Mayors of California’s Largest Cities Endorse Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Protection Act to Stop State Raids of Local Government Funds

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  March 18, 2010                           

Sacramento, CA – In an effort to protect their cities from State raids of local funds, the mayors of California’s biggest cities have endorsed the Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Protection Act.  Aimed for November 2010, the measure would stop the State from taking or borrowing local tax dollars that now go to cities and other local governments to fund vital local services.  It would also stop the State from borrowing or taking gas tax revenues that voters have dedicated to local street and road repairs. The coalition supporting the measure has collected more than 750,000 signatures to place this constitutional amendment on the November 2010 ballot.

In a joint letter pledging their strong support to help pass the measure, the mayors expressed their commitment to delivering vital services to the people they serve and frustration with their inability to properly budget because of State raids and borrowing:
    
“As mayors of California’s largest cities, we’re responsible for the delivery of vital services to tens of millions of Californians and for the stewardship of billions of dollars in taxpayer resources. Our cities deliver front line services essential to the quality of life of every Californian and to our economic prosperity. These include vital police, fire and emergency response services; maintaining libraries and parks; road safety improvements; public transit; and public works and other services. We strive to provide the highest level of accountability over the tax dollars that are entrusted to our cities.

Our ability to protect taxpayer dollars and deliver vital services are put at grave risk by the State’s continual raiding and borrowing of local government and transportation funds. Already strapped with our own fiscal crises, our cities have been forced to reduce city services in large part because of billions of dollars in raids and borrowing by the State over the last few years.

In order to restore trust and accountability with the voters, we have to reform the dysfunctional relationship between the State and California cities. A key step is to clearly delineate revenues dedicated for local governments, and to prevent State raids and borrowing of these funds. The Local Taxpayer, Public Safety, and Transportation Protection Act is a responsible reform that will do just that.”

The nine mayors who signed the letter:
 
•    Ron Dellums, Mayor of Oakland
•    Bob Foster, Mayor of Long Beach
•    Kevin Johnson, Mayor of Sacramento
•    Miguel Pulido, Mayor of Santa Ana
•    Curt Pringle, Mayor of Anaheim
•    Chuck Reed, Mayor of San Jose
•    Jerry Sanders, Mayor of San Diego
•    Ashley Swearengin, Mayor of Fresno
•    Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles
 
The big city mayors join a broad coalition of public safety, business, labor, transportation and transit throughout the state working to pass the measure.  Proponents are currently gathering the necessary signatures to qualify the measure for the November 2010 ballot. 

Click HERE to view letter.