Measure K

Posted by Gordon on October 7, 2009 at 9:00am









The taxpayers, at least the long term property owners have seen this same old dance before, before and well, you get the picture. Measures are brought up accompanied by threats of certain publicly necessary offices to be seriously cut back and/or face closing. The library comes to mind, then fire and police protection, the condition of our streets, ambulance services etc. The same old song, only a different verse, to fit in with new taxpayers to the area that are not versed on the cities past actions. Everything is called a crisis, remember the Clinton Administration, everything was a crisis, almost on a daily basis, or for the children. The city of Salinas, those in the City Council, the Mayor, obviously paid close attention to every nefarious detail.

Well here we are a few years after “Measure V,” :

To address an existing emergency related to Salinas' ability to fund all general public services, including basic services such as police, fire safety, paramedics, libraries, recreation, crossing guards, graffiti removal, anti-gang programs, and street and park maintenance, shall an ordinance be adopted to levy a transactions and use tax of a half cent, which would sunset in 10 years and include an independent citizens oversight committee?

Mortally-threatened Salinas Public Library, Library Journal.

On November 8, 2005, Salinas’ voters approved Measure V, a ½ cent transactions and use tax for General Fund services. Annual estimated revenue from the tax is $10.0 million. Voters also approved an Independent Oversight Committee (Measure V Committee) to recommend uses for, and monitor the use of, Measure V funds.

Measure V, which will put $11 million annually in the city's coffers for ten years, was embraced by local voters November 8, 2005. The half-cent sales tax will restore funding to library and recreation centers, as well as support public safety services like police and fire protection, the Monterey County Herald reported. Mayor Anna Caballero said, "What's exciting about this victory is that there was a great sense of despair nine months ago, and together we changed that around.

In November 2005, Measure V passed overwhelmingly with 62%, far higher than the majority approval needed to allow Salinas to continue to provide vital city services.
The day after Election Day, The Salinas Californian front page congratulated voters on their incredible win. “The cavalry is coming! Salinas voters to the rescue! Measure V won hands down Tuesday as a clear majority of Salinas voters backed the plan to raise the city sales tax by a half-cent to keep vital public services going.”

If voters pass measure K, the sales tax in Salinas would rise from 8.75 to 9.75 percent. It would become the highest rate in Monterey County, ahead of three cities at 9.25 each.

According to Albert Einstein “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Think about this quote for a second and ask yourself, does this quote apply to the way Salinas has been operating?

This tax goes into the general fund, come on people what does that mean? Every department in the city will be able to dip into these funds. The County has a general fund, so does the city. This means that in a few years we will be back once again listening to the same old dribble, the same old song with the same old threats.

I feel that the great majority of citizens believe that nothing would better encourage economic growth than leaving more money in the hands of the people who earn it. It's time to stop stripping bare the productive citizens of Salinas and funneling their hard-earned income into the city coffers. The city of Salinas must be held accountable and the people must stop listening to the never ending and worn out threats and excuses posed by the mayor and city council. Vote No on “K.” Remember, government always finds a need for the money it gets.