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Which San Luis Obispo County ballot measures are likely to pass?

November 10, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo County voters were asked on Nov. 5 to raise sales tax, stop electing a treasurer, stop industrialization, and repeal increases in water bills. With about two-thirds of votes counted what local measures are succeeding?

Arroyo Grande’s Measure E-24, sales tax increase

A measure to increase sales tax by 1%, which Arroyo Grande City staff estimates will result in $6 million a year in additional revenue, is passing with 59% voting yes. Measure E-24 will raise the sales tax rate in Arroyo Grande from 7.75% to 8.75%.

The proposed 1% sales tax increase is set to sunset in ten years.

Atascadero’s Measure L-24, sales tax increase

A measure to extend a 2014 half cent sales tax is passing by 70.80% to 29.20%. Atascadero’s sales tax will remain at 8.75%.

Atascadero’s current sales tax rate will continue unless residents vote to repeal it. City staff estimates Measure L-24 will result in $3 million a year in additional revenue.

Atascadero Measure M-24, appoint the city treasurer

A measure to transition from electing a city treasurer to appointing the top financial officer for Atascadero is currently failing 50.9% to 49.10%. However, the race is still to close to call.

Grover Beach Measure G-24, lower water and sewer rates

A measure to repeal Grover Beach’s 112% water and sewer rate increase is winning by 65.45% to 34.55%.

Morro Bay Measure A-24, require voter approval for industry on the waterfront

A measure requiring voter approval for changes to some zoning on the waterfront is passing by 59% to 41%. While Morro Bay residents opposed to the industrialization of the Morro Bay waterfront are winning, Vistra Energy, the company behind a proposed battery storage facility, has decided to seek state approval while bypassing the city’s consideration.

Paso Robles’ Measure I-24, sales tax increase

A measure to extend the 2012 half cent sales tax, which is set to expire in 2025, is passing by 54.88% to 45.12%. Paso Robles’ sales tax will remain at 8.75%. The increase will continue unless residents vote to repeal it.

City staff estimate Measure I-24 will result in $5.5 million a year in additional revenue.

Pismo Beach’s Measure F-24, sales tax increase

A measure to increase the sales tax by .5% and to extend a previously approved .5% sales tax measure is passing 62.29% to 37.71%. The new Pismo Beach sales tax rate will be 8.25%

City staff estimates the increase in sales tax will result in $4 million a year in additional revenue.

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No crying in our Cheerios over high prices when you vote to increase the sales tax. How about we vote to hold these people accountable to a budget?


15

With this increase AG will join all other nearby cities in SLO county and Santa Maria with the highest sales tax rate in this area. The only exception is PB which even if their increase passes, will still have the lowest tax rate in this area. This will tend to increase sales in PB and decrease sales in surrounding cities, including AG. (If you want to stop a behavior, tax that behavior.) This results in less revenue for AG than they might estimate. This sort of dynamic thinking is beyond the comprehension of most public servants and politicians. Hopefully they will wait to see what the revenue actually is before spending the money they hope to get

 

Another point. Currently AG gets to keep only 0.5% of the 7.75% they collect. All the rest goes to the state and other entities. So, there is currently a 0.5% city sales tax in AG. With this sales tax increase, AG will be keeping 1.5% of the 8.75% they collect. This means that AG might get THREE TIMES as much revenue from sales tax than they currently do. That is a whopping 200% increase in the city sales tax rate. GB residents got considerably agitated with only a 100% increase in water rates. Where is the agitation to a 200% tax increase?

 

Finally, I noticed that some of the measures described in the article are characterized as passing with margins less than two-thirds. Has the two-thirds margin for new taxes been eliminated by a vote of the people? I guess I missed that. Maybe not as astute as I used to be. Age does that.


9

Next time you whine about being so expensive to live on the Central Coast….


Well, now you know.


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