PROP 22 - PROHIBITS THE STATE FROM BORROWING OR TAKING FUNDS FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT

PROP 22 IN BASIC TERMS:

Prop 22 would protect revenue derived from locally imposed taxes (I.E. hotel, parcel, utility & sales taxes, etc) allocated for local government. It prohibits the state from "raiding" these funds. These are the local taxpayer dollars meant for cities, counties, special districts, redevelopment, public safety, emergency response, and other local government services. (BTW - Did you know the state does this?!?! I didn't realize until last year when I started studying up!)

ARGUMENTS FOR A YES ON 22:

- "The State Legislature took and borrowed $5 billion last year and is planning to take billions more this year. State raids have forced deep cuts to vital local services like 9-1-1 emergency response, police, fire, libraries, senior services, road repairs, and public transportation improvements. Yes on 22 will stop state raids of local government and transportation funds."

- " Since 1992, state government has taken $11.2 billion in locally approved tax measures for the general fund."

- "In 2009, the California State Legislature raided about $5 billion from city, county, transit, redevelopment and special district funds."

- "The gas taxes we pay at the pump should be used to improve road safety, relieve traffic congestion, and to fund mass transit. But state politicians keep diverting our gas taxes for non-transportation purposes.

- Prop. 22 will not increase taxes.

- "Claims that 22 will hurt school funding are just scare tactics by those who want to continue State raids of local funds. Prop. 22 simply ensures that our existing local tax dollars and existing gas taxes cannot be taken away by the state politicians again."

ARGUMENTS FOR A NO ON 22:

- California Teachers Association, say Prop 22 will give money to redevelopment agencies at the expense of core services that are supported by the state budget, such as public education.

- Proposition 22 would "create a wall that will prevent borrowing in times of economic crisis and would place an even greater burden of cuts on public education and the backs of our students", according to a spokesperson for the California Teachers Association.

- "It will leave us all in greater danger from fires, earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters. It also means cuts in emergency medical services, forcing longer response times if your family needs a paramedic—or perhaps no paramedic at all in a major emergency."

PROP 22 SUMMARY:

Y - On Prop 22 prohibits the State from raiding funds derived from locally imposed taxes.

N - On Prop 22 allows the State to be allowed to continue to raid these funds when needed.

To learn more about Prop 22 go to http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_22,_Ban_on_State_Borrowing_from_Local_Governments_%282010%29

Also watch ABC7's coverage of this item.