Measure Q - The City of Santa Rosa Vital City Services Measure

Summary

This measure would repeal both of those ¼ cent sale taxes and replace them with a combined, single ½ cent sales tax. The City’s current tax rate would remain unchanged. Chapters 3-27 and 3-29 of the City Code would be repealed on the date the new ½ cent tax becomes operative. There would be no overlap between the old and the new taxes. The new ½ cent general sales tax would be set forth in Chapter 3-30 of the Santa Rosa City Code. The tax would remain in place for a period of ten years and would expire automatically on March 31, 2031 (or if the initial operative date of the tax is later than April 1, 2021, at the end of the ten years from that operative date).

A "YES" vote on Measure Q is a vote to consolidate and extend the city's existing voter-approved sales tax without change to the current 1/2 cent rate for ten years only, providing approximately $18 million annually, for city, safety, wildfire, and other services.

A "NO" vote on Measure Q is a vote against consolidating and extending the city's existing voter-approved sales tax without change to the current 1/2 cent rate for ten years only, providing approximately $18 million annually, for city, safety, wildfire, and other services.

Arguments

"Our community is still recovering from the devastating fires of recent years and Measure Q is critical to continuing that recovery and preparing for increasingly destructive fire seasons and power safety shutoffs. Meausre Q keeps Santa Rosa's fire stations open and keeps us safe.", in support of Measure Q (Learn more)

"Council members promised both taxes were temporary and for very specific purposes. But now they want you to forget those promises and treat the taxes as just another unspecified slush fund. They also want the taxes to extend to 2031, well beyond their original expirations.", in opposition to Measure Q (Learn more)

Measure Details