Calaveras CAO Reacts To State Budget Agreement
San Andreas, CA — While members of the Big Five were patting themselves on the back with the Monday evening announcement that they had agreed on the 2009-10 fiscal budget, Calaveras CAO Bob Lawton issued a series of tempered comments.
Stated Lawton, “The biggest wait-and-see at this point is whether or not this package will be sold to the legislators. It requires a two-thirds vote and there is not merely something in here for everybody to dislike, there’s a lot in here for everyboby to dislike whether you’re a school district, a city or a county.
Certainly from the county’s point of view the biggest issue is the suspension of Prop. 1A which would allow the state to borrow approximately $1.5 million in property taxe revenues and in addition the state is recommending that it take our gas tax receipts which would cost the county $850,000 next year. That would have a truly devastating effect on our Public Works Department.”
Lawton added there’s not much the County can do over Prop. 1A (which has to be repaid by the state in three years with interest) but C.S.A.C. (California State Association of Counties) has encouraged all 58 counties to join in litigation against the state because the taking of gas tax revenue my be unconstitutional.
