193062 / 65.3% Yes votes ...... 102592 / 34.7% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Proposition 62 ( Government Code sections 53720- 53730) adopted in 1986 required that any new tax for general governmental purposes be approved by a majority of the electorate. In 1991, when the Board of Supervisors adopted the business license tax, the vote requirement had been held unconstitutional by appellate courts, so it did not appear necessary to submit the tax to the voters. In 1995, the California Supreme Court reversed the courts of appeal and held that the vote requirement was constitutional. However, it appeared at that time that the vote requirement would not apply to the Business License Tax because it had been adopted four years prior to the decision. In 2001 another California Supreme Court decision held that the vote requirement would apply to any tax adopted after the adoption of Proposition 62. This election is the first general election at which the tax can now be submitted to the voters for approval. Although the existing tax is collected only in the unincorporated areas of the county, the law requires that there be a county-wide vote on the question of continuing collection of the tax.

The County budget currently estimates annual revenues of $ 2.7 million from this tax. Although not required to do so, the County has used the tax to fund general County services provided to the unincorporated areas, primarily for sheriff, planning, and library services.

If Measure B is approved by a majority of county voters, the business license tax will remain in effect in the unincorporated areas of the County and funds will continue to be available.

If Measure B is defeated, the Business License tax will no longer be collected and County funds and/ or services provided by the County may be reduced.

s/ RICHARD E. WINNIE
County Counsel

The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure B. If you desire a copy of the measure, please call the Clerk of the Board of Supervisor's offce at ( 510) 208- 4949 and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.

Alameda Times-Star

• Oct 24 County voters will decide on continuing business tax; Measure B on Nov. 5 ballot marks first time issue has been at the polls

Currently, the tax raises $ 2.7 million dollars a year. Historically, these funds have been used to support key services, such as those in the Alameda County Sheriff's Department and the County Library System. Loss of this revenue could mean a cut of more than 15 positions from patrol services in the Sheriff's Department and a reduction of more than 30% in funds used to buy new library books and other materials.

No, this is not a tax that everybody pays, but EVERYBODY will lose fundamental quality of life services if the business license tax is not continued.

We ask you to help prevent this loss. Keep our law enforcement and library services intact. Help preserve Alameda County's vital services and our communities' unique quality of life. VOTE YES on MEASURE B.

(VOTERS PLEASE NOTE: This measure is NOT connected in any way to an item on the November ballot concerning the incorporation of Castro Valley. However, the amount of taxes collected within unincorporated areas would drop to approximately $ 2.3 million, if the Castro Valley measure passes. That's because the new City of Castro Valley would assess and collect its own business license tax.)

s/ THOMAS J. ORLOFF District Attorney
s/ CHARLES C. PLUMMER Sheriff/ Coroner
s/ NATE MILEY County Supervisor, District 4
s/ JOAN FONG President, Alameda County Library Foundation
s/ KATHIE READY Pres. , San Lorenzo Village Homes Association Bd