Resolution No. 1657
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RESOLUTION No. 1657
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A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON RECOMMEND-
3 ING THAT ASSEMBLY BILL 817, AS AMENDED, DO NOT PASS.
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THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
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6 THAT WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 817, as amended, is
7 calendared for consideration on May 21, 1953; and
8 WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Vernon believes
9 that said Bill is detrimental to the interest of the City of
10 Vernon, and all persons doing business, and/or paying taxes in
11 said City;
12 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
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Section 1:
That the City Council requests the Assembly
14 Committee on Revenue and Taxation to.us.e its offices to defeat
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15 the passage of said Bill;
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Section 2: That the City Council requests the Honorable
Jonathan J. Holliba.ugh, Assemblyman from this District, to oppose
the passage of said Bill;
Section 3: That a copy of this resolution be sent to
the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation;
Section 4: That a copy of this resolution be sent to
Assembly Jonathan J. Hollibaugh;
Section 5: The City Clerk of the City of Vernon is
hereby directed to certify to the passa.ge of this Resolution and
thereupon and thereafter the same shall be in full force and
effect.
Adopted and Approved this 19th day of MaJi 1953.
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City Clerk
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1 STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
) SS.
2 COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )
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4 I, G. A. ANDERSON, City Clerk or the City of Vernon,
5 do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 1657 was
6 duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Vernon and
7 approved by the Mayor of said City at a regular meeting thereof
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held on May 19, 1953.
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City Clerk
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SALES AND USE TAX C0M11!TTEE OF THE LOS ANGELES DIVISION
LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES
TO:
City Attorneys and City Clerks.
. Although no further sales tax legislation was antieiP4ted
dur1ng the remainder of the session. A.B. 817 has just been introduced
and is the most important legislation at this time affecting cities
in relation to their sales and use taxes. The bill, proposed by the
Board of Equalization and introduced by Assemblyman Patrick B. McGee,
is now in the hopper of the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxatioh.
Copies of the proposed bill and the author's arguments are enclosed.
~'le would like to bring to your attention the dangers involved
in the following sections:
1. Section 6...which allocates to the counties 10% of
the returns from sales within the cities. ThiS
proposal is in direct contradiction to the adopted
policy of the cities that no funds derived from the
sales tax inside cities be used to subsidize county
services, and was the prime objection to previous
legislation.
2. Section 7..."No distribution (of proposed sales
tax moneys) shall be made to any - - - city
imposing any sales tax or use tax under local
ordinances, or any tax or license fee of like
character. no matter how desil2:pated.tt
This could be interpreted to include business
licenses based on "gross receipts." It would also
jeopardize a city's power to levy a local sales
tax suited to the needs of the community, and
would further penalize the city in that any local
sales tax would be in addition to the 3t% tax
proposed by the bill.
3. This legisLation is contrary to the well~thought-
out and detailed recommendations of the Senate
Interim Committee on State and Local Taxation,
and the hasty introduction of the bill has not
provided sufficient time for study by the affected
cities. This may be an attempt to push their
legislation detrimental to cities, and, therefore,
requires your immediate action.
The Board of Directors of the Los Angeles County Division
has, therefore, authorized this committee to contact the cities so
that the following action may be taken:
1. City Attorne~s: Review the legislation immediately
and offer its legal implications for
your city council's consideration.
Page 2.
2. City Clerks:
Report this matter to your council
immediately so that they may, within
their considered opinion, adopt
resolutions in opposition to this
legislation and set forth the
effect it would have upon the city.
Resolutions and letters should be addressed to the members of
the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation, and to your local
assemblyman. Committee members are listed below for your information.
Thomas M. Erwin, Chairman
L. Backstrand
Clark L. Bradley
Bernard R. Brady
Charles E. Chapel
Daniel J. Creedon
Clayton A. Dills
Ricll!3..rd J. Dolwig
Thollias J. Doyle
Francis Dunn, Jr.
