101-Draft letter to state elected representatives.pdf
February 1, 2011
The Honorable Jerry Brown
Governor, State of California
State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Governor Brown:
We write today on behalf of the City of Cupertino to express our Opposition to provisions in your
January Budget Proposal that proposes to eliminate redevelopment agencies in California. Eliminating
this program not only violates the will of the people, but also will have grave consequences on
California’s economy.
Last November, California voters approved Proposition 22, once again reaffirming the message they
have sent to California repeatedly: local funds should remain local and pay for services and programs in
their own communities. In doing so, they prohibited the state from requiring a community development
agency to remit property tax to or for the benefit of the state or any jurisdiction directly or indirectly.
The City of Cupertino recognizes that this represents one of the toughest state budget proposals in
history. Our city is also facing tough budget times. We agree that it is well past time that the state faces
the consequences of years of gimmicks and temporary budget fixes. However, taking local funding –
particularly funding that creates such a great number of jobs and fuels economic growth – is imprudent.
We strongly encourage you to consider the economic implications of attempting to eliminate
redevelopment. We look forward to working with you to find solutions that will address the state’s
fiscal problems while also supporting the economic growth.
Sincerely,
Gilbert Wong, Mayor
City of Cupertino
CC: Paul Fong, State Assembly, 22nd District
Joe Simitian, State Senate, 11th District
Dan Carrigg, Legislative Director, League of California Cities
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY HALL
10300 TORRE AVENUE • CUPERTINO, CA 95014-3255
(408) 777-3212 • FAX (408) 777-3366