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Measure A - San Mateo County Sales Tax (Nov. 2012)
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Election - November 2012
San Mateo County
Measure A:
Transaction and Use (Sales) Tax
(0.5 percent)
SVTA recommends a NO vote
against Measure A.
Summary of Measure A:
To ensure San Mateo quality of life by retaining critical facilities/services such as: child abuse prevention, 911 dispatch, fire prevention, after-school library reading/homework programs; keeping parks open; maintaining seismically safe hospital/emergency rooms which may include substantial funding to replace Seton Hospital/emergency room for low-income children/seniors/disabled; and other County services, shall San Mateo County levy a half-cent sales tax for ten years, which the State cannot take away, with oversight/independent audits?
You may read the Full Text and Impartial Analysis of Measure A at the web site of the San Mateo County Registrar of Voters, here.
In this video, Lois Garcia, Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of San Mateo County, explains why she, too, recommends a "no" vote. (Click on the "play" button on the video screen, below.)
(Thanks to Midpeninsula Media Center for producing these videos.)
| Argument in Favor of Measure A |
Argument Against Measure A |
|
From the Coastside to the Baylands and everywhere in between, we proudly call San Mateo County our home. However, due to continued cuts from the State, San Mateo County faces an ongoing structural deficit of tens of millions of dollars - much of what we love about living here is at risk. In response to this declining revenue over the past five years, San Mateo County eliminated over 500 positions, de-funded vital programs and according to the Civil Grand Jury, our Emergency Operations Center has fallen below acceptable standards. Current employees have done their part by agreeing to pay more for health care and retirement. Local leaders have cut the budget to the bone and further reductions to crucial emergency services and others could put residents at risk. By voting YES on Measure A we will generate the funding to Save our Services in San Mateo County, including: • Child abuse prevention • 911 emergency dispatch • Healthcare for low-income children, seniors and the disabled • Fire prevention and response • Pre-school, after-school and library reading programs and homework centers for children and teens • Keeping county parks open • Ensuring hospitals and emergency rooms are seismically safe and remain open By law, Measure A funds cannot be taken away by the State. An independent oversight committee and annual audits will ensure that every penny is accounted for and spent on crucial San Mateo County services like those listed in Measure A. Vote YES on A to provide locally controlled funds to sustain the quality of life we appreciate in San Mateo County by improving direct services in every community, including Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, Broadmoor, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City, East Palo Alto, El Granada, Emerald Hills, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, La Honda, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Montara, Moss Beach, North Fair Oaks, Pacifica, Pescadero, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, South San Francisco and Woodside. Join San Mateo County residents, business, community and healthcare leaders - vote YES on Measure A - Save Our Services. www.saveourservicesnow.org Adrienne J. Tissier, President, Board of Supervisors Michael Garb, Advocate for Children’s Service and Abuse Prevention Maya Altman, CEO, Health Plan of San Mateo Anthony L. Slimick, President San Mateo County Firefighters Local 2400 Julia Bott, Executive Director, San Mateo County Parks Foundation San Mateo County blames its “structural deficit” on “cuts from the State”. |
Suddenly, the Board of Supervisors has noticed that “without additional revenue, the County of San Mateo will be hampered ... in providing essential County services”. Yes, demand for services goes up in hard times, as consumers and taxpayers suffer economic decline. But who’s going to raise their revenue? If taxpayers have to tighten their belts, why can’t government tighten its belt? With Measure A, San Mateo County government gets to loosen its belt while the rest of us get to punch another hole in ours to tighten it even further. That’s not right! Everyone must pitch in. It’s unfair to ask taxpayers to further support unsustainable employee compensation and pensions. According to the County’s recommended 2012-2013 Budget, average full-time permanent county employee salary plus benefits will be $135,761, way above what the average taxpayer brings in. Are they working for us, or are we working for them? A sales tax increase will hurt local businesses. And it falls hardest on the poor, who already suffer most in economic downturns: “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”. (Robert Reich, Secretary of Labor under President Clinton, and presently Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, in an NPR interview) In 1960, sales tax was only 3%. Raising sales taxes sure did not fix California’s budget problems, and it won’t fix San Mateo County’s budget problems, either. We need serious budget reform – not more taxes. All higher taxes do is make it harder for regular people to make ends meet, and further raise the already high cost of living in San Mateo County. The poor are, as usual the hardest hit. Think of the poor before you vote. VOTE NO ON MEASURE A For more information: http://www.svtaxpayers.org/measurea John Roeder, President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association Harland Harrison, Chair, Libertarian Party of San Mateo County CA Don Pettengill, Half Moon Bay Resident |
| Rebuttal to Argument in Favor of Measure A | Rebuttal to Argument Against Measure A |
|
What a whopper! Actually, irresponsible spending on employee salaries and benefits is to blame: San Mateo County Budget, All Funds 2003-04 2012-13 Increase Revenue $984,815,521 $1,453,674,876 48% Salaries/ benefits per permanent employee $80,500 $135,761 69% In 2007, the County Manager warned: “Rapidly increasing salaries and benefits are one of the factors causing the structural deficit ... Will future County salary and benefit increases be consistent with revenue growth and/or productivity increases?” Five years along, we know the answer to that question - NO ! Proponents warn that “further reductions to crucial emergency services and others could put residents at risk”. There’s an ugly word for this threat: BLACKMAIL ! San Mateo County Supervisors have chosen to cut staff and reduce services to citizens, rather than address the real issue: Out-of-control San Mateo County employee compensation ! Our Supervisors dare not annoy the public employee unions. Instead, they expect taxpayers to approve ever-increasing taxes to sustain public employee compensation almost twice that of the average taxpayer. Notice to taxpayers: blackmail never stops! They’ll be back with more demands in future. Higher sales taxes hurt local businesses, and increase unemployment. Worse yet, they are regressive and hit the poor hardest of all. Measure A proponents should be deeply ashamed of their support for a tax that so hurts the poor and rewards the well off. VOTE NO ON MEASURE A ! For more information: http://www.SVTaxpayers.org/measureaJohn Roeder August 17, 2012 President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association Harland Harrison, Chair, Libertarian Party of San Mateo County CA Don Pettengill, Half Moon Bay Resident |
While all groups have a right to express their opinion, the stakes are too important to be swayed by fringe perspectives and misleading statements. In fact a primary opposing argument signer won’t be affected by the cuts because he doesn’t live in San Mateo County. Massive cuts have been made and the critical services we depend on will be endangered if Measure A does not pass. Please review the facts: Fact: Measure A revenue is critical for public safety. According to the Civil Grand Jury, our Emergency Operations Center, critical during an earthquake or natural disaster, has fallen below acceptable standards. Fact: All funds Stay Local- Every penny from Measure A will benefit San Mateo County residents, cannot be taken by the state, and support local services such as: • Child abuse prevention • 911 emergency dispatch • Healthcare for low-income children, seniors and the disabled • Fire prevention and response • Pre-school, after-school and library reading programs and homework centers for children and teens • Keeping county parks open • Ensuring hospitals and emergency rooms are seismically safe and remain open Fact: Tightening the Belt- San Mateo County has made significant budget reductions and cut over 500 positions. County salaries have been frozen since 2008, retirement benefits cut, and employees pay more for health care. Fact: Low income residents need our help-San Mateo County’s low income and uninsured families, children, seniors and the disabled rely on the healthcare and educational services that would receive vital Measure A funding. Please join us and Vote Yes on A to Save our Services. Don Horsley, Supervisor Debra Amour, Registered Nurse, Intensive Care Armando Muela, Retired Fire Chief, Woodside Fire Protection District Anne Campbell, San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Lenore L. (Lennie) Roberts, San Mateo County Parks Advocate |
Paid for by the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association PAC.