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No on Measure F - Atherton Parcel Tax
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Elections June 2016
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The Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association endorses a NO vote on Measure F - Town of Atherton parcel tax.
The following reasons were provided a local citizens group, called:
ATHERTONIANS OPPOSE SPECIAL PARCEL TAX
When the Atherton parcel tax was first introduced in 1978, the real estate tax base was far lower than it is today.
The facts:
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The income from property taxes received by the town has so increased in the past few years that it will exceed income from the NEW parcel tax.
Without this parcel tax the town has more income than ever before. Police services account for 55.2% of the budget, which costs increased by $1,183,540 (19.6%) since 2015-16. Parcel taxes primarily fund only ONE local school resource officer.
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According to the town’s 2016-17 budget, and by law, the parcel tax constitutes 2.5% (NOT 13%) of the general fund.
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The town HAS $4.4M in its capital improvement fund that it can spend on capital projects like roads, drainage and safe bike and pedestrian routes. It has indicated it will instead spend it on a building because it is “SURPLUS” -- “EXTRA”.
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A common refrain in town government has been “we have the money”. If there is no limit to how much can be spent, it will all be spent. This reaction is one reason the council has never adjusted the parcel tax below the maximum amount despite its pledge to do so if the money was not needed.
--- It is TAXPAYERS in Atherton who pay property taxes.
--- TAXPAYERS were responsible for the first clean audit.
--- It was TAXPAYERS who insisted parcel tax dollars be used for much-needed capital improvements.
As a taxpayer it is your right to say the parcel tax has now become obsolete.