R10975City Council Meeting: July 12, 2016
Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER,(CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA SUBMITTING TO THE VOTERS
AN ADVISORY MEASURE ASKING WHETHER POTENTIALLY
INCREASED REVENUES SHOULD BE SPENT ON EDUCATION AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ACCOMPANIED BY A MEASURE
PROPOSING TO INCREASE THE TRANSACTIONS AND USE TAX
BY ONE-HALF PERCENT AT THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION
TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016, AND AUTHORIZING
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO FILE WRITTEN ARGUMENTS FOR OR
AGAINST THE MEASURE AND DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY
TO PREPARE AN IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF THE MEASURE
WHEREAS, all redevelopment agencies in California, including the Santa Monica
Redevelopment Agency, were dissolved on February 1, 2012; and
WHEREAS, the Santa Monica Redevelopment Agency generated nearly $40
million per year that was used for Santa Monica community priorities such as seismic
safety improvements to public buildings, affordable housing, and capital improvements;
and
WHEREAS, the dissolution of the Santa Monica Redevelopment Agency
severely diminished the funds available to address Santa Monica community priorities;
and
WHEREAS, many residents live in Santa Monica because the City invests in
community priorities, offering extensive services and programs that substantially
enhance quality of life; and
WHEREAS, residents depend upon the City to continue to protect their quality of
life and effectuate community priorities, but with the loss of redevelopment funds, the
City must seek other resources; and
WHEREAS, redevelopment funds provided over $15 million annually to support
affordable housing in Santa Monica; and
WHEREAS, the dissolution of the Santa Monica Redevelopment Agency has
severely diminished funding available for affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, affordable housing addresses a great need in Santa Monica, where
the 2015 median market rent for a two-bedroom apartment was nearly four times
greater than what a low-income family can afford; and
WHEREAS, affordable housing continues to be critical to addressing the needs
of Santa Monica residents, where one in five households made less than $25,000 in
2014 and over 50 percent of households made less than $75,000 in 2014; and
WHEREAS, a lack of affordable housing in high-cost areas such as Santa
Monica causes many households to be overburdened by housing costs, reducing
available funds for other necessities that are essential for health and wellbeing; and
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WHEREAS, during the Great Recession that began in December 2007, the State
of California faced severe operating deficits and budget deficits and was forced to cut
many programs and services; and
WHEREAS, although the State of California has been able to balance its budgets
recently, it has been unable to restore funding to many programs that were eliminated
or reduced during the Great Recession; and
WHEREAS, funding for certain programs, including public education, is tied to
the budget of the State of California;
WHEREAS, the instability of the state's budget causes instability in the budgets
of Santa Monica's local public schools; and
WHEREAS, a lack of available funding limits local public schools' ability to
adequately invest in key educational priorities such as attracting and retaining high-
quality teachers, expanding access to pre-schools, assisting at -risk students, improving
school technology, enhancing instruction in arts, music, math, and science, and upkeep
and maintenance of school facilities and classrooms; and
WHEREAS, an increase in the transactions and use tax ("TUT") would increase
revenues for the City of Santa Monica; and
WHEREAS, the City Council could allocate those increased funds toward public
education and affordable housing; and
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WHEREAS, increased funding for affordable housing would allow the City of
Santa Monica to continue its efforts to address the housing needs of low-income
seniors, veterans, working families, and people with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, increased funding for local public schools would allow the Santa
Monica community to strengthen its efforts to support educational advancement for
youth within the community; and
WHEREAS, on June 14, 2016, the City Council adopted resolutions calling for
and giving notice of a General Municipal Election on November 8, 2016; and
WHEREAS, an increase in the TUT would partially fill the revenue gap left by the
loss of redevelopment funds; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Santa Monica desires to place a
measure on the November 8, 2016 ballot ("TUT Measure") that would authorize a one-
half (1 /2) percent increase to the TUT, increasing the total TUT to one percent, in
accordance with state law; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Santa Monica desires to place a
companion advisory measure on the November 8, 2016 ballot ("Advisory Measure") that
would allow voters to express their preference on the expenditure of funds for affordable
housing and public school programs, if the TUT Measure passes; and
WHEREAS, all City revenues are subject to annual independent audits with
public review of the City Budget being widely available, including at City Hall, on-line
and at the public library.
