Measure K

By Charles Stone

My Philosophy on Taxes

Under revenue neutrality when the City went to the Supreme Court for the right vote on forming a city, the State passed a law that protected and discourage the formation of cities. Under this law, for 25 years your property taxes go to the County and not the City. This means that Citrus Heights does not receive any property tax until 2023, an annual loss of $4 million a year. In response to the State's budget deficit and to seize the funds within Redevelopment agencies the State of California dissolved the mechanism the city uses for paving and redevelopment within the city. This was combined the recalculation of the gas tax where the State took $500,000.00 a year from the City.

Finally, AB 109, called prison realignment. Under this law, inmates in California overcrowded prisons are being released directly on the street without supervision. Citrus Heights police is modeled after having a both Parole and Probation supervise inmates. Under budget cuts these have been systematically reduced placing no oversight on these inmates. This duty will fall to the police, who are currently not staffed to address this threat.

Measure K is a restrictive 1.75% utility tax increase, to fund street resurfacing and law enforcement to address the Cities recent challenges. These funds will generate roughly 2 million a year with 1 million each going to police and streets. This will cost the average citizen roughly 0.87 cents per $50 in utilities.

My position on taxes is: for one to be valid it must be "narrowly tailored to serve a substantial taxpayer interest." This is known as the strict scrutiny test.

The tax itself (1.75%) will allow for restrictive use increases on utility fees, averaging about $0.87 per $50.00 spent on utilities, for the next 10 years will raise around 2 million per year to split between the Police Department and General Services. This will provide General Services ability to fix and maintain our roads and the police to protect our citizens. These funds will also allow the City of Citrus Heights Police tools such as electronic enhancements to track inmates released into our community by the State, all in an effort to reduce crime. These are our "core" services that a City must provide and therefore this is a "substantial taxpayer interest."

With the sunset clause this tax has a maximum term of 10 years and will end with revenue neutrality. This is written as a restrictive use tax; the funds can ONLY be used for the stated purpose and cannot be used to augment any other city service. This avoids the bait and switch approach and merits accountability. Therefore, I believe this tax is narrowly tailored to meet the substantial taxpayer interest.

Therefore, I support Measure K because I believe this tax serves a substantial taxpayer interest and is narrowly tailored to meet this interest.

If you would like more information regarding Measure K please see: http://www.citrusheights.net/home/index.asp?page=1548. If you would like more information about me please see my Facebook page: Charles Stone for Citrus Heights City Council.