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City of Guadalupe Business Taxes, Measure W (November 2014)
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A City of Guadalupe Business Taxes, Measure W ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the city of Guadalupe in Santa Barbara County, California. It was approved.
Measure W replaced the city's flat rate business license fee with a business tax based on a percentage of gross revenue. Without Measure W, businesses would have continued to pay a single annual fee ranging between $60 and $120. Measure W established a 0.05 percent tax on business revenue - or 50 cents per $1,000. For example, a business that received $1,000,000 in gross receipts in 2015 would have to pay $500 according to the Measure W tax. Measure W also contained provisions for minimum tax rates. The lowest amount a home-based or out-of-town business could pay is $100, while a business based at a location inside the city had to pay at least $200 per year. City officials expected Measure W to bring in an additional $150,000 in city revenue per year.[1]
Guadalupe Mayor Frances Romero said, “We cannot continue to take money out of special restricted funds so that’s why these measures are so important." She also said that without the approval of this measure, as well as Measure X and Measure V, the other two revenue-boosting measures on the city's November ballot, Guadalupe may be forced to relinquish its incorporated status.[2] However, all three were approved on election day.
Election results
| City of Guadalupe, Measure W | ||||
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 797 | 81.49% | ||
| No | 181 | 18.51% | ||
Election results via: Santa Barbara County Elections Office
Support
Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino approved of the new tax and criticized Guadalupe's current license fee method for essentially subsidizing larger businesses through a regressive tax.[1]
Romero said that certain costs accompany doing business in any city and that a small fee of $120 for a large, wealthy businesses will not result in a city that can provide police services, fire services and infrastructure.[1]
Opposition
Critics of Measure W believed the tax might chase away businesses that provide jobs in the community.[1]
See also
- Local business tax on the ballot
- Santa Barbara County, California ballot measures
- November 4, 2014 ballot measures in California
External links
Footnotes
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