Measure AA: Ordinance enacting one-half cent sales tax

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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund

Alameda County, CA

November 2, 2010 Election

Measure AA
Ordinance enacting one-half cent sales tax
City of Union City
Majority Approval Required

Pass: 8608 / 60.12% Yes votes ...... 5711 / 39.88% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Jan 6 2:56pm, 100.00% of Precincts Reporting (35/35)

Information shown below: Yes/No Meaning | Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

To prevent severe cuts to essential services such as police, fire, paramedic, library, streets, parks and other services, shall Union City adopt an Ordinance enacting a half-cent sales tax expiring four years from the date it is first collected, reviewed by a citizen's oversight committee, with annual independent audits, and all funds for Union City and no funds for the State of California?

A YES vote on this measure means:: A"Yes" vote is a vote to approve the enactment of the halfcent tax for 4 years, with oversight on the revenue and expenditure of funds from the tax, by a committee of members of the public.
A NO vote on this measure means:: A "No" vote is a vote against the tax.

Impartial Analysis from City Attorney

The City Council of the City of Union City has placed Measure AAon the November 2, 2010 ballot to ask the voters to approve an ordinance that would enact a temporary onehalf of one percent (0.50%) transactions and use tax within the City. If approved, the tax would add a half-cent to the price of an item that costs a dollar, or fifty cents to the price of an item that costs $100.

Currently, the tax on retail sales in Union City is 9.75% of the purchase price. Union City receives only 0.75% of the revenue generated by the existing tax. The remainder of the tax goes to the State, the County and to transportation agencies. Effective April 2, 2009, the State increased the sales tax by 1%. That increase will expire on July 1, 2011.

Technically, the existing "sales tax" is a combination of "sales and use tax" and "transactions and use tax." With some exceptions, both are levied on the sale or use of tangible personal property sold at retail. Retailers collect the tax at the time of sale and remit the funds to the State Board of Equalization, which administers the tax.

Measure AAwould authorize a temporary one-half of one percent (0.50%) transactions and use tax, which would increase the total sales tax rate to 10.25%. Of the total rate,
1.25% would go to the City's general fund and be available to support the full range of municipal services, including but not limited to police, fire, paramedic, library, streets and parks. Because Measure AAdoes not limit the use of tax revenue, it is a "general tax," not a "special tax" that restricts the funds to specific purposes. The tax would terminate automatically four years after collection begins, unless extended by the voters.

A"Yes" vote is a vote to approve the enactment of the halfcent tax for 4 years, with oversight on the revenue and expenditure of funds from the tax, by a committee of members of the public. A "No" vote is a vote against the tax. Measure AA would be approved if it received a simple majority of "Yes" votes.

The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure AA. If you desire a copy of the proposed ordinance, please call the City Clerk's office at 510-675-5448 and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.

s/BENJAMIN T. REYES II, City Attorney
City of Union City
DATED: August 9, 2010

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Arguments For Measure AA

In these economic times it is difficult to ask voters to increase taxes. City employees are not receiving pay increases and are contributing toward their pensions. Ask yourself: What do we want in a city? Without an additional source of revenue to stabilize the budget, we will be forced to keep cutting services, programs and projects.
The State of California has done a bad job of providing leadership and fortitude in resolving the financial crisis over the past 10 years. Consequently, the state takes the easy way out and raids local government funds without hesitation. Just this year, Union City had over $7 million stripped out of our Redevelopment Agency by the State of California. We will be required to send the state additional millions in the coming year. A predicable source of revenue for Union City is needed. The first mission of local government is to provide sufficient public safety and voting yes on Measure AA helps us reach that goal. The revenue from Measure AA is protected from a raid by the state and remains in Union City for our needs. By voting yes on Measure AA we will be in a position to keep police patrols at an adequate level through our neighborhoods.
The safety of our homes, streets, schools and businesses is at stake. Other important services that will be supported with a yes vote on Measure AA are keeping the library open at a level desired by our residents and having sufficient revenue to keep the senior center and community centers operating. In many ways, we have a choice as to what type of city we wish to live in, one that is safe and supportive or one that is operating at minimal level of service. We ask you to support our 1/2 cent sales tax by voting YES.
s/Manuel Fernandez
Councilmember
s/Richard Valle
Vice-Mayor
s/Naomi Aylesworth
Senior Commissioner
s/Mark Green
Mayor
s/Mary L. Schlarb
Union City Resident

(No arguments against Measure AA were submitted)

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Created: January 6, 2011 14:57 PST
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