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NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Santa Monica does resolve
as follows:
SECTION 1. A General Municipal Election has been called for on November 8,
2016 for the purpose, among other things, of electing City Council members and
submitting measures and ballot propositions to the voters.
SECTION 2. At the General Municipal Election called for November 8, 2016, the
following advisory question shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the City of
Santa Monica:
PROPOSITION " ADVISORY VOTE ONLY. -
If a local transactions and use tax is enacted in
Santa Monica, should half its revenue be used
to improve and maintain local public schools, Yes
including attracting and retaining high-quality ------------------
teachers, expanding access to pre-schools, No
assisting at -risk students, and improving school
technology, arts, music, math, and science
instruction; and half to help preserve and
ensure housing in Santa Monica that is
affordable, protect residents from displacement
by rising housing costs, and reduce
homelessness?
SECTION 3. At the General Municipal Election called for November 8, 2016, the
following proposition shall also be submitted to the qualified electors of the City of Santa
I1yt6111
PROPOSITION " ": To maintain and improve
Santa Monica community services including Yes
support for preservation of affordable housing, ------------------
reducing homelessness, school repair and No
improvement, education of Santa Monica
children and students, and other general fund
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services, shall an ordinance be adopted to
enact a Santa Monica one-half percent
transactions and use tax, subject to
independent annual audits, all funds used
locally, and no money going to Sacramento?
SECTION 4, The City Clerk shall transmit to the City Attorney, in accordance with
Elections Code Section 9280, copies of both measures. The City Attorney shall prepare
an impartial analysis of them, which analysis shall not exceed 500 words in length each.
The impartial analysis shall be filed by the date set by the City Clerk for the filing of
primary arguments. In accordance with Santa Monica Municipal Code section
11.04.190 and California Elections Code Section 9295, not less than 10 calendar days
before the City Clerk submits the official election materials for printing, the City Clerk
shall make a copy of all applicable elections materials available for public examination
in the City Clerk's Office.
SECTION 5. The City Council authorizes its members, as follows, to file written
arguments for and against the measures:
FOR:
AGAINST:
All written arguments filed by any person in favor of or against any measure, including
any rebuttal arguments, shall be accompanied by the names and signatures of the
persons submitting the arguments as required by applicable law, and any names,
signatures and arguments may be filed until the time and date fixed by the City Clerk in
accordance with applicable law, after which no change may be submitted to the City
Clerk unless permitted by law.
SECTION 6. The City Clerk shall cause the text of the measures, together with
the City Attorney's impartial analysis, and any arguments for or against the measures,
as well as any rebuttal, to be mailed to all qualified voters with the sample ballot. In
addition to other notices and publications required by law, the City Clerk, not less than
forty (40) days and not more than sixty (60) days before the General Municipal Election,
shall cause the text of the measures to be published once in the official newspaper and
in each edition thereof during the day of publication. The City Clerk is authorized to give
such notices and to fix such times and dates as are required by law or which are
appropriate to conduct the election properly.
SECTION 7. The provisions of Resolution Numbers 10964 (CCS), 10965 (CCS),
and 10966 (CCS) are referred to and incorporated as necessary for more particulars
concerning the General Municipal Election to be held on November 8, 2016 and the
placing on the ballot of these measure and the conduct of the election. In all respects,
the election shall be held and conducted as provided for by applicable law, including
resolutions. The City Clerk is authorized and directed to procure and furnish any official
ballots, notices, printed materials and all supplies or equipment that may be necessary
in order to properly and lawfully conduct the election.
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SECTION 8. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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Adopted and approved this 12th day of July, 2016.
I, Denise Anderson -Warren, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby
certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 10975 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of
the Santa Monica City Council held on the 12th day of July, 2016, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Himmelrich, Davis, O'Connor, O'Day,
Mayor Vazquez
NOES: None
ABSENT: Councilmember McKeown
Mayor Pro Tem Winterer
ATTEST:
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Denise Anderson -Warren, City Clerk