During their Tuesday night meeting, Santa Clarita City Council members plan to vote on a resolution that would formally oppose an initiative that would make it harder for state and local agencies to implement new taxes.

According to the meeting’s agenda, city staff recommend the council lodge their formal opposition at the May 22 meeting. The motion, if approved would direct staff to draft a letter oppose a potential state ballot measure known as the Tax Fairness, Transparency and Accountability Act of 2018.

“This measure requires a two-thirds vote to extend a local tax to a new territory,” said the city council agenda. “The city currently surveys affected residents prior to an annexation but there is currently no requirement for a vote threshold in the annexation process.”

Related: GOP Tax Plan Set To Limit Deductions For California Homeowners

Additionally, the Tax Fairness, Transparency and Accountability Act would require not only a two -thirds vote by the local governing body (such as the Santa Clarita City Council), but would also move the vote threshold from a majority vote of the electorate to a two-thirds vote of the electorate for approving or increasing a local general tax.

In effect, this would mean the city of Santa Clarita could not impose any new taxes without those taxes being approved by a two-thirds majority of the state legislature.

And finally, the fees applied for local services, permits and licenses would narrow the legal threshold from “reasonable” to “actual” costs. This would mean that no supplemental revenues can be generated by the city when providing community or infrastructure services.

The ballot measure, which advocates hope to place on the Nov. 6 ballot, started through a signature-gathering campaign. The measure would to limit the state and local governments’ “appetite for new revenue” because “Californians are already among the highest taxed people in the country,” according to the text of the document.

The provisions included in the ballot measure would amend the state constitution, particularly in regard to the ways in which the state or local government can impose taxes, fees, and other charges.

Related: Santa Clarita Sales Tax Set To Rise July 1

The City Council members are expected to approve the resolution opposing the act because city officials believe it would “harm the ability of local communities to adequately fund services.”

“The proposed ballot measure would allow businesses to escape from their existing obligations to pay the full cost of services” and would “shift the burden of these uncovered costs from the business interests to local general funds supported by taxpayers,” according to city documents.

If passed by the City Council, the resolution would then be sent to the League of California Cities, formally denouncing the initiative on behalf of the city.

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