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Smart Voter
Riverside County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
Measure Z
Special Parcel Tax
City of Wildomar

2/3 Approval Required

Pass: 7,056 / 68.59% Yes votes ...... 3,231 / 31.41% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of November 26 3:17pm, 100.00%% of Precincts Reporting (14/14)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

To reopen closed community parks, prevent closure of Marna O'Brien Park (the last open City park), restore funding for recreational services/community events, maintain safe playground equipment, clean public restrooms, sports fields, and youth/children's recreation/after-school programs, restore park security patrols/safety lighting, and remove graffiti; shall the City of Wildomar levy $28 per parcel annually, with required independent financial audits, and requiring that all funds are used locally?

Impartial Analysis from Thomas D. Jex, City Attorney
Measure "Z" would add Chapter 3.18 to the Wildomar Municipal Code entitled "Save Wildomar Community Parks Funding Measure." The Measure would establish a dedicated funding source to pay for the operation, maintenance and repair of Wildormar's community parks and related facilities, programs and services.

The Measure creates an annual special tax of up to $28 on each Assessor's parcel of real property in the City of Wildomar. The tax revenue will be restricted to pay for the repair, operation and maintenance of Wildomar's community parks and related facilities, programs and services. For example, the Measure specifies that tax proceeds must be used for Wildomar community park purposes such as maintaining safe playground equipment, public restrooms and sports fields as well as restoring safety lighting and removing graffiti at community parks.

The tax revenue must be used locally within the City of Wildomar, such as at Marna O'Brien Park. The funds also must undergo annual financial audits. In addition, each year the City Council will receive a report that accounts for the tax's proceeds and expenditures and describes the types of facilities, programs and services funded.

The Measure requires the formation of a five-member Citizens Oversight Advisory Committee. This Oversight Committee will advise the City Council regarding the collection and expenditure of tax revenues collected.

A "Yes" vote on Measure "Z" means the voter is in favor of the creation of a dedicated funding source for Wildomar's community parks and related facilities, programs and services by means of an annual special tax of up to $28 per year per Assessor's parcel.

A "No" vote on Measure "Z" means the voter is opposed to the creation of a dedicated funding source for Wildomar's community parks and related facilities, programs and services by means of an annual special tax of up to $28 per year per Assessor's parcel.

Two-thirds (66%) of the qualified voters casting a "Yes" vote would approve Measure "Z".

The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure "Z". If you desire a copy of the Measure, please call the elections official's office at 951-677-7751 and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you. A copy is also available on the City of Wildomar's website, at the following address: http://www.cityofwildomar.org.

August 20, 2012

 
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Arguments For Measure Z Arguments Against Measure Z
How can a city exist without parks? How can we let Wildomar become known as "the City without a single city park?"

Do something about it! Vote YES on "Z" to Save Wildomar Community Parks. Wildomar has already closed two local community parks. Without Measure "Z" Wildomar will have to close Marna O'Brien Park, leaving Wildomar without a single city park.

YES on "Z" will provide locally-controlled funds to keep Wildomar's parks open and address our local park priorities + with funds that are required by law to stay local and can't be seized by Sacramento.

YES on "Z" requires that every dime fromMeasure "Z" is used locally to save Wildomar community parks.

YES on "Z" maintains safe playground equipment
YES on "Z" maintains clean public restrooms
YES on "Z" restores park security patrols and safety lighting
YES on "Z" removes park graffiti
YES on "Z" maintains sports fields
YES on "Z" requires mandatory independent financial audits

Local community parks give local kids a healthy, safe place to play when they are not in school. Yes on "Z" helps keep kids off the streets and away from the temptation of gangs, drugs, graffiti and vandalism.

YES on "Z" includes tough Accountability Provisions and Safeguards.

YES on "Z" requires independent financial audits to ensure that funds are spent Saving Wildomar Community Parks only.

In these tough economic times, local community parks offer one of the few affordable options for recreation. YES on "Z" will ensure local families and residents can enjoy the inexpensive, healthy entertainment and recreation that local community parks provide.

Join residents, business, community leaders in supporting YES on "Z" to SAVE WILDOMAR COMMUNITY PARKS. All funds are required by law to be used locally and cannot be taken by Sacramento.

