Why Incorporation?
A little over 230 years ago, residents of the British colonies in America became frustrated about the way their home was being run. Decisions about their lives and livelihood were being made by people who were far away from the area, and in the best interests of the empire, not the colonies. The colonists were taxed aggressively, with no opportunity to voice their opinions, or determine where the tax revenues woudl be spent.
Of course we all know how this situation led to the formation of the United States of America. If we had remained as a set of British colonies, the U.S. would never have grown to become the predominant force for freedom and democracy in the world today. Because of our independence, we have been able to accomplish great things, both for ourselves and for the rest of the world. Many would make the argument that even England has received more benefit from US independence than it might have realized from the colonies.
Are we equating cityhood for Arden Arcade with U.S. independence? Far from it. But there are some interesting parallels. The war for independence firmly established the right for people to self-govern their lives as a fundamental principle for our country. For over two centuries, the idea that people should be able to chart their own destiny has been one of the primary reasons our nation has grown to greatness. And other countries that have followed our example have also tended to acheive new levels of security and prosperity.
Today, Arden Arcade is run primarily by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. This board is comprised of five individuals, none of whom live in Arden Arcade. The supervisor elected to represent our interests lives in Carmichael. And every time the Board of Supervisors votes on any issue, they are charged with acting in the best interests of Sacramento County as a whole, without regard for what is best for Arden Arcade or any other locality.
Sacramento County has established several cities within its boundaries. It's hard to look at cities such as Rancho Cordova and Citrus Heights and not be a bit envious. While we petition the county for street repairs, only to be told there is no money available, Citrus Heights has initiated a program to repave the entire city at the rate of five miles of road each year (while maintaining a $35,000,000 budget surplus). While the Sacramento County Sheriff is forced to pull patrols from Arden Arcade due to budget shortfalls, Rancho Cordova has been able to establish a unified command for sheriff's deputies and their own police department, putting more officers on the streets and improving safety and security for their residents.
Is this just about money? Well, partially. But it's about much more than redirecting tax revenues from the county to our new city. As a city, Arden Arcade will share in the pool of funds generated from state vehicle license fees, and distributed to incorporated cities throughout the state. This revenue, estimated at nearly $7,000,000 initially, and likely to grow over succeeding years, will never be available to the county. It exists for us only through incorporation.
To coincide with that additional revenue, the City of Arden Arcade would also be able to create a department to procure state and federal grants that could be used for worthy projects in our area. Other cities in Sacramento County have successfully obtained grant money that has enabled improvements to local schools, computer labs and extended hours for libraries, park enhancements, and many other worthwhile projects. These grants would be available to us as a city, but as an unincorporated are of the county, they can happen only if the county decides to focus attention on us.
There's also much more than money. There's the improved security that comes with being able to direct the uniformed officers who patrol out streets. There's the civic pride that comes in a city that enforces local codes for abandoned cars and blighted properties. There's the sense of community that happens when residents and businesses partner not only with each other, but with schools, parks and libraries, to improve the quality of life for everyone. But most of all, there is the knowledge that we saw the opportunity, and worked together to make it a reality.
Several of your neighbors have been working diligently to bring this dream to fruition. We've started the journey, but we can't finish it alone. We are asking every resident of Arden Arcade to stand with us, to be a part of this important time in our area's history. We hope that you will take the time to review the information available here, decide for yourself that incorporation is the sensible choice, and become our partner if the effort. We are counting on you.
A little over 230 years ago, residents of the British colonies in America became frustrated about the way their home was being run. Decisions about their lives and livelihood were being made by people who were far away from the area, and in the best interests of the empire, not the colonies. The colonists were taxed aggressively, with no opportunity to voice their opinions, or determine where the tax revenues woudl be spent.
Of course we all know how this situation led to the formation of the United States of America. If we had remained as a set of British colonies, the U.S. would never have grown to become the predominant force for freedom and democracy in the world today. Because of our independence, we have been able to accomplish great things, both for ourselves and for the rest of the world. Many would make the argument that even England has received more benefit from US independence than it might have realized from the colonies.
