Turlock sales tax measure too close to call, early election results show
Whether Turlock voters passed a three-quarter cent general sales tax measure will be a close call, early voting results Tuesday night showed. But the “yes” votes were leading.
With about 19,400 votes counted as of 10:30 p.m., election officials tallied 57.6 percent in favor and 42.4 percent against Measure A. The preliminary results did not include ballots turned in Tuesday, the Stanislaus County Voter Registrar’s Office said.
Requiring a simple majority to pass, the measure would raise the sales tax rate from 7.875% to 8.625%, generating about $11 million per year until voters repeal or amend it in another election. The City Council, which has reduced services in the past two years because of financial troubles, would decide how to spend the tax revenue locally if it passes.
Supporters of the tax include the Turlock police and firefighter unions, which respectively reported spending $26,000 and $4,500 on signs and mailers through mid-October. The city also spent about $19,000 on three informational mailers about the measure, City Clerk Jennifer Land said in an email.
(See updated Stanislaus County results of all races)
Opponents call for cutting costs such as city employee benefits instead of raising taxes, saying the council cannot be trusted after it spent down reserves in the past 15 years. The city estimated its general fund reserves to be $10.7 million in June and the council has frozen 35 jobs over the last two years to cut spending. The Citizens for No on Measure A has spent about $3,600 on signs, campaign disclosure statements show.
Previous efforts to raise a Turlock-specific sales tax narrowly failed in 2004 and 2014, Stanislaus County voting records show, and City Manager Toby Wells said Turlock has never adopted a city sales tax in its history.
The city paid about $70,000 for resident surveys on a sales tax and community priorities, Wells and former Interim City Manager Michael Cooke previously told The Bee. In February and June, two-thirds of about 500 respondents said they supported a hypothetical one-cent sales tax.
What happens if Measure A passes or fails?
Proponents and city officials say the measure can maintain services from roads to public safety, but the tax revenue is not designated for a specific purpose because it is a general, not a special tax. If Measure A passes, Wells said Turlock would not receive revenue from the tax until July 2021 after starting to collect it in April.
As an accountability measure, a five-member citizens’ oversight committee would review how the city spends the tax revenue and publicize its findings. While the committee would advise the council, it would not set funding priorities or plans.
The city may cut more services if the ballot measure fails, Wells said. Citizens for No on Measure A campaign treasurer Jim Theis previously told The Bee that officials could reduce expenses by lowering city employee health benefits and pension costs. Contracting law enforcement services from the sheriff’s department is another suggestion Theis and others wrote in county voter guide arguments against the measure.
This story was originally published November 3, 2020 at 8:55 PM.
