Proposition 26 limits San Francisco fee proposals

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 11/30/10 | Heather Knight

[SmithL]

San Francisco politicians, long enamored of controversial fees on products and services to promote their ideological viewpoints and raise cash for the city, will be significantly hampered by voters' passage of California's Proposition 26.

The measure, approved Nov. 2 by a five-point margin, requires that a wide variety of fees now be treated as taxes, thus requiring approval by two-thirds of voters rather than just a majority of the Board of Supervisors and the mayor.

The average city fee - like for recreation classes, renting city property for an event, parking tickets and utilities - won't be affected. But rarely is San Francisco average, and that means the city could be affected more than others as it copes with a $400 million budget deficit for next year.

"Frankly, it's a measure that is going to reduce the flexibility available to local governments when we need it most," said Controller Ben Rosenfield.

Supervisor Sean Elsbernd, known as the most fiscally conservative member of the board, said he believes that in 20 years, Prop. 26 will be seen the same way Prop. 13 is today.

"It's going to tie local governments in knots and make management that much more difficult," he said.

Onslaught of fees

Proponents of the measure, including the California Chamber of Commerce, argue that politicians increasingly rely on fees to raise money without technically raising taxes, which are even more unpopular. But they said the onslaught of fees, especially on businesses, is driving jobs out of the state.

[SmithL]

San Francisco's proposal to charge shoppers a fee for using paper bags might be in jeopardy under Proposition 26.

[goldstategop]

California voters may live in the Bluest Of Blue States but they still don’t want to pay higher taxes. They passed Proposition 26 to make fee increases subject to voter approval.

[goldstategop]

Fees can only be increased at the local level if two-thirds of the voters approve and at the state level, the Democrats need a two-thirds majority to pass a fee increase. Now while California can pass a budget by a majority vote, taxes and now for the first time in state history - fees - will need a two-thirds vote to be adopted.

[tubebender]

Arcata Ca wants to ban plastic and paper and force everyone to buy cloth bags...

[roadcat]

Now there’s an uproar because a lot of cloth bags have lead in them (probably made in China). They wanted us to stop using paper bags. Then they wanted us to stop using plastic bags. Now they want us to stop using some cloth bags. And they’re trying to tax us on whatever we use. Government - get the hell out of my life!

[tubebender]

And then there is the risk of food borne bacteria and illness in cloth bags because of leakage from meat, chicken and fish. I use the new paper bags when I bag for my First Wife and plastic for the above and always take extra paper when I can for use in the garden...