27,310 / 47.1% Yes votes ...... 30,667 / 52.9% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote of this measure means:

A "yes" vote would increase the current Hotel/Motel Guest Tax by one per cent (1%) from the current eight percent (8%) to nine percent (9%).

A NO vote of this measure means:

A "no" vote would keep the current Hotel/Motel Guest Tax at eight percent (8%).

Existing law requires that each operator of a hotel, motel, inn, rooming house, mobile home or similar structure located in the City of Stockton collect a tax (known as the Hotel/Motel Guest Tax) from persons who use the same for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes for 30 days or less. This tax is current eight percent (8%) of the rent charged by the operator and is imposed on the person who occupies the premises. It is collected by the operator at the time rent is due.

Each month the operator is required to report the rents charged for that month and the amount of tax collected and remit the tax to the City of Stockton.

This measure would require that the amount of Hotel/Motel Guest Tax collected by the operator be increased by one percent (1%) from the current eight percent (8%) to nine percent (9%).

The average annual revenue derived from the Hotel/Motel Guest Tax, over the last ten years, has been $1.2 million. It is anticipated that, if passed, a one percent (1%) increase in the Hotel/Motel Guest Tax will generate approximately $121,000 per annum in additional City revenue.

THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS AN IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF MEASURE Z. If you desire a copy of the measure, please call the City's Elections Official's Office at (209) 937-8459, and a copy will be mailed to you at no cost.

The Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax is a surcharge paid by visitors to our city who rent hotel rooms in Stockton.

Tourists come to our town, use our streets, libraries, neighborhood parks and are protected by our police and firefighters - and you pay a majority of these costs. Shouldn't visitors to our city pay their fair share?

Those who oppose Measure Z want you to continue to pay the increasing costs of providing services to visitors - does that seem fair?

The current tax rate has not changed since 1984. Your YES vote on Measure Z will increase the current 8 percent rate to 9 percent - raising an additional $175,000 to help pay for essential city services like police and firefighters.

Stockton's Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax is lower, even with this increase, than nearly all of our neighboring cities - local hotel owners support Measure Z because they believe there will be little or no impact on tourism.

Addition revenue from Measure Z can be budgeted to encourage the Stockton Convention and Visitors Bureau to expand their efforts promoting Stockton as a visitor and convention center.

Your YES vote on Measure Z will improve the quality of life in Stockton for residents and visitors alike - without raising taxes. Vote YES on Measure Z.

COMMITTEE FOR A SAFER STOCKTON. YES ON MEASURE Z

/s/ Gary Podesto, Mayor, City of Stockton

/s/ Ervin "Jerry" Irion, Past President, Stockton Professional Firefighters

/s/ Karylene J. Mann, Past President, Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce

/s/ Tim Viall, CEO, Downtown Stockton Alliance

Tax rates are high enough in Stockton and are generating millions of dollars in additional revenue as the economy improves. City hall is teeming with unexpected new money - where is it going? This 12.5% tax increase is not earmarked for police or fire service.

No rationale for this tax increase is offered. The city council has not explained why the tax increase is necessary and how it would be spent. The reason is clear: to raise city councilmembers' pay. The proceeds from Measure Z represent the exact amount required to finance the pay raise.

Visitors to Stockton are a huge benefit to city tax receipts. They pay sales tax, gasoline taxes, and the existing occupancy tax. The city receives far more tax revenue that it spends on services to the average visitor. We should welcome new visitors to our city not discourage them with higher taxes. Why would we want to be the city with the highest tax rate?

Let's build Stockton's future by attracting new jobs with lower taxes and less regulation. Don't raise taxes unnecessarily on those who want to spend money in our city.

Vote No on Measure Z.

/s/ Dean Andal, Chairman, Board of Equalization

Since this tax is targeted at visitors to our city it discourages conventions, sporting events, and religious gatherings from being held in Stockton.

Visitors to our city already pay sales and gasoline taxes when they purchase goods, services, and fuel - making a profit for city hall. These receipts will diminish with fewer visitors, and existing sales and gasoline taxes will be lost - actually reducing revenue for city services. City services dependent on the sales tax are: police and fire protection, parks and recreation, libraries, and road maintenance.

While these critical services are placed at risk by this measure, the City Council has not bothered to explain why the new revenue is needed and how it would be spent.

Millions of dollars of new tax revenue has flowed into the City general fund over the past three years from the economic expansion. The City Council should spend this unexpected money to attract new jobs and improve public safety. Why raise taxes?

The amount generated by this measure approximates the likely cost of a pay raise for council-members initiated by the Council on the March election ballot.

Vote No on Measure Z.

/s/ Dean Andal, Chairman, Board of Equalization

Stockton has done an outstanding job of attracting new convention business to our city. The 49er's Summer Training Camp, Promise Keepers, Soccer and Wrestling tournaments are just a few examples.

With these events come increased costs for traffic control, security and maintenance.

We strongly support Measure Z - the proposed 1 percent increase in the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax as a means for the city to recover its costs without burdening local taxpayers.

Revenue from the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax is used to fund important city services like police, fire, libraries and park maintenance - all of which make our city safer and more desirable as a tourist destination. Measure Z will help increase tourism to Stockton.

There is no credible evidence that increasing the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax hurts tourism.

The Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax is paid by hotel guests - not Stockton residents.

Measure Z does not increase City Council salaries.

We want to encourage tourists to visit Stockton - our best advertisement is a clean, safe city - Measure Z will help reach that goal.

Stockton's Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Stockton Alliance and Police and Fire Safety officials ask that you join them in supporting Measure Z.

Make Stockton cleaner and safer. Vote Yes on Measure Z.

CITIZENS FOR A SAFER STOCKTON. YES ON MEASURE Z

/s/ Bob Berges, General Manager, Residence Inns, Stockton

/s/ Scott Crandall, General Manager, Red Roof Inns, Stockton

/s/ Jerald Hughes, President, Stockton Convention and Visitors Bureau