Manhattan Beach Prepares For Election: City Council, Measure A

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA – Manhattan Beach voters will head to the polls tomorrow, March 5, to elect two new City Council members and vote on a ballot measure that would increase the city’s hotel bed tax.

Seven candidates are vying to replace two termed out councilmembers, Amy Howorth and David Lesser. The candidates are: Mark Burton, Joe Franklin, Suzanne Hadley, Wayne Powell, Hildy Stern, Joseph A. Ungoco and Brian Withers. The new councilmembers will serve four-year terms ending in November 2022.

Manhattan Beach will also vote on Measure A, coined "Manhattan Beach’s Quality of Life Measure," which would raise the city's transient occupancy tax rate from 10 to 12 percent by May 1, 2020 with the possibility of raising it up to 14 percent after April 2022.

According to the city's sample ballot, if the measure passes, it could generate an additional $1 million in city dollars annually. The money would then be used “to fund essential City services such as police patrols/crime prevention, fire paramedic/9-1-1 emergency response, street maintenance, pothole repair, community facilities, infrastructure improvements/other general services.”

To learn more about the City Council candidates and Measure A, see the City of Manhattan Beach sample ballot.