League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Contra Costa County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	Measure Q Transactions and Use Tax City of Concord Majority Approval Required Pass: 18250 / 54.34% Yes votes ...... 15332 / 45.66% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure Q

Arguments Against Measure Q

Protect Concord, protect our money + Vote Yes on Q! The City provides the services and programs that residents and our community want, need, and deserve. The State has taken $33 million from Concord over the past decade to deal with their own billion dollar problems + stealing our money to balance their budget! Our local police officers, senior services, after-school program, parks, and streets are the victims of these continued Sacramento money grabs. Concord has been forced to make $18 million in cuts to essential City services. Even with these cuts, Concord will need to cut $5 million more without additional revenue. Concord residents simply can't afford additional cuts to critical services. We need Measure Q! Measure Q provides a protected source of local revenue to prevent further severe cuts. Yes on Q - A local finance measure will give Concord local control over local funds for local needs. No funds can be taken by Sacramento. Let's keep our money in our community for the things that are important to us! Yes on Q to: Maintain public safety including police officers, neighborhood police patrols, gang prevention, investigation programs, and 911 emergency response times Support youth and teen crime prevention/gang intervention programs and officers at local high schools Maintain streets and pothole repair Maintain parks, playgrounds, and athletic fields Fund senior services and nutrition programs Measure Q includes strict accountability provisions including independent citizens oversight, a 5 year sunset, mandatory financial audits, and yearly reports to the community to ensure the funds are spent as promised for community priorities. By law, all funds from Measure Q must stay in Concord for local services. Please join Police Officers, Business Owners, Seniors, Parents, and Neighbors--Vote YES on Q--to keep our quality community financially stable. Concord Police Association Jeff Krieger, Executive Board Diane Lorenzetti Concord Seniors Eizo Kobayashi Concord Resident Todos Santos Business Association Virginia Thomas, President Guy Bjerke Mayor Rebuttal to Arguments For REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE Q Defeat Measure Q Proponents of Measure Q can only sell their sales tax increase by misleading voters and promoting scare tactics. They say, "Sacramento took our money!" But the City Manager and Mayor have denied this claim. Yet, proponents still blame Sacramento while ignoring City Council's lack of financial discipline and independence from special interests. Council, not Sacramento, is responsible for recent promises of no-layoffs, back-door 3% wage increases for the highest paid, and millions in unfunded pension and healthcare liabilities. Instead of cutting spending, Council made sure Measure Q cannot be rescinded, even if the economy improves. Meanwhile, Council hands out $90,000 going away gifts and subsidizes a golf course while cutting neighborhood policing. Council is responsible for labor costs that dominate the City budget (70%+). 154 employees take more than $100,000, plus generous benefits. Despite Council claims of deep cuts, these unsustainable costs remain virtually untouched! Instead of reducing bureaucracy, Council holds hostage programs for seniors, recreation, and youth, unless a tax increase is passed. Given its record--like Bell, CA--Council is more likely to fund government salaries, benefits, and pensions, instead of services for the poor and elderly, who will be hit hardest by this tax. A tax increase means more lost jobs and foreclosures, while illustrating Council's feckless leadership. Instead of raising taxes, City Council must make the necessary cuts to balance the budget instead of asking voters to bail out special interests. Defeat Measure Q Richard Soderholm Concord Resident Keith McMahon Business Consultant Richard S. Colman Concord Business Owner Bill Gram-Reefer Concord Resident Richard J. Eber Concord Business Owner

Vote against Concord's sales tax increase. The Concord City Council wants to increase its local sales tax by 1/2-cent--a 67% increase!--on all taxable items. In 2009, our sales tax jumped from 8.25% to 9.25%. And just a year later, in the midst of a deep recession, Concord City Council says we must pay even more! Concord presents a false choice between cutting programs or raising taxes. Revenue from this tax increase will not go to youth or senior services. Instead, revenue will be used to support: - 154 Concord employees who, in 2009, earned $100,000 or more, plus generous benefits and pensions far beyond the average in the private sector. - 103 of these are police officers who earn $100,000 or more, can retire at 50, and pay little or nothing toward million-dollar+ pensions. With furlough days and other compensation, Concord has proven it can reduce some staffing by 18 days (7%) without missing a beat. Yet Concord tells us it must raise our taxes instead. Meanwhile, on June 29, 2010, Council negotiated no layoffs for one union, and a 3% pay raise, for 2011, for those at the highest pay grade! Concord's proposed sales-tax increase will kill jobs and hurt business. It burdens Concord's poor and seniors on fixed income, while encouraging residents to shop elsewhere. During a recession with real unemployment in California approaching 17.5%, everyone in our community has had to sacrifice. Everyone must pitch in. While some union concessions have been made, Concord still must cut more spending. In these tough times, we all must live within our means. It is not fair that Concord ask taxpayers to further support unsustainable staffing levels, employee salaries, benefits, and pension costs. Vote NO on Concord's Sales Tax increase. Richard S. Colman Concord Business Owner Keith McMahon Business Consultant Richard J. Eber Concord Business Owner Richard Soderholm Concord Resident Bill Gram-Reefer Concord Resident Rebuttal to Arguments Against Vote Yes on Q to prevent even more severe cuts to the vital services we all need. Never believe confusing arguments. Opponents are using bad math and funny figures to scare you. The FACTS speak for themselves: FACT: Concord has cut $18 million in essential City services. FACT: Strict fiscal stewardship and cutting 25% of the workforce have balanced the budget. ALL Concord employees, including police, have taken significant salary and benefit cuts. FACT: Additional cuts will be to the bone! Without Measure Q, Concord needs to cut $5 million more -- including severe cuts to public safety, youth programs, street maintenance, and senior services. Our community will LOSE: Downtown and school police officers Neighborhood patrols All crossing guards Youth after-school/summer programs Street/pothole repairs Senior nutrition services Measure Q means the community monitors City finances with independent oversight, mandatory audits, and yearly reports ensuring all Measure Q money goes directly to local services. Measure Q is just ½ a penny -- a bargain to support local critical services! It's not levied on food/medicine and expires in 5 years. Unfortunately, Sacramento has used Concord to fund their bail-out, taking $33 million over ten years to deal with the State deficit! We can't afford to pay for the State's problems. Yes on Q will give Concord local control over local funds for local needs and provides protected, reliable revenue to prevent cuts. We need Measure Q to maintain our community and safety + Vote Yes on Q. Beri Kasper, CPA Concord Business Owner Concord Police Association Jeff Krieger, Executive Board Thomas Wentling Treasurer, City of Concord Todos Santos Business Association Virginia Thomas, President William Shinn Concord Councilmember/Sheriff's Commander (Retired)