Sonoma County, California, Measure G, Sales Tax Increase (March 2020)

Sonoma County Measure G
Election date March 3, 2020
Topic County tax
Status d Defeated
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 sales tax increase measure was on the ballot for voters in Sonoma County, California, on March 3, 2020. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported establishing a 0.5 percent sales tax, in addition to the existing sales tax, to provide funding for disaster and fire services and upgrades in Sonoma County.

A "no" vote opposed establishing a 0.5 percent sales tax, in addition to the existing sales tax, to provide funding for disaster and fire services and upgrades in Sonoma County.

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

Election results

Sonoma County Measure G
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		118,297	64.84%
No		64,146	35.16%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot question

The ballot question was as follows:

“

To improve local fire prevention and protection by: installing emergency warning sirens and alerting systems; improving vegetation management to prevent the spread of wildfire; attracting and retaining qualified, local firefighters and emergency personnel; and, modernizing fire department equipment, facilities and stations, shall Sonoma County establish a 1⁄2-cent sales tax until ended by voters, providing approximately $51,000,000 annually, with annual audits and citizen oversight, and increase its annual appropriations limit to allow expenditure of the proceeds?

”

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Sonoma County Counsel:

“ Measure G asks voters whether the County of Sonoma should impose a 1⁄2-cent special sales tax countywide to be used exclusively to supplement existing funding for disaster alerts, vegetation management, fire suppression and fire-fighting services, and wildfire prevention provided by the 38 fire agencies (including the County of Sonoma) set forth in the Expenditure Plan. The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to place this measure on the ballot. The full text of Measure G, including the Expenditure Plan, is published in this voter information pamphlet. If approved, Measure G would impose a special tax that will provide approximately $51,000,000 of revenue annually. As a special tax, those revenues will be placed in a separate fund maintained in the County Treasury and may be used only for the specific purposes set forth in the full text of Measure G. The Expenditure Plan lists five categories of projects that may be funded by the tax, including: (i) new and improved alert warnings and sirens; (ii) vegetation management, and wildfire prevention, preparedness, and response; (iii) recruitment and retention of firefighters; (iv) incentivizing consolidations and addressing other fire response and prevention needs; and (v) facility improvements and equipment upgrades. Specific projects in each of these categories are listed in the Expenditure Plan. The Expenditure Plan also describes the amount of tax to be allocated to each of the 38 fire agencies. The Expenditure Plan provides that tax proceeds shall be used to supplement existing funding for all benefited agencies and will not be used to supplant an agency’s historical general fund contribution from ad valorem property taxes or parcel taxes. If voters approve Measure G, the Board of Supervisors will establish an Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee to provide transparency and fiscal accountability. The Committee will review the receipts and expenditures from the tax, including the independent audit of each agency’s use of the tax proceeds. Additional Accountability Safeguards include: (i) annual audits of each agency’s use of the tax proceeds conducted by an independent certified public accountancy firm; and (ii) an annual report from each agency submitted to the Citizens’ Oversight Committee detailing the agency’s prior fiscal year activities and updates on specific projects funded by the tax. The tax proposed by Measure G will become effective only if approved by a two-thirds majority of those voting on the measure. A “yes” vote on Measure G will authorize the County to increase the sales tax rate one-half percent, or 1⁄2-cent on each dollar countywide. The new rate would go into effect on October 1, 2020, and remain in effect until ended by voters. The proposed sales tax would be imposed and collected by merchants in the same manner as state-imposed sales tax. Measure G would also raise the County’s spending limit for the maximum period allowed by law to allow the County to spend the revenue raised by the proposed tax. A “no” vote on Measure G will prohibit the County from imposing the proposed sales tax. ”

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 Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2020
• County tax on the ballot
• Local sales tax on the ballot
• Sonoma County measures

California

• March 3, 2020 measures in California
• Local ballot measures, California
• Sonoma County, California

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• Sonoma County Elections Office website