Santa Rosa officials push ballot measure to block state cash grab

Santa Rosa Press-Democrat

January 7, 2010

By Bleys W. Rose

Santa Rosa city, fire and police officials are calling for voters to support a signature gathering effort that could put a measure on the November ballot preventing state government from diverting local government revenues as budget-balancing tactic.

State government, during this fiscal year, balanced its budget partly by delaying $1.7 billion in tax revenues that should have gone to counties and cities and may do the same with another $350 million in 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Local officials last year decried the move as a funding grab that forced cutbacks in police patrols, fire services and transit programs. Now, a statewide coalition of public safety, local government, transportation, business and labor groups is advocating a constitutional amendment that blocks state government from borrowing or diverting funds used for vital services.

The local signature gathering effort was announced at a press conference Thursday attended by Santa Rosa Police Chief Tom Schwedhelm, Fire Chief Bruce Varner, city transit director Robert Dunlavey and vice-mayor Gary Wysocky. It was held at a fire station in Southwest Santa Rosa that was closed on Thursday because of budget cuts that forced rotating closures of city fire stations.

A Sacramento-based group called Californians to Protect Local Taxpayers and Vital Services launched a statewide signature gathering effort this week. It aims to collect 1.1 million signatures in order to meet the required 694,354 valid signatures needed to qualify a constitutional amendment for the ballot.