CITY OF DIAMOND BAR
LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING
Grand Conference Room – City Hall
March 3, 2023
9:00 A.M.
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Public Comments
4. Discussion Items
A. California Business Roundtable (CBRT) Ballot Measure
5. Committee Member Comments
6. Adjourn
MEMORANDUM
BACKGROUND
On February 1, 2023, the “Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act,” or AG# 21-0042A1 qualified for the November 2024 ballot. This measure falls outside the Legislative Platform, and must be reviewed by the Legislative Subcommittee with an official recommendation to Council before any formal action may be taken.
ANALYSIS
The League of California Cities (Cal Cities) has provided a brief analysis of this measure, which if adopted would create stricter rules for raising taxes and fees, and may make it more difficult to hold violators of state and local laws accountable. The initiative also includes a retroactive clause so that all new or increased taxes or fees adopted by the Legislature, a City Council, or the local voters after January 1, 2022 must comply with the Act’s new rules. This measure is being sponsored by the California Business Roundtable (CBRT), an organization that advocates on behalf of the largest and wealthiest corporations in California.
Cal Cities requests cities officially oppose this measure to demonstrate how harmful this measure would be to communities throughout the state. A copy of the ballot measure, along with a sample letter and Resolution in opposition are attached for your review.
To: Members of the Legislative Subcommittee
Mayor Andrew Chou and Council Member Ruth Low
From: Anthony Santos, Assistant to the City Manager
Cc:
Dan Fox, City Manager
Ryan McLean, Assistant City Manager
Date: February 21, 2023
Re: California Business Roundtable (CBRT) Ballot Measure
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Communication: CBRT (California Business Roundtable (CBRT) Ballot Measure) Legislative Subcommittee
California Business Roundtable (CBRT) Ballot Measure
February 21, 2023
2 RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Legislative Subcommittee review the attached materials and make a recommendation that the City Council take a position to officially oppose based on the potential impact to local control and public finances. Should the Subcommittee make such a recommendation, it would be staff intent to prepare a Resolution opposing the California Business Roundtable (CBRT) Ballot Measure for City Council consideration as soon as possible. We are happy to set up a meeting, in-person or virtual, should you wish to discuss in greater detail.
Enclosures
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Communication: CBRT (California Business Roundtable (CBRT) Ballot Measure) City of Diamond Bar
21810 Copley Drive | Diamond Bar, CA 91765-4178
(909) 839-7000 | Fax (909) 861-3117
www.DiamondBarCA.gov
Andrew Chou
Mayor
District 3
Stan Liu
Mayor Pro Tem
At-Large
Ruth M. Low
Council Member
At-Large
Chia Yu Teng
Council Member
District 4
Steve Tye
Council Member
District 1
February 21, 2023
Bismarck Obando
Director of Public Affairs, League of California Cities 1400 K Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Letter Opposing Initiative 21-0042A1
On March 7, the City of Diamond Bar voted to oppose Initiative 21-0042A1, a deceptive, developer-sponsored proposition aimed for the November 2024 statewide ballot that would significantly jeopardize cities’ ability to provide essential services and infrastructure for our residents.
The measure includes undemocratic provisions that would make it more difficult for local voters to pass measures needed to fund local services and projects and would limit voter input by prohibiting local advisory measures where voters can express a preference on how they want their local tax dollars spent.
This measure creates new constitutional loopholes that allow corporations to pay far less than their fair share for the impacts they have on our communities, including impacts on local infrastructure and our environment.
This measure also may make it much more difficult for state and local regulators to issue fines and levies on corporations that violate laws intended to protect our environment, public health and safety, and our neighborhoods.
Unless defeated, the measure puts billions of dollars currently dedicated to local services at risk, and could force cuts to fire and emergency response, law enforcement, public health, parks, libraries, affordable housing, services to support homeless residents, mental health services, and more.
You may list the City of Diamond Bar in formal opposition to Initiative #21-0042A1 and include our city as part of the growing coalition of public safety, labor, local government, infrastructure advocates, and other organizations throughout the state opposed to this deceptive proposition.
Sincerely,
DIAMOND BAR CITY COUNCIL
cc: Daniel Fox, City Manager
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Communication: CBRT (California Business Roundtable (CBRT) Ballot Measure) Sample Resolution to Oppose Initiative 21-0042A1
WHEREAS, an association representing California’s wealthiest corporations and developers is spending millions to push a deceptive proposition aimed for the November 2024 statewide ballot; and
WHEREAS, the measure includes undemocratic provisions that would make it more difficult for local voters to pass measures needed to fund local services and infrastructure, and would limit voter input by prohibiting local advisory measures where voters provide direction on how they want their local tax dollars spent; and
WHEREAS, the measure creates new constitutional loopholes that allow corporations to pay far less than their fair share for the impacts they have on our communities, including local infrastructure and our environment; and WHEREAS, the measure may make it much more difficult for state and local regulators to issue fines and levies on corporations that violate laws intended to protect our environment, public health and safety, and our neighborhoods; and WHEREAS, the measure puts billions of dollars currently dedicated to local services at risk and could force cuts to fire and emergency response, law enforcement, public health, parks, libraries, affordable housing, services to support homeless residents, mental health services, and more; and THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Diamond Bar opposes Initiative 21-0042A1;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Diamond Bar will join the No on Initiative 21-0042A1 coalition, a growing coalition of public safety, education, labor, local government, and infrastructure groups throughout the state.
We direct staff to email a copy of this adopted resolution to the League of California Cities at [email protected].
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 7th day of March, 2023. ____________________________
Andrew Chou, Mayor
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Communication: CBRT (California Business Roundtable (CBRT) Ballot Measure) ATTEST:
I, Kristina Santana, City Clerk of the City of Diamond Bar, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was passed, approved and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Diamond Bar held on the 7th day of March, 2023, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSTAINED: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
__________________________
Kristina Santana, City Clerk
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Communication: CBRT (California Business Roundtable (CBRT) Ballot Measure)