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 April apportionment of the cigarette tax, highway users tax and "in-lieu" motor vehicle license fee has been distributed. Arcadia received $15,988, $34,441 and $76,778 respectively.
Article gives distribution to cities and counties of state cigarette, "in-lieu" motor vehicle license fees, and highway users tax. Arcadia received $17,778 of the cigarette tax, and $44,798 of the other fees.
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.
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%.
Arcadia's City Council approved 1979-80 tax rates that are slightly lower than those for the past year. Other action concerned the animal control ordinance, the construction of two classrooms at Barnhart School, and an appeal for funds for Dial-A-Ride.
Howard Jarvis, the father of Proposition 13, spent an hour in Arcadia, knocking down the "straw man" arguments he said were being put up against the property tax initiative. Prop. 13 would reduce property taxes in California to 1 percent of what market value was in 1975-1976, plus whatever is necessary to pay off current bonded indebtedness. A 2 percent annual inflation rate is written into the constitutional amendment.
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 Public Library has joined the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System. Library users will have access to MCLS libraries, SCAN (Southern California Answering Network at Los Angeles Public Library) and SCILL (Southern California Interlibrary Loan Network).
The recent Supreme Court ruling which declared California's property tax funding of public education unconstitutional will have its affect of area schools.
The prospect of an auditorium for Arcadia brightened some-what with the Federal government's decision to pump $2.9 billion for an individual project such as an auditorium. California is entitled to $285 million and Arcadia may seek up to $4.9 million for an individual project such as an auditorium. Council members, normally opposed to such funds, seemed very excited over the prospects.
California taxable sales topped all records in the 2nd quarter of 1978, totaling $28.4 billion. Arcadia taxable sales were: retail transactions $59,331,000; total: $67,076,000.