9,631 / 56.1% Yes votes ...... 7,522 / 43.9% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote of this measure means:

A "yes" vote on this measure would amend the Growth Management Ordinance to reduce the annual limit on residential building permits which may be issued in any year to 750 maximum and 600 average.

A NO vote of this measure means:

A "no" vote would not change the Growth Management Ordinance which allows the annual limit on residential building permits which may be issued in any year to 1,500 maximum and 1,200 average.

The GMO requires an RGA before each permit is issued, subject to certain exceptions rehabilitation, remodeling, model homes, and single lot developments). The current GMO limits the number of RGAs (and permits) to an annual average allocation of 1,200 and annual maximum allocation of 1,500. Measure A would limit the number of RGAs (and permits) to an annual average allocation of 600 and a maximum allocation of 750.

In the current GMO the annual average is calculated as follows: (1) the total sum of allocations from a baseline data through the calendar year of the allocation; (2) less invalid RGAs; (3) less affordable housing project exceptions; (4) divided by the number of years from the baseline date to the year of allocation, inclusive. In the current GMO the baseline date is January 1, 2000, however, due to projects which may have vested rights under the existing GMO, it may be several years before any reduction in the annual average is realized.

In the current GMO the maximum number of RGAs includes a maximum of 300 RGAs for affordable housing project exceptions and a maximum of 225 RGAs for development agreement projects. Under Measure A the maximum number of RGAs for affordable housing project exceptions is reduced to a maximum of 150 RGAs; the maximum of 225 RGAs for development agreement projects is unchanged. Under state housing law, due to the numerical limits, there is a legal risk to the City. However, under Measure A the risk is increased by a reduction in both the maximum number of affordable housing exceptions and the total number of RGAs. If it determined that Measure A's provisions violate state housing law, the City may be required to allocate additional affordable housing project RGAs.

Measure A would require the City to amend regulations to make them consistent, and refrain from actions which would be inconsistent, with the measure. If Measure A passess the City will face complex questions on implementation such as how to (a) prioritze projects competing for RGAs and permits, (b) recognize projects with vested rights that may be entitled to proceed under the current GMO rather than Measure A, and (c) determine whether it is necessary to issue additional RGAs to avoid a taking of private property. This may require the City to allocate RGAs and permits in excess of the limits in Measure A.

Measure A states that it shall be read to be consistent with state and federal laws and contains a section that allows for severability of any provision in the measure declared invalid.

Measure A would be effective immediately upon passage and remain in force unless amended or repealed by the voters.

The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure "A". If you desire a copy of Measure A, please call the Tracy City Clerk at 209-831-4113 and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.

"A" WILL reduce the maximum number of housing allocations that the city can issue each year from the current 1,500 (1,200 average) to 750 (600 average). "A" AMENDS just two sections of the Growth Management Ordinance.

"A" WILL improve the Tracy Tomorrow process, providing clear direction for the detailed review of the plan.

With "A", home values WILL increase even more than currently because of supply and demand.

"A" WILL NOT affect the Tracy Hills Technology Park that will bring well-paying jobs to Tracy.

"A" WILL NOT push development to the unincorporated areas of the County. The County General Plan prohibits development from occurring outside designated city growth areas.

"A" WILL NOT affect the city's ability to capture new high-tech or related jobs, provide affordable housing, complete development of public facilities or manage city finances.

Residential developers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to block any change in the city's pro-growth policies and defend the outdated plan that has brought overcrowded schools and only retail and warehouse jobs. Developers largely finance the election campaign of the current mayor and council.

"A" is a responsible first step to slow residential growth.Then we can make economic development a priority, ensure we have enough schools as we grow and protect the quality of our community.

Vote YES on "A" to slow residential growth!

/s/ Mark V. Connolly, Tracy Resident, TRAQC Volunteer

/s/ Celeste M. Garamendi, Tracy Resident, TRAQC Volunteer

/s/ Stacey Hall, Mello Roos Taxpayer Advocate

/s/ Kelly Henneman, Candidate for City Council, TRAQC Volunteer

/s/ Irene Sundberg, Tracy Planning Commissioner, Candidate for Mayor

"A" will hurt Tracy Tomorrow by circumventing the consensus building process designed to bring the community together through understanding and problem solving. TRAQC does not support Tracy Tomorrow because it cannot control it.

