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Measure E - San Jose Transfer Tax
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Elections June 2016
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BALLOT ARGUMENT AGAINST THE TRANSFER TAX
- Measure E
Enough is enough. In the last four years, we have passed TWO new General Fund taxes and a $650 million infrastructure tax in the City of San José alone. The County has passed two new taxes – including a general tax measure. School and college districts have passed new tax measures. Regional bodies like VTA & MTC have passed new taxes and fees. At the same time, we have new General Fund dollars coming in from eBay, while Apple, Google, and Facebook have pledged billions for housing.
On top of all these taxes, many more may be on the way including: a state measure to alter Proposition 13, a new regional transportation “mega tax”, and another 5/8-cent County sales tax. The City is also studying a costly new Commercial Linkage Fee to fund housing, on top of the existing residential impact and inclusionary housing fees. When will it be enough?
A new Transfer Tax is a GENERAL TAX. Despite the nice wording about affordable housing and helping the unhoused, future City Councils can spend this money on anything they choose. If they spend $1 on housing, they can say they have kept their commitment.
A new Transfer Tax will make it more expensive to acquire properties for development, and increasing costs have NEVER led to increased affordability. It will make it harder for projects to get financed in San Jose, so FEWER homes will get built, and our housing crisis will get WORSE – not BETTER.
As voters, taxpayers, and officeholders, we want to see RESULTS for the taxes we’ve already authorized. Instead of raising taxes and costs, let’s focus on REDUCING costs. Let’s focus on using all of the housing money we have already have more effectively. Let’s focus on living within our means --- because Enough IS Enough!
Vote NO on this General tax.
Also endorsing a NO vote are:
The Republican Party of Santa Clara County
The Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County
Johnny Khamis - San Jose City Council & State Senate Candidate
Jonathan Fleming - candidate for SJ City Council #2
Dev Davis - candidate for SJ City Council #6
Alberta Brierly - district resident