This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/alm/ for current information.
LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund If you appreciate our service to voters, please consider helping us with a donation.
Smart Voter
Alameda County, CA June 5, 2012 Election
Measure C
Public Safety and 911 Emergency Response Measure
City of Alameda

Temporary Sales Tax - 2/3 Approval Required

Fail: 8616 / 50.56% Yes votes ...... 8426 / 49.44% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Jul 12 3:12pm, 100.00% of Precincts Reporting (45/45)
Information shown below: Official Information | Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

To maintain neighborhood crime patrols, fire protection and 911 emergency response; improve earthquake preparedness; replace an unsafe fire station; establish a citywide Emergency Operations Center, a joint police/ fire training facility,library, cultural and recreational facilities; replace outdated police/ fire vehicles and equipment; and for other capital equipment and facilities, shall the City of Alameda enact a one-half cent sales tax, with all revenue staying in the City,mandatory annual audits and public expenditure reports?

Official Sources of Information

Impartial Analysis
The City of Alameda Public Safety and 911 Emergency Response Measure proposes to raise revenue to secure neighborhood crime patrols, fire protection and 911 emergency response, replace an unsafe fire station, establish a citywide Emergency Operations Center and a joint police and fire training facility, and replace outdated police and fire vehicles and equipment. The Measure would also fund library, cultural and recreational facilities, including preservation of the historic Carnegie library, and construction of swimming facilities. The revenue will be raised by authorizing a temporary special transactions and use tax ("sales tax") of one-half of a cent (0.50%), and approving an ordinance adding Section 3-63 to the Alameda Municipal Code. The tax would be paid in addition to the current state and local sales taxes and would be collected at the same time and in the same manner as existing sales taxes. Because the Measure is a special tax, revenue must be placed in the restricted fund and used for specified purposes. The State cannot take the revenue from the Measure for its own use.

California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 7285.91 authorizes the City to levy or increase a transactions and use tax (i.e."sales tax") for specific purposes as set forth by the City, if the ordinance proposing the tax is approved by at least two-thirds of the qualified voters of the city voting in an election on that issue. If approved, the tax would add a half-cent to the price of an item that costs a dollar, or $0.50 the price of an item that costs $100. Currently, the tax on retail sales in Alameda County is 8.75% of the purchase price. Of that amount, 6.25% goes to the State, 0.5% goes to Alameda County for the County hospital, 0.5% goes to countywide transportation, including projects in Alameda, 0.5% goes to BART, and 1% goes to the City of Alameda.

This Measure, if approved by the voters, would increase the total sales tax rate on retail sales in Alameda to 9.25%. Of the total rate, 0.50% would go to public safety facilities and equipment, and library, cultural and recreational facilities. If approved, the tax would become operative on October 1, 2012. The tax imposed by the ordinance will automatically sunset and will no longer be collected thirty (30) years after it becomes operative.

The sales tax increase will be subject an expenditure plan and a yearly independent and publicly available audit. The City Manager is required to recertify the plan of expenditures at the time of submittal of the budget to the City Council. The City Council is prohibited from using these funds to replace General Fund dollars budgeted for normal operations at the previous year's service levels.

A "Yes" vote is a vote to approve the half-cent tax for thirty years, with annual audits. A "No" vote is a vote against the tax. The Measure would be approved if it received a two-thirds majority of "Yes" votes

s/ Janet C.Kern
City Attorney

  Official Information

City of Alameda's website

City of Alameda's video
Events

Forum

  • Date: Thursday, April 26
    Time: 8 - 9 PM
    Place: Girls and Boys Club of Alameda, 1900 3rd Street
    Sponsor: League of Women Voters of Alameda
News and Analysis

KTVU

Partisan Information

YES on Measure C

NO on Measure C
This election is archived. Any links to sources outside of Smart Voter may no longer be active. No further links will be added to this page.
Links to sources outside of Smart Voter are provided for information only and do not imply endorsement.

Arguments For Measure C
Alameda's unique quality of life comes from its long history as a family friendly place to live and work. Our quality of life depends on having a solid foundation of safety, and good access to cultural and recreational opportunities. Measure C preserves our history, while protecting our future.

When you call 911, lives depend on a reliable system and fast emergency response from police officers, firefighters and paramedics. Measure C will keep Alameda safe by modernizing 911 emergency response to maintain neighborhood crime patrols, fire protection, earthquake preparedness; replaces a condemned fire station in the heart of Alameda; repairs three aging fire stations, a citywide Emergency Operations Center, and constructs a training facility for our first responders and Citizens Emergency Response Teams. Measure C replaces outdated police and fire vehicles that have been used beyond their service life. These facilities are vital to protecting Alameda residents during an earthquake, or other disaster.

Cultural and recreational opportunities are important components to Alameda s quality of life, for everyone, especially our youth. Measure C rebuilds unsafe facilities such as the Carnegie Library, Alameda's Swim Center, and pays for the construction of an all-weather, lighted sports field for our community.

Measure C funds stay in Alameda and cannot be taken away by Sacramento politicians. The money must legally be used in Alameda to protect our safety and quality of life. All revenues will be scrutinized through mandatory, independent annual audits and public expenditure reports.

Alameda firefighters, police officers, business owners and taxpayers urge a YES vote on Measure C. During a fire, crime or medical emergency, we need our first responders fast and prepared. As island residents, we must be prepared to protect lives during an earthquake or other disaster.

Let's preserve our history, and protect our future. Vote YES on Measure C.

1. Honora Murphy
Library Supporter

2. Barry Parker
Swimmer

3. Ellen Jean Graham Gilliat
Resident

4. Thomas Cobb
Police Officer

5. Domenick Weaver
Fire Captain

(No arguments against Measure C were submitted)


Alameda Home Page || Statewide Links || About Smart Voter || Feedback
Created: July 26, 2012 13:00 PDT
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund   http://cavotes.org
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.