The Arcadia Tax Reform Committee has officially been formed and will petition the City Council to rescind the new sewer and street-sweeping levies and the increase of the utility tax from 5% to 7%.
The Arcadia Tax Reform Committee will present signed petitions to the City Council re requested repeal of 3 ordinances levying assessments on street sweeping and sewer service, and an increase in the utility users' tax from 5% to 7%.
The City Council will consider lowering the Utility Tax. City Finance Director, Charles Reiman, will give the necessary background in the City's need for revenue.
City Manager Lyman Cozad is assuming that there will be a 25% increase in assessed valuation which should make budgeting easier for 1976-77, but will not result in a lower tax rate.
Measure A seeks to repeal utility users tax in Arcadia, on the April 12 ballot. The utility users tax is a source of revenue expected to generate $7 million for the city this year. Arcadia charges residents 7% for gas, water, and electricity, and 5% for telephone on utility bills. The city estimates each household pays less than $10 per person per month on average. The tax is 12.5% of the city's $54.9 million general fund budget. If repealed, it would mean a 12.5% cut to city services, including cutting 12 police officers, closing a fire department, increasing blight, street sweeping would be reduced from weekly to every other week. Programs for children and seniors would be eliminated and library and museum hours would be reduced significantly. Larry Papp helped author the initiative.
Jack Saelid has proposed a cap on the utility tax: when a yet-to-be-determined sum has accrued, collection would cease. City Attorney Charles Liberto will research and report on a possible ordinance.
Due to the increased property tax assessments throughout the State, the $1750 exemption will begin to disappear. This will hit lower income home owners hardest.
Tax rates are being increased in the city's five lighting districts. Article discusses status of other tax rates and notes an increase of 9.2% in the total assessed valuation of all properties in Arcadia.
City Council met with representatives of Santa Anita Park race track to discuss the possibility of raising the admissions tax. Council is concerned with the cost of traffic control. Benefits to the city from the track have increased 22.6% in the past two years and 43% the previous season.
The city tax on utility bills will be discontinued if you meet the following requirements: 1. Married couple with gross income under $7500. 2. Single persons with gross income under $5000. 3. Anyone who is eligible for Social Security, aged, blind or disabled categories. Fill out the appropriate form and return it to City Hall before October 31 to avoid the tax for 1975. Eligibility must be reestablished year.
The Arcadia City Council unanimously supports a 5% utility tax on interstate and international telephone calls. The proposed tax will cost about $.40 per person per month.
City Council has renewed an examination of the admission tax Santa Anita pays compared to other race tracks. The track provided 34.1% of the city's total annual revenues in the fiscal year 1980-81. Traffic control costs in Arcadia are higher than in other cities with race tracks.