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Which San Luis Obispo County ballot measures passed?

December 4, 2024

Morro Bay’s proposed battery storage facility

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo County residents voted to raise sales taxes in three cities, continue electing a treasurer, stop industrialization, and repeal increases in water bills. Here are the final tallies:

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

Locals agreed to increase the sales tax by 1% with 64.95% voting yes. Arroyo Grande City staff estimates the tax wil result in $6 million a year in additional revenue. 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, passes

A measure to extend a 2014 half cent sales tax passed by 70.68% to 29.32%. 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, fails

Voters rejected a measure to transition from electing a city treasurer to appointing the top financial officer for Atascadero. The vote was close with 50.81% voting against the measure.

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

Voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to repeal Grover Beach’s 112% water and sewer rate increase, in a 64.62% to 34.05% vote.

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

Morro Bay residents approved a measure requiring voter approval for changes to some zoning on the waterfront in a 59.92% to 40.08% vote. While Morro Bay residents won the election, Vistra Energy, the company behind a proposed battery storage facility, decided to seek state approval while bypassing the city’s consideration.

The Morro Bay City Council responded on Nov. 13 by directing staff to construct an urgency ordinance on the potential battery storage project. The council plans to vote on the proposed urgency ordinance in January.

Paso Robles’ Measure I-24, sales tax increase, passes

Voters approved a measure to extend the 2012 half cent sales tax, which was set to expire in 2025, by 54.42% to 45.58%. 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, passes

In line with voters throughout the county, Paso Robles residents approved a measure to increase the sales tax by .5% and to extend a previously approved .5% sales tax measure with a 62.53% to 37.47% vote. 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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Yeah, raises for all Lucia Mar administrators!!!!!!


0

While it is possible that community college presidents receive no direct proceeds from sales taxes, It is unlikely that absolutely no portion of sales tax makes it way to community colleges. A major portion of sales tax money goes to the state. Once there, one cannot really know where it goes, but some of it likely makes its way to community colleges. Unrelated? Not likely, but even if so, the community college presidents’ pay is a good example of government squandering our money.

Sales tax is a regressive tax. It is more burdensome to the poor and lower income classes. As an example, say one family has an income of $40,000 per year. Of that, they spend say one-quarter, $10,000, on stuff. That means this family pays $775 per year or about 2% of their income on sales tax. Another otherwise identical family has an income of $100,000 per year. Let’s say they spend twice as much, $20,000, on stuff. That means this family pays $1,550, or about 1.5% of their income on sales tax. The second family bought twice as much stuff, but paid only three-quarters as much sales tax as a percent of their income. Clearly sales tax is harder on the lower economic classes than on the higher. Sales tax is applied equally? I think not.

Lastly, after all these tax rate changes are implemented, I believe PB will have the lowest sales tax rate in the county, one-half percent less than all other cities. So, if you want to buy stuff, particularly a big ticket item, you are better off to buy it in PB than any other city. This has the effect of increasing sales in PB, and decreasing sales elsewhere. Therefore, PB might actually get more that their projected “$4 million a year in additional revenue”, while the other cities might get less than what they projected. This sort of dynamic thinking is way beyond most in public service. Ronald Reagan said, “If you want less of something, tax it.” Apparently there are some who want less sales.


3

It’s settled: Californians love tax increases.


33

I will never understand why people vote to increase taxes on themselves when there is so much fiscal mismanagement at every level of government. When the president of a local community college makes more than any governor of a state it seems there is a glaring problem with how our money is being spent. From transparent california’s website:

Kevin Walthers – President at Allan Hancock – Total pay & benefits: $ $430,195.76

Jill Stearns – President at Cuesta – Total pay & benefits: $356,166.52

Gov Newsom – $299,002.56


41

Local sales taxes aren’t going go local community colleges, the two things have nothing to do with each other.


Sales tax is one of the most effective forms of taxation – it’s applied equally to all consumers minimizing economic distortions (like tarrifs and excise taxes which encourage corruption between big business and government), and is paid by people consuming (so tourists, foreigners, and people who don’t pay other taxes) which I believe is morally superior to income taxes which punishes productivity and savings. The only better tax system is a land value tax which encourages productivity and punishes people who own vacant property as pure speculation.


We agree we must have taxes in some form, unless you’re an devout anarchist, which would be a different conversation. The question should be how to tax efficiently, and how to make government more efficient (without making it less fair or an institution which only works for the rich and well connected).


-3

All grossly over paid. It baffles me as well as to why people complain about all the high prices but then turn around and vote for more taxes. Astonishing.


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