Private Club Tax Increase Taken Off Ballot

When Atherton residents take to the voting booths on Nov. 5, in addition to voting for a city council member, at least one measure on the town’s parcel tax will make for an easier decision.

Jerry Carlson, who was named to fill a spot on the city council, replacing the late Bill Conwell in 2006, resigned effective July 1 due to his moving out of the area. Voters will get the chance to name his successor to a term that runs through December of 2014.

Carlson has been a major presence in the city as president of the Atherton Civic Interest League, a member of the town’s Audit Committee and as CFO of the Shelby Education Foundation.

The existing parcel tax is up for renewal and, until the middle of last week, it included an increase for private clubs.

The Menlo Circus Club, which hosted its annual Menlo Charity Horse Show (for results visit http://www.menlohorseshow.com/MCHS_Results.html) over the weekend, is the lone private club in town.

The council voted at its July 17 meeting to raise the tax on private clubs from $10,000 per parcel to $25,000, while the rate for residents are between $200 and $1,000 per parcel.

Councilman Bill Widmer, who proposed the amendment, agreed to withdraw the proposal for fairness and transparency reasons.

The Menlo Circus Club raised money for the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in this year’s event.