City of Newark

Measure PP - Majority Approval Required

 ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE X 

Vote YES on X – Protect local control and critical services without raising taxes! YES on X maintains:  

• 911 emergency response times/preparedness

• Fire protection

• Streets/pothole repair

• Crime prevention programs

• Local business/jobs support

YES on X extends existing voter-approved, locally controlled funding at the current rate and cannot be taken by the State. Measure X simply continues a reliable source of local revenue that keeps our community safe, our parks healthy and clean, our streets maintained, and potholes fixed. 

YES on X maintains funding approved and controlled by Newark’s voters that have been used to prevent severe cuts to critical services our community relies on and preserves emergency reserves that keep the City on sound financial footing.  

YES on X helps keep well-trained, community-based neighborhood patrols on our streets and maintains successful crime fighting efforts and anti-drug programs.   

YES on X makes our roads safer. We need to maintain our streets and fix potholes for our community’s safety, including first responders who need to reach people quickly who need help. 

Measure X continues to be fiscally accountable with mandatory financial audits, yearly reports, and public disclosure to ensure funds are spent on OUR priorities, responsibly.  

ALL Measure X funding must stay here in Newark for our own local needs. Not a dime can be taken by the State!  

Measure X is NOT a tax on your property or home.  

Measure X was developed after receiving input from hundreds of Newark residents! 

YES on X does not raise new taxes and seniors continue to be exempt.  

Join a unanimous Newark Mayor, City Council and community leaders in voting YES on X to protect and maintain the vital services that keep our community a safe, well-maintained place to live without raising taxes.  

For more factual information: Newark.org 

Alan L. Nagy Mayor 

Ernie R. Morua Retired Newark Firefighter 

Ana Apodaca Life Long Newark Resident and Taxpayer 

Vivien Larsen Ohlone College CCD  Trustee 

Stanley B. Keiser Newark Senior Citizen Advisory Committee Member 

Ballot Opposition Statement: Newark Utility Users Tax Opposition 

Vote NO on DECEPTIVE Taxes.  Vote NO on this DECEPTIVE Tax.   

This General Tax will be placed in the General-Purpose Fund and can be spent on ANYTHING.  This Tax MIGHT be spent the popular services such as ‘public safety; streets/pothole repair; parks/recreation; neighborhood police patrols, crime prevention, drug/gang-prevention programs.’ This Tax WILL be spent on Union City’s BIG problem: Pension.  Newark has a BIG Pension problem and this Measure completely skips ‘the elephant in the room.’  Newark’s Pension deficit is growing at ½ million dollars per year.  Voters can be certain that they are being misled by this Measure because the Measure’s purposes fail to mention the biggest financial problem of all – Pension debt.   

Newark already has General Fund Taxes to pay for ‘public safety; streets/pothole repair; parks/recreation; neighborhood police patrols, crime prevention, drug/gang-prevention programs.’  The proof is that these services are already ongoing and paid for with ongoing taxes.  The City needs new taxes for these popular services so that the existing General Fund taxes can be diverted into the Pension accounts for the GROWING Pension deficits.  

The secret purpose of this Utility Tax is to ensure that ensure that Pension reform can be ignored for a few more years.  Newark’s Overlords receive glorious Pensions.  They can retire much better that the average taxpayer.  This Utility Tax ensures that Newark’s Overlords can postpone the needed reform. The Newark’s Overlords will never reform themselves as long as the taxpayers are giving them what they want. 

Require the City to correct the fatally flawed Pension program before providing more taxes.  As long as the voters give the City plenty more taxes, Pension reform will be ignored and your share of the Pension debt will keep growing – faster.  

Don’t wait.  Demand accountability Now.  Demand Pension reform Now. Marcus Crawley – President 

Alameda County Taxpayers Assoc. 

Rebuttal to Argument in Favor of Newark Measure X UUT 

The Proponents of this Tax are FOOLING themselves and trying to fool the voters. This is a NEW Utility Tax.  The Resolution explains that the existing Utility Tax expires this year on December 31, 2020.  The City PROMISED the voters that the ongoing Utility Tax would ‘AUTOMATICALLY EXPIRE’ on 12/31/2020.  Now, the Proponents are twisting the truth and calling a new tax a mere ‘extension’ of the ongoing UUT. 

The FIRST Requirement of ACCOUNTABILITY is honest facts.  The Ballot misleads the voters with misleading facts about the ‘Tax Rate.’  The Proponents take the next step in dishonesty by calling a NEW tax a mere tax ‘extension.’  Maybe, this NEW Utility Tax will fund all the benefits listed by the Proponents.  Maybe, the listed benefits are the bait for the diversion of funds to the Pension Retirement Accounts.  Since the Proponents are already misleading the voters, wise voters must doubt the promises from an unreliable source. 

Union City Voters must require HONEST government and leadership.  Don’t be MISLEAD by this slick campaign propaganda.  

If Voters and Citizens want to pay a Utility Tax, so be it.  Don’t reward your government by approving their DISHONESTY.   Require the City to offer an honest UUT proposal. 

Vote NO on this misleading NEW TAX. 

Marcus Crawley 

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE PP 

Don’t believe the irrational ranting of an out-of-town opponent who may actually have been writing about Union City (cited in his argument). 

Don’t be misled! The author clearly decided to submit the same rant to a number of cities in the East Bay – vote YES on PP. 

FACT: YES on PP simply extends locally controlled funding previously approved by Newark voters to maintain critical services our residents need more than ever. 

FACT: Funds generated by YES on PP will maintain Newark’s 911 emergency response and preparedness, crime prevention, fire protection services and economic recovery efforts. 

FACT: YES on PP simply continues a protected, reliable source of local funding that cannot be taken by the State and prevents even more severe cuts to essential services that the community needs to help us through the recovery together. 

FACT: As a fiscally responsible city, Newark has already cut over $6,000,000 from its budget.  There is nowhere left to cut – and we need to keep our residents healthy and safe. 

FACT: Public audits and public review ensure all Measure PP funds are spent on the community’s priorities. 

That’s why local business and community leaders, and residents across Newark all say YES on PP - keep OUR money LOCAL and maintain critical services in Newark! 

Get the FACTS: newark.org 

Debbie Montes, Newark Chamber of Commerce Chairman 

Vicente Guzman, Local Small Business Owner 

Nancy Couchot, 59 year Newark Resident and Taxpayer 

Elizabeth Macris, Graffiti Abatement Volunteer 

Robert R. Hastings, CERT Team Leader