This is an archive of a past election. See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/alm/ for current information. |
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Measure U Temporary Fiscal Emergency Measures City of Newark Majority Approval Required Pass: 5850 / 58.71% Yes votes ...... 4115 / 41.29% No votes
See Also:
Index of all Measures |
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Results as of Jan 6 2:56pm, 100.00% of Precincts Reporting (21/21) |
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text | ||||
To prevent closure of Silliman Center and elimination of school police officers and parks/recreation programs; restore public safety services,reopen the Senior Center; and prevent additional cuts to neighborhood patrols, crime prevention,anti-drug/gang-prevention programs, 9-1-1 emergency, and other city services, shall the City of Newark establish a 3.5% utility users tax for 5 years, exempting seniors and low-income residents, requiring independent audits, with no money for Sacramento?
Senior citizens of seventy (70) years old or more and lowincome persons of any age are exempt from the tax, upon application and approval by the Tax Administrator. Government agencies such as the Newark Unified School District and Ohlone College are also exempt. The definition of each utility service and a description of how the tax is calculated are more particularly described in the Ordinance. In general, utility companies would collect the tax from consumers as part of their regular utility bills and would remit the taxes to the City. The measure would generate a reliable, protected revenue source to support and maintain Newark city services. Revenues from Measure "U" are legally required to be used in Newark for essential city services and under current law cannot be taken by the State of California or Alameda County. The utility users tax is a general tax with its proceeds deposited in the City's General Fund. Such funds would be available to the City for all of its programs and public services, such as police services and patrols, crime prevention, anti-drug and gang-prevention programs, fire protection and 9-1-1 emergency services, senior services, youth programs, park maintenance and street and pothole repair and other general services, for the City of Newark. The Ordinance includes a requirement for annual financial audits of tax collection and expenditures to be performed by a qualified, independent third party. The results of the annual audits will be available to the public. A "Yes" vote on Measure "U" means the voter is in favor of authorizing the City to collect a three and one-half percent(3.5%) utility users tax for five (5) years. A"No" vote on Measure "U" means the voter is not in favor of the City collecting such a utility users tax. The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure "U". The full text of the measure which includes the complete text of the City of Newark Utility Users Tax Ordinance will be printed in the Voter Information Pamphle and also is available on the City of Newark website, http://www.newark.org. s/GARY T. GALLIANO, City Attorney City of Newark Date: August 5, 2010
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Arguments For Measure U | Arguments Against Measure U | ||
Vote YES on U - Save Our Services from more devastating
budget cuts! Sacramento money grabs and the economy
have led the City of Newark to a Fiscal Emergency.
Just look at what's happened over the past year:
YES on U provides TEMPORARY, emergency funding to maintain services. YES on U prevents additional cuts to neighborhood police patrols and remaining crime prevention, antigang and drug prevention programs, and other school police officers. YES on U prevents closure of Silliman Center and elimination of remaining senior, parks and recreation programs. YES on U maintains our property values, quality of life, and economic health by protecting the core services so important to our residents and local businesses. Every penny of Measure U is legally required to be spent in Newark. NO money can be taken by Sacramento. Measure U expires in five years. YES on U includes annual independent financial audits and reports to the community to keep the City accountable for how the funds are spent. Low-income residents and all seniors are exempt from Measure U. Join Police Officers, Firefighters, Chamber of Commerce, youth, seniors and local residents from all walks of life in supporting YES on U.
s/David W. Smith
Mayor, City of Newark
The TAXES YOU NOW PAY support the State, the County, the City, the schools and many other governmental agencies. All these agencies are all looking for new taxes to support their spending.
HIGH TAXES you already pay are:
1. One of the highest State income taxes in the nation. This ADDITIONAL TAX will be spent any way the Mayor and City Council see fit because the TAX goes into the General Fund and the City Council controls how those monies are spent. UTILITY TAXES discourage business from coming to Newark. We need to encourage new business that will generate sales taxes instead of creating this burdensome new tax. THIS TAX WILL NEVER GO AWAY. Cities that have managed to get such a tax, continually ask that it be renewed because it becomes a vital part of their budget. The wise citizens of Fremont twice turned down a utility tax. So did you last November. Newark says they need a utility tax, the school district wants a parcel tax, Ohlone College wants a bond sale which will be supported by more taxes. WHERE DOES IT END? It WILL END at the ballot box when you VOTE NO on the UTILITY USERS TAX.
s/Stewart "Dean" Lewis
| FISCAL EMERGENCY OR POOR PLANNING.
Please vote NO on the User Utility Tax (UUT). This is an added tax to be placed on citizens of Newark in troubled times. Ohlone College and Newark Unified are also looking for new taxes. How much more can we pay? Increasing taxes is not the solution. What utilities will be taxed? Cell and regular phone services, gas, electricity, cable...things you need on a daily basis. Exemptions are for seniors (70 and older) and qualified PG&E CARE recipients. What about others affected by the "Great Recession"? Newark has the highest commercial vacancy rate in the county. Empty businesses do not create needed sales tax. We need to focus on and encourage businesses to locate and stay in Newark+a new utility tax will drive them away. In 2004, David Zehnder, Recreation and Community Services Director, said that we had $25 million in surplus revenue. Where has that money gone? The City is loosing $3M per year on the Silliman Center. How much was spent on the new fire station? Both facilities were too costly for our small city. Now we are being asked to contribute more taxes. The City has declared a large part of the city "blighted" and is putting it under redevelopment in order to take millions from other tax supported agencies such as our schools and County Health care. Is this fair? Our utility costs will increase dramatically in the next few years - so will the proposed tax. The UUT is a percentage of our utility bills. In 5 years the City will ask that this tax be continued as the City will say it is now needed to support the budget. Keep Newark politicians' hands out of your pocket! WE CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER TAX. PLEASE VOTE NO.
Additional information:http://home.
earthlink.net/~lewis2/vote.nonewarktax/
Neighborhood police patrols, crime prevention,anti-gang/drug prevention programs, school police officers, Senior Center programs, parks, and recreation programs. Please don't be fooled by the opponents' many inaccurate and misleading statements. Consider the FACTS:
s/Mel Nunes Newark Senior Citizens Advisory Committee Member s/Patricia "Pat" Danielson Board Member,Washington Hospital Healthcare District s/David Benoun, Esq. Newark Parent and Community Volunteer s/Luis Freitas Chairman of the Board, Newark Pavilion |
Full Text of Measure U |
Full Text of Measure |