A measure to prevent California from taking, diverting or borrowing local government, transportation and public transit funds will go on the state ballot in November of this year
, according to Debra Bowen, California secretary of state.

The Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Protection Act of 2010 would close loopholes to stop state raids of transportation funds. Supporters of the measure submitted more than 1.1 million signatures.

"More than 1 million California voters signed the petition to stop state raids of local government and transportation funds," said Chris McKenzie, executive director of the League of California Cities and co-chair of Californians to Protect Local Taxpayers and Vital Services. "We will now turn our attention to educating the voters to support this initiative to protect funding for the vital local services that they rely upon."

According to Californians to Protect Local Taxpayers and Vital Services, state politicians have exploited loopholes in the law and used legally questionable tactics to borrow and raid approximately $5 billion in local government, transit and redevelopment funds in the 2009/2010 budget cycle.

If passed, the legislation would prohibit the state from borrowing local government property tax funds and the Highway User Tax on gasoline (HUTA); prevent the state from redirecting locally levied taxes; prohibit the state from taking, borrowing or redirecting Public Transportation Account (PTA) revenues; and restrict the state from raiding redevelopment funds or shifting redevelopment funds to other state purposes.

"California voters have repeatedly supported statewide measures that dedicate the gas taxes we pay at the pump for transportation improvements," said Jim Earp, executive director of the California Alliance for Jobs and co-chair of Californians to Protect Local Taxpayers and Vital Services. "Despite this, year after year the legislature exploits every loophole it can find to borrow or outright raid these critical funds. This measure will once and for all protect gas taxes from future raids and insure they are used to improve our roads, highways and transit systems - just like the voters intended."