Approved General Policy on Special Taxes and Citizens' Initiatives in 2022
The Association believes that municipal agencies should live within their means and demonstrate an effort to do so. Specifically, the Association highlights that it will oppose any special tax for public goods generally financed out of general funds unless a municipal government does one of three things:
It respects the voters by committing to placing on the ballot a tax to pay for growing pension costs. The Association believes that the structural inequities caused by burgeoning public pension obligations should be addressed head on, and the people should be given a choice if they want to pay for that at the same time a special tax is levied.
It works with the Local Agency Formation Commission to adjust boundaries so that the tax base is aligned to the true costs of service.
It works with its labor groups to reduce salaries and pension benefits by the same amount of revenue it expects to receive through the proposed special tax.