Antioch Council to consider placing another sales tax increase on November ballot, doubling Measure C’s tax
Total would be one cent instead of the current half-cent sales tax
By Allen Payton
Before the city has fulfilled its 2013 commitment from Measure C’s half-cent sales tax to “immediately” hire 22 additional police officers, the Antioch Council will consider a staff recommendation place another sales tax measure on the November ballot to increase it to a full cent at their meeting on Tuesday night, July 24th. The increase if passed would begin two years before Measure C expires in April 2021. If the measure fails the city will have nnother chance to place it on the ballot, again in November 2020. 1 Cent Sales Tax Ballot Measure Staff Report
When the promise was made in the summer of 2013, by then-Mayor Wade Harper and the four members of the council, which included both current Council Members Monica Wilson and Tony Tiscareno, there were 89 sworn officers on the force and being paid for out of the city’s General Fund budget. To date Antioch has added a net eight sworn police officers to the force for a total of 97 sworn officers, from the Measure C revenue. However, city staff, at the direction of the council, and even the Citizens’ Sales Tax Oversight Committee, continue to use the base figure of 82 sworn officers, which is the total that were on the force at the time the measure passed in November 2013. The department staffing was reduced by seven officers in those several months due to retirement and other reasons.
So, while the council owes the taxpayers and residents of Antioch a total of 111 sworn officers from Measure C funds, their claim is that they only owe 104 officers.
According to the staff report for Tuesday night’s meeting agenda, Measure C currently generates $7.2 million per year for the city’s General Fund. Revenue from the proposed sales tax increase proposed would generate approximately double that amount and would be spent on a variety of items in the budget.
The draft proposed spending priorities include 60% to support public safety, including maintaining and restoring neighborhood police patrols, 20% to support youth services and 20% to support quality of life, fiscal stability and accountability. That means paying off the city’s pension debt. What the staff report doesn’t include is any commitment to the number of additional sworn police officers the tax increase will pay for. 1 Cent Sales Tax Draft Spending Priorities
The proposed ballot measure would have the following title:
To maintain Antioch’s fiscal stability and police patrols, 911 emergency response, youth violence prevention programs; ensuring water quality and safety; repairing streets; cleaning up parks/illegal dumping; restoring youth after-school/summer programs; and other essential services; shall the measure be adopted approving an ordinance to renew the sales tax at the one-cent rate, raising approximately $14,000,000 annually until ended by voters, requiring independent annual financial audits and all expenditures available for public review?
The council meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street, between W. 2nd and 3rd Streets in downtown Antioch. It can be viewed live on local cable TV channels or via the city’s website.
To see the complete council meeting agenda, click here.
the attachments to this post:
1 Cent Sales Tax Draft Spending Priorities
1 Cent Sales Tax Draft Spending Priorities
1 Cent Sales Tax Ballot Measure Staff Report
1 Cent Sales Tax Ballot Measure Staff Report
NO NO and NO. I will actively campaign against this measure and Lamar is rapidly losing the support I have given him in the past.
No. They are drowning in cash. there is no need for more taxes. remember taxation is not a tool for funding. Its a BLUNT object to cattle prod us from here to there. Demand that the city publicly show us the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)
for an explanation on what a C.A.F.R is here is a tutorial..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pRPBKJQnyU&t=5s
Don’t be fooled. this is nothing more than another attempt to shore up the pensions of these “public servants”!
Public servants? yet we the plebes are the serfs to these oligarchs. I’m sorry you guys voted yourselves lotto pensions that you never put your own money in.
The foundation of all the ills of Antioch can be laid at the feet of the administrators, and their TOP HEAVY unions! They are bleeding us dry and ANTIOCH IS SHOWING IT!
What they are not telling us is PENSIONS and health care for the retired is exactly where every cent is going. They have bled us dry and we need to stand up and say no. Stop hiring people that create this top heavy situation we have again. Check and see what payroll was just a few years ago was and what it is now. They are also talking about going for a bond to pay off the pension liability that will cost each property owner 500 or more per year for 10 years. NO Way.
Some of the best and most influential people are moving away due to the situation in this city and what will take their place will just continue to put us in the hole.