HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 1846 (Paramedic Tax Increase)AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SAN RAFAEL AMENDING SECTIONS 3.28.040 AND 3.28.050
OF CHAPTER 3.28 OF THE SAN RAFAEL MUNICIPAL
CODE, TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM SPECIAL
PARAMEDIC TAX RATE ON RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND ON
NON-RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES AND TO INCREASE THE
CITY'S APPROPRIATIONS LIMIT IN CONNECTION
THEREWITH
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of San Rafael in 1979 adopted an ordinance
imposing a special tax to "fully fund" a city-wide Paramedic Service Program (Chapter 3.28 of
the San Rafael Municipal Code); and
WHEREAS, for more than twenty five (25) years, the City Council has imposed this tax
annually upon all residential units and upon all non-residential structures within the City of San
Rafael for the intended purpose of funding complete and total costs associated with the
provision of a citywide Paramedic Service Program; and
WHEREAS, prior to the passage of Proposition 218 in 1996, the City Council each year
adjusted the Paramedic Special Tax rate to fund total costs of the City's Paramedic Service
Program; and,
WHEREAS, the passage of Proposition 218, eliminated the authority of the City
Council to adjust the maximum rate of the Paramedic Special Tax without first obtaining the
approval of two-thirds (2/3rds) of the voters at a municipal election; and
WHEREAS, in 2002 the voters of San Rafael approved an increase of the maximum
Paramedic Tax rate to $61.00 for residential units and $.08 per square foot for non-residential
structures; and
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WHEREAS, the City Council, after reviewing the total current costs of the Paramedic
Service Program and the total revenue generated by the current Paramedic Tax maximum rate,
finds that the current Paramedic Tax rate fails to fully fund the Paramedic Service Program, thus
requiring the diversion of a portion of the City's General Fund to subsidize the Program, which
diversion of General Fund monies threatens the provision of other City services including park
maintenance, road repair, police services and library services; and
WHEREAS, the City Council further finds that the maximum Paramedic Special Tax
rate needs to be increased so as to fully fund the City's Paramedic Service Program as was
originally intended under the ordinance enacted by the voters of the City of San Rafael; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to ensure that the Paramedic Service Program is
and remains completely and adequately funded by the paramedic tax revenues, so as to maintain
rapid response times to medical emergencies, provide advanced treatment to heart attack patients
and keep trained paramedics on fire engine companies; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to submit to the City's voters on November 7,
2006 an amendment to the Paramedic Tax ordinance which would authorize an increase of the
maximum Paramedic Special Tax rate so as to fully fund the Paramedic Service Program; and
WHEREAS, the City Council also desires to increase the City's appropriations limit for
the next four (4) years in connection with revenue generated by the Paramedic Special Tax in
accord with California Constitution Article =;
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NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of San Rafael does ordain as follows:
DIVISION 1:
San Rafael Municipal Code section 3.28.040 is hereby deleted and a new section 3.28.040
is hereby added, to read as follows:
Section 3.28.040 -- Special Tax Imposed - Non-residential.
A special tax of up to a maximum of eleven cents ($.11) per square
foot is imposed upon all non-residential structures within the
corporate limits of the City of San Rafael, on an annual basis, to
fund a Paramedic Service Program.
DIVISION 2:
San Rafael Municipal Code section 3.28.050 is hereby deleted and a new section 3.28.050
is hereby added, to read as follows:
Section 3.28.050 -- Special Tax Imposed - Residential.
A special tax of up to a maximum of $85.00 per residential unit is
imposed upon all residential units within the corporate limits of the
City of San Rafael, on an annual basis, to fund a Paramedic Service
Program.
DIVISION 3:
As required by Article XIHB of the California Constitution, the appropriations limit of the
City of San Rafael shall be increased each year, for a period of four (4) years, by the total amount
collected each year under the Paramedic Service Special Tax (Chapter 3.28, San Rafael Municipal
Code).
DIVISION 4:
This Ordinance shall take effect if adopted by two-thirds (2/3rds) of the voters voting in the
City of San Rafael Special Municipal Election to be held on the 7th day of November, 2006.
ATTEST:
Jl NNE M. LEON'61 I, City Clerk
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ALB19R.T J. BWO, Mayor /