"A" will inflate home prices and decrease the affordability of living in Tracy for families and their growing children.

"A" will kill the possibility of other technology parks, beside Tracy Hills, that are currently being considered in Tracy.

"A" will push development into the county surrounding Tracy because the growing demand for the "American Dream" will make it impossible to deny. Your tax dollars will fund this county growth.

"A" will force employers to reconsider Tracy as a future home because it will limit the future labor supply.

"A" will not lessen classroom size in our schools.

"A" will delay the completion of the Tracy Learning Center.

"A" will negatively affect future commercial development, especially up-scale department stores and restaurants.

The leadership of TRAQC is run by a handful of self-appointed individuals and is not accountable to the City Council, the people that signed its petition or YOU!

Vote NO on A and support Tracy Tomorrow to build understanding, form consensus and develop a vision.

Citizens for Vision with Integrity want the Tracy Tomorrow process to be allowed to work. Over 2,255 citizens responded to the recent survey and hundreds of volunteers are being selected to work on committees to outline Tracy' future.

Measure A was organized and put together by a handful of self-appointed TRAQC members. The integrity of the proponents of this initiative has been called into question, in light of the TRAQC/Tracy Hills Agreement. Do we want to trust the future of Tracy in the hands of these individuals?

Citizens for Vision with Integrity believe the Tracy Tomorrow process will consider all facets of the future including:

• Education
• Economic Development
• Land Use Planning
• Agricultural and Open Space
• Transportation
• Public Safety
• Community Involvement
• Maintaining Local Control

Let's work together as a community and find our vision together.

Vote NO on Measure A.

Citizens for Integrity with Vision/No on Measure A.

/s/ Gary Rapaport, CEO, Sutter Tracy Community Hospital

/s/ Leroy Ornellas, Ornellas Dairy

/s/ Clyde Bland, Former Mayor of Tracy

/s/ Don Cose, Tracy Charter's Entrepreneur of the Year, Cose & Associates /s/ Steffanie Smith, Tracy Chamber's Industrialist of the Year; President, Pacific Pre-Cut Produce

FACT:"A" REDUCES GROWTH RATE. "A" will reduce the maximum number of housing allocations the city can issue from the current 1,500/year (1,200 average) to 750/year (600 average).

FACT: "A" IMPROVES TRACY TOMORROW. "A" will improve the current Tracy Tomorrow process, providing clear direction for detailed plan review, ensuring the Council cannot ignore residents again.

FACT: COUNCIL HAS NOT ACTED. For nearly three years residents have called on the Council to slow growth and revise plans. The Council has refused to act using four different public input processes to delay (Tracy Tomorrow 99, Blue Ribbon Committee, City Educational Growth Forums, new Tracy Tomorrow).

FACT: COUNCIL GIVE DEVELOPERS SPECIAL PROTECTIONS. The Council voted 8/15/00 to allow Plan C developers to proceed to prepare a developer agreement prior to the election that would exempt them from "A", jeopardizing the Tracy Hills Technology Park, increasing the growth rate and making Tracy Tomorrow moot.

"A" WILL decrease our growth rate in half from the current 8% to about 4%.

With "A", home values WILL increase even more because of supply and demand.

"A" WILL NOT affect Tracy Hills Technology Park that will bring well-paying jobs.

"A" WILL NOT push development to unincorporated areas because the County General Plan prohibits development outside designated city growth areas.

"A" WILL NOT affect the city's ability to attract high-tech jobs, provide affordable housing, complete public facilities or manage city finances.

Vote YES on Measure "A" to slow residential growth!

/s/ Terri Foster, Concerned Citizen

/s/ David Gordon, Mello Roos Taxpayer Advocate

/s/ Kelly Henneman, Candidate for City Council, TRAQC Volunteer

/s/ Molly Karl, Teacher, TUSD

/s/ Irene Sundberg, Tracy Planning Commissioner, Candidate for Mayor