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Town can turn Utility Users Tax into specific use |
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Friday, 05 March 2010 |
Final hearing will send
measure to voters
on June 8 ballot
By Catherine Billey
Mammoth Times Staff Writer
Because the Utility User’s Tax approved by voters in 1996 lapses in mid-2011, voters on June 8 are slated to approve an extension or a repeal of the general tax, which is currently set at 2.5 percent on electric, propane and telephone bills.
But a group of local opinion leaders met on March 1 to evaluate whether the ballot proposal, which will appear as Measure U, could be a specific tax legally dedicated to special programs, such as the Whitmore track or a roof on the ice skating rink, rather than a general tax going into the general fund.
The Mammoth Mountain Ski Area is the largest payer of the tax and supports its extension. Estimated revenue for 2009-10 on the 2.5 percent tax is $878,790. If the rate were lowered by a half percent, revenue projection would be $702,032.
Town manager Rob Clark organized Jay Deinken, Rusty Gregory, Bill Sauser, Elaine Smith, Teri Stehlik, Tony Taylor, Maggie Thompson, John Walter and John Wentworth in advance of the public hearing at town council on March 3.
Council was asked in mid-February to consider two proposed ordinances for the June ballot: one that would extend the tax at the current rate (2.5 percent is currently assessed on electric, propane and telephone bills); and one that would extend the tax and lower the rate from 2.5 percent to 2 percent.
But it was the unanimous consensus of the group to request more time to come up with a third alternative to be designated for a specific tax on specific projects, Clark said Wednesday. “It’s still a work in progress,” he said.
A voter opinion survey of 250 voters in Mammoth Lakes performed by Godbe Research indicated a 58 percent approval in support of an extension of the tax. A further 9 percent supported approval after hearing arguments for and against the extension.
“You do see people in this survey that want to spend their money on trails and parks and keeping commercial air service, so if you tell people that want those things they’re going away, they’ll say they want to keep them,” Godbe said in a 45 minute presentation for council on March 3.
“In the kind of economic world we’re living in. With the federal situation being what it is, with the State of California being what it is, it is more important than ever for a community like ours to be self-reliant, and to be able to have the opportunity to engage resources that can be specifically addressed to things that matter to the people that live in this place,” Wentworth said to council in support of a specific utility tax measure.
The problem with a general tax is that it can’t legally tell people precisely what it’s for. A special tax that would legally allow that will require a two thirds vote in June.
While there was some discussion of placing the measure on the November ballot, Wentworth said June is significant because it’s a local election.
“These are local issues, there will be candidates running, this is a significant question before the public, and we would like to know where the candidates stand on something like this,” he said.
The group of opinion leaders will meet again on Monday in advance of the council’s adjourned regular meeting on March 10 to discuss the possibility of a special tax and what it would be dedicated to, and bring their recommendations to council in the public hearing.
Evan Russell of the Mammoth Lakes Foundation asked council to consider including language for voters that would include cultural facilities and programs. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 12 March 2010 )
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