From: Jacob Patterson
To: Lemos, June
Cc: Ducey, Peggy; McCormick, Sarah; [email protected]; Whippy, Isaac Subject: Public Comment -- 8/8/22 CC Mtg., Item No. 8C, Money Grab Date: Friday, August 5, 2022 8:38:42 AM
City Council,
I have attended the previous meetings where the issue of asking for a tax increase was discussed and I am dismayed to see an agenda item for a general rather than a special tax. I clearly recall the direction being that now, of all times, is not the time to request a general sales tax increase but that a majority was open to exploring a special tax dedicated to housing issues. I read this staff report, which also appears to include inaccurate "information"-- unfortunately, not an isolated incident for City of Fort Bragg staff reports--and it is suggesting a general sales tax. The City has tried and failed several times to get a general sales tax increase approved by the voters and if you approve this, you will just be wasting the City's money paying for a ballot measure to be brought forward that has little to no chance of gaining voter approval. Ironically, even though it has a higher voter threshold, I think there is a chance a special tax could be approved, although I find that to be a long shot as well. What is behind this apparent attempt at a money grab?
I wouldn't worry about the County getting their tax proposal approved by the voters and Fort Bragg missing out on the chance to get our own sales tax increase because there is little chance that the voters will approve that measure. We are going into a likely recession and inflation is very high and this proposal would ask Fort Bragg voters to pay higher taxes in that environment.
You might not need to worry about a small incremental tax rate and staff won't with their COLAs but local taxpayers don't have any such relief. If anything, we should be looking at lowering local tax rates, not trying to pick the public's pocket to fund someone's pet projects that might not even help address any of our community's housing issues. I mean, this city can't seem to address any issues in a sensible manner, let alone something as complex as the local housing shortage. Do you really think the City team has any sort of housing or development expertise? The team can't even fix potholes properly or get our sewer plant functioning without poisoning the air! Just ask any permit applicant if we have a functional planning function... The list goes on and on.
Please stick to your previous direction and either forgo a tax measure altogether or pursue a special tax for housing projects. Unfortunately, staff and the City consultant are stacking the deck by only agendizing a general tax measure and did not even include the possibility of pursuing a special tax measure based on the staff report and the agenda description so it seems it is this general tax or nothing at all. I recommend you go with nothing at all and also reprimand staff for not following prior direction.
Regards,
--Jacob