Piedmont, California, Measure T, Parcel Tax (March 2020)

Piedmont Measure T
Election date March 3, 2020
Topic California parcel tax
Status a Approved
Type Referral	Origin Lawmakers
List of California measuresCalifornia Proposition 13 (March)California Proposition 14California Proposition 15California Proposition 16California Proposition 17California Proposition 18California Proposition 19California Proposition 20California Proposition 21California Proposition 22California Proposition 23California Proposition 24California Proposition 25Submit

A Parcel Tax was on the ballot for Piedmont voters in Alameda County, California, on March 3, 2020. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported authorizing the city to update and continue collecting for four years a special services tax for the city's general fund set to expire on June 30, 2021, with tax rates varying by parcel depending on parcel size and the nature of use, at initial rates between $551 and $930 per parcel for single family residences, $930 to $1,395 per developed commercial parcel, $383 per dwelling unit for multi-family residences, or $565 per parcel for parcels divided by tax code area line.

A "no" vote opposed authorizing the city to update and continue collecting for four years a special services tax for the city's general fund set to expire on June 30, 2021, with tax rates varying by parcel depending on parcel size and the nature of use, at initial rates between $551 and $930 per parcel for single family residences, $930 to $1,395 per developed commercial parcel, $383 per dwelling unit for multi-family residences, or $565 per parcel for parcels divided by tax code area line.

A two-thirds (66.67%) vote was required for the approval of Measure T.

Election results

Piedmont Measure T
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		4,874	82.99%
No		999	17.01%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot question

The ballot question was as follows:

“

Shall Ordinance 746 N.S, which maintains essential police, fire, and paramedic services, prevents the reduction in maintenance of City parks, greenspaces and other public areas, and prevents the loss of recreational and other public services, by renewing the City of Piedmont's expiring parcel tax for four years, with annual rates depending on use between $551 and $1,395 per parcel, or $383 per dwelling unit, subject to CPI adjustment, raising approximately $2,424,620 annually, be adopted?

”

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Michelle Marchetta Kenyon, city attorney:

“ Measure ___ proposes to adopt Ordinance No. 746 N.S. (“Ordinance”) that amends Chapter 20B of the Piedmont Municipal Code authorizing the collection of a Municipal Services Special Tax ("Tax"), which has been collected in the City of Piedmont since 1981. Revenue from the Tax goes to the City's General Fund and is used to finance municipal services including, but not limited to, police and fire protection, street maintenance, building regulations, library services, recreation, parks maintenance, planning, and public works. The current Tax will expire on June 30, 2021. Measure ___ authorizes the continuation of the Tax until June 30, 2025. The measure would update the tax rate schedule set forth in Section 20B.4 of the City Code to reflect previous authorized annual increases, but would not otherwise increase the tax rate or change the procedure for setting the rate. The tax rate will vary by parcel depending on parcel size and the nature of use, at initial rates between $551 and $930 per parcel for single family residences, $930 to $1,395 per developed commercial parcel, $383 per dwelling unit for multi-family residences, or $565 per parcel for parcels divided by tax code area line. Pursuant to Measure ___, the City can only consider levying the Tax if in any fiscal year the City Council determines that municipal services are necessary for the public good, welfare and safety and that the cost of providing such services will exceed the amount of funds generated through other revenue of the City. Prior to levying the Tax, the City must conduct a public hearing on the proposed tax. In addition, each year concurrent with the adoption of the annual budget, the City Council will determine the total amount of expenditures necessary to provide adequate levels of municipal services and deduct the projected revenue to be gathered from sources other than the Tax. The difference, if any, is the maximum amount of funds to be derived from the Tax and the Tax, if any, may not exceed the maximum tax rate established in the Ordinance. Under Measure ___ the maximum tax rate will be adjusted on an annual basis by an amount equal to the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, California area, as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, not to exceed a four percent maximum annual increase. Measure ___ authorizes the Tax to be collected by the Tax Collector of the County of Alameda. A “Yes” vote on Measure ___ means the voter is in favor of continuing the existing tax. A “No” vote on Measure ___ means the voter is opposed and the tax would not be renewed. Two-thirds of the qualified voters casting a vote must vote “yes” for Measure ___ to pass. Measure __, or any provision thereof, may only be amended or repealed by approval of a twothirds majority of the voters voting on the proposition at any initiative or referendum election. ”

Full text

The full text of the measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the Piedmont City Council.

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2020
• California parcel tax on the ballot

• Alameda County measures
• Parcel tax

California

• March 3, 2020 measures in California
• Local ballot measures, California
• Piedmont, California
• Parcel tax elections in California

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• City of Piedmont, March 3, 2020 Special Municipal Election website