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City of San Mateo .25% Sales Tax
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Argument Against San Mateo ¼% Sales Tax: Measure S
“Sales taxes are among the most regressive forms of taxation. Consumers with moderate or low incomes have to sacrifice much larger portions of their incomes on sales taxes than do wealthy consumers”.
(according to Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor under President Clinton, and presently Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, in an NPR interview)
The San Mateo County sales tax rate of 9% is already high – only Alameda has a higher county tax rate.
Does anyone seriously believe that this drastic sales tax increase would not impact City businesses? Of course it would!
Many folks are already shopping online to avoid local sales taxes. Another local sales tax increase will just drive more business to online stores instead of local brick and mortar stores. That’s bad for local businesses and the local jobs they create.
The economy is struggling to rebound and a sales tax increase will hurt that recovery.
In 1960, sales tax was only 3%. Raising taxes never stopped politicians from claiming they need more money. But higher taxes make it harder for regular people to make ends meet.
As we endure this continuing economic recession, the poorest among us need every single penny to get by.
Vote your conscience.
Vote for those hardest hit in these tough times.
Now is not the time to raise taxes on anyone, especially those who cannot afford it.
Vote NO on Measure S.
There are other, better ways, to fund City government than through increasing the sales tax. Vote No on Measure S and force the politicians to meet financial challenges in the same way we do – by cutting costs and not spending more than you earn.
The following organizations have also endorsed a NO vote on Measure S:
The Republican Party of San Mateo County (www.smgop.org)
Here is a FACT SHEET from Thomas Weissmiller, of the San Mateo Republican Party:
City of San Mateo
Measure S
Extension of ¼ Cent Sales Tax for 30 Years
GENERAL
The voters of San Mateo will determine if a ¼% sales tax will be extended for 30 years on the Nov 03, 2015 local election.
INTENT
To stimulate interest and awareness of sales taxes by summarizing the FOR and AGAINST positions and references. Let the voters decide if this a good thing for our community.
ABOUT MEASURE S and Sales Taxes
All five members of the San Mateo City Council approved putting Measure S on the Nov 03, 2015, extending a ¼ cent sales tax for 30 years. The stated purpose is to maintain quality of life of services, to be prepared for State takeaways, service unfunded needs, better local control of funding, and emergency safety, security and road repairs. All funds go into the City’s general fund. The current ¼ sales tax was enacted by the voter in 2009 expires in 2018 (ten years).
The state of California has a 7.5% sales tax and cities and counties cannot have a total sales tax above 9.5%. The County of San Mateo has a 1.5% sales tax. The max the city can add is an additional ½%.
SB705 is currently on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. It permits the counties of San Mateo and Monterey to levy an additional 2% transportation tax subject to voter approval. The bill was introduced by State Senator Jerry Hill (D-Dist13). Earlier this year a similar piece of legislation that applied to all counties was vetoed by Governor Brown. It was introduced by Assembly Member Kevin Mullen (D-Dist 22). If SB705 is signed into law the County of San Mateo could potentially have a sales tax of 11.5%.
The Silicon Valley Tax Payers Association (SVTA) is the lead on opposition to Measure S. Quoting Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, “Sales taxes are among the most regressive forms of taxation. Consumers with moderate or low incomes have to sacrifice much larger portions of their incomes on sales taxes than do wealthy consumers”.
The only cities/towns in San Mateo County that have a sales tax are Half Moon Bay ½% and San Mateo ¼%. The City of South San Francisco has Measure W on the Nov 02, 2015 ballot. If passed it will be a ½% for 25 years.
Sales tax in San Mateo was 3% in 1960.
Tom
Thomas Weissmiller
Senior Resident of San Mateo since 1980
Member of the Silicon Valley Tax Payers Association
Elected Member to the San Mateo Republican Party
References
PUBLISHED on the san mateo county website
Resolution and Measure voted on by the San Mateo City Council. All votes were “ayes”.
- · Mayor Maureen Freshet
- · Deputy Mayor Jack Mathews
- · Council Member Rick Bonilla
- · Council Member David Lim
- · Council Member Joe Goethals
https://www.shapethefuture.org/elections/2015/nov/documents/measures/SanMateo_ResolutionMeasure.pdf
Impartial Analysis written by:
- · Shawn M. Mason, City Attorney of San Mateo
Primary Argument in Favor of Measure S, signed by:
- · Carole Groom; San Mateo County Supervisor, (District 2)
- · Cheryl Angeles; President/CEO, San Mateo Chamber of Commerce
- · Anna Kuhre; Public Works Commissioner
- · Brian Kelly; Retired Fire Chief
- · Rosalyn Koo; Senior Taxpayer
Primary Argument against Measure S, signed by
- · Mark Hinkle, President, Silicon Valley Tax Payers Association
https://www.shapethefuture.org/elections/2015/nov/documents/measures/MS_ArgumentAgainstMeasureS.pdf
Rebuttal to Argument in Favor of Measure S, signed by the following as a Bona Fide Association of Citizen Organization.)
- · Mark Hinkle, President, Silicon Valley Tax Payers Association
Rebuttal to Argument against of Measure S, signed by the following (all signed as individuals except Linda Asbury who signed as a Bona Fide Association of Citizen Organization.)
- · Jan Epstein, Former Mayor of San Mateo
- · Linda Asbury, President of Economic Development
- · Richard W. Hedges, Neighborhood Watch Board
- · Rich Sakuda, Marina Lagoon Action Committee (Founder)
- · Alicia Petrakis; Restaurateur
ARTICLES IN PUBLICATIONS
San Mateo Daily Journal on Measure S
- · Editorial, Yes on Measure S on Sep 25, 2015. http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2015-09-25/editorialyes-on-measure-s/1776425150729.html
- · Measure seeks 30-year sales tax extension: San Mateo’s Measure S would keep ‘temporary’ tax; opponents say it will hurt poor on Sep 21, 2015 by Samantha Weigel http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2015-09-21/measure-seeks-30-year-sales-tax-extension-san-mateos-measure-s-would-keep-temporary-tax-opponents-say-it-will-hurt-poor/1776425150484.html
San Mateo Daily Journal on SB705
- · Bill seeks way to hike sales tax: Under legislation, county exempted from state law with aim to help transportation funding Sep 21, 2015 by Samantha Weigel http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2015-09-21/bill-seeks-way-to-hike-sales-tax-under-legislation-county-exempted-from-state-law-with-aim-to-help-transportation-funding/1776425150482.html
California Legal Information
- · Transactions and use taxes: County of San Mateo: Transportation
Agency for Monterey County. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/sen/sb_0701-0750/sb_705_bill_20150903_amended_asm_v95.html
SUPPORTER OF MEASURE S
San Mateo County Democrat Party
http://www.smcdems.org/smcdems_endorsements_2015
San Mateo Daily Journal
OPPOSED TO MEASURE S
Silicon Valley Tax Payer Association
http://www.svtaxpayers.org/2015-san-mateo-city-sales-tax
San Mateo County Republican Party