Albany, California, Measure L, Sales Tax Renewal (November 2018)
| Measure L: Albany Sales Tax Renewal |
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| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 6, 2018 |
| Status: |
 Approved
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| Topic: |
| Local sales tax Expires in: No expiration |
| Related articles |
| Local sales tax on the ballot November 6, 2018 ballot measures in California Alameda County, California ballot measures City tax on the ballot |
| See also |
| Albany, California |
A sales tax renewal was on the ballot for Albany voters in Alameda County, California, on November 6, 2018. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of permanently renewing the $0.005 city sales tax to fund general municipal purposes, thereby maintaining the total sales tax rate at 9.75 percent. |
| A no vote was a vote against permanently renewing the $0.005 city sales tax to fund general municipal purposes, thereby reducing the total sales tax rate to 9.25 percent. |
Election results
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Albany, California, Measure L, Sales Tax Renewal (November 2018) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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6,819 | 81.03% | ||
| No | 1,596 | 18.97% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[1]
| “ |
To continue providing and maintaining essential City services, such as: fire and police protection, public safety and emergency response, facilities maintenance, and environmental preservation, shall the City of Albany measure making its existing one-half cent transactions and use (sales) tax permanent, providing $1.4 million annually for unrestricted general revenue purposes, without increasing the rate, with annual independent audits, and all funds spent only in Albany, be adopted?[2] |
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Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Albany City Attorney:
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The City Council has placed before the voters the question whether to enact an Ordinance making an existing one-half cent (0.5%) sales tax permanent. A full copy of the Ordinance text is printed in these ballot materials. In November 2012, the Albany voters approved an Ordinance enacting a temporary transactions and use tax within the City of Albany to fund municipal services and facilities. The tax was authorized to remain in effect for eight years after it became operative, unless extended by the voters. This tax was codified at Section 4-12 of the Albany Municipal Code. Technically, the City’s existing “sales tax” is a combination of “sales and use tax” and “transactions and use tax.” Both are levied on the sale or use of tangible personal property sold at retail, with certain limited exceptions. Retailers collect the tax at the time of sale and remit the funds to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, which administers the tax. Because the revenue from the City’s retail sales taxes is not legally restricted to any specific purposes, it is classified as a “general tax,” not a “special tax.” The tax proceeds are deposited into the City’s general fund and are available to support the full range of municipal services and facilities. Currently, the tax on retail sales in Albany is 9.75% of the purchase price. If the one-half cent transactions and use tax approved by the voters in 2012 is allowed to expire, the tax rate will be reduced to 9.25%. If the proposed Ordinance is approved, the total tax rate will remain at 9.75% with no automatic expiration date. A “Yes” vote is a vote in favor of the tax extension. A “No” vote is a vote against the tax extension. This measure will be approved if it receives a simple majority of “Yes” votes.[2] |
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| —Albany City Attorney[3] | ||
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
Supporters
The following individuals signed the official argument in favor of the measure:[3]
- Michael Barnes, Albany City Council
- Peter Maass, Albany City Council
- Peggy McQuaid, Albany mayor
- Rochelle Nason, Albany vice mayor
- Nick Pilch, Albany City Council
Arguments in favor
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in favor of the measure:[3]
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The City of Albany worked hard to maintain fiscal stability after the 2008 financial crisis and to avoid the dire fiscal consequences that other cities faced. A large part of our success was due to Measure F, the one-half percent local sales tax passed by Albany voters in 2012. Because of the support of voters, Albany has been able restore and enhance city services including fire and police protection, emergency response, recreational programs, senior and youth programs, community development and environmental preservation, maintenance of parks and playgrounds, and other general city services. We are asking Albany voters to continue to support our city by renewing our half-cent sales tax with Measure L. This measure is not a tax increase. It simply asks to maintain the one-half percent local sales tax that Albany voters approved in 2012. Even with our local half-percent sales tax, Albany’s total sales tax rate is 9.75 percent. This is the same rate as our neighboring city, El Cerrito, and less than the rate of many cities in California. Measure L’s one-half percent sales tax goes directly to the City of Albany’s general fund, where it helps support the core services of the city, including police and fire fighters. The rest of the sales tax goes to the State of California and Alameda County. Some of this state and county revenue does find its way back to Albany in the form of restricted grants. However, if Measure L is not approved, the city’s general fund will lose $1.3 million annually. The City of Albany has spent the sales tax revenue thoughtfully. With your help, the city will continue to do so. Albany is a good place to live. Please help of keep it that way by voting yes on Measure L. [2] |
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Opposition
Opponents
The following individuals signed the official argument against the measure:[3]
- Dan B. Walden, executive director, Alameda County Taxpayers Association
Arguments against
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in opposition to the measure:[3]
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This measure proposes to renew the expiring half-cent sales tax with a FOREVER sales tax. The best way to hold politicians accountable is to require them to occasionally explain how they are doing at managing the tax funds. This measure proposes to eliminate an important test of their stewardship. The Measure explains that the half-cent sales tax pays for the ‘essential City services, such as: fire and police protection, public safety and emergency response, facilities maintenance, and environmental preservation.’ Now is the time to examine how well the City is managing these duties. The study of ‘Sen. John Moorlach Ranks California’s 482 Cities for Financial Soundness’ shows that the Albany City Council is performing poorly. Albany ranks 366 compared with the 482 California cities. Each Albany citizen’s share the City deficit is $736. This is no time to give the City leadership less scrutiny. Vote NO on this FOREVER sales tax. Don’t open the door to exploitation. Require the leadership to prove why each department needs funding help. Require the leadership to prove that ‘parks’ and ‘play structures’ need more funding to be well maintained. Amendments to the City Charter must have more vigorous taxpayer protection. Accountability must be ironclad, not the meaningless ‘independent audit’ this measure proposes. Vote NO. [2] |
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Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the Albany City Council.
See also
External links
Footnotes
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