2003 AGN FEB 04 I03 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF COLTON AGENDA REPORT Council Meeting of February 4, 2003 Honorable Mayor and Council Members FROM: Daryl J. Parrish, City Manager SUBJECT: The "Save Our Services Fund" — A Resolution Establishing a Voluntary Payroll Deduction Program to Assist in Funding the Cost of a Statewide Ballot Measure Campaign to Preserve and Protect City Services and Revenues. DATE: January 27, 2003 BACKGROUND: Item #3 The Governor of the State of California has announced that the state faces a "dramatic and painful" budget deficit of $34.8 billion in the remainder of the current (2002/03) and the next (2003/04) fiscal years. The Governor has called upon the legislature to immediately enact the $10.1 billion in budget reductions recently called and he has purposed additional budget cut recommendations and revenue increases including an increase in the sales tax, the reconfiguration of the state income tax, the elimination of the Vehicle License Fee (VLF) backfill, the elimination of booking fee reimbursements, and the continued diversion of Redevelopment Agency revenue sources to the Public Education system. Based on the size and scope of the state fiscal crisis the aforementioned list is not necessarily an exhaustive list of potential actions the state could take that may negatively affect city budgets. In order to provide city's with a strong voice and to provide a mechanism to fight back, the League of California Cities has created the "Action for Better Cities" to lead a grassroots level campaign at home in our local communities and in Sacramento. Specifically, this campaign will fight back by lobbying in Sacramento and by preparing to support or oppose measures on the 2004 statewide ballot and beyond. In order to do that effectively, funds will have to be raised to help pay for the typical costs of such campaigns including but not necessarily limited to polling, signature gathering, brochures, and media campaigns. DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: Action for Better Cities has established a separate "Save our Services" (SOS) Fund to pay for the aforementioned costs. City officials and employees are invited to contribute to this fund by check or voluntaty payroll deduction. The voluntary contributions and deductions will be used only for League of California Cities approved statewide ballot measures that would constitutionally protect city services and revenues. If the League sponsors a ballot measure to constitutionally protect city revenues, the "SOS" Fund will support a major part of the expenses of that campaign. The attached resolution if approved would establish a voluntary payroll deduction program thus enabling city officials and employees the opportunity to contribute to the "SOS" Fund.