Watsonville, California, Hotel Tax, Measure J (November 2016)
| Measure J: Watsonville 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 Santa Cruz County, California ballot measures City tax on the ballot |
| See also |
| Watsonville, California |
A hotel tax measure was on the ballot for Watsonville voters in Santa Cruz County, California, on November 8, 2016. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of authorizing the city to increase its hotel tax from 10 percent to 11 percent. |
| A no vote was a vote against authorizing the city to increase its hotel tax from 10 percent to 11 percent. |
Election results
| Measure J | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 9,628 | 75.24% | ||
| No | 3,169 | 24.76% | ||
- Election results from Santa Cruz County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]
| “ |
To protect the quality of life in Watsonville by limiting further cuts to police, fire, emergency services, parks and recreation, economic development, job creation, and essential city services; shall the City of Watsonville be authorized to levy an additional one percent of Transient Occupancy Tax on people staying at lodging facilities in the City?[2] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Watsonville City Attorney:
| “ |
Article 3 of Chapter 6 of Title 3 of the Watsonville Municipal Code has levied a 10% transient occupancy tax since 1964 on each hotel or motel guest in the City. The City Council voted to approve the proposed tax but it can only go into effect if it is also approved by a majority of voters at the November 2016 election. This ballot measure, if approved by City voters, would increase that tax rate from 10% to 11% of the rent charged by the hotel or motel operator. This transient occupancy tax is a general tax meaning that all tax revenue is deposited in the City's General Fund and is available to pay for the costs of all City operations and programs including police and fire protection, parks and recreation programs, economic and employment development, and other essential City services. This ballot measure therefore proposes a "general purpose tax" rather than a "special purpose tax" and requires a simple majority vote for adoption. Since many of the City's hotel/motel guests are non-City residents who are tourists or City visitors, much of the increased tax revenue generated by this measure, if adopted by the voters, would be paid by non-City residents. Proceeds will underwrite the costs of providing municipal services to these visitors while here and to City residents. A “Yes” vote will increase the tax from 10% to 11%. A “No” vote will leave the tax unchanged. The above statement is an impartial analysis of the proposed transient occupancy tax increase ordinance. [2] |
” |
| —Watsonville 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 Watsonville, California.
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Santa Cruz County Elections Office, "Local Measures on the November 8, 2016 Ballot," accessed November 14, 2016
- ↑ 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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