Concord voters in November may have the chance to approve, or reject, extending and increasing a sales tax that was first passed in 2010, as the Concord City Council is expected to place the extension on the November general election ballot.
The measure, referred to as the “Concord City Services Measure,” would be an extension of Measure Q, a half-cent sales tax approved at a time the Great Recession had decimated city budgets, including Concord’s.
But Measure Q is set to end this year. Not only did the original Measure Q tax revenues not fully fund all the roads and other infrastructure anticipated, but this year’s COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the City Council
to cut the 2020-2021 general fund budget by $10.5 million, and cut 36 jobs.
“The city still faces long-term fiscal instability and an inability to meet the community’s service priorities and infrastructure maintenance needs” without an extended sales tax, a city report says.
It is expected a one-cent sales tax could generate about $27 million annually.
In 2018, the City Council considered various financial options, including extension of Measure Q at the one-cent rate. A quality-of-life survey commissioned by the city showed that the community was overwhelmingly
(approximately 70 percent) supportive of extending Measure Q at a one-cent rate. But the council couldn’t muster the needed four-fifths vote to put it on the ballot in 2018.
If placed on the ballot, the “Concord City Services Measure” would require a majority vote to pass.
The Concord City Council meeting begins at 6:30 tonight; to watch this Zoom meeting, click on the following link https://bit.ly/2D9155R.
“Not only did the original Measure Q tax revenues not fully fund all the roads and other infrastructure anticipated”
Wow, what a surprise.
So we spent the money on salaries and pensions when we promised we would fix the roads and parks, but this time it will be different….Fool me one shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
This tax was proposed as a temporary tax.
Many of us said there is no such thing as a temporary tax and we were right.
But now we have a chance to vote.
I will vote no on any new City tax.
The City Council needs to demonstrate a more conservative money management agenda than it has in the past.
And, the City had better not cut the funding to the Police Department or there will be a lot of negative response from the good people of Concord.
It was temporary. That’s why it is expiring and you have the chance to re-instate it.
@Cellophane The percentage of the Concord budget that is taken by the police department is grotesquely out of proportion to similar California cities. They consume a MAJORITY of the budget. That is not normal. You can let Measure Q expire, AND fix the roads, but you have to have a city council that will not roll over for the police union. Unfortunately, our current mayor and a majority of the council are toadies for the union. They will push hard for the extension, the voters will probably go for it, and the police will continue to bleed this city dry.
I’m still trying to figure out what the last improvements were!
No such thing as a temporary tax. Fix the roads. Do your yob or get out. Or be ready to be removed. If you’re not working for the people, you are a criminal.
I’d like to propose that those who vote for it go ahead and pay the tax. Those of us who say “enough is enough“ and “cut the exorbitant salary/benefit packages, instead” keep what is ours – to feed our families and keep a roof over our heads.
Oh is that how we are doing it now? So I as a person without children should get to exempt myself from any taxes that benefit schools as I don’t have any kids attending them? Great! I’ll go ahead and pay this sales tax you aren’t interested in and you can go ahead and cover what I was paying to schools.
democrats, never saw a temporary tax that they couldn’t scare the electorate into making permanent.
Reject !
Taxpayers Expected To Vote No
No until they make more budget cuts.
“Overwhelmingly (70 percent) supportive”. Hell, why not go for 2 cents then? Lemmings.
Is it any wonder why the politicians NEVER get anything accomplished? It’s because they spend all their time and energy on taxing and leeching money from taxpayers.
As others have said, there is never such a thing as a “temporary” tax.
Vote NO on any tax increases, levy’s or anything else that the Dem’s, Liberals and Socialists are putting on the ballot. They constantly lie and waste the funds they already receive. NO NO NO NO-NO MORE.
wow the city council rises its head from cover
to yes tax us again …and yet again
wow sure took a while for them to come out of their barricade
go back in your hole council ….well until november when you have to find a job ….oh wait the gov wont let us work oh well there will be plenty of democrat food stamps for you bilk
you get what you sow …..council …..
dividing the city so you could keep the money train flowing with no opposition was a corrupt and manipulating tactic …..and its going to back fire …..your gone ….you have been hiding and letting the gov run our city and hold it down ….now you rise up to beat us with taxes
no thank you ……your reign is coming to an end …..
finally at that
Concord is sinking into the cistern as SF has already been in there! Concord is a sanctuary city and is short on funds to allocate to the illegal functions under that sanctuary city status. Inclusive in that is the whole state proudly broadcast that CA is a sanctuary state!!
Newsom announced to the world upon entering office that California would perform anybody’s abortion, likely at taxpayer expense. Liberals don’t ever cut their own benefits, they just tax the electorate to cover their profligate spending. Have you noticed the huge fence around Newsom’s house while he opposed Trump’s wall to stop illegals? Concord City Council can cut some of their lavish benefits and cover their deficits setting a great example for our tax and spend Governor.
all government is theft
Aloha!
please for the love of God stop voting democrat
I will vote no on any new tax.
Where’s the fire???
San Francisco. Near Van Ness and 101. 5 alarms, 160+ firefighters and 2 city blocks!
They’ll begin with “your taxes will not go up.”
Idiots will then vote to approve a tax on themselves.
Any wonder 600,000 Californians have fled this madness?
A tad curious, will job cuts be those making 6 figures, pay and benefits combined or will they be at very lowest end of pay scale?
Just vote: NO
.
I vote no on any tax, levy, fee, or bond that the our feckless leaders push. They get plenty and prefer to waste it.
I’ve said it many times before on Claycord: The budget problems are not caused by too little revenue. They are caused by over spending and the main culprit is the pension system. In a previous post, Uncle Bob gave us the numbers that the police budget is 56% of Concord’s overall budget. A huge portion of this expense is the funding of pensions.
The easiest answer to most of the funding issues in this country is to freeze the pensions for current employees, freeze COLA adjustments for current retirees, and eliminate the pension for future hires. This applies to all government employees, regardless of their position (police, fire, admin, etc.) and regardless of their affiliation (fed, state, county, city, etc.). Another solution that will help but not eliminate the problem is no double dipping. For instance, if someone qualifies for a CPD pension and then moves jobs to WCPD and qualifies for a pension, that person must choose which pension to tap when they retire. You don’t get both.
Obviously, both of these are political third rails that few politicians want to touch. They would rather stick it to their constituents than swallow a very bitter pill.
Unfortunately, Californians seem to love to vote for more taxes on ourselves when we are already one of the most heavily taxed and business unfriendly states.
“But Measure Q is set to end this year. Not only did the original Measure Q tax revenues not fully fund all the roads and other infrastructure anticipated,”
So it didn’t work, come up with another approach like manager your money and resources better.
REJECT IT, no discussion needed.
10 years later…
Told ya so.
Defund the city.
Kiss my ass !
No more taxes!
Oh perfect, Concord wants 1/2 cent posted at the same time the county supervisors are putting another 1/2 cent on the ballot too. Gee…when are they going to show some fiscal responsibility like we families do????