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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04111995 - 1.59 ADMINISTRATION BUILDING SUITE 315,3501 CIVIC CENTER DR. SAN RAFAEL,CALIFORNIA 94903-4193 TELEPHONE(415)499-7331 FAX(415)499-3645 - TDD(415)499-6172 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF MARIN COUNTY REC�E�VED', March 28, 1995 V _ ._. 3 0 1995 Board of Supervisors CLE K BOARD OF SUPERVISOR Contra Costa County CONTRA COSTA CO. 651 Pine Street Martinez, California 94553 Dear Board members: Re: State's Diversion of Local Revenues The Marin County Board of Supervisors has taken an action that we want you to know about. Our Board has formally adopted, by unanimous vote, a resolution objecting to the State's continued diversion of locally generated revenues as a means of subsidizing the State in the funding of public education and other major State functions. At issue for our Board is the progressive loss of local control to the State, and the unsustainability of local government. The resolution has this distinction: it has served as a model for the eleven cit town councils in Marin Coun '''`' ach"6f which has'•enacted a comparable resolution, uneci ivocally and unanimously. Iri.addition, -Marin's special districts are in the process of considering and adopting companion resolutions. We are enclosing a copy of our resolution, the position paper upon"which the resolution is based, and an update 'on the approach of Marin's general purpose governments and special districts in responding to the State's fiscally destabilizing revenue diversions. We think that, if every local government in California would enact such a resolution, perhaps, for a change, the Legislature would have no option but to do the right thing. We invite you to join us in this effort. If you have any questions or comments, we would be happy to hear from you. Sincere -- ANNETTE ROSE President, Board of Supervisors AR:Is\Diveren Enclosures: Marin County Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 94-298, December 13, 1994. Position Paper on the State's Continuing Tax Shift, November 14, 1994. Update on "Property Tax Shift" Resolution, March 9, 1995 cc: Senator Milton Mark's ` ~Assemblymember KerryMazzoni " VICE-PRESIDENT PRESIDENT 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT CLERK JOHN KRESS • HAROLD C.BROWN • ANN=ROSE • GARY GIACOMINI • HARRY J.MOORE • SAN RAFAEL SAN ANSELMO SAUSALITO SAN GERONIMO NOVATO REGULAR MEETING 1sT DISTRICT 2ND DIsTRICT 3RD DISTRICT 4TH DISTRICT 5TH DISTRICT TUESDAY,9 A.M. MARIN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RESOLUTION NO. 9 4-2.9 8 A RESOLUTION OBJECTING TO THE DIVERSION OF LOCALLY GENERATED REVENUES TO SUBSIDIZE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S FUNCTIONS WHEREAS, the full funding of .public education is of critical importance to healthy and balanced communities and to the future of Marin County citizens; and WHEREAS, the.State of California has a major responsibility to fulfill its role in the funding of public education and the shifting of this responsibility to local communities runs counter to the statewide public interest; and WHEREAS, the State of California's diversion of property tax revenues and other locally generated .revenues, as a means of subsidizing major State functions, increasingly interferes with the ability of local governments to carry out their responsibility of providing vital community services; and WHEREAS, the State's diversion of locally generated revenues is unacceptable to the County of Marin; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Marin County Board of Supervisors strongly objects to the State's continued use of the property tax shift as a means of offsetting the State's reduction in the funding of public education; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Marin County Board of Supervisors recommends that the State Revenue and Taxation Code be revised to eliminate those provisions which provide for the diversion of locally generated revenues to subsidize the State's role in the funding of public education and other major functions for which State government has a major responsibility; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Marin County Board of Supervisors hereby forwards this resolution objecting to the diversion of locally generated revenues to subsidize the State's functions to the legislature and the Governor; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Marin County Board of Supervisors hereby forwards this resolution to the League of California Cities and urges all general purpose governments and special districts to formally object to the State's diversion of locally generated revenue; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Marin County Board of Supervisors will respond with its immediate objection to any: State efforts to activate any further diversion of locally generated revenue. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, State of California, on the 20th day of December; 1994, by the following vote to wit: AYES: SUPERVISORS Annette Rose, Bob Roumiguiere, Harold C. Brown, Jr.' Brady Bevis, Gary Giacomini NOES: None ABSENT: None /L ...� CHAIRNIAN OF TftE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ATTEST: • TIN J. NICHOLS Acting Clerk of the Board of Supervisors r DRAFT #2 Position Pang on the Stag's Continuing Propirty Tax Shift: $67 Million in Marin and Stilt Counting... Summary This is a proposal to Marin County's general purpose governments and special districts for the adoption of a uniform policy opposing the State's continued use of the "property tax shift"as a means of offsetting the State's multi-billion dollar reduction in the funding of public education. At issue is the progressive loss of local control to the State, and the unsustainability of local government. Background Property tux shift is the popular term used to describe the State mandated intra- county transfer of property tax revenues to local school districts from funds allocated to the County,cities, special districts and redevelopment agencies. This is the mechanism that is used: A portion of the revenues earmarked for these local government agencies is transferred to a countywide fund(the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund,or ERAF)managed by the Marin County Auditor. The revenues are then distributed by the Auditor directly to local school districts to compensate for revenues being withheld from these districts by the State. (This is the"shift.") The practice is now in its third year. At the end of the current fiscal year,the cumulative,permanent revenue loss to local governments in Marin County will have exceeded$67 million: • $11.4 million in FY 1992-93; • $24.5 million in FY 1993-94; and • $31.2 million(projected)in FY 