El Cerrito, California, Measure H, Parcel Tax Extension (November 2019)
| Measure H: El Cerrito Parcel Tax Extension |
|---|
|
| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 5, 2019 |
| Status: |
 ApprovedMajority required: 66.67% |
| Topic: |
| California parcel tax Expires in: No expiration |
| Related articles |
| California parcel tax on the ballot November 5, 2019 ballot measures in California Contra Costa County, California ballot measures Tax renewal on the ballot |
| See also |
| El Cerrito, California |
A parcel tax measure was on the ballot for El Cerrito voters in Contra Costa County, California, on November 5, 2019. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of making a parcel tax–first approved in 2000–to fund the city's parks and recreational facilities permanent (or until voters repeal the tax). |
| A no vote was a vote against making a parcel tax to fund parks and recreational facilities permanent, thereby allowing the tax to expire on June 30, 2020. |
A two-thirds supermajority was needed to pass Measure H.
Election results
|
El Cerrito Measure H |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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4,591 | 78.34% | ||
| No | 1,269 | 21.66% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[1]
| “ |
To maintain El Cerrito’s quality of life, continuing local control of recreation services/parks, including maintaining/improving: swim center pools, locker rooms/restrooms; city parks, walking paths, playfields/open space; and program space for children, families, adults/seniors; shall a measure be adopted extending the 2000 voter approved measure, with no increase of the current $58.46 per single family residential unit or other rates, until repealed by voters, providing $650,000 annually, with all funds benefiting El Cerrito? |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the City Attorney:
| “ |
The City Council of the City of El Cerrito placed Measure H on the November 5, 2019, ballot to ask voters to continue an existing parcel tax at current rates to fund maintenance and enhancement of City parks and recreational facilities. The existing tax will expire on June 30, 2020. In 2000, the El Cerrito voters approved Measure A, authorizing a tax on all types of property in the City to fund the renovation and reconstruction of the El Cerrito Swim Center, the rehabilitation of Canyon Trail Clubhouse, and the performance of access and restroom renovations to the Harding, Huber, and Poinsett Park Clubhouses. Once those projects were completed, tax revenue was used for capital improvements at the Swim Center, including the installation of the Splash Park, new heaters, landscape improvements, and energy efficiency upgrades. In April 2019, the City Council approved the Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan (“Master Plan”), which outlined multiple goals, priorities, and projects for City parks and open spaces. Measure H would restrict the use of revenue from the tax for the maintenance and enhancement of the City’s park and recreation facilities described in the Master Plan, as it may be amended by the City Council. The Master Plan identified a total of 180 projects and implementation activities to meet community expectations for the City’s park and recreational facilities. Examples of priority projects include maintaining and improving the Swim Center pools, locker rooms and restrooms; protecting natural areas, greenways, and open space; increasing urban forest and vegetation management, including fire hazard reduction; maintaining and improving program space for children, families, adults, and seniors; maintaining and improving City parks, paths, and playfields; replacing aging playgrounds and improving safety with new fall surfaces; addressing recreation facilities seismic issues; upgrading irrigation systems to conserve water; and improving trash and litter clean-up. As a special tax, Measure H revenue would be placed into a special account and restricted to the purposes listed above and described further in the ordinance included in the voter information guide. Measure H requires the City’s independent auditors to prepare an annual report reviewing the collection, management, and expenditure of revenue from the tax. The City’s Financial Advisory Board would review the report as part of its review of the City’s annual audit. The measure does not include an automatic sunset in a term of years. Instead, it states that tax would continue until repealed or amended by El Cerrito voters. Measure H would authorize continuing the existing tax at current rates, which are $58.46/unit for single-family properties, $45/unit for multi-family properties, and $410/acre or portion thereof for nonresidential properties. The measure is estimated to produce $650,000 annually. A “Yes” vote is a vote to approve the continuation of a parcel tax at existing rates to fund maintenance and enhancement of El Cerrito parks and recreational facilities. A “No” vote is a vote against the tax. Measure H would be approved if it received at least a two-thirds majority of “Yes” votes. |
” |
| —City Attorney[1] | ||
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 El Cerrito City Council.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Contra Costa County Elections Division, "Current Election," accessed September 22, 2019
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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