City’s Services Protection Measure Will Go To Voters

On Monday, July 27, the Pasadena City Council unanimously voted to place the Pasadena City Services Protection Measure on the November 3 ballot.

The measure, calling for a Charter amendment, must be approved by a majority of Pasadena voters to maintain the longstanding Light & Power Fund transfer to the General Fund that pays for services including 911 emergency response, fire, paramedics, and programs for the public health of our community.

Currently, the Pasadena Light & Power Fund transfer provisions of the Pasadena City Charter are being challenged in court on whether the portion of the electric rates used is considered a tax and has met the requirements of voter approval that are called for in Proposition 218 and Proposition 26, despite having previously gone to and been passed by  voters a combined total of seven times since the 1930’s.

As a full-service city, Pasadena relies on dependable locally generated funds to effectively deliver quality city services to its residents despite unforeseen emergencies and natural disasters.  The City of Pasadena has experienced a $30 million loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Despite those losses in revenue, the city used reserve funds, deferred infrastructure projects, and implemented other cost saving measures to maintain its current emergency response to the pandemic, public health programs, and critical services benefitting Pasadena residents and businesses during this unprecedented crisis.

If the Pasadena City Services Protection Measure does not pass, the loss of approximately $18 million annually from the Light & Power Fund transfer will result in significant reductions.  The reductions would impact emergency 911 response, fire, paramedic, public health, and senior services; homeless programs, street repairs, and ability to maintain clean, healthy, and safe neighborhoods.

The Pasadena City Services Protection Measure is not a new tax, it does not raise taxes, and it does not raise utility rates – the Charter amendment is meant to simply protect current funding levels that provide the services residents receive today.

If approved by a majority of Pasadena voters, the measure will also require annual independent audits with public disclosure, reduce and limit the Light & Power Fund transfer to not more than 12 percent, previously as much as 16 percent; and will be under local control with monies spent benefitting Pasadena residents and businesses.

For more information on the Pasadena City Services Protection Measure, please visit www.CityofPasadena.net