1994-95. The progressively greater shifting of Marin's fiscal resources by State lawmakers exponentially compounds the fiscally destabilizing effects of Proposition 13,making the continued provision of adequate,reliable public service infrastructure and delivery systems, Position Paper on the State's Continuing Propg ty'Tax Shift' Page Two and other local government services, unsustainable. Without adequate service levels, Marin communities--and their local governments--cannot continue to function effectively. Proposed Actions L It is recommended that Marin's general purpose governments and-special districts adopt the following policy guidelines: • The full funding of public education is of critical importance to healthy and balanced communities and to the future of Marin County citizens; • The State has a major responsibility to fulfill its role in the funding of public education and the shifting of this responsibility to local communities runs counter to the statewide public good; • The State's diversion of property tax revenues,and other locally generated - revenues, as a means of subsidizing major State functions increasingly impacts vital community services for which local government has a major responsibility;. • The State's diversion of property tax and other locally generated revenues is unacceptable to Marin's general purpose governments and special districts, and the practice must be discontinued. H. It is further recommended that the State Revenue and Taxation Code be revised to eliminate those provisions which mandate the diversion of locally generated revenues to subsidize the State's role in the funding of public.education and other functions for which State government has a major responsibility. III. Finally,it is recommended that these guidelines and recommendations be forwarded to all other California counties for their consideration as a course of action to begin the restoration of vital public services to communities throughout the State. 11-14-94 Update on "Property Tax Shift" -Resolution March 9, 1995 General Purpose Governments. Following the lead of the Marin Countywide Planning Agency on Nov. 28, 1994, Marin County's twelve general purpose governments adopted resolutions underscoring the importance of the full funding of public education, and objecting to the State's continued use of property tax revenues,and other locally generated revenues,to subsidize the State's role in the funding of public education and other functions for which State government has a major responsibility. Fifty-eight elected officials representing the County of Marin and the eleven cities within the county voted in favor of the resolution, with none opposed. A encu Date Adopted Vote County of Marin Dec. 13, 1994 5-0 City of Belvedere Jan. 3, 1995 5-0 Town of.Corte Madera Dec. 6, 1994 5-0 Town of Fairfax Feb. 13, 1995 5-0 City of Larkspur Jan. 4, 1995 . . :5-0 City-of Mi11.Valley,,, Dec. 5, 1994 . , .5-0 City of Novato Dec. 13, 1994 5-0 .. Town of Ross Mar. 8, 1995 5-0 Town of San Anselmo Dec. 13, 1994 4-0 City of San Rafael Dec. 5, 1994 5-0 City of Sausalito Jan. 10, 1995 4-0 Town of Tiburon Dec. 5, 1994 5-0 The resolution adopted by the Countywide Planning Agency is attached. Special Districts. Concurrently with the actions of the general purpose governments, some of the special districts within Marin County have adopted comparable resolutions by unanimous vote. Alto-Richardson Bay Fire Protection District Feb. 22, 1995 3-0 Marinwood Community Services District Jan. 11, 1995 5-0 Novato Fire Protection District Feb. 6, 1995 5-0 Ross Valley Sanitary District Dec. 6, 1994 4-0 Other special districts have not yet agendized or acted upon the resolution. J. Julin 3-09-95 f � MARIN COUNTYWIDE PLANNING AGENCY RESOLUTION NO. 94-4 A RESOLUTION OBJECTING TO THE DIVERSION OF LOCALLY GENERATED REVENUES TO SUBSIDIZE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S FUNCTIONS' WHEREAS, the.full.funding of public education is of critical importance to healthy and balanced communities and to the future of Marin County citizens; and WHEREAS, the State of California has a major responsibility to fulfill its role in the funding of public education and the shifting of this responsibility to local communities runs counter to the statewide public interest; and m .. -State of California's diversion of property tax revenues and{other`locally"generated revenues', as-a WHEREAS, the means of subsidizing major State functions, increasingly interferes with the ability of local governments to carry out their responsibility of providing vital community services; and WHEREAS, the State's diversion of locally,generated revenues is unacceptable to Marin County's general purpose governments and special districts; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED; that the Marin Countywide Planning Agency strongly objects to the State's continued use of the property tax shift as a means of offsetting the State's reduction in the funding of public educatiort;. and BE IT FURTHER,RESOLVED that the Marin Countywide Planning Agency recommends that the State'Revenue and Taxation Code be revisedto eliminate those provisions which provide for`the diversion of locally generated'revenues. to subsidize the State's role in the funding of public education and other major functions for which State government has a major"responsibility; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Marin Countywide Planning Agency urges the cities, the County and the special districts of Marin County to adopt resolutions objecting to the diversion of locally generated revenues to subsidize the State's functions and send them to the legislature and the Governor; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Marin Countywide PIanning Agency requests that the cities, the County and the special districts of Marin-County,forward�thei resolutions`to`-the state''associations for cities, counties,-and special districts and urge all general purpose governments and special districts to formally object,to the State's diversion of locally generated revenue; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Countywide Planning Agency urges the cities, the County and the special districts of Marin County to respond immediately to any State efforts to activate any further diversion of locally generated revenue. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Maria Countywide.PIanning Agency, State of California, on the 28th day of November, 1994, by the following vote to wit: AYES: Richardson; Corte Madera; Meyers, Novato; Cutler, Mill Valley, Be , Sausalito; Wilson, Fairfax; Breen, San Anselrno; Boro, San Rafael; Nygren,Tiburo anctot, Larksp iacomini, Marin'County° NOES: None ABSENT: Barry, Ross; Johnson, Belvedere Gary Giacomini, Chair Marin Countywide Planning Agency