Farmersville, California, Sales Tax, Measure P (November 2017)
| Measure P: Farmersville Sales Tax |
|---|
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| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 7, 2017 |
| Status: |
 Approved
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| Topic: |
| Local sales tax Expires in: Never |
| Related articles |
| Local sales tax on the ballot November 7, 2017 ballot measures in California Tulare County, California ballot measures City tax on the ballot |
| See also |
| Farmersville, California |
A sales tax measure was on the ballot for Farmersville voters in Tulare County, California, on November 7, 2017. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of authorizing the city to levy an additional sales tax of 0.5 percent (half-cent), with revenue deposited into the city's general fund and with no automatic sunset date. |
| A no vote was a vote against authorizing the city to levy an additional sales tax of 0.5 percent (half-cent), with revenue deposited into the city's general fund and with no automatic sunset date. |
Measure P proposed to raise the total sales tax rate in Farmersville from 8.25 percent to 8.75 percent. The state-mandated tax rate that applied throughout California as of 2017 is 7.25 percent, with revenue allocated to various purposes. As of October 2017, the Tulare County sales tax was 0.5 percent, and the Farmersville city sales tax was an additional 0.5 percent. The average sales tax rate in the county was 7.75 percent.[1][2]
City officials estimated annual revenue from the sales tax measure at $280,000.[3]
Election results
| Measure P | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 225 | 60.48% | ||
| No | 147 | 39.52% | ||
- Election results from Tulare County Elections
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[3]
| “ |
For local revenue to improve the quality of life and essential general City services for Farmersville residents including police, 911 emergency medical response, fire department services, gang prevention programs, recreational facilities, park maintenance and improvements, street maintenance and repairs and other general services, shall Ordinance No. 483, imposing a one-half percent general transactions and use tax, be adopted? Estimated revenues of $280,000 annually, indefinitely.[4] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Farmersville City Council:[5]
| “ |
Upon voter approval, section 7285.9 of the Revenue and Taxation Code authorizes a city to levy a general purpose retail transactions and use tax (“sales tax”) on tangible personal property. In order for the sales tax to be approved, a majority vote of the qualified voters of the city voting on this measure must vote in favor of the measure. If this measure is approved, Ordinance No. 483 of the City of Farmersville (“City”) will be implemented, imposing a transactions and use tax upon all retailers within the incorporated territory of the City at the rate of one-half (1/2) percent (or one-half of a penny per dollar). The authority to levy the tax will be effective until repealed by a duly enacted ordinance. However, the City Council would have authority to temporarily suspend collection of the tax by resolution unanimously approved by all members of the entire City Council. The revenues derived from the sales tax must be placed in the City’s General Fund and may be used for any general city purpose, including but not limited to maintaining and/or improving: 9-1-1 emergency response and neighborhood police patrols; fire protection services; streets and roads repairs; support of senior and youth services; city parks; recreation programs; and any other city services for Farmersville residents and the public. If this measure is approved, the ordinance will become operative but the retail transactions and use tax cannot be levied earlier than first day of the first calendar quarter commencing more than one hundred ten (110) days after the adoption of the ordinance by the voters. All amendments subsequent to voter approval to Part 1 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code relating to sales and use taxes and which are not inconsistent with Part 1.6 and Part 1.7 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and all amendments to Part 1.6 and Part 1.7 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, shall automatically become a part of the ordinance implementing this measure. The proposed ordinance contains certain exemptions and exclusions from the computation of the amount of the transactions and use tax on certain transactions, including those exemptions already applicable under state law. This measure was added to the ballot by the City Council and makes no change to existing laws but will add to existing laws a citywide ordinance imposing a one-half (1/2) percent transactions and use tax within the City of Farmersville. The electors entitled to vote on this measure are the registered voters within City of Farmersville. If the measure is not approved by a majority vote of the votes cast on the measure, the measure will fail and the tax will not be imposed.[4] |
” |
| —Farmersville City Council | ||
Support
Mayor Paul Boyer, Mayor Pro Tem Matt Sisk, and Council Member Gregario Gomez gave their support for Measure P. Boyer stated that revenue from the sales tax would help to balance the city budget and would allow recent improvements in the fire department to continue. Sisk stated that all of the members of the council were in agreement on the need for increasing the sales tax.
Arguments in favor
The following official argument was submitted in favor of the measure:[5]
| “ |
This is a general tax to pay for basic city services. It will pay for police, fire, street and sidewalk repair, senior and youth recreation and other essential city services. The Great Recession left us with reduced property tax revenues. This has made it a difficult challenge to provide the most basic of services. We have had to leave city staff positions unfilled, use old, unreliable equipment to maintain critical municipal services and cut funding for other essential city services. We have delayed maintenance on our streets, city buildings and storm drains. Farmersville maintains only the most basic city services. Now those are at risk too. We have had to leave police officer positions unfilled. We may have to make drastic cuts in all departments (police, fire, and public works). Many City improvements have been made using grants without a cost to the city, but core services depend on general fund revenue that this tax measure would help support. The State and County keep most of the sales tax collected in Farmersville with only roughly one and a half pennies of every dollar paid to Farmersville. The passage of this measure will provide an estimated $280,000 in new funds. While this additional revenue will not entirely solve our financial situation, it will certainly help! Importantly, this local tax cannot be taken away by the State. These funds will be accounted for in our audit and the audit report will be available to the public. Please approve this measure and help Farmersville move toward a better future for everyone who resides here. Please join us in voting Yes on Measure P.[4] |
” |
| —Paul Boyer | ||
Opposition
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Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a unanimous vote of the Farmersville City Council on July 24, 2017.[6]
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Sale-Tax.com, "Farmersville, CA Sales Tax Rate," October 1, 2017
- ↑ Inside Gov, "CA Sales Tax Rates," accessed October 3, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tulare County Elections Office, "November 7, 2017 - Tulare County Elections: Measure Submitted to the Voters," accessed September 22, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Tulare County Elections Office, "Voter’s Pamphlet Information Section," accessed October 25, 2017
- ↑ The Sun-Gazette, "Council puts cannabis, ½-cent sales tax on ballot," August 2, 2017
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