FOREfront--Working for the People of
Volume 3, Issue
4 & Issue 5 July--September 2000
ECONOMIST SUPPORTS UTILITY USER’S TAX APPEAL *
I AM AN ECONOMIST WHO HAS BEEN DOING FORECASTING
OF ECONOMIC VARIABLES FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS AND I SUPPORT THE REPEAL OF THE
UTILITY USER’S TAX (MEASURE S).
I HAVE INFORMATION AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE
·
POPULATION GREW 66.1%
·
HOUSING UNITS INCREASED 74.8%
·
LABOR FORCE ROSE 31.0%
·
EMPLOYMENT GREW 32.0%
·
TAXABLE SALES INCREASED 124.6%
THE CENTER FOR CONTINUING STUDY OF THE
·
TOTAL TAXABLE SALES ARE FORECASTED TO GROW
67.1% FROM 1990 TO 2010.
·
PERSONAL INCOME IS FORECASTED TO INCREASE
65.2% FROM 1990 TO 2010.
·
PER CAPITA INCOME IS FORECASTED TO GROW
67.9% FROM 1990 TO 2010.
·
RETAIL TAXABLE SALES GREW 66.4% FROM 1990
TO 2010 AND ARE FORECASED TO INCREASE 82.6% FROM 1999 TO 2010.
THE EXCEPTIONAL GROWTH IN
IF THE CITY WAS WILLING TO SHOW LINE ITEM
ESTIMATES OF THEIR BUDGET, WE WOULD GET A CLEAR
*
Letter from Economist Catherine M. Sullivan of
“ Politicians have never seen a tax they did not like.” Anonymous
POLICE, FIRE AND OTHER SERVICES BECOME CITY’S
SCAPE GOAT
The city is congratulated on its well rehearsed
and well orchestrated CON job of cuts in police, fire and other services
provided for by the General Fund. The
August 30th meeting was unnecessary.
However, the council’s sole purpose was to sway public opinion against
Measure “S,” to repeal the Utility User’s Tax, and to favor the city’s charter
amendment to continue the Utility User’s Tax via Measure “Q.”
The meeting focused ONLY on two events: Cuts in the present budget, FY 2000-2001, and
cuts in a non-existent FY 2001-2002 budget.
What was wrong with what they did?
They assumed all the income would be spent in both budgets, took $7 million
that the Utility User’s Tax would provide and presto, both budgets were short. That only confused, agitated and frightened
people needlessly that police, fire and other services would be cut. They hyped the meeting to make it seem like
the world of
Why was it wrong to hold the meeting? The city staff, advisors to the city council,
are well aware of the true financial condition of the city and should have
advised against the meeting. The following
facts point out much of what the staff knows and should have told the council:
THE TREND FOR INCOME IS GOING UP FASTER THAN
EXPENSES:
·
FY 1997-1998 actual income surplus was
$6.1 million. UTT--$5.88 million.
·
FY 1998-1999 surplus was $8.7
million. UTT--$6.27 million.
·
FY 1999-2000 surplus projected to be $10
million. UTT--$7.0 million.
·
FY 2000-2001(this year) surplus should be
$15 million. UTT--$7.5 million.
·
FY 2001-2002(next year) surplus should be
$20 million. UTT--$8.0 million.
TRANSFERS AND INTERFUND LOANS OUT OF THE GENERAL
FUND:
·
FY 1997-1998 $2.9 million to building
funds.
·
FY 1998-1999 $6 million to
·
FY 1999-2000 $6 million to city-wide park
fund; $1.5 million to Redevelopment Agency; $1 million to Civic Center Fund.
INTERFUND LOANS OBLIGATED TO THE GENERAL
FUND: $16,239,055.
CITY DEBT IN PUBLIC FACILITIES CERTIFICATES OF
PARTICIPATION (COPs): $21,200,000.
NOTE: COPs are like bonds, but
can be issued without a vote of the taxpayer.
BIG GENERAL FUND OUTLAY FOR TOP AND MIDDLE
MANAGEMENT PAY RAISES OF UP TO 45%.
Is it obvious whey the city wants you to pay the
Utility User’s Tax? They don’t want you
to know the mess they are creating by transferring money out of the general fund
while ignoring the large debt. They are
looking for a way out and are afraid to ask you to support a general tax. They are back dooring the taxpayer through
the utility tax and in-lieu franchise fee by using police, fire and other
services as scape goats.
The city council needs to face up to the problems
they are creating.
IN-LIEU
FRANCHISE FEE COURT
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association’s
yearlong court battle to cause the city to stop collecting the fee is now in
the Sacramento Court of Appeals.
By their own hooks, the city does not need the
money for essential services. Is the
city being a pound wise and penny foolish?
