- Denise Rockenstein
Clearlake City Council votes to pursue another sales tax measure in June
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council voted 3-2 Thursday to place a 1-percent general sales tax measure on the June 3 ballot.
As a general tax, revenue will be placed in the general fund for use at the council's discretion. However, the stated intention of the current council is to direct revenue toward road improvements, code enforcement and animal control.
According to City Manager Joan Phillipe, the council's only option, at this time, in placing the measure on the June ballot is to do so as a general tax.
She said a specific tax would require a public hearing prior to adoption of a resolution for ballot inclusion. She said there is not adequate time before the March 7 deadline to meet noticing requirements for a public hearing.
The deadline to withdraw the measure is March 12, Phillipe said in response to a question by Vice Mayor Gina Fortino Dickson.
The city currently has in place Measure P, which mandates that 63 percent of the general fund be allocated to the police department.
Phillipe said any revenue generated from the proposed general tax measure would have to comply with that mandate.
“Based on a projection of $1.4 million generated annually by a one percent tax, the split would generate about $820,000 allocated to the police department and $518,000 allocated to roads,” she said.
Phillipe said staff developed an idea to address allocation concerns. The plan would move certain positions into the police department for operation.
She said the idea would be to create a team or task force that would encompass staffing for code enforcement, crime suppression and contract animal control services as well as roads.
“The funding ratio is clearly not the same (as the previous special tax initiative) but the basic tenets are covered with the addition of crime suppression,” she said.
Fortino Dickson said she did not want to miss any opportunity in gaining revenue for the city and cited a loss of funds that would be currently generating had the previous measure been successful. “I'm ready to move forward with improving our community now,” she said.
She said there is an immediate need for code enforcement services in addition to obvious blight in that, the recent passage of the city's marijuana cultivation ordinance requires resources for enforcement.
Fortino Dickson said inaction was not an option and she would support either a June or November ballot as well as another attempt in the second election should the measure fail in the first.
Councilman Joey Luiz said he agreed with Fortino Dickson regarding enforcement of the marijuana cultivation ordinance, which was previously questioned by a member of the public during the public comment portion of the night's meeting.
He said based on results of previous elections, six out of 10 voters support the initiative and opportunity for the public to decide should be provided.
Mayor Denise Loustalot, who provided a second on Luiz's motion for a June ballot, said immediate action was necessary.
Council members Joyce Overton and Jeri Spittler voted against the action, urging the council to seek a November ballot, which could be placed as either general tax or a special tax.
Overton said that while she appreciates the efforts of volunteers who have assisted in presenting the initiative to voters, a lack of walking campaigns has contributed significantly to failure of the measure in numerous attempts. She said door-to-door, face-to-face delivery of information is necessary for success.
A November initiative would provide adequate time to conduct such a campaign, Overton suggested.
“If you keep doing the same thing, you're going to get the same results,” Overton said.
Spittler urged the council to slow down, that rushing creates a red flag in the community. She said she was not comfortable making a decision at this time.
Spittler said suggested further time be provided to research options for including all roads, public and private, into the plans for road improvements.
Citizen Chuck Leonard said private roads should not be an issue. “I don't see how you are going to pave private roads with taxpayer money,” he said. “It's your choice when you buy or rent on that road whether you pave that road or not. The road fairy is not going to come along.”
Spittler said ensuring all roads in the city are accessible for emergency vehicles should be a priority. She said the current plan does not fix the problem.
Leonard said he liked Spittler's idea of a lottery for grading roads not within the city's system. Phillipe said such a lottery is feasible, however, a system should be devised to avoid piecemeal improvements that do not logically connect.
Spittler said in any instance, she would oppose a general sale tax initiative, citing a lack of public trust because of alleged misappropriation of such tax funds in the past. “I won't support a tax that is going into the general fund,” she said.
Citizen Mike Vandiver said he assisted in the effort supporting Measure H, the 1-percent special sales tax initiative presented to voters last November. The initiative failed to gain the two-thirds support it needed for passage by 177 votes.
“I really believe for this measure to work, it needs to be put on the November ballot, not June,” he said. “There is not enough time to get the information out to the people.”
Several other speakers urged the council to wait until November, including representatives of organizations offering their assistance.
Victoria Brandon said the Save the Lake 2014 Committee is supportive of the city's efforts and would like to provide it assistance.
“If you wait until November we can use resources they are using with the lake measure,” she said. “Please wait until November and let us help you, and we really, really will.”
Ed Robey, speaking on behalf of the Sierra Club Lake Group, said the club has decided to support the lake tax measure, which is to be presented in June.
“We would like to support (the city's measure) but it may be difficult to do two taxes at once,” he said, adding the club would assist with a November ballot.
In addition, Robey urged the council to seek a special tax rather than a general tax and suggested limiting the initiative to just roads.
Overton said constituents have conveyed to her a greater desire for code enforcement over road improvements.
“I've been walking and talking to people. When you talk to people, the issue is not roads, it's code enforcement,” she said, later adding, “The majority of them were about the safety of our town and cleaning it up.”
Carl Webb, who serves on the Clearlake Planning Commission, said it would be difficult for the city's tax initiative to compete with the lake tax.
He cited numerous blight issue throughout the city and cautioned against making the measure solely about roads.
Tony King, speaking from the public, urged all council members to work in same direction, despite whichever action was decided upon.
Overton said while she voted against the motion, as it is the council's decision, she will uphold it and make every effort to assist in the measure's success.
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