Trinity County Hotel Tax Increase, Measure W (November 2015)

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Measure info Amount: Increase to 10% Expires: Never

A hotel tax incrase was on the ballot for voters in Trinity County, California, on November 3, 2015. It was defeated.

Measure W would have increased the county's hotel tax from 5 percent to 10 percent, with revenue earmarked in the following way:

• 30 percent for tourism marketing
• 20 percent for county volunteer fire departments
• 50 percent for the sheriff's department

In 2019, the percentages would have changed to:

• 50 percent for tourism marketing
• 30 percent for the sheriff's department
• 20 percent for the fire departments

The ballot question stated that the county would not be authorized to collect more than $2 million in additional revenue from this tax. Critics of the tax pointed out that the average revenue from the last five years for the county's existing 5 percent tax was about $213,000.

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

Election results

Trinity County, Measure W
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		1,112	41.32%
Yes		1,579	58.68%

Election results from Trinity County Elections Office

Text of measure

Ballot question

The following question appeared on the ballot:

“

Shall the County of Trinity adopt an ordinance amending section 3.28 of the Trinity County Code by imposing a special five percent (5%) tax charged to guests of hotels and motels under the County’s Transient Occupancy Tax Ordinance for the purpose of providing more funding to local law enforcement, fire protection and promotion of tourism, with the maximum amount collected not exceeding two million dollars $2,000,000 per calendar year?

”

Support

Supporters

Representatives of the following groups and organizations signed the official argument in favor of Measure W:

• Trinity County Board of Supervisors
• Trinity County Arts Council
• Trinity County Friends of the Library

Arguments in favor

Official argument

The following official argument was submitted in favor of Measure W:

“	To support and grow our local tourism economy, and to partially address the increased demand on public safety, the Trinity County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution for a special election to create an additional special transient occupancy tax of 5%. Measure W increases the existing Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) from 5% to 10%, collected by hotels from their guests. A portion of those funds have historically been used for the purpose of promoting Trinity County to increase overall tourism, an important economic sector for the county. Shasta and Humboldt Counties currently collect 10% from hotelguests and have focused heavily on tourism as part of their economic future. While some of this new revenue will go towards tourism promotion, there will also be funding dedicated to public safety to support the Sheriff's Department and County Volunteer Fire Departments, both of which have increased demand and need. The breakdown for each year is: 30% Tourism Marketing, 20% County Volunteer Fire Departments and 50% to the Sheriffs Department. In 2019, the percentages shift to 50% for Marketing, 30% for the Sheriff Department and 20% continues for the fire departments. Because this special tax requires 2/3 approval, not just 5O% +1, this revenue can only be used for these three functions and stated purposes, as specified, every year. As tourism increases with the help of these additional marketing funds TOT dollars should increase overall, providing a natural revenue increase to these specific entities every year. A stronger tourism economy also enhances stability in other local businesses which strengthens the overall economy. We believe that the voters of Trinity County can make an informed decision about their support for expanding our local tourism economy and these vital public safety services. Please support Measure W and help your community.	”
—The Trinity County Board of Supervisors, the Trinity County Arts Council and the Trinity County Friends of the Library

Opposition

Opponents

Arnold Whitridge signed the official argument in opposition to Measure W:

Arguments against

Official argument

The following official argument was submitted in opposition to Measure W:

“	Measure W is chiefly a proposed response to problems associated with the marijuana industry in our county. Unfortunately, it's insufficient for the purpose, not the best tool for the job, and a poor substitute for effective action by the County. Please consider: 1. The proposition is potentially misleading by its reference to raising not more than $2,000,000. Based on the five most recent years, the new tax would in fact generate an annual average of $213,000 (actually $170,000 useable, once tax collection administrative costs are deducted), nothing close to $2,000,000. The revenues would not be required to combat problems caused by illegal marijuana, and are not nearly enough to take meaningful steps toward the announced purposes. This relatively small dribble of tax money is not a solution for anything, it's more an attempt to divert public attention from County inaction. 2. The proposition does not guarantee that the tax revenue would result in net increased county spending on the announced purposes, only that these particular tax revenues would be earmarked for those purposes. Meanwhile county general funds in the affected budgets could be reduced or diverted to other purposes. 3. AB 266 which is now in the California's legislature would authorize a county to impose a tax on the cultivation, processing, and dispensing of medical marijuana. That tax would be for specific purposes like marijuana related code enforcement, and enforcement of existing criminal laws, which still define cultivation and possession for sale of non-medical marijuana as felonies. Let's require the County to get its act together before doubling the tax on innocent visitors, and let's put our efforts into backing proposals like AB 266 that are more reliably focused on marijuana issues.	”
—Arnold Whitridge

Path to the ballot

Measure W was put on the ballot by a vote of the Trinity County Board of Supervisors.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Trinity County hotel tax Measure W. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Trinity County Hotel Tax Increase, Measure W (November 2015) - Google News

See also

• Local hotel tax on the ballot
• Trinity County, California ballot measures
• November 3, 2015 ballot measures in California

External links

Suggest a link

• Trinity County Elections Office website