Sonoma, California, Measure S, Hotel Tax Increase (November 2018)
| Measure S: Sonoma 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 Sonoma County, California ballot measures City tax on the ballot |
| See also |
| Sonoma, California |
A hotel tax measure was on the ballot for Sonoma voters in Sonoma 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 and up to 13 percent by 2024. |
| A no vote was a vote against increasing the local hotel tax on hotel guests from 10 percent to 12 percent in 2019 and up to 13 percent by 2024. |
Election results
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Sonoma, California, Measure S, Hotel Tax Increase (November 2018) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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4,452 | 79.91% | ||
| No | 1,119 | 20.09% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[1]
| “ |
To provide funding for infrastructure and general City services including, but not limited to, police, fire, emergency preparedness, streets, parks, open space, and recreation, plus affordable/workforce housing shall City of Sonoma increase the ongoing transient occupancy tax (hotel tax) rate by 2% on January 1, 2019, and authorize an additional 1% increase by January 1, 2024 (estimated $1,125,000 annually all funds used locally), and increase the City's appropriations limit for Fiscal Years 2018/19-2021/22 by the amount of increased tax?[2] |
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Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Sonoma City Attorney:
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If adopted by a majority of City of Sonoma voters, this measure will enact legislation (an ordinance amending Section 3.16.030 of the Sonoma Municipal Code) increasing the transient occupancy tax (“tax”), also generally known as a “hotel tax,” for the purpose of increasing revenues to assist the City in maintaining and enhancing the financial resources of the City to provide services and maintain infrastructure. The City of Sonoma currently imposes a hotel tax at the rate of ten percent (10%) of the rent paid by guests for the privilege of renting hotel rooms or other lodging places in the City on a short-term basis of thirty (30) consecutive days or less. This measure would increase the tax to twelve percent (12%) of the rent beginning January 1, 2019 and, in addition, allow the city council to increase the tax to thirteen percent (13%) by or before January 1, 2024. The entire increase in the hotel tax shall be used for City general fund purposes to be spent only in the City of Sonoma. The tax revenues collected through this measure could be used for such purposes as: police and fire services, emergency pre- paredness, streets, parks, open space, and recreation, and affordable/workforce housing, among other uses. If the measure passes, the City would receive an estimated amount of $750,000 in additional revenue on an annual basis beginning 2019, and then another estimated amount of $375,000 in additional revenue on an annual basis if the City Council increases the TOT an additional one percent (1%) by January 1, 2024 in accordance with the measure (for an estimated total of $1,125,000 annually with both increases). Article XIIIB of the California Constitution establishes a ceiling on local government appropriations. Section 4 of Article XIIIB permits the voters to alter the appropria- tions limit by a majority vote. If approved by a majority of the voters, this measure would increase the appropriations limit in an amount equal to the increase in hotel tax revenues generated under this measure for Fiscal Years 2018/19 through 2021/22. The proposed ordinance was placed on the ballot by the City Council. Since the ordinance does not limit the City’s use of the revenue from the hotel tax it is a general tax. State law authorizes the City to implement this ordinance upon approval by a simple majority of voters who vote on the measure. A “yes” vote would approve an increase in the transient occupancy tax rate to at least 12% and potentially 13%. A “no” vote would reject an increase in the transient occupancy tax rate to at least 12% and potentially 13%.[2] |
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| —Sonoma 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 Sonoma, California.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 City of Sonoma, "Measure S," accessed October 11, 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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