Sonoma County, California, Hotel Tax, Measure L (November 2016)
| Measure L: Sonoma County Hotel Tax |
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| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 8, 2016 |
| Status: |
 Approved
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| Topic: |
| Local hotel tax Expires in: Never |
| Related articles |
| Local hotel tax on the ballot November 8, 2016 ballot measures in California Sonoma County, California ballot measures County tax on the ballot |
| See also |
| Sonoma County, California |
A hotel tax measure was on the ballot for Sonoma County voters in Sonoma County, California, on November 8, 2016. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of increasing the county's transient occupancy tax from 9 percent to 12 percent until repealed. |
| A no vote was a vote against increasing the county's transient occupancy tax from 9 percent to 12 percent until repealed. |
Election results
| Measure L | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 149,472 | 68.21% | ||
| No | 69,666 | 31.79% | ||
- Election results from Sonoma County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]
| “ |
To address the impacts of tourists by investing in roads, emergency response, workforce housing for families and veterans, water quality protection, and other County services, shall Sonoma County increase the transient occupancy tax from 9% to 12%, until repealed, and paid only by guests staying overnight at lodging facilities within the unincorporated area, in line with many neighboring cities and counties, providing $4 million annually to local County services, subject to annual audits?[2] |
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Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Sonoma County Counsel:
| “ |
Measure L asks voters whether the County should increase its transient occupancy tax which is assessed on persons occupying lodging for a period of thirty consecutive days or less. The tax applies to various types of lodging, including vacation rentals, hotels, motels, recreational vehicle parks, and campgrounds. The tax is collected by the lodging operator and remitted to the Sonoma County Tax Collector. For over two decades, the transient occupancy tax rate in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County has been nine percent, or nine cents on each dollar of the rate charged. If approved, this measure will amend the current transient occupancy tax ordinance to increase the transient occupancy tax rate in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County to twelve percent, or twelve cents on each dollar of the rate charged. The transient occupancy tax is a general tax. Revenues from the transient occupancy tax rate increase may be used for general governmental purposes, including those to offset the impacts of tourists, road maintenance, emergency response services, fire safety, workforce housing for families and veterans, water quality protection, and other County services. In the past, approximately 75 percent of the amount collected has been appropriated under the guidelines of the County Advertising and Promotions Program. State law permits a county to levy a tax on guests occupying temporary lodging located in the unincorporated area of the county. This measure would increase the transient occupancy tax rate only as to lodging in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County. The measure would not change the transient occupancy tax rate for lodging located within incorporated cities. Transient occupancy rates currently applicable in the cities of Sonoma County vary from nine to twelve percent. The ordinance increasing the transient occupancy tax rate from nine to twelve percent will become effective only if approved by a majority of those voting on the measure. A “yes” vote on Measure L will authorize the County to increase the transient occupancy tax by three-percent increase as described above, and the new tax rate would take effect on January 1, 2017. A “no” vote will not increase the tax rate, and the County will continue to collect the transient occupancy tax at its current rate. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the ordinance to increase the existing transient occupancy tax and voted to place Measure L on the ballot for voter approval. The full text of Measure L follows this analysis.[2] |
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| —Sonoma County Counsel[1] | ||
Full text
The full text of the measure was available here.
Support
Supporters
The following individuals signed the official argument in favor of the measure:[1]
- David Rabbitt, Sonoma County Supervisor
- Jack Buckhorn, executive director, North Bay Labor Council
- Paula Cook, veterans' housing builder
- Doug Williams, chairman, Sonoma County Fire Advisory Council
- Pam Chanter, chair, Sonoma County Economic Development Board
Arguments in favor
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in favor of the measure:[1]
| “ |
Sonoma County’s Transient Occupancy Tax (also known as “TOT” or “Tourist Tax”) is charged only to guests who stay overnight in our hotels, inns, vacation rentals, and campgrounds. This tax is one of the most direct ways for our County to collect revenue from visitors, which helps address the impacts of tourism. Visitors use our roads, emergency services, and other county services, and impact our environment and natural resources, as they enjoy all Sonoma County has to offer. Raising the TOT is a fair way to recover increased costs associated with visitor stays in the County. Measure L will not raise taxes for residents. The County’s TOT rate has been 9% for over 20 years. Many local cities and comparable counties have TOT rates (including tourism assessments for cities) greater than the proposed increase. Measure L levels the playing field and will keep the TOT rate equal to or below taxes in neighboring cities and counties such as Napa County, San Francisco City and County, Sacramento County, Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Sonoma, Rohnert Park, and Windsor. These communities are collecting their fair share and so should we. Measure L reduces the burden on residents to pay for County services. Measure L will generate an estimated additional $4 million a year. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors members have expressed their intent to allocate the increased revenue in line with County policy to fix our roads, and to fund fire and emergency services, workforce development, workforce housing, vacation rental code enforcement, and water quality protection. We enjoy the luxury of living in a world class destination. Let’s ensure that distinction is protected by asking visitors to pay their share. Measure L keeps our tourism industry competitive while addressing its impacts. Please join us in supporting Measure L.[2] |
” |
Opposition
Opponents
The following individuals signed the official argument against the measure:[1]
- Timothy Hannan, president, Sonoma County Taxpayers Association
Arguments against
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in opposition to the measure:[1]
| “ |
Here we go again - - more taxes. This time the tax would come in the form of an increase in the rate of tax on tourists and other out-of-town guests staying in hotels and motels. The room rate would be increased from 9% to 12%. How much more of a financial strain can the County put on tourists before they begin to say “Let’s go somewhere else”? Let’s not find out. More importantly, this increase in the tax on tourists would be a general tax, meaning that the revenue could be used for anything the supervisors want. By far the biggest budgetary problem facing the supervisors is the County employee pension problem. One year ago, an Independent Citizens Advisory Committee on Pension Matters was formed to examine the pension problem. The Committee noted: “The total annual cost of employee pensions is approximately 36% of (the County’s) payroll, and career employees can take home more in pension and Social Security benefits when retired than they took home while working.” Meanwhile, the ever-increasing burden of County employee pensions continues to eat into funds needed for such essentials as road repair and public safety. As the Committee noted, what is needed at the Board of Supervisors is “a higher sense of urgency in pension reform efforts to reduce costs, free resources, and reduce risk.” Measures to increase general tax revenue, such as Measure L, would only reduce that needed sense of urgency. That would head the supervisors away from fiscal responsibility, which would be the wrong direction. Vote no on Measure L.[2] |
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Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing officials of Sonoma County, California.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Sonoma County Local hotel tax. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Sonoma County Registrar of Voters, "Consolidated General Election Sample Ballot and Voter Information Pamphlet," accessed November 3, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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