FROM:
David P. Donery, Town Manager and Jeff Zuba, Finance & Administrative Services Director
SUBJECT:
title
San Anselmo Sales Tax Renewal Ballot Question Amendment
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RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
That the Council adopt the attached resolution amending the ballot question contained in Section 3 of Resolution No. 4446 to ensure that the language clearly states that the measure would increase the existing tax rate of ½¢ to a new rate of 1¢.
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BACKGROUND
At its meeting of July 26, 2022, the Town Council adopted Resolution No. 4446, which placed a transactions and use tax measure on the November 8, 2022 ballot. Section 3 of the resolution contained the following ballot question:
To maintain and enhance general Town of San Anselmo services and facilities such as repairing potholes, repaving roads, improving drought resilience, maintaining 9-1-1 emergency firefighter and paramedic response times, and improving fire protection, shall the Town of San Anselmo ordinance be adopted extending the existing voter-approved sales tax at a 1¢ rate, providing $2,400,000 annually for general government use for nine years, requiring independent citizen oversight, annual audits and all funds staying in San Anselmo under local control?
Following submission of Resolution No. 4446 to the Marin County Elections Department, CO$T recommended that the ballot language be revised to clarify that the measure would increase the current rate of .5¢ to a new rate of 1¢. To address this concern, the Town’s consultant developed the following amended ballot question:
To maintain and enhance general Town of San Anselmo services and facilities such as repairing potholes, repaving roads, improving drought resilience, maintaining 9-1-1 emergency firefighter and paramedic response times, and improving fire protection, shall the Town of San Anselmo ordinance be adopted extending the existing voter-approved ½¢ sales tax for nine years and increasing the rate to 1¢, providing $2,400,000 annually for general government use, requiring independent citizen oversight, annual audits and all funds staying in San Anselmo under local control?
Under state law, the ballot question must be 75 words or less. The proposed revised ballot language, which is contained in the attached resolution, is exactly 75 words (Town of San Anselmo counts as one word). If the Council adopts the attached resolution, the County Elections Department has assured staff that the amended question can be included in Resolution No. 4446 and printed in the ballot.
FISCAL IMPACT
A minimal revision to the ballot question to clarify the existing tax rate does not change the fiscal impact associated with adoption of Resolution No. 4446.
CEQA AND CLIMATE ACTION PLAN CONSISTENCY
The Council’s adoption of the attached resolution is not a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act, because it does not involve an activity which has the potential to cause a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. (Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 21065).
CONCLUSION
Staff respectfully requests that the Council adopt the attached resolution amending the ballot question contained in Section 3 of Resolution No. 4446.