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Measure SP Pomona Utility Users' Tax Emergency Increase City of Pomona Ordinance - Majority Approval Required
See Also:
Index of all Measures |
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Fail:
5,910 /
26.90% Yes votes ......
16,060 /
73.10% No votes
| Results as of Nov 24 2:18pm, 100.00% of Precincts Reporting (63/63) |
| Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | | ||||
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Shall an ordinance be adopted to increase Pomona's Utility Users' Tax by (2%) for an initial period of 26 months, to fund general city services, including police, fire, street repair, parks, recreation and library programs; suspend the increase following the 26 month period, unless the Pomona City Council overrides the suspension by a 6/7ths vote; and provide a UUT payment exemption for the legally disabled?
Background: The City of Pomona currently imposes a nine-percent (9%) tax on telephone, electricity, gas and water usage in the City. The tax on these utility services is commonly known as the "Utility Users' Tax" or "UUT." Payment of this tax is required by every person, company, business, and association that uses such utilities. The UUT generates approximately twenty-two percent (22%) of the City's General Fund revenue, which is used to provide public safety services such as police and fire protection, public parks, recreation programs, library services, public works projects, and other City programs and services. The Measure: If adopted, Measure SP would amend the provisions of Pomona City Code to increase the current nine-percent (9%) UUT tax rate by two percent (2%) for an initial period of two (2) years and two (2) months. The increased revenues would fund the City's General Fund. At the end of the two-year and two-month initial period, the UUT tax rate would automatically be suspended back to the current nine-percent tax rate, unless the Pomona City Council overrides the suspension by a 6/7ths vote. In addition, if adopted, the Measure would provide an exemption for payment of the UUT for those persons who are "legally disabled," as that term is defined in the proposed ordinance. Measure SP requires approval by a majority of voters. A "Yes" vote for Measure SP will authorize the two percent (2%) increase in the UUT tax rate for the initial period of two (2) years and two (2) months as described above, and will authorize the exemption for payment of the UUT for those persons who are "legally disabled." A "No" vote against Measure SP will keep the current UUT tax rate the same, and will not provide the exemption for payment of the UUT for those persons who are "legally disabled."
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| Arguments For Measure SP | Arguments Against Measure SP | |
| Measure SP will protect and "SAVE POMONA," public safety services from
cutbacks and downsizing. With economic uncertainty facing the City of Pomona and the budget crisis in Sacramento, the Pomona Police Department has been forced to take a $4.2 million dollar cut in concessions as a way to save revenue. In the past two years, the Pomona Police Department has shrunk from a force of 200 officers to 154 officers. With economic uncertainty still facing Pomona, severe cuts to the Pomona Police will continue into and beyond 2010-2011. Measure SP, the "Emergency Utility Tax Measure," will generate approximately $8,450,000 in total new UUT (Utility User Tax) revenue for the twenty-six (26) months it would be in effect. Funds generated will prevent further cuts to the Pomona Police Department. Fire Services: Over the past year, the men who provide fire services in the City of Pomona have been pressured to eliminate a fire truck or consolidate two fire stations into one. Measure SP provides needed revenue to keep fire services in full operation with out making cuts. Public works: Three years ago the city had 777 employees to perform general municipal services, today there are 569 employees. This 27 percent reduction in work force equals cuts to library services, youth gang intervention and after school programs, parks, soccer fields, citywide improvements and water operations. A yes vote for Measure SP will fundamentally streamline in future (fiscal years) an estimated:
FY 2010-11 (3 months) $975,000
Measure SP
In these times of economic uncertainty Pomona cannot afford to risk a revenue
loss.
JOHN MENDOZA
| Measure SP increases Pomona's Utility Users' Tax (UUT) rate by two percent
for an initial period of two years and two months to help fund general City
services.
It's the second time in two years that special interests have placed a self-serving UUT hike before voters. Back in 2008 political opportunists asked voters to increase the UUT by one percent -- that measure was overwhelmingly rejected by the voters of Pomona. Now they're trying to sneak Measure SP past us. Measure SP asks taxpayers for twice as much money. Worse yet, there is NO GUARANTEE that the money generated by Measure SP will be used for police, fire and paramedic protection. Measure SP money could be used for ANY purpose! Pomona faces a multi-million budget shortfall. Raising your taxes is not the best way to meet this fiscal challenge in these difficult economic times. All other options must be considered. For example, since consolidating our fire and paramedic service with the Los Angeles County Fire Protection District in 1996, Pomona taxpayers saved $40 million and improved services. These savings helped keep and maintain a strong Pomona Police Department as well... Recruiting revenue-generating businesses to Pomona -- like Target and Fry's Electronics -- would help bring hundreds of thousands of dollars in new sales tax revenues every year and would create new jobs for our city. So there ARE viable alternatives for solving Pomona's budget woes. Tax hikes like Measure SP is not the answer. Vote NO! FREDDIE RODRIGUEZ Councilmember
For Pomona voters being lied to and defrauded in the sample ballot book is nothing new. Some years ago a Pomona candidate made false claims about his occupation in the sample ballot book which helped him win a seat as an elected official. This caused much problems and one would think that lies in the sample ballot book would have ended in Pomona after the incident but no. Old-fashioned political opportunism that relies on lies to win votes has no shame. The new lies in Pomona come from an individual that wrote the argument against Measure SP and is wrapped in the lie that Measure SP is a sneak move by "special interests" groups in Pomona who are working behind the scenes to pass the measure that failed two years ago. His claim to fame after four years in office is to mis-inform voters with lies in the sample ballot which is supposed to be a tool to educate voters. Pomona voter just get the facts before you vote. Read the Pomona City Attorney's impartial analysis or call the City Clerk. Vote Yes for Measure SP
JOHN MENDOZA JOHN MENDOZA |
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