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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso - CC - 062-2018RESOLUTTON NO. 062-2018 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURLINGAIUE OPPOSING THE PROPOSED TAX FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY AND ACGOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2018 BALLOT TIIEASURE WHEREAS, the Tax Fairness, Transparency and Accountability Act (TFTAA) is a proposed November 2018 ballot measure cunently under circulation for signatures; and WHEREAS, the measure, if passed by the voters, would eliminate local authority to impose a tax for general purposes by majority vote and instead require all local proposed tax increases be subject to a twothirds vote; and WHEREAS, the TFTAA would require tax measures to be specific about how new taxes should be spent and subject cities to expensive lawsuits if funds are directed differently, tying the hands of cities and leading to inflexibility and the sub-optimal allocation of precious public funds; and WHEREAS, the measure is supported by the California Business Roundtable (CBR), whose membership comprises many normally civic-minded companies such as Chevron, Farmers lnsurance, Albertsons, Granite Construction, Anthem Blue Cross, KB Home, AAA, Bain and Co, McKinsey and Co, Blackstone, Sidley Austin LLP, State Farm, Comcast, Sutter Health, DLA Piper, Eli Lilly, Wells Fargo, Enterprise Rent-a-Car and Western National Group; and WHEREAS, many of these member companies benefit from municipal contracts, and most or all of the companies state in their mission statements that they support healthy, prosperous cities and communities; and WHEREAS, achieving 66.6% voter approval for any measure, especially a fee or tax, is difficult, which is why the Legislature wisely reduced the bar for school bonds to 55%; and WHEREAS, if the measure passes, it would block commonsense revenue measures that cities use to ensure high quality services; and WHEREAS, none of the corporate members of either the CBR nor the measure's co- sponsor, American Beverage Association, makes decisions on pricing or going to capital markets by seeking approval from 66-6% of their employees, customers, or shareholders; and WHEREAS, voters have the ultimate right to remove politicians and City Councils who enact overly stringenl, unfair, or counter-productive taxes or fee regimes. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURLINGAME DOES HEREBY RESOLVE THAT: The City of Burlingame opposes the Tax Fairness, Transparency and Accountability Act of 2018 sponsored by the California Business Roundtable on the grounds that this measure would harm the ability of local communities to adequately fund services; and The City Manager is directed to email a copy of this adopted resolution to the League of California Cities at citvletters@cacities.orq and to communicate this position to California Business Roundtable member companies. Michael s a l, Meaghan Hassel-Shearer, City Clerk of the City of Burl me, certify that the foregoing Resolution was introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 7th day of May, 2018 and was adopted thereafter by the following vote: Councilmembers: BEACH, BROWNRIGG, COLSON, KEIGHRAN, ORTIZ Councilmembers: NONE Councilmembers: NONE AYES: NOES: ABSENT: Meghan assel-Shearer, City Clerk 41r-,l^)