City Leaders Call State Fee Proposition Unfair

City officials have launched their own campaign to persuade residents to vote against Proposition 218.

The initiative on the Nov. 5 ballot is being touted by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. as a means for property owners to control taxes. But officials here said this week that it would have the opposite effect.

“We’re putting this before you because it’s remarkably quiet about what this really does,” City Attorney James L. Markman said at Monday night’s City Council meeting.

“It shifts control on assessments to people who control the largest amounts of property, whoever or wherever they may be,” Markman said. “It disenfranchises small-property owners.”

The proposition would put new controls on how cities can assess fees for certain services, such as police and fire protection.

Proponents of the measure say municipalities have been abusing the use of assessments, which are generally used to pay for services that directly benefit affected property owners.

Instead, assessments have replaced the property taxes that were restricted by Proposition 13, according to material distributed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn.

But local officials say the measure would, in effect, deprive the average taxpayer of power because large corporations would have a greater voice. And general fees for emergency services would be eliminated, threatening the safety of communities, opponents say.

All five Buena Park council members appealed to voters to reject the proposition.

“I am appalled at what is being attempted here,” Councilman Donald L. Bone said, adding that foreign-based corporations would be controlling assessments within the city.

“This is the first time, to my knowledge, we have allowed people in London or Singapore to vote on assessments in the United States,” he said.