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Smart Voter
Riverside County, CA June 8, 2010 Election
Measure H
Fiscal Emergency Measure
City of Cathedral City

Majority Approval Required

Pass: 3,180 / 57.39% Yes votes ...... 2,361 / 42.61% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of July 10 6:05am, 100.00%% of Precincts Reporting (18/18)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

To offset the impact of severe state budget cuts on essential services; address Cathedral City's Fiscal Emergency; prevent drastic cuts to police officers, firefighters, paramedics and ambulance response, 9-1-1 emergency dispatch, safety equipment for police officers and firefighters, anti-gang/anti-drug programs; and preserve other general City services, shall Cathedral City adopt a one cent transactions (sales) and use tax, expiring in five years, requiring citizens' finance advisory committee review and annual financial audits? ¿Para contrarrestar el impacto de los profundos recortes del presupuesto estatal en los servicios esenciales; dirigirnos a la emergencia fiscal de Cathedral City; prevenir recortes drásticos de agentes de policía, bomberos, respuesta por parte paramédicos y de ambulancias, despacho de emergencia 9- 1-1, equipos de seguridad para agentes de policía y bomberos y programas contra pandillas y drogas; y, preservar otros servicios generales municipales, ¿deberá Cathedral City adoptar un impuesto de un centavo sobre las transacciones (ventas) y el uso, que vencerá en cinco años y que requerirá revisión del comité de asesoramiento financiero formado por ciudadanos y auditorías financieras anuales?

Impartial Analysis from City Attorney
In response to the fiscal emergency declared by the City Council of Cathedral City on February 24, 2010, the City's voters are being asked to vote on Measure "H", which, if approved, would enact an ordinance imposing a one-percent (1%) transactions and use tax on all retailers doing business in the City. If approved, Measure "H" would expire five years after the date it first took effect.

The proposed tax is a general tax, the proceeds of which would be deposited in the City's general fund to be used for general governmental purposes, such as City operations, police and fire services, street sweeping and repair, paramedics, parks and recreation, emergency response services, capital projects and other essential services.

If approved, the City estimates Measure "H" will generate $3 million dollars annually for essential City services. The proposed tax would be imposed on retailers for the selling of tangible personal property at retail and on the storage, use or other consumption in the City of tangible personal property purchased from any retailer, subject to certain exclusions and exemptions which are detailed in the proposed ordinance implementing the tax.

Currently, the combined sales and transactions and use tax rate in the City (including the 1% temporary tax imposed by the State of California which expires on July 1, 2011) is 8.75%. Of this 8.75%, the State receives 7.25%, the Riverside County Transportation Commission receives .50%, and the remaining 1.00% is divided among the City and Riverside County. If the voters approve the proposed tax, the new total tax rate for most purchases in the City would increase to 9.75%, but only until July 1, 2011 when the rate would decrease to 8.75% due to the expiration of the State's temporary tax. The proposed tax would be paid in addition to the currently-existing taxes described above, and would be collected in the same manner and at the same time as such taxes.

The proposed ordinance provides for independent review of the revenues generated by the tax by the Citizens' Financial Advisory Committee, and requires annual financial audits performed by a qualified, independent third party, the results of which would be available for public review.

The proposed tax is a general tax, requiring a majority vote (approval by more than fifty percent (50%) of City voters voting in the election) for passage.

A "Yes" vote means the voter is in favor of Measure "H" authorizing the City to collect a 1% transactions and use tax for a period of five years.

A "No" vote means the voter is not in favor of Measure "H" authorizing the City to collect a 1% transactions and use tax for a period of five years.

By: Charles R. Green
City Attorney

  Official Information

City of Cathedral City
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Arguments For Measure H Arguments Against Measure H
Vote YES on "H" -- prevent future, drastic cuts to Cathedral City's essential services and protect our community against more, unfair Sacramento money grabs!

State budget cuts and Sacramento "takeaways" have dramatically reduced the money available for our local services. Sacramento politicians have acted to take over $11.45 million from Cathedral City, putting essential services such as police and fire at risk.

