California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

The League of California Cities has launched a website entitle ‘Save Your City’. 
It is a unique and innovative platform for mayors, city council members and
concerned members of the public to tell policy makers how communities will be
devastated if the state forces cities to bail the state out of its budget deficit.

Since 1991, state officials have taken over $10 billion in local property taxes
to meet state obligations, currently costing cities over $900 million each year.
Now state officials are examining local governments to "loan" the state $2 billion
in local property tax revenues to help close the state's budget deficit.

Unfortunately, cities are facing the same economic stress as the state and have
already made budget decisions from reductions in service, to laying off employees,
implementing furloughs.

Visitors to www.SaveYourCity.net will find an interactive forum where they can
search for videos relevant to their local community. The Web site also features
a forum for groups wanting to join the Save Your City Coalition and a tool kit
with fact sheets for how budget cuts will affect the affordable housing community,
public safety, the environment, labor, builders and business.

In addition to the Save Your City Web site, the League has also launched a page
for Save Your City on Facebook where fans can get the latest updates on the
campaign and network with others who are concerned about the devastating impact
a state raid of local property tax revenues would have on their city services.

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.