Measure B: Appropriation Limit

This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/or/ for current information.

League of Women Voters of California Education Fund

Orange County, CA

November 2, 2004 Election

Measure B
Appropriation Limit
City of Aliso Viejo

9200 / 60.7% Yes votes ...... 5955 / 39.3% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

Shall the City be authorized to spend the revenue it receives from the proceeds of taxes, provided that it does not exceed the appropriation limit established by this measure?

Impartial Analysis from City Attorney

Article XIII-B of the California Constitution requires each municipality to have an appropriation or expenditure limit. An appropriation limit places a limit on the amount of proceeds from tax revenues that the City can spend in any fiscal year. Article XIII-B of the California Constitution permits yearly adjustments to the limit based on changes in the cost of living and population pursuant to a statutorily prescribed formula. Section 4 of Article XIII-B of the California Constitution authorizes voters to approve increases in the appropriation limit effective for four years. This authorization allows the City to capture all tax proceed revenues that it anticipates it will receive. These revenues are projected to be a total of $6,500,000 above the permanent appropriation limit over the next four years. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 56812, the initial limit of a newly incorporated city is provisional, and a permanent limit must be submitted to the voters at this municipal election. The permanent limit is based upon the actual revenue received by the City from the proceeds of taxes during the first full fiscal year of operation, and application of the statutorily prescribed formula. If a majority of the votes cast are in favor of the measure, the City shall be subject to a permanent appropriation limit of $10,493,809 with an increase of $6,500,000 over the next four years. If the majority of the votes cast are in opposition to the measure, there will not exist a permanent appropriation limit for the City, and the California State Legislature has made no provision for an alternative method of establishing such limit. This measure does not impose any taxes. It simply authorizes the City to spend the revenue it receives from the proceeds of taxes, provided that it does not exceed the appropriation limit established by this measure.

Suggest a link related to Measure B

Links to sources outside of Smart Voter are provided for information only and do not imply endorsement.

Arguments For Measure B

Arguments Against Measure B

VOTE YES ON MEASURE B. State law requires the City of Aliso Viejo to present a permanent appropriations limit to the voters for approval at the first General Municipal Election following the City's incorporation. Adopting the permanent appropriations limit and adjustment will not impose or increase any taxes. It simply establishes the amount of tax money the City can receive and spend in any given year + money that it would have otherwise received had the limit not been imposed. Under State law, a newly incorporated city is given a temporary appropriations limit. A permanent limit, based on a prescribed statutory formula, must be submitted to the voters. Using the prescribed formula, the City's permanent appropriations limit is $10,493,809. The California Constitution authorizes the voters to approve adjustments to the permanent appropriations limit. Once approved, the adjustment is effective for a period of four years. As a result of new office, retail, and residential development, the City anticipates receiving new property tax and sales tax that the prescribed formula does not address. These revenues are projected to be a total of $6.5 million over the next four years, beyond the permanent limit. With the tax money it receives, the City provides a variety of basic and essential services including police protection, traffic enforcement, crime prevention, crossing guards, animal care services, code enforcement, street maintenance, park maintenance, and after-school programs. Adopting the permanent appropriations limit with the needed $6.5 million adjustment over four years will ensure that the City receives all the revenues it deserves and continues to provide these and other high-quality services to the citizens of Aliso Viejo. Voting in favor of this ballot measure will result in the adoption of a permanent appropriations limit high enough over the next four years to ensure that the City can use all the tax money to which it is entitled so that high-quality services can continue to be provided.

No arguments were filed in opposition to this measure..

Orange Home Page || Statewide Links || About Smart Voter || Feedback

Created: December 15, 2004 13:32 PST
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund http://ca.lwv.org
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.