Rohnert Park, Cotati To Vote On County Sales-Tax Measures G, I

ROHNERT PARK-COTATI, CA — Rohnert Park and Cotati residents will head to the polls Tuesday to vote on ballot items that include two countywide sales-tax increases: Measure G, a half-cent sales tax that would provide revenue for wildfire prevention and protection; and Measure I, a countywide extension of a quarter-cent sales-tax increase that funds SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit). Each measure needs approval by at least two-thirds of the county's voters in order to pass.

MEASURE G

Rohnert Park stands to receive an estimated $2.5 million per year of the $51 million in annual proceeds Measure G would generate.

That is because 90 percent — $45.9 million — of the county's annual revenue from Measure G would be divided among the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety and the county's 37 other incorporated and unincorporated fire agencies.

The funds would go toward: recruitment and retention of firefighters; emergency alerts, warnings and sirens; wildfire prevention and preparedness, including vegetation management; fire response; and equipment and facilities.

More here about Measure G.

MEASURE I

A yes vote on Measure I would extend the tax another 30 years past its current expiration date of 2029, to 2059, while a no vote would prohibit SMART from extending the tax past March 31, 2029.

The tax was first approved by voters in Marin and Sonoma counties in 2008 and is said to generate around $40 million annually for SMART.

More here about Measure I.

Here in Rohnert Park and Cotati, votes will also be cast in races between :

• Chris Coursey and Shirlee Zane for Sonoma County Supervisor 3rd District;
• Democrat Mike Thompson, Democrat John Wesley Tyler, Democrat Jason Kishineff and Republican Scott Giblin, for U.S. House of Representatives 5th District;
• Democrat Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Democrat Sophia Racke and Republican Matthew Nelson for State Assembly 4th District; and
• Democrat Marc Levine, Democrat Ted Cabral, Democrat Veronica "Roni" Jacobi and Republican Rod Sondergaard for State Assembly 10th District.

After casting your votes Tuesday in the 2020 presidential primary election, come back to Patch for live election-night results on Measure G and Measure I, as well as coverage of local regional, state and national races.

Find a polling place near you.