Alameda County Measure F (June 2008)
From Ballotpedia
Alameda County Measure F appeared on the June 3, 2008 ballot in Alameda County, California, where it passed. It was also known as the Utility Users Tax Extension. The tax is only paid by residents of the unincorporated areas of the county--Ashland, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, San Lorenzo and Sunol.
Measure F increaes their levy to 6.5 percent, add video and cable to the services being taxed, and extend the tax to 2021. The current utility tax is set to expire in 2009. It raises $9.1 million annually; with the newly-approved tax, about $2 million more will be added in tax revenues each year.
The original utility tax was approved by Alameda County supervisors in 1992 for four years. A subsequent California Supreme Court decision requiring voter approval for such taxes led to the supervisors voting to put the tax on the ballot in 1996 and 2000; it passed both times. In the 2000 vote, 73% of voters countywide approved it, whereas 57% of those in the unincorporated areas did.
The fairness question
Peter Kavaler of the Castro Valley Association of Concerned Taxpayers was opposed to Measure F. One reason he opposed it is because it allows voters throughout the county to vote to impose a higher, broader tax on some residents--those in the unincorporated areas of the county--that they themselves would not have to pay. It is residents in Ashland, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, San Lorenzo and Sunol that would have to pay the higher tax.
County budget analyst Ken Gross was quoted in a newspaper saying, "If it loses, we would make countywide reductions," which sets up a situation where voters who wouldn't pay the tax would fear that their services will be cut if they don't vote to impose it on those who will pay the tax.
The editorial board of "The Argus" notes the fairness issues but argued in favor of a "yes" vote anyway because if the county instead created a special voting district so that only the voters who would pay the tax would vote on the tax, approval would "require a two-thirds approval" and that "would make the measure much harder to pass."
Text of the ballot question
Shall an ordinance be approved to extend until 6/30/2021 the existing Utility Users Tax, collected only in the unincorporated areas (e.g., Ashland, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, San Lorenzo, Sunol), which may fund County services, including services to unincorporated areas (e.g., Sheriff, Library, Planning and Code enforcement), establishing the rate of 6.5% and further amending the tax to include video and cable services, repeal limitations on taxes paid by nonresidential users, and making clarifying and administrative changes.
See also
- California 2008 local ballot measures
- California Utility User Taxes
- Local utility taxes in California
External links
- Castro Valley Association of Concerned Taxpayers, Website of group opposing Measure F.
- Campaign for and against utility tax low-key so far
- Countywide vote on tax for unincorporated areas
- Voters should support imperfect Measure F
- Endorsement of F, San Francisco Chronicle, May 22, 2008.
- Alameda voters to decide on 5 ballot measures
- Hayward-area candidates, measures on Tuesday primary ballot