Cathedral City faces a severe fiscal emergency. We've had no choice but to slash the community's services and lay off significant numbers of service providers, including reductions in the fire department from a minimum of 13 to 10 firefighter/paramedics per shift. Unfortunately, this results in longer 9-1-1 response times.

Without YES on "H", additional cuts to public safety services are coming. YES on "H" allows our City to:

  • Maintain 9-1-1 emergency response services
  • Ensure that firefighters and police officers have essential equipment such as bulletproof vests and breathing apparatuses
  • Retain city firefighters, paramedics, and police officers
  • Maintain 9-1-1 emergency communications equipment

YES on "H" maintains the number of police officers patrolling our streets, prevents drastic cuts to youth gang and drug prevention programs, and protects other City services.

YES on "H" requires tough fiscal accountability provisions such as: review by the Citizens' Finance Advisory Committee; publicly published expenditure reports; and guaranteed, annual independent audits. Measure "H" expires in 5 years unless extended by voters.

Measure "H" is NOT a property tax and does not apply to food purchased as groceries, or prescription medicine. Visitors and residents pay one cent. Every penny stays in Cathedral City and cannot be taken by Sacramento.

That's why the Cathedral City Chamber of Commerce, local business leaders, and public safety officials all endorse YES on "H" + to keep our community safe and financially stable. Vote YES on "H"! Questions? Visit: http://www.cathedralcity.gov

By: Kathleen DeRosa,
Mayor


Val Garza,
Board Member, American Youth Soccer Organization Region 1200


Stanley E. Henry,
Homeowner


Bill Proctor,
Chair, Finance Advisory Committee


Ronald N. Sellin,
Business Owner

VOTE NO ON THE CATHEDRAL CITY SALES TAX HIKE

Why are we being asked to raise taxes during an economic depression? To raise the sales tax for Cathedral City is a mistake.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Has the city council requested a cut in their pay? Not at this time.

2. Has the politicians at city hall and their administrators stopped using their credit cards for dinners, travel and other events? Not at this time.

3. Has the politicians encouraged new businesses to come to the city or are established businesses like Sam's Club, Albertsons, and Wal-Mart still leaving the city?

4. Has there been any cuts in any of the services that the city provides? The city offices are closed on Fridays and open four days a week for ten hours a day, in California, anything over eight hours is overtime. The city is paying more to be closed on Fridays then if the offices were open five days a week.

5. If there is an economic emergency, shouldn't the politicans in Cathedral City be doing alot more to reduce their spending then just raising the sales tax?

I encourage every voter of Cathedral City to vote against the sales tax.

By: Gary Figgins

Rebuttal to Arguments Against
Why are Cathedral City business leaders, seniors and taxpayers supporting YES on "H"? Consider the FACTS:

FACT: Without additional funds, Cathedral City will be forced to make additional cuts to our vital local services.

FACT: Graffiti removal, street sweeping, pothole repair, and other services have already been CUT. The entire parks and recreation department has been CLOSED. Police have even stopped taking some reports.

FACT: The opponent needs to get his information right! Newspapers have been alleging mismanagement and credit card problems in a neighboring city, NOT ours! And the fact that City Hall is closed on Fridays saves thousands of dollars a year -- NO overtime.

The truth is, without YES on "H", there's no way to avoid deep cuts to police officers and firefighters - vote YES.

YES on "H" creates LOCAL funding which cannot be taken by Sacramento. All money stays in Cathedral City to protect our essential city services.

YES on "H" is temporary and expires in five years. YES on "H" means out of town visitors and shoppers share the one cent cost. It is NOT a property tax!

YES on "H" provides money to keep from cutting the number of police officers patrolling our streets, and reducing funding for youth gang and drug prevention programs. YES on "H" ensures our Police Department has what it needs, to keep you safe and prevent drastic cuts and longer response times for 9-1-1 emergency services.

That's why Cathedral City taxpayers, seniors, business leaders, public safety officers say: Vote YES on "H". Visit: http://www.cathedralcity.org

By: Charles "Bud" England, Mayor Pro-Tem
Juan M. Perezchica, Business Owner
Gillian Cross, Homeowner
Gary Howell, Realtor / Homeowner
Anthony Armenta, Vice Chair Finance Advisory Committee


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Created: August 20, 2010 21:40 PDT
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