League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Los Angeles County, CA March 5, 2013 Election
	Measure LHH-A Remove Spending Limit on Fire Tax Monies City of La Habra Heights Ordinance - Majority Approval Required Election Night Results (Unofficial) Pass: 647 / 59.9% Yes votes ...... 434 / 40.1% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure LHH-A

Arguments Against Measure LHH-A

Put simply: Measure A does not raise taxes Measure A does not cost you one cent Measure A enables the City to spend 100% of tax proceeds Failure to adopt Measure A would not reduce your tax rate or result in refunds, but would limit the amount available for life-safety and law enforcement services. In the first year, the reduction might be slight, but in years to follow the ceiling would curtail the city's ability to expend revenue, including gas taxes and other funds that come from outside sources. As a result cutbacks in essential services would have to occur. California voters approved Proposition 4, the Gann Appropriations Limit, in 1979. Proposition 4 amended California's Constitution to impose a ceiling on the total amount of taxes that can be expended by cities. The ceiling was based on expenditure levels from 1978, the year La Habra Heights incorporated. The proposition provided for a modest annual adjustment. Recognizing that voters may wish to approve tax increases, Proposition 4 also empowered voters to expand their city's Gann Limit in four year increments. In 1997 La Habra Heights' voters expanded the limit to accommodate the tax that funds the La Habra Heights Fire Department. Because the Fire Department provides excellent service at a very low cost, voters have reaffirmed the expanded ceiling every four years. The latest expansion will expire in 2013 unless it is renewed by Measure A. The statutory adjustment, coupled with voter-approved expansions, has set this city's Gann Limit at $4,209,497. The decline in property taxes and outside revenues such as gas tax, has kept city expenditures significantly below the ceiling; however, without Measure A, the ceiling will drop by 24% to $3,186,379. Please vote "yes" on Measure A. Stan Carroll Mayor Roy Francis Mayor Pro Tem Brian Bergman Council Member Carl Westerhoff Council Member Jane Williams Council Member

A Gann limit override is NOT needed for Fire, Paramedic, or any other City spending. Voters passed the Gann Initiative, limiting local spending, in 1979 by a 3 to 1 margin. A Gann limit increase allows spending beyond State prescribed levels, if voters approve. Official City budget documents show that spending over the past two years did not exceed the base Gann limit and the override amount was unnecessary. In the previous two years, minor spending reductions of about 1% would have kept spending within the Gann limits. What would a YES vote do? As the economy recovers and tax revenues increase, City spending could once again escalate upwards without voter approval or control. A yes vote would loosen purse strings and increased fixed costs could threaten City finances in the future. What would a NO vote do? City spending would be limited to current levels with inflation and population based increases. Cuts to Fire, Paramedic or other services are NOT necessary under current City service levels. A reduction or refund of taxes may occur and could prevent future City sponsored tax measures. Even if the City spending levels were to exceed the State Constitutional limits, the Council could reduce any type of spending, not just limited to Fire and Law Enforcement. A NO vote would keep Council members focused on reducing wasteful spending. La Habra Heights voters recently defeated tripling the Road Tax by 2-1 margin and voted against November's Proposition 30 State Tax Increase by over 2-1 margin. Stephen Blagden Editor LaHabraHeights.net George Edwards Editor, TheAvocadoExpress.com