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SLO County seeking sales tax increase

April 11, 2016

ca_trafficSan Luis Obispo County officials have endorsed a half-cent sales tax initiative that may appear on the November ballot. The aim of the sales tax measure is too reduce traffic congestion. [Tribune]

Last week, the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments board voted 10-1 in favor of the tax increase. County Supervisor Debbie Arnold cast the lone dissenting vote. Supervisor Lynn Compton was absent for the vote.

The tax proposal would last nine years and raise approximately $25 million annually. Two thirds of voters would have to support the initiative in order for it to pass.

Ron De Carli, executive director of SLOCOG, said the agency is at a fiscal cliff because of low gas prices. State and federal transportation funding have decreased significantly in recent years because of low gas prices and the increasing popularity of fuel-efficient cars.

County officials say a new source of revenue is needed to reduce traffic congestion.

Congestion has long been a problem at rush hour on Highway 101 at the Shell Beach Straights. Alternative routes on Highway 227, Prado Road and Los Osos Valley Road are becoming backed up as well.

If the tax were to pass, the revenue would go toward widening roads, but also fixing potholes, improving bridge safety and improving bike paths, like the Bob Jones trail.

In order for the tax measure to qualify for the ballot, it must be approved by a majority of San Luis Obispo County cities and the county board of supervisors. SLOCOG officials say telephone polling currently puts support for the tax in the mid-60 percent range.


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Most of these taxes are per gallon, so how does the price per gallon reduce revenues?


CA gas taxes:

39 cents for excise tax

30-42 cents for sales tax

10 cents for cap and trade “fee”—tax on a tax

18.4 cents federal excise tax


(from watchdog.org)


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Remember the days when the taxes were posted along with the price.


Government did away with that minor inconvenience of letting the taxpayer know the amount that was being confiscated from them every fill-up.


Take a look at your phone bill or cable bill if you want to be sickened further about taxes.


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You and your pesky facts, don’t you know the government doesn’t like facts especially if it doesn’t help feed the beast. One could actually think that the lower gas prices actually increase the income from taxes since lower process encourage people to drive more and thus end up buying more gallons of gas, but then again those facts don’t help the government continue their outrageous salaries, benefits, and pensions.


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Oh don’t forget that because gas prices went down there was no increase in Social Security this year. If you can’t trust the government who are you going to trust. The increased tax will not be for the benefit of the people but for those in government.

Don’t let them pull this one off.


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Cap and Trade is now going to cho-cho to nowhere at a cost of $2 billion a year which is not enough so there is talk about imposing another tax for the cho-cho…..


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It’s not the per gallon that has changed, but allegedly that we’re using fewer gallons because we’re all driving teslas, leafs and priuses. Go figure how they get to that conclusion. Di Carli is a lying empire-building bureaucrat, so what else is new. He just wants more money, and the dumb bunnies that sit on SLOCog have no objection to that since more money gives them more to play around with. Logic doesn’t matter with this crew. Fire Jan Marx.


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The county can do all that work, they just need to do it in phases and plan for it! I honestly don’t believe the money from raising the sales tax will go for those improvements though. It seems like Administrators everywhere are all making big hefty salaries, while needed improvements to infrastructure in most places isn’t happening. Quit handing out big salaries and take care of the county! Prioritize your road repair list and get it done!


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Startin’ to feel the Bern!


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So typical of government smoke and mirrors


Raise cigarette taxes so more people will stop smoking!!

Raise gas tax so people will strive for more fuel efficiency!!


Government speaking “Oh OH! Good news/Bad news! People did just what we wanted. Now we need to raise more taxes to offset the windfall of extra money we initially received (and are now going to lose) when we first put these taxes in place.?@#$!?”


That my friends was a trip into the Government Brain! You will notice how quick and linear that trip was.


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Hey, it’s just like water in SLO city. The less we use, the more we pay. Fire Jan Marx.


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Good luck. Not. Go run a real business and then we can talk.


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Debbie Arnold is a lone descender.

That tells you that she still has the sentiment of the actual community and common person voter.

The others after they are elected do what they please despite public hearing oppositions by the public likely influenced into the pockets of special wealthy interest who can later contribute to their future campaigns. This is why SLO has evolved to the special interest dreams or pocket.

if you have ever been to a public hearing, you are allowed three minutes to speak speak your mind with NO debate then they have the last say so ITS A JOKE AT BEST.

Debbie Arnold and Dan Carpenter stands alone and need the community support.

Go to just one single public hearing and you will wake up fast!


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Kelly in Atascadero votes consistently no for any tax increase and fee increases. He often challenges Atascadero on their spending habits but has no support from the others.


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Before I would vote yes on this I will want to see what they have done with the money raised in the past. Potholes have not obviously been anywhere near the top of the priority list in past years and I haven’t seen much in the way of road widening, so where the hell has the money gone?


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Don’t forget about the stupid reconfiguration of Johnson Rd that they did to provide a 3′ hash marked dead zone between the bike lane and the travel lane… that and the random patches of tennis court green painted bike lanes throughout downtown.


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Don’t be shocked–it’s been siphoned off to Brown’s high speed rail project.

Now, in order to have the State return some of our $$$, counties and cities have to raise sales tax and Brown will return a portion of what’s been diverted.

Gosh, no wonder he has such high approval ratings!


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YOU DO NOT GET TO VOTE YES IN A PUBLIC HEARING

NOR ARE YOU ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS

YOU GO AND LISTEN TO THEIR PRESENTATION WITHOUT DISRUPTION

THEN YOU ARE ALLOWED 3 MINUTES TO SAY WHAT YOU WANT WITHOUT INTERACTION.

THEN THEY HAVE THE LAST SAY SO.

THATS IT, THEY DECIDE IN CLOSED SESSION, YOU HAVE NO SAY SO!

JUST GO TO ONE PUBLIC HEARING AND YOU HAVE INSTANT RELEVATION.


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Sales tax increase for improving bike paths? I don’t think so. Just how stupid do they think people are. If you want to improve traffic congestion, then start by getting rid of bike lanes that were added, which turned 4-lane roads into 2-lane roads, which created the congestion.


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Ron De Carli, executive director of SLOCOG, said the agency is at a fiscal cliff because of low gas prices. State and federal transportation funding have decreased significantly in recent years because of low gas prices and the increasing popularity of fuel-efficient cars.


Maybe they should lay some people off? That is what businesses (from whom they get their money from) have to do when income is down.


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I was just about to quote the same pull…


No, Mr. DeCarli, it is not low gas prices that have you at a fiscal cliff, it is rampant irresponsibility coupled with typical government-style accounting practices (i.e. paying yourselves too much, too often, non-stop).


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If they are at the cliff I would suggest that Di Carli gather his staff and any politician that would vote yes for this and go jump off the cliff so that we can start all over with newly elected officials who are honest and will spend our tax money on the payers and not themselves.


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Start with Di Carli.


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