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Town of Atherton Parcel Tax, Measure S (November 2009)
A Town of Atherton parcel tax, Measure S ballot question was on the November 3, 2009 ballot for voters in the Town of Atherton in San Mateo County, where it was approved.[1]
Measure S extended for four years a parcel tax already in force in the Town of Atherton that is earmarked for:
- Police emergency response services
- Street repair and maintenance
- Drainage facility repair and maintenance
- Capital improvements.
The existing parcel tax was about $750 for most parcels in the town. It generated about $1.86 million annually, and was set to expire in June 2010.[2]
A 2/3rds supermajority vote was required to approve Measure S.[3]
Election results
| Measure S | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 1,426 | 78.0% | ||
| No | 403 | 22.0% | ||
- These final, certified, results are from the San Mateo County elections office.
About Atherton
Atherton is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California. Its population was 7,194 at the 2000 census. It is one of the wealthiest cities in the United States, with a median family income of about $150,000.[4]
According to the town's website, "Atherton is located on the peninsula nestled between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The Town begins in the flatlands then moves westward to the hills, until it reaches Highway 280. Beautiful foliage, elegant gardens and heritage trees dominate this quiet small community. The Town of Atherton desires, insofar as possible, to preserve its character as a scenic, rural, thickly-wooded, residential area, with abundant open space with streets designed primarily as scenic routes rather than for speed of travel."
Support
Atherton Mayor Jerry Carlson supported Measure S. He said, "We did some polling on what the concerns of the community were, and public safety is right up there and, of course, just maintaining our streets and roads. All the things that are the highest concerns are the kinds of things that would be covered by parcel tax dollars."[3]
Supporters of Measure S and the related Measure T raised $10,000 for their campaign through mid-October 2009. Donors to the campaign fund included Mindy Rogers and Jeffrey Wise, who each gave $500.[5]
Opposition
Although there was no organized opposition, some voters argued for a "no" vote on Measure S at public meetings. Mayor Jerry Carlson told a local reporter that, in his opinion, these people were motivated by "anti-tax philosophies."[3]
Ballot question
The question on the ballot:
| Measure S: "To continue providing funding to maintain neighborhood police patrols and the Town’s ability to respond to emergencies, repair and maintain streets, and repair and construct storm drains, shall an ordinance be adopted to continue the existing Town of Atherton Special Parcel Tax for four years?"[6] |
See also
- Town of Atherton Increase in Appropriations Limit, Measure T (November 2009)
- Parcel tax elections in California
External links
- Analysis of Measure S
- Argument in favor of Measure S
- San Mateo local ballot measures, November 2009
- Website of the Town of Atherton
- City of Atherton's information on Measure S (dead link)
Footnotes
- ↑ San Francisco Examiner, "Shoppers' tax burden could rise," October 9, 2009
- ↑ Almanac News, "Atherton voters asked to renew parcel tax," October 15, 2009
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mercury News, "Atherton residents to vote on parcel tax," October 14, 2009
- ↑ List of areas by per capita income (dead link)
- ↑ Almanac News, "Atherton parcel tax campaign raises $10,000," October 30, 2009
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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