Voters Approve Sale Tax Measures to Fund City Services

Voters in several Contra Costa County cities on Tuesday appear to have passed sales tax measures meant to provide funding for municipal services such police and fire response, street maintenance and public health programs. In Concord, voters passed Measure Q, which continues until 2025 a half-cent sales tax that had been set to expire in 2016. The sales tax measure, which passed by a landslide with 76 percent of the vote, according to unofficial election figures, is meant to continue funding that cannot be seized by the state to maintain a range of crime prevention and response services as well as programs for seniors and youth.

Voters in Richmond passed Measure U by 54 percent, according to unofficial election results. The measure, which will add a permanent half-cent to the city’s sales tax, puts Richmond’s sales tax at 9.5 percent. City Councilman Tom Butt, who appears to have been elected as Richmond’s mayor on Tuesday, has said revenue from the sales tax could be used to bridge the city’s $7 million budget deficit.

In neighboring El Cerrito, Measure R garnered 70 percent of the vote, unofficial election results show. That measure extends and doubles an existing half-cent sales tax approved by El Cerrito voters in 2010 that had been scheduled to expire in 2017. With the passage of Measure R, that tax will be extended until 2027.

Measure S, a similar half-cent sales tax measure in Pinole, appears to have passed with 52 percent of the vote, according to unofficial election tallies. Income from the permanent half-cent sales tax is meant to help maintain the city’s police and fire services, prevent cuts to street and parks maintenance services and prevent cuts to youth, family and senior recreation programs.

By Bay City News