J ann 1rf. Evans
William W. Hansen
Augustus Hawkins
Herbert Klocksiem
Glenard Lipscomb
Lester ~IcMillan
G. Delbert Morris
l'iarvin Sherwin
Vincent Thomas
Stanley T. Tomlinson
Ralph Hilton, Chairman
Sales and Use Tax Committee
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4/30/53
AUTHORIS STATEMENT ON A. B. 817, AS AMENDED
From Patrick G. McGee, Assemblyman, 64th District (Los Angeles County)
California has too many sales and use taxesc They are con-
fusing our consumers, plaguing our retailers, and disrupting our
trade. It is the purpose of this bill to put an end to these condi-
tions before they get entirely out of hand.
In addition to the 3% State tax, there are 162 city sales
taxes, with 91 use tax concomitants~ at rates ranging from t.% to It.%.
More than four-fifths of the retail trade in California is subject to
these municipal taxes. In combination with the State tax, they result
in a rate of 3t.% or morec
These city rates are continually changing - always upward.
Today 58 cities have a 1% rate. This marks a 25% increase in their
number in less than a year. Soon it may be expected to be 100, or
a third of all of California's municipalitiesc
My bill would stop this constant upward spiral of sales and
use taxesc By providing for a single 3~ tax as of January 1, 19549
it would eliminate the undesirable results from the multiple taxation
now prevalent throughout Ca1iforniac
Administered by the State, the combined tax would be at a
uniform rate. One-seventh of its proceeds would be distributed to
local governments, to be expended by them for the state purposes
which are their responsibility. No distribution would be made, how-
ever, to any city that persists in levying a separate sales tax.
Allocations would be in relation to the place of sale wi,th
equitable sharing between city and county governments. The need for
this legislation is urgent, before more cities go to higher rates,
and before the confusion becomes intolerable.
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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT OF HOW A. B. 817 WOULD REDUCE TAX BURDENS
So that specific information may be available on the fisca~
effect of A. B. 817, as amended, the State Board of Equalization was
asked to compile the attached data. These are estimates of 1952-53
revenues from existing city sales taxes and estimated distributions
to cities and counties, as proposed in the bill.
Five counties were selected for comparison: Los Angeles,
Napa, Santa Clara, San Bernardino and San Franoisco. All of the cities
in those counties have been listed, showing city sales tax rates, or
indicating that the ci,ties do not impose such taxes.
In Los Angeles County, for example, there are 45 cities, in
30 of which sales taxes are imposed. The prevalent rate of the city
taxes is ~, but one city imposes a 3/4% tax; in three others the rate
is 1%.
This schedule shows that the estimated revenue from the
municipal tax in the City of Los Angeles is $12,750,000, whereas the
distribution of 90% of t% in the State rate (as contemplated in A. B.
817) would produce $13,826,400. Thus, at the same over-all rate, 3~,
the revenue would be $1,076,400 greater under the combined tax. This
would mean that increased city revenue could result in lowering the
city tax rate by 4~ for each $100 of assessed value.
In addition, as a result of the formula prescribed in A. B.
817, $6,652,950 would be distributed to the County of Los Angeles.
This would be the entire tax of ~ on sales in unincorporated areas
and 1/10 of the tax at that rate on sales within cities in the county.
This allocation to the county could result in reduction of the county
property tax rate by ll~ per $100 of assessed valuation.
Since property in the City of Los Angeles is subject both to
city and county taxes, these two reductions in rate must be .added to
get the full effect of the distribution of the ~ in the State rate 0
It would mean that a Los Angeles property owner would find his taxes
reduced to the extent of 15~ per $100 of assessed valuation. Comparable
savings would be effected in other cities within the county.
Even in Alhambra, where the city rate is now 3/4%, resulting in
a total tax of 3-3/4% that would be cut back to 3~ under A. B. 817,
the loss in sales tax revenues to the city would be negligible. It
might be the equi valen t of an addition of 3~ per $100 in the c1 ty prop-
erty tax rate9 but this would be more than of'fset by the reduction of'
ll~ per $100 in the county rate9 resulting from the county's share of
the State-imposed tax. Hence, with a reduced sales tax rate, the prop-
erty owner in Alhambra would still find it possible to enjoy a tax re-
duction of 8~ per $100 of assessed value of his property under this bill.
