LA TIMES: Mayor maneuvers to get phone tax on Feb. 5 ballot...Villaraigosa urges the council to declare an emergency
From latimes.com: Mayor maneuvers to get phone tax on Feb. 5 ballot
Villaraigosa urges the council to declare an emergencythe council to declare an emergency, which would allow a replacement tax to pass with a simple majority in the presidential primary election.
By David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 2, 2007
Worried that an upcoming court ruling could wreak havoc on the city budget, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa recommended Monday that the City Council declare the city will face an "emergency" if a court rules against the city and invalidates a $270-million telephone users utility tax.
The declaration would pave the way for the mayor and the council to put a replacement tax on the ballot as soon as Feb. 5 and -- perhaps more significantly -- lower the threshold needed to win passage of such a measure from two-thirds to a simple majority, lawyers for the city said.
[Purpose of tax is to preserve existing funds that are being targeted in three separate lawsuits.]
"Without question, the potential loss of $270 million to the city's general fund would present a significant damage to the health and safety of the city," said Villaraigosa spokesman Matt Szabo.
Last week, Villaraigosa's pollster, Washington, D.C.-based Feldman Group, concluded that the tax would perform slightly better in the presidential primary than in the June election.
City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo's office said a declaration of an emergency would provide another benefit: lowering the threshold needed for the measure to pass. Any telephone tax measure sent to the voters before 2009 would normally be considered a "special tax" and therefore need two-thirds approval, said Delgadillo spokesman Nick Velasquez. [ZD likes Nick, surprisingly!]
[THE BALL IS IN COUNCIL'S COURT: IT'S UP TO THOSE SHADY, SPINELESS NON-LEADERS TO UNANIMOUSLY STATE THAT IT IS AN EMERGENCY. And we know there isn't one independent spine of the fifteen gravy-train riders.]
"As usual, they're not so much looking at doing what's right, but doing what they can get away with," said Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Assn.
THIS WILL BE THE SECOND VILLARAIGOSA BALLOT MEASURE/STRAW THAT'S ABOUT TO BREAK THE COMMUNITY'S BACK:
The behind-the-scenes tax discussions come less than two weeks after the council asked Delgadillo to draft language for a February ballot measure hiking property taxes by $30 million to fund anti-gang programs.
BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE! BUY A HOME IN LOS ANGELES NOW, AND AS AN ADDED BONUS:
Meanwhile, Villaraigosa's appointees at the Department of Water and Power are scheduled to meet today to discuss a trio of electrical rate hikes -- 2.9% on Jan. 1, another 2.9% on July 1 and 2.7% on July 1, 2009. The Board of Water and Power is also reviewing two proposed water rate hikes -- 3.1% on July 1 and another 3.1% on July 1, 2009.
Meanwhile, taxpayer watchdogs say they may recommend that voters oppose the proposed tax. "We are just perpetuating this incompetent management of the city if we give them more money," Vosburgh said.
FULL LA TIMES ARTICLE
zumadogg@gmail.com
Villaraigosa urges the council to declare an emergencythe council to declare an emergency, which would allow a replacement tax to pass with a simple majority in the presidential primary election.
By David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 2, 2007
Worried that an upcoming court ruling could wreak havoc on the city budget, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa recommended Monday that the City Council declare the city will face an "emergency" if a court rules against the city and invalidates a $270-million telephone users utility tax.
The declaration would pave the way for the mayor and the council to put a replacement tax on the ballot as soon as Feb. 5 and -- perhaps more significantly -- lower the threshold needed to win passage of such a measure from two-thirds to a simple majority, lawyers for the city said.
[Purpose of tax is to preserve existing funds that are being targeted in three separate lawsuits.]
"Without question, the potential loss of $270 million to the city's general fund would present a significant damage to the health and safety of the city," said Villaraigosa spokesman Matt Szabo.
Last week, Villaraigosa's pollster, Washington, D.C.-based Feldman Group, concluded that the tax would perform slightly better in the presidential primary than in the June election.
City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo's office said a declaration of an emergency would provide another benefit: lowering the threshold needed for the measure to pass. Any telephone tax measure sent to the voters before 2009 would normally be considered a "special tax" and therefore need two-thirds approval, said Delgadillo spokesman Nick Velasquez. [ZD likes Nick, surprisingly!]
[THE BALL IS IN COUNCIL'S COURT: IT'S UP TO THOSE SHADY, SPINELESS NON-LEADERS TO UNANIMOUSLY STATE THAT IT IS AN EMERGENCY. And we know there isn't one independent spine of the fifteen gravy-train riders.]
"As usual, they're not so much looking at doing what's right, but doing what they can get away with," said Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Assn.
THIS WILL BE THE SECOND VILLARAIGOSA BALLOT MEASURE/STRAW THAT'S ABOUT TO BREAK THE COMMUNITY'S BACK:
The behind-the-scenes tax discussions come less than two weeks after the council asked Delgadillo to draft language for a February ballot measure hiking property taxes by $30 million to fund anti-gang programs.
BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE! BUY A HOME IN LOS ANGELES NOW, AND AS AN ADDED BONUS:
Meanwhile, Villaraigosa's appointees at the Department of Water and Power are scheduled to meet today to discuss a trio of electrical rate hikes -- 2.9% on Jan. 1, another 2.9% on July 1 and 2.7% on July 1, 2009. The Board of Water and Power is also reviewing two proposed water rate hikes -- 3.1% on July 1 and another 3.1% on July 1, 2009.
Meanwhile, taxpayer watchdogs say they may recommend that voters oppose the proposed tax. "We are just perpetuating this incompetent management of the city if we give them more money," Vosburgh said.
FULL LA TIMES ARTICLE
zumadogg@gmail.com
Posted by Zuma Dogg @ 10/02/2007 03:50:00 PM
2 Comments:
Because the morons on council don't know how to spend our money wisely all they want to do is tax us. NO WAY NO WAY
Antonio has screwed up this city worst then any other mayor. All he does is tax the residents. Forget the fact that clowncil are a bunch of bafoons who spend crazy and waste millions. Just tax the residents and make up for their stupidity. Thanks to KFI John & Ken who blasted all of them and will continue to tell over one million listeners what a bunch of bastards we have running this city
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