Pleasanton To Consider Sales Tax Increase Ballot Measure

PLEASANTON, CA — The Pleasanton City Council will discuss the placement of an ordinance approving a half-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot, part of a larger effort to address a roughly $13 million annual budget shortfall. The proposed ordinance would increase the sales tax from the current Alameda County base sales tax rate of 10.25 percent to 10.75 percent, which is expected to generate roughly $10 million annually for ten years, according to a city staff report.

Fifty-eight percent of likely registered voters indicated support for such a measure, according to a poll of 438 voters conducted by FM3 Research from May 15-21. However, support dropped to 49 percent when the same respondents heard oppositional statements to the measure. The survey indicated that residents oppose cuts to public safety services like police, fire and 911.

Four council member votes are required to place the measure on the November ballot. On Tuesday, the council will consider the following draft ballot question:

To maintain city services and prevent cuts, such as police and fire protection; 911 emergency response; disaster preparedness; pedestrian safety; park maintenance; pothole repair and street maintenance; recreation programs; open space preservation; and other general government uses; shall the City of Pleasanton’s measure to establish a one-half-cent sales tax, providing approximately $10,000,000 annually for 10 years, keeping all funds local, with annual audits and public spending disclosure, be adopted?”

See here for more information. See here for the full Tuesday agenda. The meeting will take place at Pleasanton City Hall at 7 p.m. and can be streamed on TV30 or the city’s YouTube channel.

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