City of Canyon Lake Utility Users Tax, Measure DD (November 2014)

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A City of Canyon Lake Utility Users Tax, Measure DD ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the city of Canyon Lake in Riverside County, California. It was approved.

Upon approval, Measure DD imposed a 3.95 percent utility users tax for six years to maintain police, fire and paramedic services; preserve local control over land use decisions and maintain Railroad Canyon Road.

Election results

Riverside County Measure DD
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		1,540	50.79%
No		1,492	49.21%

Election results from Riverside County Elections Office

Text of measure

Ballot question

The question on the ballot appeared as:

“

To maintain Canyon Lake as an independent City providing effective 911, paramedic, firefighter services; maintaining sheriff's deputies/staffing levels; keeping Canyon Lake Fire Station open; preserving local control over land use decisions; maintaining Railroad Canon Road/other city services, shall the City of Canyon Lake establish a 3.95% utility users' tax for 6 years, requiring no tax increase without voter approval; annual, published independent audits; and no money for for Sacremento?

”

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis was prepared for Measure DD:

“	Measure “DD” was placed on the ballot by the City Council by action at its August 6, 2014 meeting. If approved by majority vote of the voters voting on the measure, Measure "DD" would approve an ordinance adopting a Utility User Tax (“UUT”). Based upon an analysis from an independent financial adviser, the revenues from the UUT would have been sufficient to eliminate the City budget shortfall identified in the 2013-14 fiscal year. A UUT is a tax on utility services used by City residents within the City. The ordinance broadly defines received “utility services” as those for electricity, natural gas, water and sewer, telephone and solid waste/refuse collection. The ordinance presumes that billings received by Canyon Lake residents are for such services used within the City. The ordinance provides details regarding the levy and collection of the tax; however, state and federal laws will supersede the ordinance provisions. For example, certain internet services and solar electrical energy generated only for personal use are exempt from taxation pursuant to the provisions of state law and the proposed ordinance. Propane tanks purchased for use within the City are exempted from tax by the ordinance. There is an appeal process to dispute the imposition or amount of the tax. The tax rate proposed is 3.95% with no increase allowed. The tax would be levied on the amount of each separate utility bill, so the amount of tax would vary with the cost of the utility services provided for that billing period. The tax would be collected by each utility provider and paid to the City. There are penalties for non-collection as well as for non-payment. The ordinance requires an annual, independent audit of the collection and use of funds. If approved, the collection of the tax will begin as soon as possible after such approval, but no later than January 1, 2015. The tax will terminate by its terms on December 31, 2020. If Measure “DD” is not approved by a majority vote of the voters voting on the Measure, then the UUT will not be approved and will not go into effect.	”
—Elizabeth Martyn, Canyon Lake City Attorney

Support

Supporters

• Randall P. “Randy” Bonner, Mayor
• David A. Eilers, President of CLPOA
• Joanna Spiller, 26 year resident and active community member
• Rich Moline, Canyon Lake United Committee Chairman
• Linda Kamashian, 25 year resident

Arguments

The following was submitted as the official arguments in favor of Measure DD:

“	Vote YES on DD –SAVE OUR CITY, MAINTAIN LOCAL CONTROL! YES on DD maintains Canyon Lake as an independent, self-governing City to protect our interests from County bureaucrats, developers and politicians. YES on DD maintains our local control and authority over land use issues. YES on DD maintains funding for rapid 9-1-1 emergency response times that save lives and property. YES on DD maintains funding for local needs, like keeping Railroad Canyon Road in good condition. Without more money, Canyon Lake won’t survive beyond the next several years. The City of Canyon Lake provides police and fire protection at the level needed for our residents, many of whom are seniors—YES on DD! Currently, Canyon Lake paramedics and firefighters respond to your 9-1-1 calls within 3-4 minutes. Without funding from DD, it would be up to County officials to determine the level of these services, not your local elected City Council accountable to you. Closure of the City’s only local Fire Station would extend response times to 8-10 minutes, or longer, outside of the 5 minute safety parameter cited by the American Medical Association—YES on DD! Other services – ensuring Lake quality, conducting code enforcement and maintaining control over our own land use decisions—also preserve the quality of life we all value so highly. YES on DD ensures Canyon Lake has the financial resources to continue providing these services. YES on DD is Fiscally Accountable, requiring independent annual audits, NO tax increase without voter approval, and expiration in six years. We incorporated in the early 1990’s to ensure Local Control over our own destiny and services. YES on DD preserves our local authority so we aren’t subject to the whims of County politicians who don’t live in our City. Vote YES on DD for the future of Canyon Lake!	”
—Randall P. “Randy” Bonner, David A. Eilers, Joanna Spiller, Rich Moline and Linda Kamashian

Opposition

Opponents

• John Zaitz

Arguments

The following was submitted as the official arguments in opposition to Measure DD:

“	The Canyon Lake City Council is at it again. They have decided that asking residents twice to tax themselves and residents responding with a resounding “No” twice is not enough. Now, they want to try it for a third time. The first two times they needed it to keep fire station 60 open, but the station is still open. This time they cannot even guarantee the station will remain open if the tax passes. This time they are trying an end run around the two-thirds approval requirement of past efforts and trying to impose a utility tax, the proceeds of which will go directly into the city’s general account where the council can do anything it pleases with the funds. They are telling us now they need it for Railroad Canyon Road, a road that was just upgraded. The City Council does not have any financial projections to determine if the tax would make a difference for the long term financial stability of Canyon Lake, who would administer it, where the money would actually end up, exactly how it would be collected, etc. The Council and City Staff have failed to do their jobs and are asking you to decide what to do without even providing crucial information. If Canyon Lake is to remain a city, we need a long-term solution to our chronic financial problems, not another short-term tax band aid. And if we do not remain a city, we should remember that nothing will change our gated community. We will still have out “bit of paradise.” We can have the same response time for emergencies even under another city. We can get everything we have today without a Utility Tax. A NO vote gives us what we have today – we won’t lose anything. Vote No on DD	”
—John Zaitz

See also

• City tax on the ballot
• Local utility tax and fees on the ballot
• California Utility User Taxes
• Riverside County, California ballot measures
• November 4, 2014 ballot measures in California

External links

Suggest a link

• City of Canyon Lake website