HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 567 B
PRO
RESOLUTION NO. 567
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA URGING THE
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO ENACT AN EQUITABLE SYSTEM OF REVENUE
!:.~St~ING WHICH WILL PROVIDE CITIES AND OTHER AGENCIES OF LOCAL GOVERN-
MENT WITH A SOURCE OF INCOME CAPABLE OF KEEPING PACE WITH INFLATIONARY
ECONOMIC TRENDS AND BASED ON TAXPAYERS ABILITY TO PAY.
WHEREAS, responsive local government is an essential local element of the
Federal Government system representing as it does the government most accessible to the
individual citizen, most responsive to his day-to-day need for governmental services and
most susceptible to his demands for adjustment in governmental policy; and
WHEREAS, the local property tax, long the major source of local government
financing is rapidly reaching its practical limits. It is basically unresponsive to
inflationary trends and is generally incapable of assessing tax responsibility on the
basis of ability to pay; and
WHEREAS, in contrast the federal income tax is able to grow at the same rate
as an expanding economy, is responsive to inflationary trends, and is directly related
to ability to pay; and
WHEREAS, local ~nactment of an income tax similar to the federal income tax
would not answer the pressing need of the core cities which contain extensive low incom~
populations but would instead widen the gap between the financial capability of the core
city and its suburban areas; and
WHEREAS, the current program of federal grants for specific purposes fails
to recognize the competence of local officials to measure and meet local program needs
and ignores the ready access of the public to remedies such as local official elections,
recall and referendum through which citizens make their opinions and needs known quickly
at the local level;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Saratoga
does hereby urge the Congress of the United States to enact into law a system of revenue
sharing which will provide cities and other local governments with a percentage of the
revenue raised by the federal income tax.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the forn~la for distribution of this shared
revenue should reflect the magnitude, urgency and severity of urban problems particularly
those affecting core cities and other areas containing high numbers of low income people.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the application of the resulting revenues to
the solution of local problems should be the responsibility of local officials.
TEe above and foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and
passed by the City Council, City of Saratoga at a regular meeting held on the 21st
day of April, 1971 by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmen Robbins, Smith, Dw~er, Bantiers, Bridge~
ABSENT: None ,
MAYOR
ATTE ST:
"'~ITY CLERK ~/~