By Tony Hicks –
The Walnut Creek City Council on Tuesday unanimously endorsed Measure O, a November ballot measure seeking a 10-year, half-cent sales tax increase to fund “current and future quality of life needs.”
The council unanimously approved putting Measure O on the Nov. 8 ballot on July 19. If passed, the city expects the sales tax to raise about $11 million annually, depending on the economy.
The city has discussed its aging recreation facilities and other infrastructure needs for more than two years, with the city engaging residents on how to prioritize projects.
The city has engaged in a community listening initiative involving stakeholder meetings, a mailed survey to more than 30,000 Walnut Creek residents, and an online survey to better understand what the community needs in the future.
“Walnut Creek has never had a city sales tax before, and this would help improve areas that residents have identified as priorities for what they’d like to see in Walnut Creek,” Councilmember Kevin Wilk said Wednesday. “This includes public safety, emergency preparedness, homelessness intervention, additional library hours, infrastructure and more. This will help to continue the quality of life that Walnut Creek is known for.”
A report for Tuesday’s meeting said many of the facilities necessary for city recreation programs “are several decades old and nearing the end of their useful lifespans after constant use by tens of thousands of individuals and families.”
Measure O would prioritize “maintaining neighborhood and downtown police patrols, crime prevention programs, 911 emergency response, emergency/disaster preparedness, increasing pedestrian safety, and ensuring consistent crossing guards on school routes.”
It would also address homelessness, maintain senior services and programs, art programs, and after-school programs for children and teens, including additional library hours and access to books/technology.
Measure O would support “small businesses and economic recovery, downtown improvements and attracting new businesses, jobs, and economic activity; investing in sustainability initiatives and parks and open space, including creeks and watersheds.”
The measure would also replace the city’s aging Clarke Memorial Swim Center and Community Center at Heather Farm Park and improve other aging city facilities.
The city council endorsed a tax hike?
I’m shocked.
💯
What a crock. VOTE NO!!!! We pay enough taxes…
Nope. Tell them to get some of the billions that go to Ukraine for money-laundering.
… of course the WC council endorses it – it pays for their pet projects… like a gold plated pool complex at Heather Farms…. think the price is in the neighborhood of $60M and they won’t even discuss it doing piecemeal to spread out the costs……
People here are complaining that Walnut Creek is not safe and then are complaining when the city tries to fix it
Nobody spoke up at the Tuesday council meeting to object to the city supporting the tax increase. You had your chance then
You can’t fix the creepy people that come in, Clive.
I personally spoke to a council member re: this … the decision was already made for the increase months ago – they’re already planning how they’ll spend it and lining up contracts – bets anybody?
The city should have had a capital fund to replace the pool for some time, but instead spends what they have, made some terrible decisions re: Boundary Oaks, overspends on the “arts”, spends millions on settlement for justified shooting, and gives money to Trinity Center to encourage more homeless to camp out in Walnut Creek.
” spends millions on settlement for justified shooting,”
If the individual who tried to kill the cops was white – how much $$ would they have given the family ??
My guess – Zero
Phrase comes to mind,
“I’m perfectly in touch with my constituents”.
God these people are delusional. My Idaho home cannot be completed fast enough. Molon Labe…….
No consideration for trimming one of those existing ultra generous money pits by 1/2 % to give taxpayers a break? Spending other people’s money is fun?
Send a message to that irresponsible City Council. Let them know you’ve had it and you ain’t taking it anymore. VOTE NO ON ALL TAX INCREASES.
Let the RECALLS commence!
“are several decades old and nearing the end of their useful lifespans after constant use by tens of thousands of individuals and families.”
You knew this was coming 10 plus years ago and did nothing to save for it. Oo, we will just tax people more instead. Id vote no just out of principal. You know residents will say yes though because most of the money would be from out of towners that come and shop downtown.
And look at concords tax measure. Once it’s in place it won’t go away….
What a crock of BS. Concord used similar logic and the idiot taxpayers have extended the tax into perpetuity. Make governments accountable and responsible for their budgeting and stop giving them a blank check. Nothing changes (improves) if nothing changes (improves).
People will shop elsewhere, including long time residents.
Bad move City Council as Walnut Creek already suffers downtown
Even Nordstrom is just a shell of it’s old self, including the Cafe.
Agree AB…… too much traffic, not enough convenient parking, too many people, high rise high density housing isn’t helping… agree about Nordy’s & even Macy’s. Only store I’d go to now is Apple… but watching for robberies as it’s so common now
Sadly, everyone wants safer, better and faster this or that, yet they aren’t willing to pay for it AT ALL. Something has to give.
No, Xman, everybody doesn’t want a $60 million new swimming pool that will get monopolized by private swim teams. Think.
Over here in Clayton we have 3 on the City Council that want us to pay a $400 additional parcel tax for a wish list the city manager (who rarely comes to work) put together. And of course now they are trying to get their friends elected so they can force this thing on us. If you read the responses of the candidates the 3 council members have endorsed you can tell they are clueless about finance! We need another lawyer on the council because let’s the see the last two lawyers we had worked out so well, one never came to council meetings the other was a Scott Weiner supporter and wanted to build massive apartment complexes all over Clayton. Sure let’s elect another lawyer but this time one that works for the state because more government and taxes is ALWAYS the solution. Walnut Creek you aren’t alone with the wrong people in office. We in Clayton aren’t too far behind.
Reply to Fred’s comment.
You hit the nail on the head. If you do not side with the woke socialist crowd your opinions are hidden and senced by all. Reverse discrimination?
Tired of my hard legally earned money going to only issues for the woke crowd who rarely contribute and consider themselves elite.
Stop the bleed when you vote in the mid terms. Can you not see your freedoms being diminished and your wallet being pilfered daily?
10 year tax? No such thing as a temporary tax!