HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 91-513 - In support of 1- Formation of a 51st State, Northern Calif and 2- and advisory measure being placed on the June 1992 Ballot J
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDDING IN SUPPORT
OF (1) THE FORMATION OF A 51ST STATE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA; AND (2)
AN ADVISORY MEASURE BEING PLACED ON THE JUNE 1992 BALLOT.
WHEREAS, the desire to create separate political, regional, and economic
identities has been expressed by northern and southern Californians alike;
campaigns for division were led by the Northerners in 1925, 1941, 1965, and
1967 through 1980, and by Southerners in 1852 through 1859 and 1907; and
WHEREAS, the current proposal by Assemblyman Stan Statham to divide
California does not set a precedent; for example, Vermont was once part of New
York, Kentucky part of Virginia, Tennessee part of North Carolina, West
Virginia part of Virginia; and
WHEREAS, generally, many local government representatives and citizens
of the 27 northern rural counties of the State of California (Alpine, Amador,
Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen,
Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou,
Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba Counties) feel that
the majority of the State legislators do not effectively work for the rural
and suburban counties; and
WHEREAS, due to the disparity in population, Northern California does
not have a representative-voice in our present State government, as
illustrated by. the fact that Shasta County's Assembly member represents nine
northern counties, while 28 Assembly members represent Los Angeles County
alone; and
WHEREAS, the Boards of Supervisors from our sister County of Siskiyou
and our own County of Shasta have publicly supported the proposed formation of
a 51st State, indicating that "rural counties' needs are not being recognized
in such areas as the Department of Fish and Game's refusal to pay 'in-lieu'
property tax fees for land acquired by the State, and the reallocation of -IJ
Proposition 111 gas tax dollars from rural counties without commuter rail ;
systems to urban counties with such rail systems"; and r'
WHEREAS, Butte County has sought to file bankruptcy for two consecutive
years; Plumas County was forced to allocate retirement trust funds to balance UJ
its budget for the current fiscal year; Lassen County recently threatened
secession from the State of California; Glenn, Tehama, and Shasta Counties are
also experiencing critical fiscal shortfalls, all due in large measure to
their inability to meet the ever-increasing financial demands for case-driven
and State-mandated but unfunded programs; and
WHEREAS, during the recent State budget process, the legislature again
failed to fund the Rural Renaissance Program for the second consecutive year;
did not fully compensate rural counties for property tax revenues lost through
the Williamson Act agriculture-preserve program; and severely cut the budget
for the Department of Tourism which is the only State agency that actually
assists in bringing revenues into Northern California;
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED . that in consideration of the
foregoing, the City Council of the City of Redding hereby adopts this
Resolution in support of Assemblyman Stan Statham's proposal to form a 51st
State—Northern California.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Redding
supports an Advisory Measure being placed on the June 1992 ballot stating
"Should California be Divided into Two States?" in order for the people of the
City of Redding to decide the issue for themselves.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was introduced and read
at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Redding on the 3rd
day of Decemk�er 1991, and was duly adopted at said meeting by the following
vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Arness, Fulton & Moss
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Buffum & Dahl
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
Charlie Floss, Vice Ayor
City of Redding
ATTEST: FORM PROVED:
ETHEL A. NICHOLS, City Clerk R4ALL A. HAYS, C ty Attorney
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