Measure B: Grass Valley Sales Tax Increase on the Ballot
In March, residents of the City of Grass Valley will see Measure B on their ballots, which proposes a sales tax increase.
The Grass Valley City Council voted unanimously to declare a fiscal emergency (Resolution 2023-57) on October 16, 2023.
Eight days later the City Council voted again unanimously to call for a Special Election on March 5, 2024 to consider a “Transaction and Use Tax” (Resolution 2023-62), specifically a 3/8 cent sales tax increase in the City of Grass Valley. Resolution 2023-62 states that “the City Council desires to submit a general transactions and use tax ordinance (the “Ordinance”) for voter approval.”
The resolution states that revenues from the tax can be used to fund activities related to fire safety or any other lawful purpose of the City. The resolution also states that the proposed sales tax should raise “about $3.4 million yearly.”
What is Measure B?
Measure B is a measure that will be listed on the March 5, 2024 ballot for registered voters residing in the incorporated City of Grass Valley. The measure is worded:
“Shall the measure for general governmental uses such as reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire and extreme weather by funding additional firefighters, vegetation management, and emergency evacuation planning by adopting a general, 3/8-cent (0.375%) sales tax raising about $3.4 million yearly, with yearly audits and a citizens’ oversight committee, effective for 7 years unless voters end it sooner, be adopted?”
Voters can vote yes or no to adopting the additional sales tax. Information on this Measure is posted on the City of Grass Valley’s website.
What is the Argument for Measure B?
The argument in favor of Measure B was authored by Grass Valley Mayor, Janet Arbuckle. The argument reads:
“Measure B will fund FIREFIGHTERS, WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION, and VEGETATION MANAGEMENT for Grass Valley. It will prepare Grass Valley to protect our people and our City from wildfires by funding firefighters, evacuation planning, vegetation management, and grants to homeowners to make our community safer.
Recent years have seen horrific wildfires around California, destroying the Town of Paradise and its neighboring communities, and damaging homes and businesses from San Diego to Santa Rosa to Redding. We know Grass Valley is vulnerable. We live among trees stressed by drought and dark beetle. We have Gold Rush-era roads that make evacuation difficult. We have many trees that have not been maintained for years on both private and public property.
Measure B allows us to do something about it. It will raise the Grass Valley sales tax by 3/8-cent (0.375%) to fund investments to protect our community and would be the same sales tax rate charged in Nevada City, if the tax on their ballot passes. We’ll pay it, but so will people who live outside Grass Valley but shop, work, and play here – so they pay their fair share to protect the town that they rely on. It will sunset in 7 years. There will be yearly independent audits and a Citizens Oversight Committee.
This is our chance to work as a community to address increased wildfire risk. VOTE YES TO REDUCE GRASS VALLEY’S FIRE RISK!”
The five signers of the statement in favor of Measure B were all five members of the Grass Valley City Council: Bob Branstrom, Hilary Hodge, Janet Arbuckle, Haven Caravelli, and Thomas P. Ivy. The statement form allows for supporters also to list their names and there was one additional supporter on this form: Clayton Thomas, who listed himself as the president of the local chapter (IAFF Local 3800) of the Nevada County Professional Firefighters. Thomas works for the Penn Valley fire station on Spenceville Road.
What is the Argument Against Measure B?
The argument against Measure B was authored by Patti Ingram Spencer, former mayor of Grass Valley. She wrote:
“Measure B will increase taxes, and Grass Valley will not be better prepared to prevent or fight wildfires.
This General Tax increase cannot be dedicated to fire safety despite what proponents promise. To dedicate tax dollars to a specific purpose, it must be a Special Purpose Tax. A specific tax increase requires a 2/3 vote (more than 66%) and would ensure the money is dedicated to fire safety. Instead, proponents chose a general tax because it is easier to pass with a simple majority vote (more than 50%). We need concrete solutions, not higher taxes coupled with vague promises. Voters are looking for a real plan that will dedicate money to reduce fuels, prepare our community for disaster, and help fund our fire districts and firefighters.
Protect our Grass Valley small businesses.
The City did not evaluate the local economic impacts of raising taxes and also did not consider any competitive disadvantages this would create for local businesses. We should not impose a new general sales tax while inflation and high energy prices already stress family finances. When faced with a 8.875% sales tax in Grass Valley, shoppers will take their dollars down the hill where the sales tax is 7.25%.
Keep Grass Valley affordable for local residents.
This measure increases the cost of everything sold in Grass Valley, especially big-ticket items such as vehicles and equipment. The significant increase in building material costs will exacerbate our community’s lack of affordable housing.
Vote NO on Measure B!
Another tax increase is not needed. Rather, we need our city leaders to better use our general funds.”
The five signers of the statement against Measure B include business owner Timothy P. DeMartini, realtor D. Kirk Pharis, former Nevada County supervisor John C. Spencer, forester Robert G. Ingram, and retired teacher Linda Bennett.
Rebuttals
Once the arguments were filed, there was an opportunity to post a rebuttal to the other party’s argument.
The Grass Valley City Council posted a rebuttal to the argument against Measure B, writing:
“Protect Our City YES ON MEASURE B
It’s cheaper to prepare than to pick up the pieces. If we do not take action to invest in fire protection, our local economy, businesses, and jobs will suffer.
This tax measure is about funding essential resources and safeguarding the community we love. The risk of fire danger, the ways we manage that risk, and the cost of home protection and insurance is critically tied to the affordability to live, play, and do business in Grass Valley.
This measure will remove dangerous fuels, reduce risk, and create safe places to go in a fire and PROTECT OUR CITY.
To ensure voters’ intentions are satisfied, money from this temporary tax measure will be monitored by both a Citizens’ Oversight Committee and a yearly audit. Grass Valley has a proven record of stewarding tax-measure dollars responsibly and transparently--voters having approved two general taxes, Measure N and E, to hire additional police officers and firefighters; purchase new fire trucks; repave streets; and improve our parks have seen that every penny of the taxes received were spent as intended--on city services.
All investment decisions must weigh the risks against rewards. Investing in fire safety is an investment we must make to ensure our future.
A yes vote on Measure B is a commitment to investing in your community.
A yes vote says this is our home and we want it to be here tomorrow.”
Former mayor of the City of Grass Valley, Patti Ingram Spencer, submitted a rebuttal to the sitting city council’s argument for the measure. She said:
“Don’t be misled! Measure B is a GENERAL TAX and can be spent without any restrictions. If the City of Grass Valley wanted to dedicate funds from a new sales tax exclusively for fire risk management, they would have!
The Grass Valley City Council wants to raise your sales tax to 8.875% - placing Grass Valley’s sales tax rates HIGHER than that of 70% of all municipalities in California. Much higher than our neighbors in Auburn, Yuba City, and Roseville. The consequences are easy to anticipate – local families and those on fixed incomes will stretch their dollars and buy their essentials down the hill to save money. Buyers of big-ticket items such as recreational vehicles or construction equipment will save thousands by purchasing goods and services somewhere else. Measure B will cripple our mom-and-pop businesses that are already struggling with increasing costs and high levels of inflation. Residents of Grass Valley will rely even more on buying essentials from mega corporations like Target and Amazon. What happened to “Shop Local”?
Recently, a Grass Valley business owner told The Union newspaper: “this has been one of the slowest years in business, even more so than pandemic times. Many of us have been hanging on by a thread.” Increasing Grass Valley’s sales tax rate to nearly 9% will only exacerbate the problems local businesses are currently facing. Vote NO on Measure B. Send a message to the Grass Valley City Council that you won’t be tricked again.”
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