Spectacular benefits would be enjoyed in San Francisco, where the
present t% city tax yields only $4,830,000, in contrast to the $7,241,940
to be derived from San Francisco's share of the State tax. This could
mean a reduction of 20;' per $100 of assessed value in the city and coun ty
tax rate, with no change in the sales tax rate.
Nor would the bene fi ts be con fined to me tropoli tan areas. As
shown by the attached tables, if A.B. 817 becomes law the amount of
reduction of county tax rates that might be anticipated throughout the
State would be around 12~ per $100 of assessed value. In cities which
do not now have sales taxes the reduction would be as much as 55~ per
$100 of assessed value, e.g., St. Helena in Napa County. Similar data
could be compiled for all of the counties and cities of' the State but
these should be sufficient to demonstrate why A.B. 817 would be a good law.
~!.. !. 817 Would Reduce Tax Burdens
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF 1952-53 REVENUES FROM EXISTING CITY SALES TAXES AND OF 1952-53
DISTRIBUTIONS TO crrIES AM> COtmTIES OF A ONE-HALF PERCENT Sl.TPPI..EMENT 'ro THE STATE SALES
TAX HAD SUCH SUPPLEMENT BED ALLOCATED TO SOURCE OF COLLECTION,!.! CITIES IN LOS AliGELES
COUNTY
City and County
1
Los Angeles County
AlbwBbra.ooo.ooooeo
ArcadiaoQo.....o...
A'V8,loDo q. . -0 0 0 0. . 0 " 0 0 0
AZUBaoooooooooooooo
Bellooooocooooooooo
Beverly Hills......
Burbankoooooooooooo
Claremont..........
co~tonooo.oooooooo
Covinao 0- . 0- 0- 0 .., . .0 000- 0-
Culver City........
E1 Monte...........
E1 Segundo.........
Gardenao 00'0 0 00 . 0 0 0- 0. 0
Glendale...........
G1endora...........
Hawthorne..........
Hermosa Beach......
Huntington Beach...
Inglewood..........
I,a, VeI"Ileooooooooooo
Long Beach.........
Los Angeles........ 1/2
~wood............ 1/2
Manhattan Beach.... 1/2
Maywood............ 1/2
Monrovia...........
Montebello...o.o...
Monterey Park...... 1/2
Palos Verdes Este:tes
Pasadena........... 1/2
Pomonaoooooooo.oooo 1
Redondo Beach...... 1/2
San Fernando....... 1/2
San GabrieL....... 1/2
City
sa.1es
tax
rate
2
3/4i
1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
--
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
Estimated
revenue
from city
sales tax,
1 52-
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$385,700
Excess (or Change in
deficiency) of property tax rate
Distribution state distri- to co~ensate
of ~ but ion over for excess or
supplement revenue from deficiency of
to state local sales tax state distribution
sales tax co1.4 - co1.3 Increase Decrease
5 7
24,300
42,400
47,700
408,600
458,500
13,400
37,600
186,000
Y75,200
654,400
13,500
70,000
73,800
305,100
331,600
12,750,000
73,000
32,300
39,400
39, 500
813,500
356,400
105,400
128,400
60,400
$362,300
98,300
13,600
87,500
88,500
409,800
459,600
14,200
328,000
41,900
251,200
144,800
102,000
92,000
606,700
21,400
97,000
78,400
426,500
390,800
5,200
1,627,900
13,826,400
110,800
43,400
61,700
133,000
79,300
49,200
3,600
887,500
303,800
95,100
161,800
91,500
-$23,400
98,300
-10,700
45,100
40,800
1,200
1,100
800
328,000
4,300
65,200
69,600
102,000
92,000
-47,700
7,900
27,000
4,600
121,400
59,200
5,200
1,627,900
1,076,400
37,800
11,100
22,300
133,000
79,300
9,700
3,600
74,000
-52,.600
-10,300
33,400
31,100
$.03
.28
$.21
.33
.34
.001
.001
.01
.71
.06
.14
.51
.23
..80
.03
.19
.18
.04
.24
..10
..16
043
.04
.15
.07
.22
.50
.24
005
.06
003
.12
.03
025
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PRELlMIltARYESTmATES OF 1952,;,53 RE:vENtJESFROMEXISTING CITYSAIES TAXES AND OF 1952-53
DISTRIBO'l'IONSTOCITlES AND COUNTIES OF A OWE-H.ALF PERCENTSUPP:r..EMEETTO THE STATE SALES
TAX HAD SUCH SUPPLEMENT BEEN ALLOCATED TO SOURCE OF COLLECTION,!! CITIES IN LOS ANGELES
COtmTY (Continued)
City
sales
tax
City and county rate
1 2
Los Angeles County{Cont.)
