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Election Results
Passed
3,347 votes yes (52.68%)
3,006 votes no (47.32%)
100% of precincts reporting (3/3).
6,940 ballots counted.
To provide funding for maintaining major streets and sidewalks, supporting local business recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining essential 9-1-1 emergency medical and fire services, property crime and youth violence prevention, and neighborhood policing services, and other general city services; shall the City of Grover Beach enact a 1% Transaction and Use Tax (Sales Tax) with public oversight providing $1,800,000 annually to the general fund unless repealed by voters with all funds staying in Grover Beach?"
What is this proposal?
Details — Official information
Impartial analysis / Proposal
David P. Hale City Attorney
The City Council of the City of Grover Beach has placed Measure F-20 on the November 3, 2020 ballot to ask the voters to approve an ordinance that would enact an increase of one (1) % to the City’s Transaction and Use Tax (Sales Tax). The City’s current Sales Tax rate includes the statewide rate of 7.25% plus an additional 0.5% rate approved by voters in 2006 through Measure X-06. The City’s current rate is the same as all other cities in San Luis Obispo County though is lower than rates in Monterey and Santa Barbara counties. If approved, the 1% sales tax increase would generate approximately $1.8 million in general revenue for City services and community needs. The average cost per household is an estimated $16 per month with approximately 40% of the revenues estimated to be generated by visitors to the community.
Measure F-20 amends Grover Beach Municipal Code Section 101504 which increases the Sales Tax to 1.5%. This measure was placed on the ballot by the City Council of the City of Grover Beach by unanimous vote on July 20, 2020. Consistent with current Grover Beach Municipal Code Chapter 15 of Article X, the Measure F-20 Transactions and Use Tax will continue to be collected in the same way as the current Sales Tax on the sale of tangible personal property sold at retail and on the storage, use, or other consumption of tangible personal property purchased from any retailer in the city limits. Measure F-20 is a general tax, as opposed to a special tax, and revenues from Measure F-20 will be deposited into the City’s General Fund to be used for any City operation or service, including but not limited to: major street repairs and sidewalk improvements, business support and assistance, and fire and emergency medical and neighborhood policing services.
Measure F-20 also establishes an expanded version of the existing Citizen Oversight Committee for City Revenue Measures. The Citizen Oversight Committee will continue to be an active oversight committee to review and report to the City Council and public annually on all Measure F-20 tax expenditures. To become law, Measure F-20 must be approved by a majority (50% plus one vote) of the voters in the City of Grover Beach voting in this election.
Published Arguments — Arguments for and against
Arguments FOR
Your City Council asks you to vote YES on Measure F-20, which will add a 1% local sales tax to continue helping Grover Beach move forward in addressing important community needs. This measure will generate revenue that would stay in Grover Beach and support a range of projects and services such as repairing and maintaining major streets, sidewalks, supporting local businesses recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and maintaining emergency medical, fire, and police services.
Grover Beach has a track record of careful financial management and prudent reserves to meet community needs despite having one of the smallest budgets in the county. The City is repairing local streets with voter-approved bond funding and replacing aging water and sewer infrastructure with grant funds and revenue from utility rates. However, we face growing unfunded community needs including $10 million to repair major streets such as West Grand Avenue, miles of sidewalk infill to improve pedestrian accessibility, support for businesses impacted by COVID-19, and low public safety staffing levels that limit community outreach work. Measure F-20 would provide ongoing funding to meet community needs and help improve our quality of life.
Measure F-20 will generate additional tax revenue paid largely by tourists and visitors rather than residents. The measure would add a 1% local sales tax to the 0.5% local tax established in 2006 while keeping our sales taxes comparable with other cities. Measure F-20 would provide ongoing revenue to support local needs and the funds cannot be taken by the State. Measure F-20 also requires public oversight through audits and a citizen oversight committee.
We realize that the public will make the final decision on investing additional funding to support community needs. We urge you to vote YES on Measure F-20 to continue our collective progress in moving Grover Beach forward.
s/ Jeff Lee, Mayor
s/ Karen Bright, Mayor Pro Tem
s/ Mariam Shah, Council Member
s/ Desi Lance, Council Member
Arguments AGAINST
NO ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE F-20 WAS SUBMITTED
Read the proposed legislation
