Home Contra Costa County Martinez City Council Agrees to Place Sales Tax Measure on Ballot

Martinez City Council Agrees to Place Sales Tax Measure on Ballot

by ECT

The Martinez City Council agreed on Monday agreed to place a 1/2 cent sales tax measure onto the November Ballot.

According to the staff report, if approved by simple majority, the City of Martinez sales tax rate would go from 8.75% to 9.25% and generate approximately $3.2 million. The sales tax would sunset after 15-years.

The proposed funding measure is aimed to maintain essential city services which includes

  • 911 police emergency response times
  • Violent crime prevention and property-related investigations
  • Safety in our schools
  • Youth, senior, and recreation programs
  • Open space and parks
  • Storm drains to prevent pollution
  • Effective recruitment/retention of experienced police officers
  • Responsiveness to issues related to homeless
  • Other essential City services

Here is the official press release issued by the City on Tuesday.

The Martinez City Council placed the Quality of Life and Essential Services Measure on the November 2018 ballot on Monday. If enacted, the measure would help maintain Martinez’s Neighborhood Policing Program, maintain 911 emergency response time and other public priorities such as protecting and maintaining local park and open spaces, maintaining storm drains, maintaining youth and recreation programs and addressing homelessness.

“By maintaining Martinez’s Neighborhood Policing Program, at least one on-duty officer will continue to be provided to each neighborhood area –ensuring police officers can respond quickly to 911 emergency calls,” said Police Chief Manjit Sappal.

If enacted, the local funding measure would allow Martinez to recruit and retain experienced police officers, fund violent crime investigation and prevention and address crime related to drugs and alcohol.

Additionally, “every year during major winter storms, the City experiences major flooding downtown and in older parts of the City,” stated City Manager Brad Kilger, “Maintaining our storm drains prevents flooding and keeps pollution from flowing into Alhambra Creek and the Bay.”

If enacted, all voter-approved funding generated by this measure would be locally-controlled and cannot be taken by the State. The Measure also includes independent annual financial audits, public spending reports and an independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee.

A recently commissioned independent survey conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates Research indicated as much as 60% of respondents would support a simple majority requirement local funding measure to address quality of life and essential services.

For more information about the Martinez Quality of Life and Essential Services Measure, visit www.cityofmartinez.org .

 

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1 comment

Come on! Jul 25, 2018 - 11:40 am

When will these city leaders learn that hard working taxpayers are done with all the bullshit? People want to see some positive results FIRST, then they will be more enclined to pay more taxes. This is the same issue that Antioch is having, take take take, but show nothing for it. The ironic part is the that hood rats and scumbags arent affected by any of this, because when youre on section 8 and EBT you dont need to pay taxes. Not only do i contrubute to their section 8 and EBT already, now you want me to pay more in taxes, so that you can keep the crime that they cause under control? LOL, Come on!

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