HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTIONS - 01012003 - 2003-011 --'THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA o l
PASSED by the following vote of the Board of Supervisors on this 21 day of January 2003
AYES: SLIPWISORS GIOIA, UnKM, GMM, aOM AND Demufm
NOES: N=
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN: t
RESOLUTION NO. 2003/11
Subject: A RESOLUTION URGING THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE TO HONOR THE 1998
COMMITMENT TO RESTORE THE VLF ANIS NOT TO ADOPT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED
SHIFT OF LOCAL VLF REVENUES
WHEREAS,prier to 1935,cities and counties collected property takes on motor vehicles to fund essential
local public health and safety services;
WHEREAS,in 1935,the Legislature first enacted the Vehicle License Fee(VLF)Act,replacing the
property tax on vehicles with a 1.75 percent fee charged against the value of the motor vehicle;
WHEREAS, in 1948,the rate of the VLF was increased to 2 percent of the value of the vehicle;
WHEREAS,in 1986,the voters voted overwhelmingly to constitutionally dedicate the proceeds of the
VLF to fund city and county services;
WHEREAS, in 1998,a period of strong economic growth,the Legislature approved the use of a portion of
the rapidly growing state General Fund to reduce the VLF payments of vehicle owners. This amount,
known as the"offset",grew in future years to a 67.5 percent offset against the amount owed. The amount
paid to local governments in lieu of the reduced VLF payment is known as the"VLF backfill";
WHEREAS,the 1998 legislation and subsequent enactments contain clear provisions that when
insufficient funds are available to be transferred from the General Fund to fully fund the offsets and
backfill amount that the VLF offset shall be reduced and VLF payments increased;
WHEREAS,VLF backfill revenues constitute 23%of Contra Costa County's general purpose revenues,
$59 million($17 million realignment and$42 million non-realignment)in FY 2002-03;
WHEREAS,revenues derived from the VLF backfill are critical to maintaining front line law enforcement,
emergency health care services,child protective services,adult protective services,libraries,district
attorney prosecutions and ether services necessary to meet the needs of our local communities;
WHEREAS,any failure by the Legislature to maintain the VLF backfill or restore the VLF will cause
widespread disruption in local government services essential to the well-being of California citizens and
their cities and counties;
WHEREAS,Governor Davis' proposal to divert$4 billion in local VLF backfill payments over the next
17 months fails to honor the 1998 commitment and is a direct assault on local services that will be felt by
every California resident;and
WHEREAS,shifting$4.2 billion in locally controlled revenues used for local services is neither equitable
nor fair. No state program or department has been asked to shoulder such a disproportionate share of the
budget pain. These cuts come on top of the nearly$5 billion each year that is already transferred from
local services to fund state obligations.
NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOL PED BY THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA, CALIFORNL4,
that if the state General Fund can no longer afford all or part of the expense of the VLF"backfill,"that the
Legislature and Governor of California are hereby respectfully urged to implement the provisions of
current law providing for the reduction of the VLF offset in bad economic times and to restore the VLF in
an amount necessary to maintain local VLF backfill revenues;and to do so as a prior condition to
consideration of adopting the State Budget;and
RESOLVED FURTHER,that the County of Contra Costa hereby expresses its profound appreciation to
the legislators who support such VLF restoration legislation.
RESOLUTION NO. 2003/11
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy
of an action talo and entered on the minutes of
the Board of Supervisors on the date shown:
ATTESTED: January 21,2003
JOHN SWEETEN, Clerk of the Board of
Su ors and County Administrator
c
By Deputy
RESOLUTION NO. 2003/11