Passage of Proposition 2 (the Rainy Day Budget Stabilization Fund Act) will have a number of positive effects on California’s financial stability, but it will also be beneficial for county governments as well. In the past, there have been occasions when services provided by the counties should have been paid for or at least reimbursed by the state. But, due to state overspending and the recession, these funds were withheld from the local jurisdictions forcing counties to use their own general tax revenue to cover the costs. There were always promises to repay the funds and the counties are still waiting. Proposition 2 will benefit counties because it requires a portion of the revenues that would have otherwise been deposited in the Budget Stabilization Account, be used to pay monies owed to counties. Counties could then use these discretionary dollars to fund anything from essential public safety services such as sheriff deputies, jail operations, and fire fighters to community parks and libraries. Local dollars spent on local issues.
Leonard Moty
Shasta County Supervisor
(These comments were written by Leonard Moty in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed are the author’s own and should not be attributed to Shasta County or its Board of Supervisors)
Editor’s Note: Shasta Board of Supervisors voted to formally support Propositions 1 and 2 on September 23, 2014.
