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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2011-011 RESOLUTION NO 2011-011 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATASCADERO, CALIFORNIA IN OPPOSITION TO THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO ABOLISH REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA WHEREAS, as part of its 2011-12 budget proposal, the Governor has proposed permanently abolishing California's more than 400 local redevelopment agencies, and, WHEREAS, this proposal represents more of the same misguided and illegal State budget raids of local government funds that voters have repeatedly sought to end, most recently in November 2010 when an overwhelming 61% of voters elected to stop State raids of local government funds, including redevelopment funds, and, WHEREAS, this proposal will bring very little financial benefit to the State According to the State Controller's Office, redevelopment agencies have more than $87 billion in bond and other contractual obligations that legally must be repaid before revenues are available to any other purpose In fact, according to the State Department of Finance's own budget documents, there will be zero State savings in out years from shutting down redevelopment, and, WHEREAS, this proposal will destroy local economic development, including hundreds .r of thousands of fobs and billions of dollars in local economic activity throughout California, and, WHEREAS, abolishment of redevelopment in Atascadero will destroy our ability to revitalize blighted areas in our community and bring them back to economic vitality by creating fobs, funding affordable housing, building public infrastructure improvements and creating commercial opportunities, and, WHEREAS, abolishment of redevelopment in Atascadero would disable the City's ability to support new businesses in the community and invest in facilities and improvements that provide hundreds of fobs to retailers, restaurateurs, and construction workers, and, WHEREAS,projects supported by redevelopment funding in the past include Colony Square—Galaxy Theatre, Sunken Gardens, Lewis Avenue Bridge, Downtown Streetscape, Zoo improvements, a new Community Center, and financial incentives for new restaurants and businesses Future efforts along these lines would be impossible without the support of redeveloping funding; and, WHEREAS, throughout California, redevelopment activities support 304,000 fobs annually, including 170,600 construction fobs, contribute over$40 billion annually to California's economy in the generation of goods and services, and generate more than $2 billion in state and local taxes in a typical year; and, No City of Atascadero Resolution No. 2011-011 Page 2 of 2 WHEREAS, eliminating redevelopment will take away one of the few tools local governments have to comply with state requirements to plan for more compact urban development supported by transit-oriented development, housing,fobs and infrastructure, and, WHEREAS, eliminating redevelopment will destroy the development of affordable housing in California. Redevelopment agencies are the second largest funder of affordable housing, behind only the federal government, responsible for over 98,000 units of affordable housing since 1993, and, WHEREAS, shutting down redevelopment agencies is a violation of multiple State and Federal constitutional provisions. NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Atascadero formally opposes the Administration's proposal to abolish redevelopment in California. THEREFORE,BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Atascadero authorizes its City Council and City staff to communicate its opposition to this proposal to the Governor, the Legislature, business groups, and citizens. On Motion by Council Member Kelley and seconded by Council Member Sturtevant, the foregoing Resolution was adopted on the following roll-call vote. ow AYES Council Members Clay Fonzi,Kelley, Sturtevant and Mayor O'Malley NOES None ABSENT None ADOPTED- February 22, 2011 CITY ATASCADERO- ATTEST Tom O'Malley, M or :_' c� Marcia McClure Torgerson, C.M.C., City lerk APPROVED AS TO FO Z:;� " Brian A.Pierik,City Attorney �r