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Uploaded: Tuesday, July 24, 2012, 4:29 PM
Supervisors vote 4-1 to put sales tax on ballot
San Mateo County voters to decide fate of half-cent increase
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by Sandy Brundage
Almanac Staff
It might be like making a speech to a hostile audience when the county writes its argument in support of a half-cent sales tax increase for the November ballot. After all, voters defeated two of three tax hikes in June, and very nearly killed the third, a tax on rental car businesses that passed by only 197 votes.
Undaunted, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1, with Supervisor Dave Pine dissenting, to put the sales tax increase to a vote. The proposed ordinance would raise the county sales tax to 8.75 percent from 8.25 percent for the next 10 years.
Supervisors Adrienne Tissier and Don Horsley proposed the increase, citing the need to maintain critical county services in the face of continuing government budget cuts and rising employee benefit expenses.
"We have done all that we can legally do" to reduce benefit costs, Mr. Horsley said in a press release after Tuesday's (July 24) decision. "Now the community has an important decision to make: Are we going to continue to see the erosion of our parks and roads, longer wait times to see a doctor in our network of clinics and cutbacks in services to children or are we going to take a bold step to protect our community's health and safety?"
Mr. Pine worried the increase might hurt those who can least afford it. "There are many important needs in San Mateo County particularly within our health-care delivery system. I believe a quarter-cent sales tax, combined with other revenues which are now growing, would meet those needs," he told the Almanac.
"But a half-cent sales tax may cause harm to local businesses, disproportionately impact lower-income residents, and make it more difficult for local cities or other agencies, such as Caltrain, to also levy a sales tax for other critical needs. For these reasons, I supported a more modest tax proposal."
Staff projected the increase will add about $60 million a year to the county's general fund after state administrative fees are paid. The Board of Supervisors will control how to spend the money; helping county hospitals, after-school programs and parks were raised as possibilities.
It's not the only tax increase going to voters. Also on the Nov. 6 ballot: State Proposition 30, which would raise the state-wide sales tax by 0.25 percentage points. If voters approve both measures, the sales tax rate in San Mateo County would go to 9 percent a rate that would tie with Alameda County as the highest of nine Bay Area counties, according to data provided by Mr. Pine.
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Posted by Bob, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Jul 24, 2012 at 5:34 pm "Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
Albert Einstein
We obvious have really intelligent elected officials -- MP city council wants to raise the hotel tax when the county voted it down in June; the Board of Supervisors want to raise the sales tax to add to the general fund when the county voted down tax increases in June; and the legislature and governor want to raise taxes to fund HSR when other viable programs are cut and the state is going broke. The feds want to raise taxes too. Pretty soon we won't have any money left to pay for government.
Just say NO to more taxes.
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Posted by Menlo Voter, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Jul 24, 2012 at 6:39 pm I'll be saying NO. Our politicians just don't seem to have "cutting expenses" in their lexicon. Until they do, they'll get no more voluntary money from me.
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Posted by Peter Carpenter, a resident of the Atherton: Lindenwood neighborhood, on Jul 24, 2012 at 6:40 pm
Peter Carpenter is a member (registered user) of Almanac Online "the need to maintain critical county services in the face of continuing government budget cuts and rising benefit expenses."
The taxpayers' well is dry.
The answer is to cut expenses, eliminate programs and to control benefits by negotiations and outsourcing.
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Posted by new guy, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Jul 24, 2012 at 8:18 pm Wait! You want more of my money because???
Oh, right! HSR!!! Sorry no thanks!
Dream act!!! Sorry, but my company cannot even hire those graduates!!!!
Everything else!!! Sorry, but no thanks!
The truth of this is this. I have 2 young children. What do I teach them to be successful in life? At this point, I would tell them to join a public union, retire at 50 or so. Don't get 2 degrees, work your tail off for 10 years to afford a nice little house in a nice neighborhood. As long as you are union, have it all given to you as an "entitlement", since you need to live in the town where you have your cushy job and don't have to work too hard, since you gave up """HUGE""" money to work in the public sectore...
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Posted by Bob, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Jul 24, 2012 at 9:32 pm The Board of Supervisors wants to increase the sales tax just after giving the new Controller an 11% raise.
If this is financial responsibility, we're doomed.
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Posted by John Kevranian, a resident of another community, on Jul 24, 2012 at 10:57 pm I applaud Supervisor Dave Pine for voting against the sales tax proposal. Businesses in San Mateo County are struggling, and families are having a hard time making ends meet. It's hard enough for our local businesses to compete with online companies who are not charging sales tax for online purchases. Keep up the good work Supervisor Pine!
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Posted by not bob, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Jul 25, 2012 at 12:07 am Recent measures T, U and X were intended to tax tourists and visitors on San Mateo County. Only measure T (rental car tax) passed by a few hundred votes with 50.1%. Now the board is proposing a sales tax on residents. We predict this sales tax measure will be slaughtered at the ballot box.
Bob commented above that Menlo Park city council wants to raise the hotel tax when the county voted it down in June. Bob will be pleased to learn that Menlo Park's elected officials listen to the voters of Menlo Park. On page 188 of the Statement of the Vote (Web Link) we can see that Menlo Park voters approved the Measure U (hotel tax) by 146 votes with 52.5%.
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Posted by common sense, a resident of the Atherton: Lindenwood neighborhood, on Jul 25, 2012 at 1:18 pm Do these elected officials live in a bubble? As John stated above, I also applaud Dave Pine for voting against the tax increase, and the others should be removed from office. We are already taxed too much and to add even more taxation is just plain crazy! Our society is going to implode if we don't stop runaway spending and irresponsible government.
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Posted by Joanna, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Jul 25, 2012 at 1:51 pm How dare they ask for more money! Reform and cut expenses first.
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Posted by Michael G. Stogner, a resident of another community, on Jul 25, 2012 at 2:06 pm This is simple we San Mateo County need 2 different Supervisors to add to Dave Pine.
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Posted by Michael G. Stogner, a resident of another community, on Jul 25, 2012 at 2:16 pm 2 of our 4 Supervisors were appointed NOT elected
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Posted by Carlisle, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Jul 25, 2012 at 5:59 pm Spread the word..."Not another dime" until the systemic issues and the waste within local government that have caused the deficits are dealt with.
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Posted by Irate Voter, a resident of the Menlo Park: Allied Arts/Stanford Park neighborhood, on Jul 25, 2012 at 8:41 pm It's so easy for politicians to spend other peoples' money and pretend they're do-gooders. Well, not mine! I'll remember the names Tissier and Horsley for a long time. Down and out they go! And all those who ever vote for tax increases with no mention of spending cuts. Throw the bums out at ALL levels of government! Anti-incumbent here we come!
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