1 From: C. Dave G <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2022 5:08 PM
To: City Clerk Group
Cc: Dave G
Subject: Opposition to Agenda Item D.1 “Potential Sales Tax Measure, Public Opinion Polling Results, and Props and Measures Community Outreach Contract Amendment,” meeting date 6/07/22: Please distribute email to the Mayor & City Council.
I strongly urge the Mayor and Council Members to Reject the Potential Sales Tax Measure based in part on the following facts: 1) City rents are out of control and have increased by 34% this past year with an average one bedroom apartment at $2,450.00 (see https://www.zumper.com/rent- research/goleta-ca), 2) Gas and diesel fuel prices are out of control with gas currently averaging over $6.00/gallon with diesel at over $6.75/gallon, 3) The City just approved Marborg trash collection rates to increase by up to 10% per year through and including July 01, 2028, 4) The City approved and appropriated, on December 21, 2021, $174,055.00 from the general fund and additional amounts not to exceed $219,055.00 and $50,000.00 to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Coraggio Group, Inc. for contract services for the development of a Visitor Profile Analysis and Economic Development Strategic Plan which I personally stated that this funding should be used to directly assist another City of Goleta project such as the currently unfunded Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects, and 5) The tracking survey grossly under polled just 418 registered voters out of the 20,022 registered Goleta Voters as determined on November 2020 per the California adjusted Census data.
In short, the cost of living for the residents of Goleta has never been higher whereby this measure should be rejected and Not placed on the November 2022 ballot.
My name is C. Dave Gaughen, email address of [email protected], phone number of (805) 275- 6457, and currently I do not plan on speaking on this agenda item.
Respectfully,
C. Dave Gaughen
1 From: Dustin Hoiseth <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2022 11:36 AM
To: City Clerk Group
Cc: Kyle Richards; Paula Perotte; Stuart Kasdin; Roger Aceves; James Kyriaco; Kristen Miller Subject: Public Comment - City Council Meeting June 7th - Potential Sales Tax Measure Attachments: PublicComment_D1_SBSCChamber_PotentialSalesTax.pdf Attached and below is public comment on behalf of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce for today's City Council Meeting re: the Potential Sales Tax Measure. Thank you. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Dear Mayor Perotte and Councilmembers:
The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, from Goleta to Carpinte ria, would like to express our concerns related to a potential sales tax measure in Goleta. We have been following the City’s exploration of new revenue options for some time and have put considerable thought into what this means for our community and businesses on the South Coast and in Goleta.
We are concerned by any sales tax measure or revenue measure that removes money from the local economy. Due to the recent rise in inflation this is a questionable time to implement new taxes. Residents and businesses alike have been hit hard by the pandemic, soaring costs, supply chain issues, rising gas and energy prices, in addition to the recent inflation
While we understand that the city’s desire to increase revenues and provide more services. Our recommendation for many years has been to focus more effort on exploring new solutions to address the revenue neutrality agreement with the County.
The proposed sales tax has the potential to generate an additional $10.6 million in annual City revenue. In the event that the proposed sales tax was to pass, the Chamber strongly proposes that at least $1 million be dedicated to economic development and/or reinvested into the local business economy. Our recommendation is as follows: approximately $250,000 made available for any visitor services programs that may stem from the upcoming Visitor Profile Analysis and Economic Development Strategic Plan. Approximately $250,000 to develop other economic development programs as a part of the City’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. An approximately $250,000 investment into a childcare assistance program that directly benefit employees in the region. And approximately $250,000 invested in old town Goleta to replace the projects proposed in the PBID program several years ago i.e., landscaping, extra cleaning, employee parking program and parking enhancement. The Chamber is also in favor of the many different programs and organizations addressing homelessness in our community and encourages the city to continue financially supporting these programs and solutions. Despite our concerns, the Chamber would consider supporting the proposed sales tax if the Council were willing to assure the business community that the City would utilize the funds for the previously proposed purposes.
Thank you,
2 Kristen Miller
President & CEO
Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ DUSTIN HOISETH | Public Policy Manager
SANTA BARBARA SOUTH COAST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
(805) 967-2500 | [email protected]
805.967.2500 | www.SBSCChamber.com
Mailing Address: 5662 Calle Real #204, Goleta, CA
Visitor Center: 120 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA
June 7, 2022
Mayor Perotte and City Council
City of Goleta
130 Cremona Drive, Suite B
Goleta, CA 93117
RE: Potential Sales Tax Measure
Dear Mayor Perotte and Councilmembers:
The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, from Goleta to Carpinteria, would like to express our concerns related to a potential sales tax measure in Goleta. We have been following the City’s exploration of new revenue options for some time and have put considerable thought into what this means for our community and businesses on the South Coast and in Goleta.
We are concerned by any sales tax measure or revenue measure that removes money from the local economy. Due to the recent rise in inflation this is a questionable time to implement new taxes. Residents and businesses alike have been hit hard by the pandemic, soaring costs, supply chain issues, rising gas and energy prices, in addition to the recent inflation
While we understand that the city’s desire to increase revenues and provide more services. Our recommendation for many years has been to focus more effort on exploring new solutions to address the revenue neutrality agreement with the County.
The proposed sales tax has the potential to generate an additional $10.6 million in annual City revenue. In the event that the proposed sales tax was to pass, the Chamber strongly proposes that at least $1 million be dedicated to economic development and/or reinvested into the local business economy. Our recommendation is as follows: approximately $250,000 made available for any visitor services programs that may stem from the upcoming Visitor Profile Analysis and Economic Development Strategic Plan.
Approximately $250,000 to develop other economic development programs as a part of the City’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. An approximately $250,000 investment into a childcare assistance program that directly benefit employees in the region. And approximately $250,000 invested in old town Goleta to replace the projects proposed in the PBID program several years ago i.e., landscaping, extra cleaning, employee parking program and parking enhancement. The Chamber is also in favor of the many different programs and organizations addressing homelessness in our community and encourages the city to continue financially supporting these programs and solutions. Despite our concerns, the Chamber would consider supporting the proposed sales tax if the Council were willing to assure the business community that the City would utilize the funds for the previously proposed purposes.
Thank you,
Kristen Miller
President & CEO
Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce