02-28-11 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 28, 2011 companies and future ability to have robust job creation ,if Senate Bill 590 becomes law; and Whereas, in reviewing the four (4) Fiscal Impact Statements prepared by the Indiana Legislative Services Agency of the Office of Fiscal and Management Analysis based in Indianapolis, each of these reports under the heading "Explanation of Local Expenditures" include a note that: "This fiscal note does not include a secondary analysis of the potential effects stricter enforcement of unauthorized immigration law may have on local expenditures" ; and Whereas, the South Bend Common Council and the South Bend City Administration worked and collaborated together to carefully weigh and balance city priorities in order to reduce expenditures of tax dollars funding the General Fund and the Parks & Recreation Fund from 2006 through 2010, which resulted in: • 15.5 % decrease in the General Fund spending totaling $10.9 million • 1.6% decrease in the Parks & Recreation Fund spending totaling $180,000 while also having interest earnings being reduced by $1.8 million for this same period of time; Whereas, the South Bend Common Council and the South Bend City Administration have further had to grapple with property tax revenues being down $12.2 million and projected COIT and EDIT revenues projected to decrease over the next two (2) years; Whereas, the City of South Bend, with the support of its residents and businesses, have put the highest of priorities on good fiscal management which is transparent and responsive; and that is one of the reasons why it is particularly disturbing that our State Senators and State Representatives may fail in their own due diligence requirements by not even having the potential or projected costs to local governments identified which would result from the passage of Senate Bill 590. Now, Therefore, be it resolved, by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, as follows: Section I. The Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, believes that Indiana State Senators and State Representatives should continue indefinitely Bill 590, in light of the potential negative effects which such legislation may have on job creation, business expansion and attraction, the negative perception it may have on all Indiana communities if enacted, and pending judicial challenges in other jurisdictions on similar legislation which are proving very costly to their taxpayers. Section II. The Common Council further believes that in light of the Hispanic population being the fastest growing segment of the South Bend community, as reported in the latest U.S. census data, and the unknown costs which may result to our police department, that enactment of Senate Bill 590 may be a reckless disregard of due diligence requirements by the state elected officials for their failure to even consider a cost/benefit analysis of enforcement of such a law by local governments. Section III. The Common Council requests the City Clerk to send a copy of this Resolution to each of the duly elected State Senators and State Representatives representing the City of South Bend, as well as to the chief sponsor of Senate Bill 590 Senator Mike Delph, and the presiding officers of the Indiana Senate and the Indiana House of Representatives. Section IV. This resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption by the Common Council and approval by the Mayor. 3