HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 5.D 7/21/2014•- 1 r• - of 10
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DATE: July 21, 2014
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FROM:
SUBJECT:
Ionorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
John C. Brown, City ManagwA:�
Discussion and Possible Approval of Resolution of Non -Support for a
Countywide Quarter Cent Sales Tax Measure on the November 2014 Ballot
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It is recommended that the City Council consider the addition of this item to the agenda; and if
added, consider adopting the attached Resolution of Non -Support for a Countywide Quarter Cent
Sales Tax Measure on the November 2014 Ballot.
BACKGROUND
Pursuant to Rule II (A)(3) of the Council's Rules, Policies and Procedures, after the draft agenda
has been approved by the City Council, and before the posting of said agenda for the City
Council meeting in which the items will be addressed, additional items shall be placed on said
agenda when the City Manager receives a request by two Councilmembers, either verbally or in
writing, that an item be added to the agenda. An item added in this manner will be addressed by
the Council if a majority of the Councilmembers present at the meeting votes to address the item.
DISCUSSION
The attached request was received from Councilmembers Miller, Healy and Kearney asking that
this item be agendized for the July 21, 2014 meeting. The attached documents were provided as
part of that correspondence and are also included for the Council's information and
consideration.
ATTACHNIE NTS
1. Resolution
2. Request from Councilmembers Miller, Healy and Kearney
Agenda Review:
City Attornev Finance Director
City Maio -g 11
RESOLUTION OF NON-SUPPORT FOR A COUNTYWIDE QUARTER CENT SALES
TAX MEASURE ON THE NOVEMBER 2014 BALLOT
WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma is currently contemplating placing a measure on the
November 2014 ballot giving Petaluma voters the opportunity to raise the local sales tax to fund
local projects including repairing aging streets and sidewalks, modernizing and expanding fire
stations, replacing outdated fire engines, ambulances and police cars, restoring police officer
positions, modernizing the police station, completing flood protection projects, and completing
the Rainier Cross-town Connector and Interchange project; and
WHEREAS, scientifically valid public opinion polling confirms more than sufficient
voter support to pass a properly crafted local tax measure for these critically important purposes;
and
WHEREAS, at the sante time, the County of Sonoma is contemplating placing on the
Countywide ballot in November, 2014, its own quarter cent local sales tax measure, primarily to
repair neral roads; and
WHEREAS, 70 percent of Sonoma County's residents live within the city limits of the
County's nine cities, and those residents could be expected to pay 70 percent of any new
Countywide sales tax; and
WHEREAS, the County's network of primary roads is in good condition, and the
County's primary need is to maintain small remote roads rarely used by city residents; and
WHEREAS, the current draft County sales tax measure would provide limited finding
to the City of Petaluma for road maintenance, but in amounts insufficient to resolve Petahmia's
road maintenance problems in a satisfactory manner; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Countywide sales tax measure would provide no funding for
any of the other critical priorities targeted for Petaluma's local tax measure; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Countywide sales tax contains no funding to complete the
widening of Highway101 to the Marin -Sonoma County line, the completion of which project
currently has no identified funding source; and
WHEREAS, polling reveals that the addition of the contemplated Countywide measure
would undermine voter support for Petaluma's local measure; and
WHEREAS, the County's threatened unilateral action to place a sales tai: measure on the
ballot that purportedly helps the City of Petaluma, but in reality undermines the City's own
efforts, would be counterproductive and could lead to the defeat of both measures.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of
Petaluma expresses its non-support for a proposed Countywide sales tax measure that would
provide funding for local street maintenance but in amounts insufficient to do the job, and at the
same time, fails to provide any funding to complete the regionally important widening of
Highway 101.
MEMORANDUM
RECEIVED
JUL 14 2011
To: John Brown CITY CLERK
Subject: Aeenda Reauest
Pursuant to Rule II(A)(3) of the Council's Rules, Policies and Procedures, the
undersigned hereby request that the fottowmg itern be added to the agenda for the
Council's July 21, 2014 meeting:
Resolution of the City Council of the City of Petaluma of
Non -Support for County -Wide Quarter Cent Sales Tax Measure
on the November 2014 Ballot.
Dated: July 11, 2014f�/_
Dated: July 1`1-2014
Dated: July`(J,, 2014