The San Clemente City Council will decide Wednesday, July 17, whether to add a measure to the November ballot asking voters to approve a 1% local sales tax and how, if approved, the added income could be spent.
The additional sales tax revenue, which would stay with the city, could help pay for local priorities such as sand replenishment, better 9-1-1 response and improved water quality, city staffers said in a report prepared for the council. Feedback from a community survey identified these issues as most prioritized by residents, officials said.
Four of the five City Council members must vote yes for the measure to be put on the ballot. It would take a simple majority of the public vote to pass the new tax, which would increase sales tax paid in the city to 8.75%.
Sales tax across Orange County is 7.75%, which includes a half cent tax that goes toward transportation needs, and 10 cities have added their own local taxes as an additional revenue source.
San Clemente officials said the increase would give the city long-term financial stability and estimated it could support the general fund with more than $13.5 million annually.
The city surveyed about 430 voters at the end of May as part of its review process. Most residents polled agreed things are headed in the right direction in the city. More than six in 10 responded they believed the city needs additional funds to provide the level of services residents need and want.
Half of the respondents reported visiting the city’s beaches at least once a week, with close to two-thirds visiting the local beaches at least two to three times per month or more. Most (62%) said they go there to swim or play in the water, and 44% said they go to surf or boogie board.
In addition to going toward replenishing sand at the city’s beaches and enabling beach access, city officials said the additional funds from the tax, should it gain approval, would also benefit public safety.
Crime statistics from last year in San Clemente indicated two-thirds of all 9-1-1 calls to the Orange County Fire Authority were related to medical emergencies. The extra funds could help with the number of firefighters and paramedics needed to save lives in the community, the staff report said.
Other areas of priority for residents — according to the survey — were keeping public areas safe and clean, protecting local drinking water sources, retaining local small businesses and maintaining streets and roads. The survey also indicated 65% of residents would support a 1% sales tax increase, officials said.
In response to a question posed Monday on a local Facebook page, however, not all agreed there should be an increase.
One person wrote they did not favor paying a tax increase to fund “the foolish venture of replenishing sand before the winter storms;” another person said, “We are already taxed to death;” and another suggested if there were an increase, why not make it a “bed tax for hotels and vacation rentals.”
But some like Kyle Franson, who owns Rancho Capistrano Winery on Avenida Del Mar, said he didn’t expect the increase would pose a problem for his business.
“I don’t think a 1% increase will make a difference,” he said. “I don’t think people will drive out of town to save $1.”
Resident Bill Brooks, who teaches ocean sciences at a local college, said he’d vote for a tax increase if it helped bring more sand to the beach.
“We have good beach access, but what we don’t have is beaches,” he said.
He said a 1% tax wouldn’t keep him from eating at local restaurants or buying food and other household necessities from local shops.
“I don’t think a 1% increase is hard for any of our residents,” he said. “It’s not like we have a car dealership here.”
“If it got to the point we had little to no beaches, that would impact businesses more than a 1% sales tax increase,” he added.
Michelle Brooks, another resident who has lived in town for 16 years, said her top priorities are public safety and sand on the beaches.
“I’d be happy to pay one cent on the dollar if it stays in our city,” she said, adding that she’d like to see the council put it to a resident vote. “I’d like that the money goes to our park ranger and toward our code. It’s up to us to replenish the beaches.”
Brooks added she’ll be interested in seeing how the percentages of allocation to the various resident-identified priorities will be divided if the council moves ahead.
“I think there are some who want to see sand only,” she said. “I’d like to see it go to public safety just as much, to protect our little corner of the world.”
The City Council meets at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Council Chambers at City Hall. See more information and the staff report at san-clemente.org.
Related Articles
Southern California conservatives say Sen. JD Vance will inspire young Republicans
What Southern California lawmakers are saying about Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate
Election 2024: Candidates can now file for local elections
California lawmakers call for prayers, denounce violence after ‘incident’ at Trump rally
Rep. Mike Levin tells President Biden directly he should exit race
Leave a Reply