Foster City, California, Measure TT, Hotel Tax Increase (November 2018)
| Measure TT: Foster City Hotel Tax Increase |
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| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 6, 2018 |
| Status: |
 Approved
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| Topic: |
| Local hotel tax Expires in: No expiration |
| Related articles |
| Local hotel tax on the ballot November 6, 2018 ballot measures in California San Mateo County, California ballot measures City tax on the ballot |
| See also |
| Foster City, California |
A hotel tax measure was on the ballot for Foster City voters in San Mateo County, California, on November 6, 2018. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of increasing the local hotel tax from 9.5 percent to 11 percent on January 1, 2019, and to 12 percent on July 1, 2019. |
| A no vote was a vote against increasing the local hotel tax from 9.5 percent to 11 percent on January 1, 2019, and to 12 percent on July 1, 2019. |
Election results
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Foster City, California, Measure TT, Hotel Tax Increase (November 2018) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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8,601 | 74.52% | ||
| No | 2,941 | 25.48% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[1]
| “ |
To provide funding for vital city services such as police, fire, parks, and infrastructure maintenance, and for unrestricted general revenue purposes, shall the City of Foster City adopt an ordinance increasing the transient occupancy tax by hotel guests from the current 9.5% to 11% effective January 1, 2019 through June 30, 2019, increasing to 12% July 1, 2019, providing between approximately $924,000 and $981,000 annually, until repealed or amended by voters?[2] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Foster City City Attorney:
| “ |
State law allows the City of Foster City after a public vote to impose a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) on short term occupants of hotels, motels, inns, or other lodging ("Operators"). This TOT is a tax on the room rent paid by visitors staying at Operators' properties in Foster City for stays of thirty consecutive days or less. This measure, if approved by a majority of the voters, would amend Section 3.20.030 of the Foster City Municipal Code to increase the TOT from the current rate of nine and one-half percent (9.5%) of the room charge to eleven percent (11%) from January-June 2019, and to twelve percent (12%) thereafter. This measure does not affect the method of collection of the TOT and all regulations relating to the existing TOT will remain. The City implemented the original TOT ordinance in 1981. At that time the TOT rate was set at eight percent (8%). This was increased to nine and one half percent (9.5%) in 2012. Foster City's existing rate of nine and one-half percent (9.5%) is the lowest of all the cities in San Mateo County. The proposed rate of twelve percent (12%), if adopted, would bring the City's TOT in line with ten (10) other cities in San Mateo County. Revenues from the TOT are collected by the Operators from their guests and paid to the City. TOT is a general tax, which means that the tax proceeds are deposited into the City's General Fund and may be used for any and all municipal purposes, including, but not limited to the police, fire, maintenance of parks, streets, lagoons, levees, public buildings, and infrastructure. The City estimates that based on current TOT revenues the increase in TOT from nine and one-half percent (9.5%) to twelve percent (12%) would generate approximately $924,000 to $981,000 annually. If this Measure is approved by a majority of the voters, persons staying in hotels and motels in the City of Foster City will pay $1.50 more for each $100.00 of room charge between January-June 2019 and $2.50 more thereafter. This Measure reserves the City Council's right to reduce the TOT in the future without a vote of the people but it does not permit the City Council to raise the rate of the TOT above the authorized rate without additional voter approval. A "Yes" vote on this Measure is a vote in favor of increasing the TOT from nine and one half percent (9.5%) to eleven percent (11%) commencing January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019, and increasing the rate to twelve percent (12%) on July 1, 2019. A "No" vote on this measure is a vote to maintain the TOT at the existing rate of nine and one-half percent (9.5%). This measure will be adopted if it is approved by the majority of the voters voting on this Measure.[2] |
” |
| —Foster City City Attorney[1] | ||
Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing officials of Foster City, California.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 San Mateo County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder and Elections, "November 6, 2018 Election Information," accessed October 8, 2018
- ↑ 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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