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CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM |
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Department: |
City Manager’ Office |
Commission Meeting Date: July 11, 2017 |
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Staff Contact: |
Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager |
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Recommendations/Options/Action Requested: |
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Adopt Resolutions 7214, 7215, and 7216 related to a special question election and authorize the publication of the Notice of Special Question Election for City sales tax election to be held on the 7th of November 2017. |
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Executive Summary: |
As discussed at the work session on June 13, 2017, staff is recommending calling for a special question election on November 7, 2017 to ask voters to renew the existing sales taxes for infrastructure and equipment and transit operations. Staff is also recommended the sales tax for transit expansion be repurposed to affordable housing.
In order to submit the questions to voters, the Commission must first adopt a resolution for each ballot question: Resolution No. 7214, relating to the transit sales tax (0.2 percent) Resolution No. 7215, relating to the infrastructure and equipment sales tax (0.3 percent) Resolution No. 7216, relating to an affordable housing sales tax (0.05 percent)
The Notice of Special Question Election must also be published and provided to the Douglas County Clerk. The attached Notice of Special Question Election calls for the following three separate ballot questions: · Question 1: A question authorizing imposition of a special purpose sales tax in the amount of two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) for transit. · Question 2: A question authorizing imposition of a special purpose sales tax in the amount of three-tenths of one percent (0.3%) for infrastructure and equipment. · Question 3: A question authorizing imposition of a special purpose sales tax in the amount of five one-hundredths of one percent (0.05%) for affordable housing.
Pursuant to comments from the Commission, the ballot language relating to the question on infrastructure and equipment was revised on both the resolution and notice of special question election to include the word “bikeways”. No other changes were made to the resolutions or notice of special question election presented to the Commission on June 13, 2017.
The three resolutions must be adopted and the Douglas County Clerk must receive ballot language and materials no later than August 7, 2017 to be placed on the November 7, 2017 ballot. Publication of the Notice of Special Election must occur at least 21 days prior to the election. |
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Strategic Plan Critical Success Factor |
Effective Governance/Professional Administration Safe, Healthy, and Welcoming Neighborhoods Innovative Infrastructure and Asset Management Core Services Sound Fiscal Stewardship |
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Fiscal Impact (Amount/Source): |
If the ballot questions are included on the ballot for the November 7, 2017 election, there will be no cost to the City for the election. The estimated cost of a separate election is approximately $50,000 to $60,000, while a mail ballot is estimated to cost $80,000 to $90,000.
As discussed on June 13, 2017, the fiscal impact to the City of the sales tax renewal is projected to be $116,182,000 over the 10 years of the sales tax. Failure to renew the sales tax would have significant consequences on City operations. It is the primary source of local funding for transit operations and without a renewal, transit operations would not likely continue. It is also identified as the funding source for a number of projects in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan beginning in 2019. |
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Attachments: |
Resolution No. 7214, relating to the transit sales tax (0.2 percent) Resolution No. 7215, relating to the infrastructure and equipment sales tax (0.3 percent) Resolution No. 7216, relating to an affordable housing sales tax (0.05 percent) |
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Reviewed By: (for CMO use only) |
☐TM ☐DS ☒CT ☐BM |