During the past year, the City Council completed a study of long term capital equipment and operating needs. Based upon the recommendations of that study, the City Council placed this measure on the ballot to obtain the additional revenue to finance such needs.

Measure P would increase the T.O.T. from 6% to 10%. The additional revenues will also go into the General Fund, usable for any purpose determined by the City Council, and for that reason, Measure P is a "general" tax under Proposition 218, and would be approved by a majority vote at this election.

If so approved, Measure P will become a valid and binding ordinance of the City, and will be considered as adopted upon the date that the vote is declared by the City Council. If Measure P is not approved, the existing T.O.T. at 6% will continue to remain in effect.

s/ Larry McLaughlin, Sebastopol City Attorney

Only overnight visitors to Sebastopol pay the TOT. This is not a tax on residents. Only visitors staying in hotels pay this tax.

The revenue raised from the TOT will go 100% into the city general fund to be used for priority needs identified by the City Council. Unlike the previous ballot measure to increase the TOT, no portion of the TOT is required to be used for special programs.

Our visitor friends use city services and streets and this is one way of compensating the residents of Sebastopol for providing a wonderful place to visit. The costs of providing city services including the maintenance of roads and parks, police, fire and medical response are mainly borne by the city residents. It's time that visitors who use our streets, parks and other services pay their fair share.

s/ Robert E. Anderson, City Councilman
s/ Larry Robinson, City Councilman
s/ Harvey Charnofsky
s/ John R. Stevens, Small Business Owner
s/ Ken Jacobs, Estate Planning Attorney

ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 0480 IMPOSING A TAX UPON THE PRIVILEGE OF TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY IN THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL

THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Section 3 of Ordinance No. 0480 adopted November 2, 1964 and amended by Ordinance No. 681, adopted October 17, 1977, shall be amended to read as follows:

SEC. 3. Tax Imposed. For the privilege of occupancy in any hotel, each transient is subject to and shall pay a tax in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the rent charged by the operator. Said tax constitutes a debt owed by the transient to the City which is extinguished only by payment to the operator or to the City. The transient shall pay the tax to the operator of the hotel at the time the rent is paid. If the rent is paid in installments, a proportionate share of the tax shall be paid with each installment. The unpaid tax shall be due upon the transient's ceasing to occupy space in the hotel. If for any reason the Tax due is not paid to the operator of the hotel, the Tax Administrator may require that such tax shall be paid directly to the Tax Administrator.

SECTION 2. Except as herein amended, Ordinance No. 0480 shall remain in full force and effect and the tax imposed by the amendment to this Ordinance shall be operative and be imposed on January 1, 2001, and thereafter.