HomeMy WebLinkAboutOpposition Letter - Initative No. 21-0042A (Obando) - 03.23.2023
March 23, 2023
Bismarck Obando
Director of Public Affairs, League of California Cities
1400 K Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: “Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act” (Initiative No. 21-
0042A)
Dear Mr. Obando:
On March 21, 2023, the City of Cupertino voted to oppose the “Taxpayer Protection and
Government Accountability Act” Initiative 21-0042A1. This deceptively titled initiative,
which will be placed on the November 2024 general election ballot, would significantly
jeopardize cities’ ability to provide essential services and infrastructure for our residents.
Local governments already face strict limitations on their ability to raise taxes under the
California Constitution. This measure would make it even more difficult for local voters
to approve needed to fund local services and projects and would limit voter participation
and input by prohibiting local advisory measures where voters can express a preference
on how they want their local tax dollars spent.
In addition, the measure imposes new, onerous requirements on even routine
adjustments to local government fees and charges. These provisions add unnecessary
administrative burdens to the administration of critical local programs, could result in a
significant loss of revenue to support essential local services, and subject cities that adopt
or update fees or charges to support those programs to unacceptable legal risks and a
high degree of uncertainty.
Finally, the measure also may make it much more difficult for state and local regulators
to issue fines necessary to enforce laws intended to protect the environment and public
health and safety.
Critically, provisions of the measure would be retroactively applied to local revenue
raising measures adopted after January 1, 2022. This extraordinary and unfair retroactive
application of the law would put over $2 billion of annual revenues from dozens of tax
measures approved by voters between January 1, 2022 and the effective date of this
measure at risk, and could force cuts to fire and emergency response, law enforcement,
public health, parks, libraries, affordable housing, services to support homeless residents,
mental health services, and more. In Cupertino alone, the City receives over $8 million
in annual revenue from fees and charges that would be subject to the measure, an
estimated $228,000 of which result from fee increased adopted after January 1, 2022.
The City of Cupertino supports the League of Cities’ efforts to opposes the adoption of
the initiative. You may list the City of Cupertino in formal opposition to Initiative #21-
0042A1 and include our city as part of the growing coalition of public safety, labor, local
government, infrastructure advocates, and other organizations throughout the state
opposed to this deceptive proposition.
Sincerely,
Hung Wei
Mayor, City of Cupertino