THE CASE AGAINST A NEW PLEASANT HILL

UTILITY TAX
The  City  of  Pleasant  Hill  plans  to  seek  voter  approval  of  a  new  u7lity  tax  this  November.    
City  officials  haven’t  explained  exactly  why  they  need  more  tax  money  or  what  will  
happen  if  this  tax  proposal  is  rejected  –  though  it  appears  this  new  tax  is  intended  to  
avoid  serious  City  budget-­‐cuEng.    

If  you’re  concerned  about  Pleasant  Hill’s  economic  vitality,  aHend  the  July  19,  2010  City  
Council  mee7ng  and  voice  your  opposi7on  to  this  new  tax.

HERE’S WHY RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ALIKE

OPPOSE A NEW CITY UTILITY TAX:
• The  higher  tax  rate  will  apply  to  ALL  u3li3es.
The  current  Pleasant  Hill  1%  u4lity  tax  applies  to  basic  phone  bills  only.    The  new  
higher  tax  rate  of  1.5%  or  2%  will  apply  to  all  u1li1es  including  PG&E  electric  
and  gas  service,  cable,  sewer,  water,  and  all  telephone  services  –  including  
mobile  phone  bills!

• When  u3lity  rates  go  up,  this  tax  will  automa3cally  increase.    
U4lity  taxes  automa4cally  rise  as  u4lity  rates  increase.    This  tax  hike  “slot  
machine”  will  make  payoffs  to  City  Hall  for  decades  to  come  –  at  the  expense  of  
residents  and  businesses!

• The  City  can  and  should  do  more  to  cut  costs.    
o The  City  has  frozen  or  eliminated  some  staff,  but  can  do  more.
o The  City  is  top-­‐heavy,  with  25  City  employees  earning  more  than  $100K.    
Why  not  consolidate  opera4ons  to  eliminate  highly-­‐paid  posi4ons  wherever  
possible?
o City  employees  enjoy  lush  “re1re  at  age  50”  pension  plans  and  benefits  
chiefly  paid  by  taxpayers  –  not  employees.    Why  don’t  City  employees  pay  for  
their  own  benefits  –  or  opt  to  trim  them  back  to  reasonable  levels?

• Pleasant  Hill’s  economy  remains  in  the  doldrums  and  new  taxes  will  only  make  
things  worse.    
o City  unemployment  and  foreclosure  rates  remain  high  and  retail  sales  and  
property  tax  receipts  are  down.    
o Frugal  Pleasant  Hill  families  and  business  owners  are  under  severe  financial  
strain.    
o Now  is  NOT  the  4me  for  new  taxes  that  will  only  hurt  struggling  families  and  
small  businesses.

• Pleasant  Hill  residents  and  businesses  are  being  nickel  and  dimed  to  death.

see  reverse
071410
 o Residents  already  paying  more  for  Mt.  Diablo  schools  and  Pleasant  Hill  
Recrea4on  and  Park  District  services.
o Federal  tax  hikes  go  into  effect  in  January  2011.
o More  state  tax  and  fee  hikes  forthcoming.
o Business  increasingly  weighed  down  by  costly  regula1on.

THE CASE AGAINST A NEW PLEASANT HILL

UTILITY TAX
. . . continued
• Raising  taxes  sends  the  wrong  message  to  both  employee  unions  and  Sacramento!
o City  efforts  to  nego1ate  compensa1on  take-­‐backs  with  employee  unions  are  
undermined  by  City  proposals  to  increase  taxes.    Why  should  unions  make  
concessions  when  the  City  sends  mixed  messages?
o State  funding  takeaways  from  local  agencies  are  rewarded  and  will  con4nue  
so  long  as  local  taxes  are  increased  to  fill  funding  gaps.

• Priva3ze  City  services,  where  possible,  to  cut  costs.

o The  private  sector  provides  services  more  economically  than  the  City.    Why  
not  contract  out  services  to  provide  City  services  more  economically?

• Why  should  residents  and  business  pay  more  taxes  while  the  City  operates  
“business  as  usual”?
o City  must  get  serious  about  reducing  overhead  costs.
o City  job  freezes  and  budget  cutbacks,  while  commendable,  are  “playing  at  
the  edges”  reduc4ons  -­‐-­‐  and  won’t  yield  sufficient  savings  to  sustain  City  
service  levels  over  the  long  term.
o City  employees  should  shoulder  costs  for  expensive  pensions  and  benefits  –  
or  forego  them  altogether.

LET PLEASANT HILL CITY

COUNCILMEMBERS KNOW THAT YOU
OPPOSE NEW TAXES!

see  reverse
071410
 “QUALITY OF LIFE IN PLEASANT HILL”
MEANS MORE DOLLARS IN YOUR
POCKETBOOK
-- NOT MORE MONEY IN CITY COFFERS!

see  reverse
071410