Your monthly support provides voters the knowledge they need to make confident decisions at the polls. Donate today.
Solano County, California, Sales Tax, Measure A (November 2016)
| Measure A: Solano County Sales Tax |
|---|
|
| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 8, 2016 |
| Status: |
 Defeated
|
| Topic: |
| Local sales tax Expires in: 10 years |
| Related articles |
| Local sales tax on the ballot November 8, 2016 ballot measures in California Solano County, California ballot measures County tax on the ballot |
| See also |
| Solano County, California |
A sales tax measure was on the ballot for Solano County voters in Solano County, California, on November 8, 2016. It was defeated.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of enacting an additional 0.25 percent sales tax to fund general city services. |
| A no vote was a vote against enacting an additional 0.25 percent sales tax to fund general city services. |
Election results
| Measure A | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| No | 84,010 | 53.6% | ||
| Yes | 72,729 | 46.4% | ||
- Election results from Solano County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]
| “ |
Shall the people of Solano County enact a one-quarter of one percent sales tax for general governmental purposes such as improving children’s services to homeless children, preventing child abuse, improving access to high quality childcare and preventative child health care programs, providing employment opportunities for youths and other essential services for ten years and assure public accountability by means of a citizens’ oversight committee and annual audits?[2] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Solano County Counsel:
| “ |
A YES vote on this measure means: The one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) sales tax will be levied for 10 years. A NO vote on this measure means: The one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) sales tax will not be levied. The County of Solano proposes a general transactions and use tax (sales tax) of one-quarter of one cent per dollar (0.25%). The tax will be levied for no more than 10 years unless extended by the voters. The Board of Supervisors placed the measure on the ballot. State law authorizes the County to levy a general sales tax if the ordinance proposing the tax is approved by a two-thirds vote of all members of the Board of Supervisors and the tax is approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the entire county voting in the election. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the tax on August 2, 2016. If a majority of the voters in the County who vote on this measure vote “Yes,” the measure will pass and the sales tax will be levied. The estimated annual revenue generated by this general tax, which is listed on the ballot in the Fiscal Impact Statement, will be deposited into the General Fund and will be available for general governmental purposes, such as improving children's services to homeless children, preventing child abuse, improving access to high quality childcare and preventative child health care programs, providing employment opportunities for youths and other essential services. The Board of Supervisors will annually appropriate the revenue from the tax for general governmental purposes. This measure does not restrict the use of the tax revenue to any specific purpose. The tax will be paid in addition to the current sales tax. Like the current sales tax, the tax will be imposed on all retailers in the incorporated and unincorporated territory of the County for the selling of tangible personal property, subject to certain exemptions and exclusions identified in the measure. An independent citizens’ oversight committee will review the receipt and expenditures of the tax revenue, including the County’s annual independent audit, in conjunction with the County’s budget process. The committee will make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding expenditures from the tax. If approved, the tax will take effect immediately on November 8, 2016 and become operative on April 1, 2017. The tax will terminate in 10 years unless a majority of voters reauthorize the tax at a subsequent election.[2] |
” |
| —Solano County Counsel[1] | ||
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
Supporters
The following individuals signed the official argument in favor of the measure:[1]
- James W (Jay) Speck, Solano County Superintendent of Schools
- Juan Cisneros, President of the Solano Children’s Alliance
- Joanie Erickson, Executive Director of the Solano Coalition for Better Health
- Rev. David C Isom, Senior Pastor of St Stephen CME Church
- Shelee Loughmiller, Program Manager at Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
Arguments in favor
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in favor of the measure:[1]
| “ |
Parents, community members and professionals all agree-children and families in Solano County do not get the support that children in other counties rely on. This is a major barrier to our children’s success in school and in life. Our children deserve better! Two measures on this ballot will create and fund the Solano Fund for Children and invest in preventative programs that will fill some of the gaps confronting local children and their families. Measure A will impose a ¼ cent sales tax throughout the county, raising an estimated 16.8 million dollars per year for ten years. Measure B assures that all Measure A revenues will go entirely to the Solano Fund for Children to serve only Solano children and their families. Money from the Fund will be spent on:
Solano does not get its fair share of state and federal funding for children’s services, and gets almost no private foundation funds at all to support children. If we want to compete with the rest of the region, we have to support our own children by creating the Solano Fund for Children. It is what responsible citizens and caring adults must do. We will make sure that the funds are spent responsibly, efficiently and as promised. This measure includes strict accountability provisions including a citizen’s oversight committee, annual audits and public reporting of all expenditures. We can make sure that every child in our community has the opportunity to succeed, and remember, both measures must pass to assure the creation and funding of the Solano Fund for Children. Join us and Vote “Yes” on Measure A and “Yes” on Measure B![2] |
” |
Opposition
Opponents
The following individuals signed the official argument against the measure:[1]
- Timothy A Bittle, Director of Legal Affairs, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
- George Guynn Jr., President, Solano County Taxpayers Association
Arguments against
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in opposition to the measure:[1]
| “ |
NO on Measure A! It's a blank check! This measure raises the sales tax on every taxable purchase, from gasoline and tires to soap and clothes, with NO GUARANTEE HOW THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT. The bait is companion Measure B, an "advisory only" measure suggesting one way the money could be spent. But that's all it is – BAIT. The County tried the same thing in June. They proposed a sales tax increase coupled with an "advisory" measure suggesting the money could be spent on transportation improvements and road maintenance, hoping we would bite. But we didn't. Since the possibility of pothole repair didn't entice us to raise taxes, the County is now hoping we'll do it "for the children." Like a fisherman trying different lures, the County is dangling different shiny promises hoping that we'll fall for one and raise taxes. But they're not promises. If the County wanted to be bound, it would put the promise here, in the actual tax measure. But this, the actual tax measure, says the revenue "is available for general governmental purposes." Every penny could legally be used for something else, like increasing salaries and pensions. That's why the public employee unions are campaigning for this measure! They want a big slice of that new revenue. Even the promise of "citizen oversight" is hollow. The measure expressly states that oversight shall NOT include "decision-making on spending priorities." Even if the money is given, as suggested, to "nonprofit organizations" providing "services" for children, who are these organizations? How much of their budgets actually help children? Who are these children? Do they live in our city? All unanswered questions. Demand binding promises! Until then, don't raise taxes on seniors, poor people and working families. Vote NO![2] |
” |
Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing officials of Solano County, California.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Solano County Local sales tax. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
| |||||
