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Measure D Transient Occupancy (Hotel) Tax City of Tehachapi 739 / 44.0% Yes votes ...... 939 / 56.0% No votes
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| Infomation shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | | |||||
Should the 2% increase in the transient occupancy tax adopted by the Tehachapi City Council on June 19, 1995 be approved?
On June 19, 1995, the City Council raised the tax from 8% to 10% and ever since that time, the hotels and motels within the City have been charging the tax. On November 5, 1996, the California Electorate approved Proposition 218 which provided in part that all taxes imposed after January 1, 1995 without voter approval would have to obtain voter approval on or before the general election of 1998 or terminate. The City Council has therefore placed this matter on the ballot for voter approval. Money collected from the Transient Occupancy Tax goes into the City's general fund for use in providing general city services.
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| Arguments For Measure D |
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In this post Proposition 13 economic environment it is becoming increasingly difficult for municipal governments to provide the services typically associated with cities and counties. Yet at the same time citizens are demanding that city and county government do more with less resources. An increase from 8-percent to 10-percent in the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) represents an opportunity for the City of Tehachapi to increase the City's general fund revenue and as such provide a mechanism to increase the quality and quantity of service to the citizens. In that the TOT will only be imposed on visitors staying in our hotels, motels and potential future bed and breakfast establishments. Approval of the Measure will have no fiscal impact on the Citizens of Tehachapi. It is important to note that visitors and particularly tourists are very desirable and in the main make a positive contribution to our economy. However, visitors and tourists do have an impact on City services such as roads, law enforcement, etc. As such the TOT will provide a funding mechanism to offset the service related impacts that visitors have on the City. It should be noted that a yes vote on the Measure does not constitute an increase in the TOT. The two-(2) percent increase has already been in effect since June 1995. The purpose of the Measure is only to reauthorize the June 1995 two (2) percent increase as required by Proposition 218. In terms of comparing Tehachapi with other communities in Kern County, Bakersfield has a TOT of 12-percent and other communities that are similar in size to Tehachapi such as Maricopa, Shafter, Taft, and Delano have a TOT of 10-percent.
s/David A. James
(No arguments against Measure D were submitted) |
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Created: February 16, 1999 18:54
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