San MBrino.......ooo
Estimated
revenue
from city
sales tax,
1952-5
3
Santa Monica........ l~ $1,075,800
Sierra Madre........
Signal Hill.........
South Gate..........
South Pasadena...... 1/2
Torrance............ 1/2
Vern.onooooo......oo-v-
West Covina.........
Whittier............ 1/2
All cities..........
Unincorporated area.
Totals for Los
Angeles County.....
1I52,8oo
71,700
143,300
$18,869,700
Excess (or
deficiency) or
Distribution state distri-
of # but ion over
supplement revenue fro:rn
to state local sales tax
sales tax col. 4 - ~ol. 3)
5
Change in
property tax rate
to compensate
for excess or
deficiency of
state distribution
Increase Decrease
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$34,500 $34,500 $.10
573,500 -502,300 $.40
12,700 12,700 .16
43,100 43,100 .14
460,600 460,600 .78
59,300 6,500 .03
128,700 57,000 .09
800,000 800,000 .48
4,500 4,500 .05
225,000 81,700 .25
$23,936,600 $5,066,900
4/6,652,950 4/6,652,950 .ll
$18,869,700 $30,589,550 $11,719,850
!! All collections are assigned to the outlet from which they arise. Those from outlets
in a city are divided between the city and the county, 90 percent going to the city
and 10 percent to the county. Audit pick-ups 'Would. be similarly al1.ocated but are
not included in the figures presented since no data on their source are readily
available.
gj Estimated on the assumption that the 1951-52 revenues from a tax that was first
effective on January 2, 1952 constituted 25 percent of a tull year's revenues.
V Estimated on the assumption that the 1951-52 revenues from a tax that was first
effective on July I, 1951 constituted 75 percent of a f'ull year1s revenues.
Y Including the county's share in taxes on sales assigned to the cities as described
in footnote 1.
A.B. #.817
(As amended)
An act to declare the policy of the State with respect to
sales and use taxes, to amend Sections 6051 and 6201 of
the Revenue and Taxation Code, and to add Sections 7103
to 7107, both inclusive, to said Code, all relating to
sales and use taxes, and making an appropriation in
pursuance of said policy.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 1. It is the policy of this state to avoid the
difficulties of taxpayer compliance, the complications of
overlapping administrative activity, the disruption of normal
trade, and the waste occasioned by multiple taxation of the
same sale or use of property by the State and its poli tical
subdivisions or municipal corporations. In furtherance of
this policy, this act is designed to provide a means to
avoid these undesirable results trom such multiple taxation
by including in the State Sales and Use Tax Law provision
for sharing the proceeds with the counties, cities and
counties, and cities of the State on an equitable basis, if
the local uni ts of government refrain from imposing like
taxes. In so doing, the Legislature recognizes that it is
without authority to impose taxes for municipal purposes but
it also is aware of the fact that substantial sums are ex-
pended out of local treasuries for State purposes, and it
contemplates that the proceeds of the State Sales and Use
Tax Law made available to the counties, cities and counties,
and cities under this act will be so expended.
