Fix the Budget First! Vote NO on FF · GG · HH
BASTA! (Berkeleyans Against Soaring TAxes!) – Who Are We?
Neighborhood organizations and residents from all walks of life, across our beloved City who believe that Berkeley can balance its budget without any new taxes. The City of Berkeley collects 3-4 times as much money per resident than our local cities. Berkeleyans continue to pay the highest city and County taxes in the State.
The Mayor and City Council failed to get our message in November 2004 when residents, with the help of the Berkeley Fire Fighters’ Union, nixed the plan to raise taxes in the form of a usurious parcel tax. This is why BASTA! – Berkeleyans Against Soaring Taxes, has organized a campaign to educate voters, and mobilize once again to freeze our taxes to current levels, and to force the City to cut the fat and manage its budget in a responsible manner.
Some of the Neighborhood Organizations Opposing the November Tax Measures Are:
Berkeley Alliance of Neighborhood Associations – BANA
Berkeley Can Do Better
Berkeley Property Owners Association – BPOA
Black Property Owners Association
Blake and California Neighborhood Association – BCNA
Claremont Elmwood Neighborhood Association – CENA
Council of Neighborhood Associations – CNA
Le Conte Neighborhood Association
Oregon Neighborhood Crime Watch
Stanton Neighborhood Association
The Board of North East Berkeley Association
Tyler King Neighborhood Association
NO on City of Berkeley 2008 Ballot Measures -
Measure FF: Library Bond
Measure GG: Fire Protection and Emergency Response and Preparedness Tax
Measure HH: GANN Limit Override Renewal for Parks, Library, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Emergency Medical Services For Severely Disabled Persons
Contact Information
Phone: 510-849-4619
Mailing Address: 1532 Blake Street, Berkeley CA 94703
Email: campaign@berkeleytax.org
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March 16th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
People have lost a …
People have lost a lot of value from their pensions, houses and investments. Everything costs more. Go to Berkeley City hall any day @ 9 a.m. when people are supposed to be at their desks working. You’ll see a lot of empty ones. The city attorney and manager spend millions on experts form other cities when they can hire Berkeleyans. The city did not try to get $ for the library and its focus is constantly changing. Firemen making 200k? Please. Vote no and come back with a better plan
March 16th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
I’m with Obama-this …
I’m with Obama-this is not the time to increase the middle-class tax burden. Berkeley has the highest taxes in the state. The City has plenty of money, the average City employee compensation is $159,000, and the retirement packages are lavish. 80% of the City budget goes to these employees, as will these new taxes. Council should fund essential library, fire, and emergency medical services from the $141M General Fund, and go to the voters for other optional programs.
March 16th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
This isn’t the …
This isn’t the right time for hugely expensive optional projects: We are about to be hit with a huge tax increase to support city worker pensions (this is because of the stock market crash: union contracts require taxpayers to guarantee worker 401K type funds) No one wants to talk about this elephant in the room. This increase, which we can’t avoid, will break the backs of younger families which have no Prop 13 protection. Measures FF,GG, and HH only make the situation worse. dw
March 16th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
[by the way, I ...
[by the way, I omitted a clause from the post that starts "the Berkeley non-profit"- it should read:
"As ex-Executive Director & former Vice President of the Board of Easy Does It
Disability Services, the Berkeley non-profit...
Sorry, there's a limit of 500 characters per post]
March 16th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
We have to pull …
We have to pull together & pass these taxes. We have a city that’s still triple-A rated.
The idea of raising $ for necessary library retrofitting & renovations from the State gov’t is inane & flies in the face of the current status of California’s budget.
Many of BASTA’s earlier supporters, including Barbara Allen, are strongly supporting GG. Why? Because GG funds exactly what much of BASTA’s 2004 rhetoric said the city should fund: disaster training, emergency response, and fire protection.
March 16th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Many of you have …
Many of you have agreed with my annual comments about the extremely shameful state of our city’s Office Of Emergency Services- they’ve been decimated by cuts & now we’re back to 1 dedicated OES worker. Now that there’s funding that will be dedicated to filling some of gaps you are unwilling to contribute?
March 16th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
the Berkeley …
the Berkeley non-profit that serves many of our physically disabled friends & neighbors, I can unequivocally state that Measure E funds- which is one of the long-time tax measures reauthorized by Measure HH- has radically improved (& in some cases saved) the lives of many. The Measure E funds have allowed many to stay out of soul-deadening institutional care & live full, productive lives in our shared community.
March 16th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
The Measure E funds …
The Measure E funds have allowed many to stay out of soul-deadening institutional care & live full, productive lives in our shared community. The funds have helped many find employment.
March 16th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
The other 2 already …
The other 2 already existing measures that HH reauthorizes are equally vital for the literary & medical health of our community.
Thanks for allowing comments. Even though I strongly disagree with BASTA’s positions in this election, I am happy that there is an opportunity to discuss these issues rationally.
Jesse Townley
Vice Chair, Disaster & Fire Safety Commission