San Carlos, California, Measure QQ, Hotel Tax Increase (November 2018)
| Measure QQ: San Carlos 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 |
| San Carlos, California |
A hotel tax measure was on the ballot for San Carlos 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 on hotel guests from 10 percent to 12 percent in 2019 with an annual increase of 0.5 percent, capped at 14 percent. |
| A no vote was a vote against increasing the local hotel tax on hotel guests from 10 percent to 12 percent in 2019 with an annual increase of 0.5 percent, capped at 14 percent. |
Election results
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San Carlos, California, Measure QQ, Hotel Tax Increase (November 2018) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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11,824 | 78.32% | ||
| No | 3,273 | 21.68% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[1]
| “ |
To maintain the quality of life in San Carlos by providing services and improvements to accommodate visitors and residents, enhance public safety, community development, parks and recreation programs, street repair and traffic circulation, and for unrestricted general revenue purposes, shall an ordinance be adopted increasing the ongoing tax on hotel guests from 10% to 12% with a 0.5% increase per year for subsequent years up to a maximum rate of 14% adding approximately $1,650,000 annually?[2] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the San Carlos City Attorney:
| “ |
State law allows the City of San Carlos after a public vote to impose a transient occupancy tax (TOT) on short term occupants of hotels, motels, inns, or other lodging ("Operators"). The TOT is a tax on the room rent paid by visitors staying at Operators' properties in San Carlos for stays of thirty consecutive days or less. This measure, if approved by a majority of the voters, would amend Chapter 3.24 of the San Carlos Municipal Code to increase the TOT rate from the current rate of 10% to 12% of the defined rent charges. This change of rate would become effective January 1, 2019. The rate would increased each January 1 at a rate of 0.5% per year up to a maximum rate of 14% of the defined rent charged by Operators. This Measure may have a minor effect on the method of collection of TOT because the definitions of charges subject to the TOT will reflect changes in the services provided by hotels that are related to the room rate charge and updates the definition of "hotel" to include online rental services, if allowed in the future. Revenues from the TOT are collected by Operators from guests and paid to the City. The TOT is a general tax, which means that the tax proceeds are depoisted into the City's general fund and used for unrestricted general revenue purposes including but not limited to: police and fire protection; park maintenance, street repair, and traffic circulation. If this Measure is approved by a majority of the voters, persons staying in hotels or motels and other transient rentals in the City of San Carlos will initially pay $2.00 more for each $100.00 of room charges beginning in 2019 which will increase by $0.50 per year until fully implemented to $4.00 more per $100.00 of room charges. Once fully implemented, the tax on $100 in room charges will be $14. This measure does not prevent the City Council from reducing the rate of TOT to less than the authorized rates. This Measure does not permit the City Council to raise the rate of the TOT above the authorized rates without additional voter approval. A "Yes" vote on this Measure is a vote in favor of increasing the TOT from 10% to 12% effective January 1, 2019, to 12.5% commencing on January 1, 2020; to 13% commencing January 1, 2021; to 13.5% commencing January 1, 2022; and to 14% commencing on January 1, 2023. A "No" vote on this Measure is a vote to maintain the TOT at the existing rate of 10%. This measure will be adopted if it is approved by a majority of the voters voting on this Measure.[2] |
” |
| —San Carlos 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 governing officials of San Carlos, 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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