Measure D: What is meant by Fiscal Benefit?
If measure D is passed, petitions cannot block projects providing a 15% fiscal benefit to the city. But what does 15% fiscal benefit mean? Looking at the measure itself, the definition closest to what people would consider a fiscal benefit is the following:
“a project that when added to the City’s existing fiscal impact model does not interfere with or negatively impact the City’s goal that overall development in the City generates revenue in excess of costs by a margin of 15% or more…”
Notice the word “overall.” This means that the individual project may not generate any added net revenue at all and still a petition cannot stop it. When you add in the fact that the developers themselves can come up with the estimated fiscal benefit to the city, you see there are very few projects that a petition will be able to block.
Also, note that there is no consideration given to the effect on traffic or school overcrowding. A building project can add significantly to your commute time or decrease the quality of our kids’ education and still cannot be blocked by an Irvine voter petition.
We cannot rely on the City Council to ensure construction is not beyond what our infrastructure can handle. The City Council is more accountable to Irvine’s large developers than its voters. Today, our Council Members receive most of their donations from developers and if they receive such donations they DO NOT need to recuse themselves from voting on those development projects. As a result, every development project no matter its size or effect on traffic or school overcrowding has been approved by the City Council.
This June, no measure is more important to Irvine residents’ civil liberties than Measure D. If the measure passes, we will effectively lose our right to block projects. Please vote No on D.