Are we equating cityhood for Arden Arcade with U.S. independence? Far from it. But there are some interesting parallels. The war for independence firmly established the right for people to self-govern their lives as a fundamental principle for our country. For over two centuries, the idea that people should be able to chart their own destiny has been one of the primary reasons our nation has grown to greatness. And other countries that have followed our example have also tended to acheive new levels of security and prosperity.
Today, Arden Arcade is run primarily by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. This board is comprised of five individuals, none of whom live in Arden Arcade. The supervisor elected to represent our interests lives in Carmichael. And every time the Board of Supervisors votes on any issue, they are charged with acting in the best interests of Sacramento County as a whole, without regard for what is best for Arden Arcade or any other locality.
Sacramento County has established several cities within its boundaries. It's hard to look at cities such as Rancho Cordova and Citrus Heights and not be a bit envious. While we petition the county for street repairs, only to be told there is no money available, Citrus Heights has initiated a program to repave the entire city at the rate of five miles of road each year (while maintaining a $35,000,000 budget surplus). While the Sacramento County Sheriff is forced to pull patrols from Arden Arcade due to budget shortfalls, Rancho Cordova has been able to establish a unified command for sheriff's deputies and their own police department, putting more officers on the streets and improving safety and security for their residents.
Is this just about money? Well, partially. But it's about much more than redirecting tax revenues from the county to our new city. As a city, Arden Arcade will share in the pool of funds generated from state vehicle license fees, and distributed to incorporated cities throughout the state. This revenue, estimated at nearly $7,000,000 initially, and likely to grow over succeeding years, will never be available to the county. It exists for us only through incorporation.
To coincide with that additional revenue, the City of Arden Arcade would also be able to create a department to procure state and federal grants that could be used for worthy projects in our area. Other cities in Sacramento County have successfully obtained grant money that has enabled improvements to local schools, computer labs and extended hours for libraries, park enhancements, and many other worthwhile projects. These grants would be available to us as a city, but as an unincorporated are of the county, they can happen only if the county decides to focus attention on us.
There's also much more than money. There's the improved security that comes with being able to direct the uniformed officers who patrol out streets. There's the civic pride that comes in a city that enforces local codes for abandoned cars and blighted properties. There's the sense of community that happens when residents and businesses partner not only with each other, but with schools, parks and libraries, to improve the quality of life for everyone. But most of all, there is the knowledge that we saw the opportunity, and worked together to make it a reality.
Several of your neighbors have been working diligently to bring this dream to fruition. We've started the journey, but we can't finish it alone. We are asking every resident of Arden Arcade to stand with us, to be a part of this important time in our area's history. We hope that you will take the time to review the information available here, decide for yourself that incorporation is the sensible choice, and become our partner if the effort. We are counting on you.
Arden Arcade
The Vision for Cityhood
Arden Arcade is the unincorporated 13 square mile area located between Ethan Way on the west and Mission Avenue on the east, north of Fair Oaks Boulevard, and south of Auburn Boulevard. (See Map below.) Based on the 2000 Census, the population of Arden Arcade is more than 78,000 persons. There are about 3,000 businesses located in Arden Arcade
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Except as noted, all content Copyright 2006 - 2008, Arden Arcade Incorporation Committee. All Rights Reserved.
The mission of the Arden Arcade Incorporation Committee is to create the City of Arden Arcade as an independent government that focuses on improving and sustaining the quality of life in our community by securing local control of decision making for Arden Arcade Residents.
Please feel free to browse the site and learn more about the cityhood initiative, including important information about your taxes, police and fire protection, and other factors that affect all residents of our area.
Please feel free to browse the site and learn more about the cityhood initiative, including important information about your taxes, police and fire protection, and other factors that affect all residents of our area.
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