HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES NO 178-14RESOLUTION NO. 17 8 - 14
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF BAKERSFIELD, AFFIRMING SUPPORT
FOR PROPOSIITION 13 - THE PEOPLE'S
INITIATIVE TO LIMIT PROPERTY TAXATION.
WHEREAS, on June 6, 1978, Proposition 13, officially titled the "People's
Initiative to Limit Property Taxation," and popularly known as the "Jarvis -Gann
Initiative," was overwhelmingly approved by California's voters, reducing
property tax rates on homes, businesses and farms, and capping the rate of
increase in the future; and
WHEREAS, prior to the adoption of Proposition 13, California's raging
inflation had sent property tax bills in California soaring so high that many
families had to sell their homes because they could not afford to pay their taxes;
and
WHEREAS, prior to the adoption of Proposition 13, property tax
assessments showed wider divergences than assessment disparities under the
current acquisition -value system; and
WHEREAS, with the approval of Proposition 13, real property values were
adjusted to a base value equal to the 1976 assessed value of that real property,
thereby introducing an objective standard upon which real property would be
taxed and ending the previous subjective standard for assessment that
engendered the property tax assessment abuses that occurred in the 1960s and
1970s; and
WHEREAS, with the passage of Proposition 13, taxpayers, for the first time,
were provided a measure of certainty with respect to their property taxes; and
WHEREAS, following the passage of Proposition 13, the average
homeowner has saved tens of thousands of dollars in property tax payments,
money that was able to be spent in the economy to create jobs and foster
economic development; and
WHEREAS, following the passage of Proposition 13, renters also benefitted
as the reduction in taxes reduced upward pressure on rents; and
WHEREAS, the volatility of income and sales tax revenue to the state and
local governments is a major flaw in California's tax system, while Proposition 13
has rendered California's property taxes as a stable and predictable source of
ok0PK�9`P'c1
- Page 1 of 3 Pages - c
v
QRIQINAI
public revenue, even during economic downturns, which has provided a major
benefit to local governments throughout California; and
WHEREAS, since the passage of Proposition 13, proposed alternatives to
Proposition 13 would have a variety of unwelcome effects, including substantial
tax increases for low- income and elderly homeowners; and
WHEREAS, voters intended Proposition 13 to protect all property owners,
and they had rejected previous attempts to impose higher taxes on small
businesses, knowing that these so- called "split- roll" proposals would inflict
irreparable harm on California's economy; and
WHEREAS, Proposition 13 has become a nationwide symbol for taxpayer
revolt and for citizens exercising control and power over their governments.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of
Bakersfield as follows:
1. The above recitals are true and correct.
2. The City of Bakersfield supports the original spirit and intention of
Proposition 13 which was to stop government from spending
taxpayer funds on frivolous items, and to force the legislature to live
within its means, not find ways to extract funds elsewhere.
3. The City of Bakersfield, in recognition of the positive impact
Proposition 13 has had on the State of California, formally reaffirms
our support for Proposition 13 and the benefit that it provides to
individual homeowners, renters, local governments and to the
state's overall economy.
---- - - - - -- 000---- - - - - --
- Page 2 of 3 Pages -
�AKF9
v
Qt�IC:�IIVAI,
1 HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted
by the Council of the City of Bakersfield at a regular meeting thereof held on
OCT 2 2 2014 , by the following vote:
4r� COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA,MObtwdlM611 SMITH, HANSON, S01104. JOHNSON
COUNCIL MEMBER _ E
hj ON.
mBSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBER _�yoYo. _
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBER 1VO L
APPROVED OCT 7 22 2014
By
HARVEY L. HAL
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
VIRGINIA GENNARO
City Attorney
y ),4
JOSHUA H. RUDNICK
Deputy City Attorney
JHR /vl:dll
S: \COUNCIL \Resos\ 14 -15 \Prop 13- Reso.docx
UA��"
ROBERTA GAFFORD,
CITY CLERK and Ex Officio Clerk of
the Council of the City of Bakersfield
o�0AK�9`f -c�
M
- Page 3 of 3 Pages -
C)FOGINAL