Sec. 2. Section 6051 of the Revenue and Taxation Code
is amended to read~
6051. For the privilege of selling tangible personal
property at retail a tax is hereby imposed upon all retailers
at the rate of 2! percent of the gross receipts of any re-
tailer from the sale of all tangible personal property sold
at retail in this State on or after August 1, 1933, and to
and including June 30, 1935, and at the rate of 3 percent
thereafter 9 and at the rate of 2t percent on and after July 1,
1943, and to and including June 30, 19499 and at the rate
of 3 percent on and after July 1., 1949, and to and including
December 31, 1953, and at the rate of 1! percent thereafter.
Sec. 3. Section 6201 of said code is amended to read~
6201. An excise tax is hereby imposed on the storage,
use, or other consumption in this State of tangible personal
property purchased from any retailer on or after July 1, 1935,
for storage, use, or other consumption in this State at the
ra te of 3 percent of the sale s price of the property, and at
the rate of 2t percent on and after July 1, 1943, and to and
including June 30, 1949, and at the rate of 3 percent on and
after July 1., 1949, and to and including December 31, 1953,
and at the rate of 3~ percent thereafter.
Sec. 4. Section 7103 is added to said Code to read~
7103. Out of the money in the State Treasury deposited
to the credit of the Retail Sales Tax Fund there is hereby
appropriated for distribution among the counties, cities
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and counties, and cities of the State, in the manner and subject
to the limitations herein prescribed, an amount equal to the
sum of one-seventh of all taxes collected under this part at
the rate of 3i percent and a like fraction of all interest and
penalties collected thereon, less a like fraction of all refunds
and interest paid by the State with respect thereto. For the
purposes of this part the amoUnt hereby appropriated shall be
designated "net collections" 0
Sec. 5. Section 7104 is added to said Code to read:
7104. The net collections shall be distributed among the
counties, cities and counties, a.nd cities in the proportions
specified in Section 7105 in accordance with the place where
the sale occurs giving rise to liability under this part, except
that when the liability is paid directly to the State by the user
of property, the distribution shall be in accordan ce wi th the
place of use. For the purpose of determining place of sale and
place of use, the board is authorized to utilize such formulae
as it believes are designed reasonably to divide the net collec-
tions in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Sec. 6. Section 7105 is added to said Code to read:
71050 On the basis specified in Section 7104, the distri-
bution of the net collections shall beg
(a) To each county, the entire amount arising out of sales
or use occurring at places within the unincorporated area of the
coun ty and 10 percen t of the amoun t arising out of sale s or use
occurring at places within incorporated areas in the county.
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(b) To each city and county, the entire amount arising
out of sales or use occurring at places within the city and
coun ty .
(c) To each city, 90 percent of the amount arising out
of sales or use occurring at places within the city.
Sec. 7. Section 7106 is added to said Code to read:
7106. No distribution shall be made to any county, city
and coun ty, or city imposin g any sale s tax or use tax under
local ordinance, or any tax or license fee of like character
no matter how designated 0 In the event that such a local tax
or license is imposed with respect to sales or use during any
calendar quarter, the net collections otherwise distributable
to the county~ city and county, or city with respect to the
entire quarterly period shall revert to the Retail Sales Tax
Fund and shall be transferred therefrom to the General Fund
of the State 0
Sec. 8. Section 7107 is added to said Code to read:
7107. On or before July 1, 1954, the board shall certify
to the Sta~e Controller the net collections to be distributed
to each county, city and county>> and city on the basis of the
payments under the Sales and Use Tax Law transmitted to the
State Treasurer on or before May 31, 1954, to be deposited in
the State Treasury to the credit of the Retail Sales Tax Fund.
Thereafter, the State Controller shall draw his warrants on the
Retail Sales Tax Fund payable accordingly to the several counties,
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cities and counties, and citieso On or before October 1, 1954,
and quarterly thereafter the board shall certify to the State
Controller the net collections to be distributed to each county,
city and county, and city, since the last distribution thereof,
in each instance covering a period ending on the last day of
the calendar month preceding the date of the certification.
Thereafter, the State Controller shall draw his warrants on
the Retail Sales Tax Fund payable accordingly to the several
counties, cities and counties, and citieso
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