We must end state raids on local tax dollars

San Diego Union Tribune

January 17, 2010

We must end state raids on local tax dollars

Op-Ed

By Tony Young, Councilmember, City of San Diego

Since becoming San Diego’s representative to the executive board of the League of California Cities, the one constant concern I have heard from mayors and council members representing cities throughout California is this:

“The state is killing us. State government is taking everything they can from us to fix their budget mess.”

What hurts even more is that those in state government are neither asking nor willing to try to work with us. They are just demanding our local taxes and telling us to just deal with it. This madness has to stop.

In recent years, Sacramento politicians have borrowed or raided tens of millions of dollars from San Diego County and its cities to plug perpetual state budget gaps.

Coupled with a downturn in the economy, state raids have forced massive cuts in local services. The city of San Diego recently laid off employees and reduced pay and benefits. Other cities in San Diego County and the rest of California have laid off emergency medical technicians, public safety members and other staff positions.

Your editorial of Jan. 6 (“Ballot-box bungling / initiative not the answer to raids on local taxes”) acknowledges the impact of state raids on local government funds and even sympathizes. But sympathy won’t protect our local services from further state raids.

That’s why we have joined a coalition of local government, public safety, business, labor and transportation leaders collecting signatures to qualify the local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Protection Act for the November 2010 ballot. The measure would stop state raids of local government revenues, and ensure that the gas taxes we pay at the pump fund transportation improvements.

Rather than “ballot box budgeting,” this initiative is the people’s tool to protect our local tax dollars from further state raids. Going to the ballot is the people’s check on the dysfunctional Legislature in Sacramento.

TONY YOUNG

Chairman, Budget and

Finance Committee

Council Member, Fourth District