted spending priorities We believe our City needs to get back to basics to make residents its customers," and provide services for residents first Please join us in sending This message to City Hall Please vote no on Measure Y s/ Peg Pinard, Former MayorlFormer County Supervisor s/ Richard Schmidt, Former Planning Commissioner REBUTTAL TO THE ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE Y -06 in 2CO5 San Luis Obispo converted an independent ad hoc citizens advisory committee to assess the financial condition of the city The cmzen's committee lound that on going financial raids from politicians in Sacramento have significantly affected San Luis Obispo These raids have accounted for fosses of S22 million over the last decade resulting in ' service reductions in every city department 'a 67% reduction in street paving and road maintenance ' elimination of 25 lull lirne positions including swom police officers Almost total depletion of Open Space protection fund Despite these hardships. San Luis Obispo's budget is extremely well managed The city routinely receives national and slate awards for financial management and reporting Alter reviewing a detailed survey comparing similar cities, a Tribune headline concluded SLO Often Does More Spends Less Than Olhar Cities Unfortunately, we are at a point where our quality of life will deteriorate with deeper cuts A modest revenue increase with strict accountability provisions is the most sensible means by which to maintain San Luis Obispo's quality of lile and services Measure Y includes the following taxpayer protections I An independent annual financial audit to be made available to the public, 2 An annual community report mailed to every SLO residence 3 An annual citizen oversight meeting, 4 An eight year sunset" provision requiring that SLO residents evaluate and affirm this additional revenue by a vote of the people Protect and preserve the "SLO Life " Vote YES on Measure Y s/ Mary Verdin, Chair, Chamber of Commerce s/ Karen Merriam, Chait, Santa Lucia Chapter Sierra Club sl Pierre Rademaker, Past President SLO Downtown Association s/ Amy Kardel, Ad Hoc Citizen's Advisory Committee Member s/ Ken Schwartz, former Mayor of San Luis Obispo, Ad Hoc Citizen's Advisory Committee Member i° CITY ATTORNEY S IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF MEASURE Y -06 If approved by a majority of the voters voting on the measure, Measure Y -06 will authorize an additional !6-cent sales tax within the City of San Luis Obispo This 1/2-cent sales tax would be a' general - purpose tax," meaning that the revenue raised from the tax would go into the City's general fund and could be used for any municipal governmental purpose Municipal governmental purposes encompass street paving, traffic congestion relief, police protection, fire and paramedic services, flood protection, senior citizen services, open space preservation and othei governmental functions and services The City would not be bound to use these tax monies for any special purpose or for any particular projects, facilities or programs California Revenue and Taxation Code section 7290 authorizes the City of San Luis Obispo to levy a transactions and use tax (sales tax) at a 0 5 percent (1h-cent) rate so long as the tax is approved by two - thirds of the City Council and a majority of the voters voting in an election on that issue The City Council unanimously approved this tax on August 1, 2006 If approved by the voters the Measure Y -06 sales tax would become effective on April 1, 2007 This 'h -cent sales tax would be paid in addition to current sales taxes The current sales tax within the City (including state and local sales taxes) is 7 25 percent If Measure Y -06 is approved by the votets the total sales tax would be 7 75 percent This 'h -cent sales tax would be collected at the same time and in the same manner as existing sales taxes Measure Y -06 contains the following fiscal accountability provisions to assist citizens in assessing if the additional sales tax revenues have been used in meeting community priorities 1) the amount generated by the new revenue source and how it was used shall be included in the annual audit of the City's financial operations by an independent certified public accountant, 2) the estimated revenue and proposed use of funds generated by this measure shall be a part of the City's budget and goal setting process, which provides for participation by citizens in determining priority uses of these funds, 3) an annual written report will be provided to every household in the City explaining how much revenue is being generated by the measure and how funds are being spent, and 4) a citizen oversight meeting will be scheduled annually to allow for review and discussion of the use of revenue generated by this measure The 1/2-cent sales tau would sunset and be repealed in eight years, and could not be collected after that time unless a majority of the voters voting in an election on that issue approves an extension or re- authorization of the tax Respectfully submitted, Jonathan Lowell City Attorney