Protecting Local Revenues - Proposition 1A

By Arne Simonsen

Keeping local revenues local to support city services such as police and street repairs is essential.

Since 1991, the State has taken over $40 million in Antioch revenues to fund their overspending. This is money that should have stayed in Antioch to repair our sidewalks and streets, pay for additional police officers, and improve our infrastructure.

As the 1st Vice President of the East Bay Division of the League of California Cities, I worked with our sister cities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties to end the theft of our revenues.

The 478 cities in California have formed a coalition with the California State Association of Counties and the California Special Districts Association, called LOCAL (Leave Our Community Assets Local).

I actively worked to gather petition signatures which lead to Proposition 65 on the November ballot to constitutionally protect our property tax, sales tax and vehicle license fee revenue.

With the successful filing of Prop 65, Governor Schwarzenegger asked LOCAL to work with him to help solve the financial crisis he inherited. Finally, the cities, counties and special districts had a seat at the State budget meetings.

This resulted in the compromise with the Governor and placed Proposition 1A on the November ballot.

Proposition 1A will provide constitutional protection to our local revenues while helping Governor Schwarzenegger bring the State budget back into balance.

I asked the Antioch City Council to endorse Proposition 1A and received unanimous support.

Now I need you to help protect Antioch's property taxes, sales taxes and vehicle license fees which you already pay, by voting YES on Prop 1A on November 2nd.