HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 1996-11-07 284
City Council, Special Meeting
City Hall Conference Room A
760 Parkview Avenue
Redding, California
November 7, 1996 5:15 p.m.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor McGeorge with the following Council Members present:
P. Anderson, Kehoe, Murray and McGeorge. Council Member R. Anderson was absent.
Also present were City Manager Warren, Assistant City Manager Perry, City Attorney Wingate,
Administrative Services Director Starman, and City Clerk Strohmayer.
RESOLUTION - Setting Date for Special Municipal Election Regarding Proposition 62 (Rescinding
Resolution No. 96-200)
(E-070-100 & L-070-100 & T-010-600)
City Attorney Wingate related that it is necessary, due to the passage of Proposition 218, to rescind
the resolution previously adopted by the City Council calling a special election on February 4, 1997.
He explained that Proposition 218 requires a governmental entity to declare an urgency when it
decides to conduct an election on a date other than its general municipal election for seats on the City
Council. He stated that it is staff's opinion that this particular matter is too important to wait until
March 1998 and the election is necessary to determine the City's capability to continue to fund
General Fund services. He indicated that the proposed resolution before the City Council this evening
contains amended language to satisfy the requirements of Proposition 218.
Mr. Wingate explained that the ballot measure language previously adopted identified the amount the
transient occupancy tax was increased and makes reference to the dates the transient occupancy and
business license taxes were increased. He opined that the original language is rather cumbersome and
somewhat difficult to read. He offered the following abbreviated language for consideration: "Shall
the ordinance of the City of Redding ratifying and continuing the existing transient occupancy tax and
existing business license tax be adopted?"
Council Member P. Anderson believed the average voter would find the abbreviated language easier
to understand.
Mayor McGeorge favored the abbreviated language, however, was concerned that it did not identify
the fact that only the 1990 increases were being voted on.
Council Member Kehoe believed that the language proposed this evening may lead the voter to
believe they are voting on the entire tax, rather than merely the increases adopted in 1990, as spelled
out in the original ballot measure language.
In response to Council Member Murray, City Attorney Wingate clarified that the language must state
the following: Shall the ordinance of the City of Redding...be adopted? He explained that the
ordinance being voted on is not the original ordinance, but contains amendments to the original
ordinance which established the specific taxes.
Frank Strazzarino, Executive Director of the Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce, stated that
there may be an argument for keeping the language shorter and more succinct; however, he noted the
importance of the voters understanding that these are existing taxes. He related that he is looking
forward to working on the Measure A campaign to assure its passage.
Following discussion regarding various ways to word the ballot language to ensure that the voter is
clear on what is being voted on, the following language was proposed: "Shall the ordinance of the
City of Redding that ratifies and continues the 1990 increase to the City's Transient Occupancy Tax
and to the City's Business License Tax be adopted?"
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Council Member Murray preferred the original language as it stated the amount the Transient
Occupancy Tax was increased in 1990. City Clerk Strohmayer noted that the impartial analysis
would contain that information.
MOTION: Made by Council Member Kehoe, seconded by Council Member P. Anderson, that
Resolution No. 96-203 be adopted, a resolution of the City Council of the City of Redding calling
a special election for the purpose of voting on a measure to ratify and continue increases to the
Transient Occupancy Tax and Business License Tax which occurred in 1990, rescinding Resolution
No. 96-200, adding the necessary language pursuant to Proposition 218, and amending the ballot
language to read as follows: "Shall the ordinance of the City of Redding that ratifies and continues
the 1990 increases to the City's Transient Occupancy Tax and to the City's Business License Tax be
adopted?"
Voting was as follows:
Ayes: Council Members - P. Anderson, Kehoe, Murray, and McGeorge
Noes: Council Members -None
Absent: Council Members -R. Anderson
Resolution No. 96-203 is on file in the office of the City Clerk.
In response to Council Member Kehoe, Mr. Wingate explained that he spoke with an attorney who
professed to being one of the drafters of Proposition 218 regarding the urgency language. The
attorney stated that the only reason the urgency language was included in the Proposition was to
"make council members and supervisors think twice about holding an election at a time other than
when they are up for reelection." The attorney further indicated that it was recognized that a financial
problem is the type of urgency which would dictate the use of the language included in the
Proposition.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, at the hour of 5:50 p.m., Mayor McGeorge declared the meeting
adjourned.
APPROVED:
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
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