Problems are developing which could be bad for the cityhood effort but good for the County, who will keep the tax money generated, and hopefully good for the Parkway, though the County’s record so far of funding it is not, falling behind about $1.5 million annually in maintenance.
We support annexation of the area into the city of Sacramento (with cityhood as a second option) for that reason, it will provide better funding for local service, including the Parkway.
Arden Arcade cityhood at risk
By Ed Fletcher - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, July 23, 2007
Arden Arcade cityhood proponents' goal of a November 2008 incorporation vote is in jeopardy -- a development that could derail the cityhood push and make forming a new municipality financially untenable.
If the cityhood vote is delayed and incorporation is not complete by July 1, 2009, Arden Arcade will miss out on millions of state dollars, a budget hit that could prove fatal to the effort.
Joel Archer, chairman of the cityhood effort, acknowledged this week that if the group misses its deadline and loses out on the extra state money, he's not sure if incorporating would still be viable.
For now, Archer said he still hopes to get the incorporation question on the ballot in 2008.
"We have known it's not going to be easy," Archer said.
Archer and his team missed a July 1 deadline to fund their share of the fiscal and environmental studies needed before the issue can be put before voters…
… Archer said he's still aiming for November 2008, but the group has quietly begun to consider ways to keep the drive alive, should they miss the election.
One option might be to request -- and pay for -- a special election in early 2009 so the new city might still be able to qualify for the state funds it wants.
The second possibility is persuading the state to change the rule, allowing cities formed after July 1, 2009, to get the extra state money.
Under the current state rules, if Arden Arcade were incorporated by July 1, 2009, it would collect $6.7 million in state aid (given as a substitute for vehicle license fee revenue) in 2010. The aid would decrease annually to $4.5 million in 2017, according to an initial fiscal analysis.
