Chapter 8.40
MOBILE SOURCE EMISSION REDUCTION PROGRAM
Sections:
8.40.010 Mobile source air pollution reduction program – Established – Intent – Findings.
8.40.030 Administration of vehicle registration fee.
8.40.010 Mobile source air pollution reduction program – Established – Intent – Findings.
A. Findings. The city of Highland finds and declares that:
1. Whereas, the city is committed to improving the public health, safety and welfare, including air quality;
2. Whereas, mobile sources are a major contributor to air pollution in the South Coast Air Basin;
3. Whereas, air quality goals for the region established by state law cannot be met without reducing air pollution from mobile sources;
4. Whereas, the South Coast Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) calls upon cities and counties to reduce emissions from motor vehicles consistent with the requirements of the California Clean Air Act of 1988 by developing and implementing mobile source air pollution reduction programs;
5. Whereas, such programs place demands upon the city’s funds, those programs should be financed by shifting the responsibility for financing from the general fund to the motor vehicles creating the demand, to the greatest extent possible;
6. Whereas, Section 44223, added to the Health and Safety Code by action of the California Legislature on September 30, 1990 (Chapter 90-1705), authorizes the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to impose an additional motor vehicle registration fee of $2.00, commencing on April 1, 1991, increasing to $4.00, commencing on April 1, 1992, to finance the implementation of transportation measures embodied in the AQMP and provisions of the California Clean Air Act;
7. Whereas, 40 cents of every dollar collected under Section 44223 of the Health and Safety Code shall be distributed to cities and counties located in the South Coast Air Quality Management District that comply with Section 44243 of the code, based on the jurisdictions’ prorated share of population as defined by the state Department of Finance;
8. Whereas, the city is located within the South Coast Air Quality Management District and is eligible to receive a portion of the revenues from the additional motor vehicle registration fees contingent upon adoption of this chapter;
9. Whereas, the prorated share of the fee revenues for cities that fail to adopt an ordinance pursuant to Section 44243(b)(3) of the Health and Safety Code shall be distributed instead to the jurisdictions within the district that have adopted an ordinance;
10. Now, therefore be it resolved that, the city, after careful consideration, hereby finds and declares that the imposition of the additional motor vehicle registration fee by the SCAQMD to finance mobile source air pollution reduction programs is in the best interest of the city and promotes the general welfare of its residents.
B. Intent. This chapter is intended to support the SCAQMD’s imposition of the vehicle registration fee and to bring the city into compliance with the requirements set forth in Section 44243 of the Health and Safety Code in order to receive fee revenues for the purposes of implementing programs to reduce air pollution from motor vehicles. (Ord. 129 § 1, 1991)
8.40.020 Definitions.
“City” means the city of Highland.
“Fee administrator” means the finance director of the city or designee.
“Mobile source air pollution reduction programs” means any program or project implemented by the city to reduce air pollution from motor vehicles which it determines will be consistent with the California Clean Air Act of 1988 or the plan proposed pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 40460) of Chapter 5.5 of Part 3 of the California Health and Safety Code. (Ord. 129 § 1, 1991)
8.40.030 Administration of vehicle registration fee.
A. Receipt of Fee. The additional vehicle registration fees disbursed by the SCAQMD and remitted to the city, pursuant to this chapter, shall be accepted by the fee administrator.
B. Establishment of Air Quality Improvement Trust Fund. The fee administrator shall establish a separate interest-bearing trust fund account in a financial institution authorized to receive deposits of city funds.
C. Transfer of Funds. Upon receipt of vehicle registration fees, the fee administrator shall deposit such funds into the separate account established pursuant to subsection B of this section. All interest earned by the trust fund account shall be credited only to that account.
D. Expenditure of Air Quality Trust Fund Revenues. All revenues received from the SCAQMD and deposited in the trust fund account shall be exclusively expended on mobile source emission reduction programs as defined in HMC 8.40.020. Such revenues shall be expended within one year of the completion of the programs.
E. Audits. The city consents to an audit of all programs and projects funded by vehicle registration fee revenues received from the SCAQMD pursuant to Section 44223 of the Health and Safety Code. The audit shall be conducted by an independent auditor selected by the SCAQMD as provided in Section 44244 of the Health and Safety Code. The city may audit(s) through the public hearing process designated by Section 44244.1(c) of the Health and Safety Code. (Ord. 129 § 1, 1991)