More information about Measure V, including the ballot materials as well as links to City budget information, can be found on the City’s website at sonomacity.org/ballot-measure-v. General information about the November 3 election can be found at sonomacity.org/elections. If you are a member of a community organization that would like to receive a presentation on … Continued
Measure V requires approval by a simple majority of voters in order to pass.
In California cities, under what is known as the “Gann Limit”, a maximum spending amount is established for tax-funded services and adjusted each year. Each year, the City Council adopts a resolution establishing the appropriations limit for the City of Sonoma. This ballot language allows the City to adjust this spending limit in line with … Continued
Measure V would extend the existing local sales tax at the current rate on an ongoing basis until repealed by the voters. This tax could be repealed by voters in the future if placed on the ballot by the City Council or by a citizen initiative.
All Measure V funds would remain local and be controlled by the City Council. The primary reason this local sales tax was originally brought to Sonoma voters in 2012 was the State takeaway of millions of dollars in local redevelopment revenue. By law, locally approved sales taxes cannot be taken away by the State. In … Continued
Most cities in Sonoma County have a local sales tax to support their general city services. The cities of Cotati and Sebastopol have a full cent local sales tax, and the cities of Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, and Sonoma have a half-cent local sales tax. The City of Petaluma has a full cent sales … Continued
Although the existing local sales tax does not expire until September 2022, State rules govern when the City Council can place a tax measure on the ballot (only when councilmembers are elected, which is every two years, without declaring a fiscal emergency) as well as when the approved sales tax can begin to be collected. … Continued
All of the revenue from the local sales tax is spent locally for the benefit of the Sonoma community. Measure V revenues go into the City’s General Fund, which provides basic city services including 911 emergency response, fire and ambulance services, police services, emergency preparedness, street and parks maintenance, planning and building services, and service … Continued
Sonoma’s local half-cent sales tax generates approximately $2.5 million annually (in the current fiscal year, projections were lowered to $2.1 million due to the pandemic’s impact on the economy). This makes it one of the major sources for the City’s General Fund, bringing in about 13% of total revenue.
Measure V was placed on the November 3, 2020 ballot by a unanimous vote of the Sonoma City Council to help maintain the City’s service levels and ensure financial stability and sustainability. Voters approved this local sales tax in 2012 to offset the loss of redevelopment funding and protect essential City services. Measure V extends … Continued
