By Tony Hicks – Early childhood programs and county libraries were the biggest beneficiaries of the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday which allocated an additional $15.56 million in Measure X funds.
Of that total, $8.8 million will be one-time expenditures, and $6.734 million in ongoing funds that are included in the 2022/23 county budget.
The unallocated funds come from projected reserve funds, the amounts of which were changed during the process of supervisors deciding where the first $71 million was going in November, with another $75 million going to county hospital capital projects in December.
Measure X is a half-cent sales tax approved by Contra Costa voters in 2020. The money began accruing in April 2021, when the county’s Measure X advisory board began meeting.
The ballot measure’s stated purpose was to keep “Contra Costa’s regional hospital open and staffed, fund community health centers, emergency response, support critical safety-net services, invest in early childhood services, protect vulnerable populations, and for other essential county services.”
Measure X sales tax revenue is projected to be more than $238 million through the end of fiscal 2022-2023. The county is withholding 20 percent of the money in a reserve fund.
The new funding is aimed at the county’s goal of providing greater equity, healthier communities, better intergenerational thriving, and a safer community.
New one-time funding includes $4 million to county library building improvements and $3.75 million to deferred maintenance in county buildings and another $1 million toward refugee resettlement efforts. Another $50,000 will go toward the launch of a county library foundation.
More on-going funding in the next budget includes $4 million to early childhood education and childcare, and $1.5 million to development of additional childcare providers, Another $450,000 will go to children with disabilities and childcare provider support. Libraries will receive another $200,000 for library literacy programs, while the county’s Family Navigators program – which helps families in need find the support programs they need – will receive $584,000.
6 comments
They use general terms to describe their plans for the money so they can never be held accountable.
Time to pass laws requiring detailed financial plans for each cent. If I wanted to get a loan from a bank for a business I’d have to describe and submit in detail my business plans, what the money is for exactly etc..these clowns just say “iT’s FoR eQuItY” and we’ee supposed to just be like “okay here’s a quarter of a billion dollars”.
On the bright side their tax base is decreasing year over year, so they’re now in an endless loop of needing to raise more taxes to fund their bloated government which further pushes away more people.
We truly do have the best and brightest in our government folks.
Good old measure X.
Wasn’t that the temporary tax?
They all lie. They have no morals, no character, no redeemable qualities.
Politicians are the lowest forms of life on this planet.
No, there is no life for a politician, all they do is suck up other people’s money.
Measure X was the biggest tax con in years. It wasn’t even a bait-and-switch. Had people actually read the bill, they would see the description is totally unrelated to the actual tax code.
Description:
“To keep Contra Costa’s regional hospital open and staffed; fund community health centers; provide timely fire and emergency response; support crucial safety-net services; invest in early childhood services; protect vulnerable populations; and for other essential county services, shall the Contra Costa County measure levying a ½ cent sales tax, exempting food sales, providing an estimated $81,000,000 annually for 20 years that the State cannot take, requiring fiscal accountability, with funds benefiting County residents, be adopted?”
Actual tax code:
64-18.20 General Tax. The tax imposed by this chapter is a general tax under Article XIIIC of the California Constitution. The tax imposed by this chapter is enacted solely for general governmental purposes and not for specific purposes. All of the proceeds from the tax imposed by this chapter shall be placed in the County’s general fund and used for general governmental purposes.
(Ord. 2020-22, § 1).
The money can be used for anything the county desires. The public had the chance to advise last year, but it was not binding, AFAIK.
There has never been a bond measure or tax hike the voters of Contra Costa did not overwhelmingly support. People here really are that stupid.
And that says a lot about the voters who approved the tax increase ….and even more about who they elected into office.
” another $1 million toward refugee resettlement efforts” This should be a federal responsibility not at the county level.
Will the libraries be open on Sunday?
The letter X has been used for many terrible things in the past. I think this measure needs to be renamed. Out of sensitivity and respect, it needs the Kirker Pass treatment. I prepose measure “& ” , as it is more inclusive. Please amperstand with us. .
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