Reso 1998-071 to 075 - Laserfiche WebLink

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IN THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO RESOLUTION NO. 98-71 (1123/ 1050 ) JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCILS OF ALL THE CITIES IN ALAMEDA COUNTY URGING THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO OPPOSE THE PHASE -OUT OF VEHICLE LICENSE FEES WHEREAS, the Governor and the State Legislature are considering the elimination or reduction of vehicle license fees (VLF) proposed in various bills and in the Governor's May Revised Budget; and WHEREAS, vehicle license fees are an essential source of funding for key city and county services like police and fire protection, and if the State takes these revenues away from local government, this will severely jeopardize the ability of local government to provide basic services to our communities, and to plan for the future; and WHEREAS, vehicle license fee revenues have a long tradition as a local government funding source, and are a fair source of funding the vehicle -related costs that local agencies incur in servicing motorists, such as traffic enforcement, safe street design and street maintenance; and WHEREAS, although "assurances" have been made that the amount of VLF reduced or eliminated will be replaced by other revenues, the history of State and local government fiscal relationships over the past twenty years (and underscored by the past five years) strongly suggest that cities and counties should not trade a stable, dependable revenue source for a State-controlled one, and that the fiscal future of cities and counties lies in greater fiscal independence from the State, not in greater reliance upon it; and WHEREAS, the discussion of phasing -out VLF stems from the State's improved financial condition, which results in part from the revenues taken away from cities and counties by the State under ERAF, so that any State fiscal surplus should go to repaying local agencies for these take-aways ($3.6 billion annually) before Sacramento contemplates a substantial giveaway; and WHEREAS, if the State believes its improved fiscal condition warrants a tax cut, there is no need to draw iocai government finances into this discussion because there are other tares that could be reduced -- such as sales and income taxes -- without again placing local governments at risk by needlessly involving them in the State budget process; and WHEREAS, executive and legislative efforts should be directed towards restoring revenues taken away from local governments by the State under ERAF; however, if this restoration is not going to occur, the State should not worsen the financial situation of local governments by causing even greater fiscal uncertainty and instability at the local level. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by all the City Councils of the Cities in Alameda County that we urge the Governor and the State Legislature to: