SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 22

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR EATON

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SP 22: FUNDING FOR THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYERS ARE ALLOWED TO CONTRIBUTE AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF THEIR TAX LIABILITY FOR THE SUPPORT OF SPECIFIED FUNDS OR ACCOUNTS, INCLUDING, AMONG OTHERS, THE CALIFORNIA FUND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. EXISTING LAW PROVIDES FOR THE REPEAL OF THE CONTRIBUTION PROVISIONS FOR THIS ACCOUNT ON JANUARY 1, 2010, OR WHEN THE BOARD ESTIMATES THE ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION AMOUNT WILL BE LESS THAN $250,000 FOR A TAXABLE YEAR.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EXTEND THE REPEAL DATE FOR THE CONTRIBUTION PROVISIONS FOR THE CALIFORNIA FUND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

SP 22: RELATING TO THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE

WHEREAS, UNDER EXISTING LAW, TAXPAYERS ARE ALLOWED, UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2010, TO CONTRIBUTE AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF THEIR TAX LIABILITY FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA FUND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS; AND

WHEREAS, UNDER EXISTING LAW, THE CONTRIBUTION PROVISIONS FOR THE CALIFORNIA FUND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS WILL BE REPEALED ON JANUARY 1, 2010 OR WHEN THEN THE FRANCHISE TAX BOARD MAKES A SPECIFIED ESTIMATE; AND

WHEREAS, ELECTRONIC FILING OF TAX RETURNS AND COMPUTER TAX PROGRAMS HAVE MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO BECOME AWARE OF THE CHECKOFF PROGRAM; AND

WHEREAS, THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE IS ONE OF THE FEW NONPARTISAN GROUPS IN THIS STATE WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO WRITE PROPOSALS THAT ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF SENIORS; AND

WHEREAS, THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE IS THE ONLY ORGANIZATION ON THE STATE’S TAX CHECKOFF LIST THAT IS UNABLE TO OBTAIN MAJOR TAX EXEMPT CONTRIBUTIONS AS A NONPROFIT TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATION SINCE IT IS INVOLVED WITH LEGISLATION; AND

WHEREAS, THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE HAS CONSISTENTLY PROVIDED 10 TOP PROPOSALS EVERY YEAR SINCE 1980 OF WHICH APPROXIMATELY 70 PERCENT HAVE BEEN ENACTED INTO LAW; AND

WHEREAS, THIS PROPOSAL IS REVENUE NEUTRAL; AND

WHEREAS, THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE IS SUPPORTED PRIMARILY BY THESE CONTRIBUTIONS AND NOT BY ANY DIRECT TAXPAYER DOLLARS. WITHOUT THESE CHANGES THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE WILL NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDING AFTER 2010; NOW, THEREFORE, BE ITRESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2008 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE REPEAL DATE FOR THE CONTRIBUTION PROVISIONS FOR THE CALIFORNIA FUND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS BE EXTENDED; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN 08 23528

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