Date: July 19, 2024

Argument Against Ballot Measure I-24

Here is what the current City Council and City Staff (“they”) are not telling you:

The E-12 measure generates about $7M/year until March, 2025 to cover maintenance of our roads until Mar, 2025. We all know, and they publicly acknowledge, that many roads have not been properly maintained by this money.

They call it a half cent supplemental tax to make it sound small and helpful. It’s actually a half of a percent in additional sales tax, on top of the 20% inflation we’re all paying now. 

They claim that the majority of the tax will be paid by visitors, but I can find no evidence of that here or anywhere. The vast majority will be paid by us. A minor portion will be paid by visitors, for the things they buy while they are here. 

If this measure passes, they intend to borrow $56M in a bond, against 25 years of future sales tax. This bond would only pay for ¼ of the entire $200+ million project. The bond is a loan, repaid from the majority of the next 25 years of additional sales tax. Therefore, necessary road maintenance and further improvements would have to come from somewhere else. 

The tax and borrowed bond money is not specifically for road maintenance, but will go into the general fund for anything on the budget.

They say “if you think the roads are bad now, imagine how they’ll be if we don’t pass this”. They have budgeted pickle ball courts and other discretionary items assuming this measure will pass. Regardless if it fails, they are obligated to maintain the roads. I feel strongly that we need to stop discretionary spending and focus on necessary road maintenance first.

I hope this helps you to carefully consider your vote,

David Nelson

Proponent of the Referendum Against Paid Parking