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Measure P |
Arguments
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Arguments in support of, or in opposition to, the proposed laws are the opinions of the authors. Arguments in Favor of Measure P 1. The Santa Cruz city utility tax was imposed and continued for 18 years without a vote of the people, by minority-elected city council members. It is unjust. 2. There is no tax quite as unfair and regressive as a utility tax. Low-income families, disabled citizens and senior citizens on fixed incomes are disproportionately affected by the forced taxing of basic necessities. 3. The City of Santa Cruz runs on a huge budget managed by incompetent, unskilled, and unprofessional, special interest utopians. Undoubtedly, huge savings far greater than the amount collected from the utility tax could be realized as Santa Cruz employs nearly twice as many people per thousand residents as other municipalities of similar size. 4. Many functions of the numerous not-for-profit groups contracting with the city are unnecessarily redundant. Consolidation would save millions of dollars over years. The same services would still be available at different levels to our needy citizens. 5. Much of this city's incredible expenditures are used on projects and organizations that are staffed by political allies and cronies of the city council. Citizens should not be gouged so that the council can buy votes and reward their friends. One example: the proposed "Doug Rand Peace Park", named for the campaign manager of Council members Krohn, Sugar and Fitzmaurice. Just as a doctor would advise a morbidly obese patient to go on a diet, so should we, the free citizens of the City of Santa Cruz, advise the city council, our employees (not rulers), to cut their pork-laden budget. We can afford to do as much, if not more, with less. Other cities our size do it everyday without imposing a tax that disproportionately affects students, the elderly, and other low income residents. s/ Alan W. Bailey,
Proponent |
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Rebuttal to argument in Favor of Measure P The Santa Cruz Fire, Parks and Recreation, and Police Departments all rely on our City's General Fund to provide essential services. If Measure P passes, the City would have to slash nearly 20% of its General Fund budget, threatening services that all residents rely on for public safety and quality of life. Cuts could include: Elementary school crossing guards Senior nutrition and health programs Paramedic response time Pothole and street repair The Civic Auditorium and Museum of Natural History Landscape maintenance; graffiti removal Teen programs and Harvey West Pool Gang-prevention police programs Changes in the national and state economies have already forced cuts in this year's City budget. Now is not the time to force additional, permanent cuts in essential services and valuable, established programs. Utility taxes are commonly used by other cities – nearly 100 cities in California alone – to fund local services. They are usually opposed by extremist anti-tax groups. Santa Cruz is a "full-service city," meaning it provides water, recycling, sewer, trash and other services directly to its residents. These services are self-financing, not affected by the General Fund or utility tax. Cities which do not provide these services have smaller budgets. Measure P is opposed by business, education, community leaders, elected officials and local people from all walks of life. The supporters of Measure P want you to believe that the utility tax is a frill, not a necessity. Don't believe them!
s/ George
Ow, Jr., Developer and Philanthropist |
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Argument Against Measure
P FACT: Measure P would take away nearly 20% of the City's General Fund – $8.4 million of $42.3 million. The General Fund pays for essential programs like public safety, public works, parks and recreation, and community services. FACT: The national economic downturn has already affected City revenues, forcing cuts of nearly $2 million, and the state is making further cuts in funds for local government. We can't afford to lose more services. FACT: City finances are well managed. Santa Cruz has won a prestigious accounting award annually for over a decade. FACT: Every penny of our utility tax goes to work right here in our community – not Sacramento or Washington, DC. Many California cities have similar programs, keeping local control over local services. If Measure P passes, valuable City services could be reduced or eliminated entirely: 1 of 4 firefighting companies Up to 12 paramedics Police foot patrols downtown and in the beach area School resource and crime prevention officers Regular maintenance of sports fields and neighborhood parks Swim classes, beach lifeguards and marine rescue Neighborhood traffic control Flood control, bridge repair, and storm drain cleaning Facilities like Louden Nelson Center, Harvey West Park, DeLaveaga Park and the Civic Auditorium Preserving these services is essential to the future of our City. SAVE OUR CITY! VOTE NO ON MEASURE P
s/ Patty
Supone, Police Officer |
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Rebuttal to argument Against Measure P SAVE OUR CITY? We agree! Here’s how: STOP greedily taxing Santa Cruzans who struggle daily to pay their bills. Local families, students, and seniors on fixed incomes. STOP promoting services to the freeloaders and drug-dealing transients who are creating chaos and economic ruination in our downtown. STOP creating jobs for cronies and reckless spending to gain political allies. STOP discouraging revenue sources, while simply watching both businesses and jobs flee. Here are the FACTS: FACT: Santa Cruzans are entitled to essential police, fire, public works, and street maintenance services. Threatening to cut fundamental necessities is wrong! There are many other cost saving actions and revenue enhancing measures that ought to be taken. FACT: Monthly rates and fees for electricity, gas, telephone, garbage, cable TV, water and sewer are high enough. We don’t need these essential services to cost us even more. FACT: The Parks and Recreation department consumes (22%) of all general fund moneys. This is THREE TIMES that of comparable cities FACT: Most California cities, large and small, do NOT have utility taxes. FACT: The utility tax took $775,000 in 1984, its first year. Last year - $8,200,000. An increase of over one thousand percent. Is your income now TEN TIMES what it was? VOTE YES for Measure P. Cancel the Council’s “blank check.” Demand that our city prioritize and spend appropriately. Other cities do without this regressive tax. So can we. s/ Alan
W. Bailey, Proponent
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