WATER METER INSTALLATION
PROGRAM
KEY DATES:
November (4th Tuesday), the Roseville Public Utilities
Commission will prepare their recommendations to the city council. Attend and give your input. Also, watch for announcements of public
hearings and attend those.
January the
council will formally approve a program.
March
2001. Monthly payments are likely to
begin.
KEY ISSUES:
When: Installation will likely be
by RCONA (Roseville Coalition of Neighborhood Association) geographical areas
over the next ten years.
Cost: One of two options appear
likely. One option calls for customers
without meters to pay full cost over ten-years via a $7.20 monthly charge. A $716 lump-sum payment is optional. About half of
Option two is a cost sharing plan.
Those customers with meters already installed (homes built after 1992)
would pay $1.04 monthly for ten years. Business customers would also pay this
monthly amount based on a ¾ “ meter, with charges up to $79.94 for a 10”
meter. Homes built between 1988-92 (have
partial installation) would pay $2.17 monthly.
Homes built before 1988 would be charged $4.42.
KEY THOUGHTS:
How will this affect your budget with the other fees and taxes you pay
if you are on a fixed income or a pay check away from paying the rent, the
mortgage or going into bankruptcy?
“Just when you get to where you can make ends meet, someone moves the ends.” Author Unknown.
ATTACK ON YOUR WALLET
Hold onto your wallet—taxes, fees and phone rates may come your
way.
·
Placer Legacy ¼% Sales Tax increase
proposal
·
Mosquito Abatement District Tax
·
Roseville Utility User’s Tax
·
·
Proposition 39 school bond vote change
·
Placer Legacy is a program to acquire open lands in
Mosquito abatement will add $12.54 a year to your property
tax. It is worthwhile.
In-Lieu Franchise fee is about $50 a year. It is on your electric, water, sewer and
trash bills.
Proposition 39 would allow school bonds to pass with a 55% vote
rather than the present 2/3 vote.
Proposition supporters do not mention doing away with the 2/3 vote, the
safeguard against bloated or unjustified bond measures.
FORE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
FORE was formed to provide education on issues of public welfare
and related areas which will benefit the public. It has been FORE’s experience that people
educated in political science or governmental studies have a better grasp of
how government works and the role of the public in government than the average
citizen Because of that experience, FORE
seeks to assist students pursing a degree in political science or governmental
studies through scholarship program.
FORE offers two $200 a year scholarships to students from
RAILROAD NOISE AND POLLUTION—GOOD NEWS
Governor Gray Davis signed Senate Bill 1491 introduced by Senator
Tim Leslie.
While there continues to be a need for additional improvements, the
City and UP have been negotiating changes in yard procedures that will
partially address residents’ concerns about noise and pollution. Included among the changes are: elimination of whistle blowing at two of the
private crossings in the yard; installation of signal lights and gates at Pitt
Road; eliminating nonessential use of train horns; operational changes at the
locomotive repair shop to reduce diesel emissions; and, a railroad contact
number for residents with on-going issues.
A
special thanks to Judith Donato and Frank Weinstein for their thorough
research, perseverance against all odds, and attendance at many meetings with
the City, Union Pacific, State and Federal officials to make life better for
Roseville residents. If you have
suggestions, they welcome your call at 783-3570.
FORE still is looking for ways to convince the State and local
communities on the merits of high peed rail.
All major highways, e.g. I-80, 99 and I-5 are bumper to bumper for many
hours.
DRIVE-BY MAIL BOXES
Mr. Paul Leahy, Roseville’s Postmaster, has convinced the owners of
the property, at which the Sierra Gardens Bulk Mail Center is located to change
a parking lot lane to one-way traffic.
That will allow regular mail boxes to be placed so that drivers can
access them from the driver’s side. As
soon as the traffic pattern is changed, the boxes will be installed on a
concrete slab.
The location for drive-by mail boxes on
HUMONGOUS CITY STAFF PAY RAISES
How big was your pay raise this year, even if you got one? Maybe you should be working for
The city’s rational for the unprecended raises was that the city
needs to stay competitive to retain or attract qualified personnel. The city expects a number of managers to
retire shortly and says they want to be competitive in the job market.
If that is the case, the city can offer competitive salaries upon
hiring a new person. There is a pay
range for each position and the city has been known to hire above the entry
level. Also retirement pay is based on
the highest pay received. Are the
humongous pay raises another form of the “Golden Parachute” or “Golden
Handshake.”
Those large pay raises don’t make sense in light of the city’s cry
of poverty and the need for the Utility User’s Tax to supplement the general
fund. Most of the pay raises will come
out of the general fund where the council has “shadow wrestled” with bogus cuts
in the budget.
A question. How do rank and
file city employees, who have gotten minimal raises, feel about the large
raises which in some cases exceed their yearly salary?
Copyright 2000 FORE,
WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE OF
FORE,
916-783-9891 or 916-783-7632 FAX 916-783-9349
Friends of