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Measure A Fiscal Accountability/Services Protection Measure City of Hercules Utility Users Tax Ordinance Amendment - Majority Approval Required
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
| Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text | ||||
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To restore Hercules to financial stability, enhance fiscal accountability, continue to maintain our own local Police Department, and prevent drastic cuts to neighborhood police officers, youth/senior programs, and other services, shall Hercules modernize its utility users tax with equal treatment of taxpayers regardless of technology, increase the rate by 2% for 5 years, maintain current low-income exemptions, with citizens' oversight, independent audits, and local control of revenues?
A "yes" vote on this measure would approve a temporary five year, 2% increase in the UUT, and would update the definitions for various utilities to take into account changes in the law and technology, equalize the treatment of various telephone services, implement the Federal Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act, and activate the UUT on video programming services such as cable TV and similar services. The proposed 2% increase would automatically expire five years from its effective date, or September 1, 2018, whichever came first. It would require a vote of the citizens of Hercules to extend the 2% temporary increase, otherwise the UUT would revert back to the 2004 established level of 6%. If the measure passes, the existing UUT's low income exemption for gas and electricity would remain and would apply to the gas and electricity portion of the five year, 2% UUT tax increase. In addition, the amendment would provide for independent oversight of UUT tax expenditures by a citizen's committee. This citizen's oversight would remain in place after the expiration of the temporary five year, 2% increase and until the expiration of the original UUT ordinance in 2025. If this measure passes, additional general fund revenue would be generated in the approximate amount of $1 million annually, which can be used to fund public safety and other high priority services, as well as other general services and programs. The new temporary tax rate would begin to be collected commencing approximately thirty to sixty days following certification of the election results. A "no" vote on this measure would leave the existing UUT at its existing rate until expiration of the current UUT in 2025, and keep outdated utility definitions in place that could be the subject of future litigation and threaten the loss of existing UUT revenue. If there is no increase in the UUT, based on current budget and revenue projections, the City Council would have to make cuts in coming budgets to City programs, services or projects, including but not limited to policing and public safety. Dated: March 8, 2013 Patrick Tang City Attorney City of Hercules THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS AN IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF MEASURE A. IF YOU DESIRE A COPY OF THE MEASURE OR THE UTILITY USERS' TAX ORDINANCE, PLEASE CALL THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AT (510) 799-8200, AND A COPY WILL BE MAILED AT NO COST TO YOU.
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| Arguments For Measure A | Arguments Against Measure A |
| Historically, Hercules was a community where we wanted to live/raise our families. Unfortunately, past corruption drove our City to the brink of bankruptcy. New City leadership is reforming this -- by eliminating cronyism, improving transparency, and aggressively pursuing legal
action against those responsible.
We must continue restoring Hercules to financial stability, ensuring fiscal accountability, and keeping our own local police department. To keep Hercules a safe, well-maintained place to live where people want to raise their families, Vote YES on A! The City has taken drastic measures to balance its budget. Salaries/benefits have been cut. 40% of the City's workforce has been laid off in the last two years. All special events have been cancelled. Many basic services have been cut to the bone--but the City is simply running out of money to fund the essential services we all rely on. Vote YES on A - Save Locally-Provided Police Services! . YES on A protects and Maintains Essential City Services we rely on . YES on A maintains our local Hercules Police Department, without contracting these services from the County . YES on A continues the effort to Restore Financial Stability and is Fiscally Accountable . YES on A helps prevent cuts to the number of sworn Hercules Police Officers on duty and supports the Department's work to maintain key public safety functions such as crime investigation training, traffic enforcement, neighborhood patrols, crime prevention and 9-1-1 response times. . YES on A maintains current exemptions for low-income families and seniors and requires tough fiscal accountability, including Independent Citizens' Oversight and financial audits to ensure all funds are properly spent as promised to you, the taxpayer. Join your neighbors, the Hercules Police Officers Association, and local taxpayers - Vote YES on A --restore Hercules's financial stability and maintain our own local Police Department!
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| Full Text of Measure A |
| Si desea recibir esta información en español, por favor llame al (925) 335-7800. Si ya solicitó información para votar en español, ésta será enviada automáticamente por correo.
To restore Hercules to financial stability, enhance fiscal accountability, continue to maintain our own local Police Department, and prevent drastic cuts to neighborhood police officers, youth/senior programs, and other services, shall Hercules modernize its utility users tax with equal treatment of taxpayers regardless of technology, increase the rate by 2% for 5 years, maintain current low-income exemptions, with citizens' oversight, independent audits, and local control of revenues? |
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Created: August 28, 2013 11:37 PDT
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