State Made Cities Rely on Sales Tax

* As a resident of Rossmoor, I’ve seen the results of the dependence of cities on sales tax revenue. With no regard for its environmental impact on the adjacent residents, Seal Beach City Council members imposed an overwhelmingly intrusive project at the north end of their city, in part because of their dependence on sales tax revenue to provide city services.

Now Assemblyman Ken Maddox (R-Garden Grove) has chosen to insert himself into an issue in Cypress, the neighboring district of Assemblyman Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach), by introducing a bill to prohibit cities from excluding tax-exempt property owners (i.e. churches) from purchase of undeveloped land under eminent domain because when cities look for new money, they make it hard for churches to relocate or build.

May I remind Maddox that it was the legislators in Sacramento who confiscated money from cities and special districts, thus making them dependent upon sales taxes to meet their fiscal responsibilities. The result of this action has sacrificed good land-use planning on the altar of monetary expediency. Now Maddox wants to blame the cities for trying to protect their meager tax base by branding them greedy in trying to create opportunities for additional sales taxes through developments.

Look in the mirror, Assemblyman Maddox, and I think you will see where the crux of this problem lies and who is responsible for correcting the injustice done to our cities and special districts through greed.

SHIRLEY A. BAILEY

Rossmoor