Vote YES on "Z". Visit http://www.savewildomarparksYesonZ.com

By:

Ben Benoit, Mayor of Wildomar

Tom Tisdale, Retired Cal Fire, Riverside County Fire Department

Stan Crippen, Trustee, Lake Elsinore Unified School District Craig McKenzie, Chairman of the Board, Wildomar Chamber of Commerce

Tim Underdown, Men's Auxiliary President, VFW Post 1508

Rebuttal to Arguments For
Proponents of Measure "Z" threaten closure of Marna O'Brien Park if voters reject the tax. Don't believe it. Supporters of last year's failed Measure "D" likewise promised that if we didn't vote to tax ourselves, Marna O'Brien would be shut down. But 1 year later Marna O'Brien remains open, largely on the basis of volunteer efforts. Were the City to close Marna O'Brien it would not be for lack of community support, but rather as a means to punish you for rejecting their tax

At $350,000.00 annually to fund maintenance of 3 parks totaling less than 15 acres, the equivalent of $25,000 per acre, Measure "Z" is not a good value for Taxpayers. Comparatively, our neighboring City of Murrieta, which boasts 50 public parks covering nearly 600 acres, pays less than $5,000 per acre annually. The City of San Diego, home to historic Balboa Park, pays less than $6,000 per acre annually to maintain roughly 40,000 acres of parkland. And New York City, home to Central Park, the most famous urban park worldwide, pays less than $10,000 per acre annually to maintain parks.

Summary of Annual Per-Acre Parks Maintenance Costs:

  • Murrieta - $5,000
  • San Diego - $6,000
  • New York - $10,000
  • Wildomar - $25,000

So Measure "Z" costs us 5 times the price Murrieta pays, over 4 times the price San Diego pays, and 2½ times the price New York City pays to maintain public parks!

Please join us in voting `NO' on Measure "Z."

By: MARTHA BRIDGES, RESIDENT OF WILDOMAR

GERARD STE. MARIE, RESIDENT OF WILDOMAR

THE TAXMAN COMETH!

The November 6, 2012 election ballot contains 3 different statewide tax increase propositions. And if that isn't enough to make you choke, residents of Wildomar will have the "opportunity" to vote on yet a 4th tax increase proposal.

One year after Wildomar voters rejected a similar park tax measure in June of 2011, the Wildomar City Council now places on the ballot Measure "Z", a $350,000.00 per year park tax increase.

During last year's failed park tax campaign the City Council was crying `broke' yet had no problem wasting over $100,000.00 of public money supporting 2011 Measure "D," money which could have been utilized instead to fund park maintenance.

This year the City Council raises the stakes by spending an additional $58,000.00 of our money on a well-heeled political consulting firm commissioned to promote the park tax measure through various activities, perhaps most prominently by means of multiple campaign mailers, some of which you may have already received.

Governments use hot-button issues to pass tax increases by threatening to cut services the community actually needs or enjoys rather than cutting bureaucratic waste. California tried passing a vehicle license tax allegedly to keep state parks open, but internal audits found millions of dollars secretly stashed away by the Parks Department. Likewise, the Wildomar Community Services Director, a useless position which has been the subject of two Grand Jury investigations, has remained funded even while the City has allowed parks to languish.

If we give in to their little tax tantrum, what fundamental community service will the City Council try to tax us for next? Police patrol? Fire protection? Emergency medical response?

In the Taxpayers' favor, Measure "Z" requires a 2/3 supermajority for passage. So vote early, vote often and vote `NO' on Measure "Z."

By: MARTHA BRIDGES, RESIDENT OF WILDOMAR

GERARD STE. MARIE, RESIDENT OF WILDOMAR

Rebuttal to Arguments Against
Opponents think that it's a myth that we've closed two city parks. We only wish it wasn't true. Our last city park is now on the verge of closure. Vote YES on "Z": Save Wildomar Community Parks!

FACT: Measure "Z" only costs about a cup of coffee/month to save our last park! If Marna O'Brien Park closes, Wildomar will be left without a single city park. We've already had to close two local community parks- - YES on "Z" will save our parks/recreational services.

FACT: We couldn't care less how you vote on State measures, but vote YES on "Z" to help Wildomar and its parks! Measure "Z" is the ONLY measure on the ballot for Wildomar and requires that ALL funds be used locally. Sacramento politicians can't take a dime.

FACT: Local kids need safe, healthy places to play when they're not in school. YES on "Z" helps keep kids off the streets, out of trouble, and away from gangs, drugs, graffiti and vandalism.

FACT: Unsafe, dirty, graffiti-ridden city parks are a disgrace. YES on "Z" repairs unsafe playground equipment, maintains clean public restrooms, fixes safety lighting, and removes graffiti at our local, community parks.

YES on "Z" is Fiscally Accountable! YES on "Z" requires Independent Financial Audits to ensure that ALL funds are spent only to open/maintain Wildomar Community Parks. Every dime of YES on "Z" must be spent on local parks/playgrounds.

Join us in voting YES on "Z" to Save Wildomar Community Parks!

By: Isabel Andino, Marna O'Brien Park Volunteer

Herman De Jong, Owner De Jong's Dairy

Stan Smith, 38 year Wildomar resident

Ron Kusayanagi, Elsinore High Coach (Basketball & Golf)

Ben Benoit, Mayor of Wildomar


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Created: December 17, 2012 13:45 PST
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