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City of Sebastopol Utility Users Tax Update and Revision, Measure R (November 2014)
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A City of Sebastopol Utility Users Tax Update and Revision, Measure R ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the city of Sebastopol in Sonoma County, California. It was approved.
Upon its approval, Measure R was designed to authorize a utility user tax to continue for ten years. Measure R was further designed to reduce the utility tax rate in place at the time of the election from 4 percent to 3.75 percent and to impose the tax on natural gas, electricity, telephone services of all kinds, tv service and garbage service. Previously, the tax was only imposed on natural gas and electricity.[1]
Without Measure R, the prior utility tax was set to expire on January 1, 2015.[1]
Without Measure R, the utility tax of 4 percent on gas and electricity produced about $330,000 per year in revenue for the city. City officials estimated that the Measure R utility tax would bring in about $586,000 per year - a 77.5 percent increase in revenue.[1]
Election results
| Measure R | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 1,910 | 62.3% | ||
| No | 1,156 | 37.7% | ||
- Election results from Sonoma County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The question on the ballot:[1]
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Shall the City of Sebastopol amend the current Utility User Tax ordinance by: reducing the tax from 4% to 3.75%; continuing the tax on gas and electricity which exempts low income persons; adding telecommunications, video and garbage services; to maintain essential general fund City services such as police and fire, improving roads, sewers, parks, bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure; requiring an independent audit; and no rate increase without voter approval; and terminating the tax in ten years?[2] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis was prepared for Measure R by the office of the city attorney:[1]
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A Utility Users’ Tax (“UUT”) is a tax levied on each user of a utility within a city’s boundaries. Since 2008 the City of Sebastopol has collected a Utility Users’ Tax on the use of natural gas and electricity, generating revenue for the City of approximately $330,000 per year. That UUT will expire on January 1, 2015. Measure R would update the existing UUT ordinance to continue the tax on gas and electricity, but reduce the tax rate from its current 4%, to 3.75%, and would add telecommunications, video, and garbage services. It would also retain the existing State of California “CARE” program, for exemption of low-income (or other persons in qualifying public assistance programs) from the gas and electricity UUT. Measure R will not tax access to the internet or internet purchases and downloads such as books, music, games, or similar digital products. The revenues from the City’s current UUT are used exclusively within the City for general governmental services, including police and fire protection, maintenance and repair of public streets, sewers, parks, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and other general services. It is estimated that Measure R would generate revenue of approximately $586,000 per year to continue and enhance the funding of these essential services. The proposed UUT ordinance requires an annual independent audit to insure that taxes have been properly applied and collected. There can be no change to the tax rate, or the UUT ordinance, without voter approval. A “yes” vote on Measure R is in favor of adopting the modernized, updated, and expanded UUT ordinance summarized above, and a tax decrease for gas and electricity UUT. A “no” vote is against adopting the ordinance. A majority of “yes” votes is required for the ordinance to be enacted. The tax would be effective upon certification of voter approval of Measure R by the City Council and would automatically end 10 years after such certification.[2] |
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| —Larry McLaughlin, Sebastopol City Attorney[1] | ||
See also
- California Utility User Taxes
- City tax on the ballot
- Local utility tax and fees on the ballot
- Sonoma County, California ballot measures
- November 4, 2014 ballot measures in California
External links
Footnotes
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