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Downey, California, Sales Tax Increase, Measure S (November 2016)
| Measure S: Downey Sales Tax Increase |
|---|
|
| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 8, 2016 |
| Status: |
 Approved
|
| Topic: |
| Local sales tax Expires in: 20 years |
| Related articles |
| Local sales tax on the ballot November 8, 2016 ballot measures in California Los Angeles County, California ballot measures City tax on the ballot |
| See also |
| Downey, California |
A sales tax increase measure was on the ballot for Downey voters in Los Angeles County, California, on November 8, 2016. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of increasing the sales tax by an additional 0.5 percent to fund general municipal services for 20 years. |
| A no vote was a vote against increasing the sales tax by an additional 0.5 percent to fund general municipal services for 20 years. |
Election results
| Measure S | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 21,493 | 63.06% | ||
| No | 12,592 | 36.94% | ||
- Election results from Los Angeles County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]
| “ |
To maintain and improve city servi ces including city-run police and fire departments, paramedic/9-1-1 emergency response, anti-gang/drug/crime programs, school safety, after-school and seniors programs; ensure fire engines and emergency vehicles have updated equipment; and repair streets/potholes; shall the ordinance to increase the sales tax by one- half of one percent, providing $9,000,000 annually, to expire after 20 years, requiring audits, public disclosure of funds, and all funds only for Downey be adopted? [2] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Downey City Attorney:
| “ |
Voter approval of this Measure would amend the Downey Municipal Code to add a transactions and use (sales) tax for a period of twenty years on the sale and/or use of all non-exempt tangible personal property sold at retail in the City at the rate of ½ cent for every dollar spent (or ½ percent). The tax would automatically terminate after the 20th year. If approved, the tax would go into effect on or after April 1, 2017. The Measure was placed on the ballot by the Downey City Council and proposes a general tax, the revenue from which would be placed in the City’s general fund to be used for city services such as police and fire services, paramedic and emergency response services, afterschool and senior programs, and to repair and maintain city streets. The Measure requires a majority vote of the electorate casting votes at the election. The measure requires that a five-member independent citizens’ advisory committee be established to review expenditures of the revenue generated from the tax, to examine annual audit reports related to the tax, and to make a written annual report to the City Council summarizing the committee’s findings and appropriate recommendations. The committee would meet at least quarterly and its meetings would be open to the public. The proposed tax would be administered by the California State Board of Equalization in the same manner that sales tax is currently administered so as to reduce the cost of collecting the tax and to minimize the burden of record-keeping upon retailers. A “yes” vote is a vote in favor of authorizing the ½ cent transactions and use tax for a period of twenty years. A “no” vote is a vote against authorizing the transaction and use tax.[2] |
” |
| —Downey City Attorney[3] | ||
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing officials of Downey, California.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Downey Local sales tax. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Measures Appearing on the Ballot," accessed November 1, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Voter's Edge California, "Measure S," accessed November 2, 2016
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