It's been nearly 6 years since Measure Z was presented to Fresno County
voters as the only way to repair and restore the Chaffee Zoo. Unfortunately,
the people now responsible for the taxpayer's money have chosen to spend it on plans, studies and consultants and let literally millions pile up in an account rather than spend it to significantly
improve the daily lives of the animals they told voters were in such terrible trouble.
The reason they give is that it has taken more time than expected to get their
ambitious expansion plan approved. But, these business-savvy people must
have known back when they were pushing the urgency of "saving the zoo"
that it always takes far longer and much more expense for exhaustive studies and consultants to gain approval for an expansion than it takes
to fix what they already had. They have put the cart far in front of the horse.
These are the same people who told the voters that the AZA would pull the
zoo's accreditation if they didn't get the tax money immediately to fix the zoo.
Yet, with no real changes to date, other than animal deaths and shipping others
off to L.A., the AZA keeps on extending the zoo's accreditation.
The decision to delay improving conditions for the very animals they said
were in such urgent need exposes the true agenda of the current zoo board and
appointed Fresno County Zoo Authority - to significantly grow the size of the zoo.
In 1996, California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 218 (known
as the “Right to Vote on Taxes Act”), an initiative constitutional amendment
sponsored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Besides giving
voters the constitutional right to vote on all local government tax increases,
Proposition 218 also included provisions (Section 3 of Article XIIIC of the
California Constitution) allowing local voters to use the initiative power to
reduce or repeal local government taxes. This includes local sales taxes.
Under Proposition 218, local tax initiatives are generally subject to
a reduced signature gathering requirement which is set at 5% of the
local votes for all candidates for Governor at the last gubernatorial
election. This number is approximately equal to 3% of the registered
voters, or about 1,500 signatures in Fresno County.
If local taxpayers are unhappy with a voter approved local sales tax, then a Tax Repeal Initiative can be pursued under the provisions of
Proposition 218. Such local initiatives are generally the only tool tax-
payers have to reduce the tax burden within their community since it is
rare for local elected officials to voluntarily reduce or repeal taxes once
they have been imposed.
Fresno County filing procedures are outlined by the Fresno County Office of Elections.
The proponents of a Tax Repeal Initiative must follow all procedures
applicable to the exercise of the local initiative power without deviation.
Failure to follow all procedures can result in a measure not being placed
on the ballot, even if a sufficient number of signatures have been obtained.
Once placed on the ballot, local Tax Repeal Initiatives are subject to majority
vote approval, in contrast to the 2/3 super majority required to pass the tax
in the first place.
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If you are interested in helping gather signatures for a
repeal of the Fresno County Zoo Tax, please e-mail us at our e-mail
address below.
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