|
March 2009 Press Release
For Immediate Release
March 6, 2009
Contact:
John Fairbank (310) 828-1183
Richard Maullin (310) 828-1183
Paul Maslin (608) 204-5877
Dave Metz
(510) 451-9521
FAIRBANK,
MASLIN, MAULLIN & ASSOCIATES HELPS RAISE NEW
REVENUES
FOR
CITIES IN TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin
& Associates (FMM&A) played an important role in several
local elections on March 3, 2009, helping to pass several key measures
around the state of California, as well as electing two candidates to city
office in Los Angeles.
Despite these difficult
economic times, FMM&A was still able to help California cities pass local finance
measures, securing additional local sources of revenue to maintain funding
for essential city services. Measure
C, which passed in the City of
Carson, establishes a new 2% utility user tax (UUT) to fund vital city
services including law enforcement, emergency services, and programs for
seniors and children. Although it only required a simple majority to pass,
and shared a ballot with contentious mayoral and city council races, the
measure received almost 70% of the vote.
FMM&A polling showed a consistent increase in support
for this measure over time, even as the state and national economies
continued to spiral downward. Carson is facing a $5 million
structural deficit and the research identified the services and messages
that motivated a broad cross-section of voters in this racially diverse,
blue collar city to institute a new tax, rather than face service
reductions.
The March 3rd election
demonstrated that FMM&A continues to be the industry leader in
conducting research to aid California cities in passing ballot
measures to renew and modernize utility user taxes. FMM&A assisted in the passage
of UUT reauthorization measures in the cities of Bellflower, Gardena, and Redondo Beach. Measure A in Bellflower passed with 82% of the vote,
while the measures in Gardena and Redondo Beach received 86% and 75% of the
vote respectively. The revenues from these measures maintain a critical
source of city revenue to fund law enforcement and emergency services,
youth and senior programs, street maintenance and repair, parks and other
city programs.
In addition, two FMM&A clients were elected to
city office in Los Angeles. Elected as the new City Controller, Wendy Greuel was the leading vote
getter in Los Angeles, with 65% of the vote in a
three-way race. Janice Hahn was chosen by voters to return as District
15’s Councilmember with an overwhelming 76% of the vote.
MARCH 2009 FMM&A
VICTORIES
City
Ballot Measures:
Measure A
Utility User Tax
Bellflower
Measure C Utility User
Tax Carson
Measure A
Utility User Tax
Gardena
Measure RB-A
Utility User Tax
Redondo Beach
Candidates:
Wendy Greuel
City Controller
Los Angeles
Janice Hahn
City Council District 15 Los Angeles
|
