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City of Palm Desert Hotel Tax Advisory Question, Measure H (November 2014)

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A City of Palm Desert Hotel Tax Advisory Question, Measure H ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the city of Palm Desert in Riverside County, California. It was defeated.

If the Palm Desert Hotel Tax measure had been approved, Measure H would have asked if revenue from the tax should be used solely for promotional efforts including advertising, public relations, marketing collateral development and the city's tourism website and newsletter.[1]

Election results

Riverside County Measure H
ResultVotesPercentage
Defeatedd No7,56565.78%
Yes 3,935 34.22%
Election results from Riverside County Elections Office

Text of measure

Ballot question

The question on the ballot appeared as:[1]

If the City of Palm Desert's Transient Occupancy Tax, as set forth in Chapter 3.28 of the Palm Desert Municipal Code, is increased from 9% to 11%, should the City solely allocate the additional revenue for promotional efforts, including advertising, public relations, special event publicity, marketing collateral development, the City's monthly BrightSide newsletter, and the official Palm Desert tourism website to maintain a consistent image for the City's local ,regional, and national marketing campaigns? [2]

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis was prepared for Measure H:[1]

Measure “H” is an advisory measure concerning the recommended expenditure of new City of Palm Desert Transient Occupancy Tax (“TOT”) revenues if Measure “G” is approved by the voters.

Measure “H”, which has been placed on the ballot by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, does not increase the TOT. Rather, Measure “H” allows voters within the City of Palm Desert to voice their opinions on whether they believe the City should allocate the additional 2% of TOT revenue, if Measure “G” is approved, to promotional efforts including advertising, public relations, special event publicity, marketing collateral development, the City’s monthly BrightSide newsletter, and the official Palm Desert tourism website to maintain a consistent image for the City’s local, regional, and national marketing campaigns.

Section 9603(c) of the California Elections Code governing the purpose and effect of such an advisory vote states:

“...‘advisory vote’ means an indication of general voter opinion regarding the ballot proposal. The result of the advisory vote will in no manner be controlling on the sponsoring legislative body.”

The opinion expressed through the vote on this advisory measure, while of interest to the City Council, is not legally controlling on the City Council’s use of the TOT revenue. If a majority of the voters vote “yes” on this measure, it will be an indication to the City Council that voters believe that the City Council should spend the additional TOT revenue on the promotional efforts described above.[2]

—David J. Erwin, Palm Desert City Attorney[1]

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Riverside County Vote Info website, accessed October 24, 2014
  2. 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.