League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Contra Costa County, CA June 7, 2011 Election
	Measure D Transaction and Use Tax City of Richmond Majority Approval Required See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure D

Arguments Against Measure D

As the State continues to take-away funding that has paid for critical local services and our local schools, we must take action to protect our community. That is why, through a unanimous vote of the city council, Measure D has been placed on the ballot. Because this is an official emergency, the voters of Richmond are able to vote for Measure D. Measure D will enable our community to fund services that have been undermined due to state takeaways. These include: Senior Citizen Services that aid in mobility and independence School Programs that keep class sizes down and reduce disciplinary problems Job Training that helps the unemployed in Richmond find real and valuable work Social Services that Richmond's children and poor rely on for everyday survival Measure D is our community's opportunity to protect the citizens of Richmond from the budget crisis that is devastating other cities and the State. Because community leaders have acted together, and have been able to take quick action, Measure D funding is only for the Richmond community. Measure D funding is protected from future State takeaways, and will ensure that those services in Richmond that we depend upon will survive and be available to the People of Richmond. In these times of budget crisis, very few other communities have this chance to protect local services. Please join community leaders throughout Richmond by Voting YES on Measure D. Jeffrey B. Ritterman, Richmond City Councilmember Bill Lindsay, Richmond City Manager Roxanne Brown-Garcia, Kennedy High School Principal Bruce Harter, West Contra Costa Unified School School District Superintendent Rebuttal to Arguments For If Measure D is in response to a "fiscal emergency" then you should ask yourself why this sales tax increase is permanent? The citizens and local business owners will be feel the impact of this tax increase long after any "emergency" has passed. We all know that sales taxes are regressive with those on lowest incomes suffering the most. Why raise a tax that hurts the unemployed, those on fixed incomes like senior citizens, and penalizes local businesses? Unfortunately for Richmond's citizens, this tax and its companion Measure C are attempting to bypass state law in order to make it easier to pass this tax increase. The California Constitution states that any tax that is for a specific purpose must pass by a 2/3 vote. Since Measure C indicates how this tax increase will be used, the tax will be challenged legally. Nobody should want to waste scarce dollars on lawyers and court costs. Given the state of the economy and the threat of a legal challenge, this is not the time to permanently raise sales taxes in the City of Richmond. Vote No on Measure D! Contra Costa Taxpayers Association Kris Hunt, Executive Director

This measure will make Richmond's sales tax one of the highest in the state, kill jobs and make the city vulnerable to costly litigation. Public interest lawyers have already said they will sue Richmond if this tax is approved because city officials have failed to comply with a requirement in the California Constitution that any tax designated to a specific purpose be approved with no less than a 2/3 vote of the people. A "yes" vote on this sales tax increase could be costly to Richmond for attorney fees, refund claims, and even lost property tax revenue under Prop. 62, a law that allows the state to withhold property tax revenues from cities that pass illegal taxes. Measure D is bad for Richmond because: It will involve the city in costly litigation, wasting precious dollars that are needed elsewhere in the city. A sales tax is regressive and hurts those who can least afford it. The sales tax increase is permanent and will remain a burden on Richmond residents and local businesses even after the economy has turned around. Richmond needs to be smarter in the way it spends the money it already has just like the rest of us. Involving the city in a costly legal fight, does nothing to help the city's residents, the poor or the schools. This is not the time to permanently raise sales taxes in the City of Richmond - which already has one of the highest tax rates in California - because it will hurt residents, local businesses and city finances. Vote No on Measure D! Contra Costa Taxpayers Association Kris Hunt, Executive Director Rebuttal to Arguments Against Measure D will help to restore what the State and others have unfairly cut from Richmond's vital community services. Measure D funding will stay right here in Richmond, and Measure D is protected from further State cuts. At a time when the State is sucking local budgets dry in an attempt to balance its own budget on the backs of local taxpayers, Measure D is a way to protect local services such as: Services for Senior Citizens Classroom Funding for Richmond's Schools Job Training Classes Social Services for Richmond Residents Because of the current budget emergency throughout California and the threat of even more State cuts, the Citizens of Richmond are now legally able to support Measures that will help to restore their local services. Measure D will help fund services taken away due to the State budget grab Measure D was placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of the City Council Measure D is a way to fund services and schools only within the City of Richmond Yes, through Measure D, Richmond has been more proactive and better prepared than other cities. During this critical time, Richmond's civic and community leaders put their differences aside in order to give Richmond voters an opportunity to save services that have been cut and that our community depends upon. Please join us in Voting YES on Measure D. Jeff Ritterman, Richmond City Councilmember Bill Lindsay, Richmond City Manager Charles Ramsey, West Contra Costa Unified District Board President Bruce Harter, West Contra Costa Unified School School District Superintendent