Turlock council puts sales tax measure on November ballot, citing funding issues
Turlock voters will see a sales tax measure on their November ballots that officials say can maintain city services from public safety to road repairs.
The Turlock City Council on Monday voted 4-1 to add a three-quarter cent sales tax measure to the general election, citing a need for additional revenue after years of rising costs and significant cuts in the last couple budgets.
If Turlock voters pass the measure by at least a simple majority, the tax will generate about $11 million annually and go toward the general fund. The measure, titled “911 Safety/Emergency Medical Response, Community Services Measure,” could bring Turlock’s current 7.875% sales tax to 8.625%.
Council Members Gil Esquer and Nicole Larson called the percentage a compromise, referring to committee recommendations for a 1% sales tax and polling results showing greater support for a half-cent measure. City Manager Toby Wells said a half-cent measure would bring Turlock’s financial situation back to the beginning of the previous fiscal year, but would not enable staff to provide services residents have requested since then.
“Everybody that’s watching, it’s going to be in your hands where you want Turlock to end up,” Esquer said during the teleconferenced meeting. “Do you want us to be where we were and still keep struggling, or do you want us move forward and try to address the issues that we have in front of us right now?”
The council’s decision comes after voters in the March primary election rejected 60% of local tax and bond measures across the state, according to the California Taxpayers Association, which cited data from county registrars. Since then, the coronavirus and health orders to slow its spread prompted unemployment rates to spike in Stanislaus County. Mayor Amy Bublak, who cast the sole opposing vote, said asking residents to pay more taxes during the coronavirus crisis is inappropriate.
Milt Treweiler was the only member of the public who spoke about the agenda item during Monday’s meeting. He favored the half-cent sales tax.
“I’ve not had one person, other than Mr. Treweiler (who served on a sales tax committee), tell me that they want this tax,” Bublak said. “People have contacted me constantly about it, ‘Why would you do this? You guys are still spending too much.’ All I’m saying is, if we were to make some special efforts, hold off, go a little further down the road and do a special election, a special tax, I think we would see the benefits.”
Oversight and Stanislaus County election costs
Putting the measure on the ballot will cost the city about $77,000, said City Clerk Jennifer Land, who noted that the county registrar of voters is also charging Turlock about $108,000 for the election of a treasurer and two council district seats. Polling related to the measure has cost the city about $70,000, considering Wells said he authorized $30,000 for tax surveys in June and former Interim City Manager Michael Cooke said a community issues survey in February cost $40,000.
Per the ordinance passed Monday, a citizens’ oversight committee will review how the city spends the sales tax revenue and hold public meetings four times each fiscal year. Any Turlock resident — except for city employees, officials and vendors — can apply for the committee and the city council will appoint five to two or three-year terms. The oversight committee is not designed to advise the council, not decide spending priorities, the ordinance said.
If the sales tax measure passes, the ordinance also requires the city to post an annual online report of the money collected and spent from the measure. The city’s independent auditor will review revenues and expenditures resulting from the tax along with the rest of the city’s finances.
Next steps for Turlock sales tax
Voters can file arguments for and against the tax measure with the city clerk through July 23. A group of city staff and the four-member citizen sales tax committee must also submit a supportive written argument by then. Afterward, the deadline for rebuttals is July 31.
The city attorney must also file an impartial analysis by the end of the month, per the state election code. A 10-day public examination period will follow, Wells wrote in a report.
If the measure does not pass this November, Wells said November 2022 would be the next chance to present a general city sales tax to voters.
