Lemoore City Council will consider one percent sales tax hike for November ballot

By Ed Martin, Editor

Tuesday night at Lemoore City Hall could make or break a proposal for a sales-tax-measure that council members have been considering. If approved by council members Tuesday night, a measure could be on the November 6 ballot.

Lemoore City Council will consider one percent sales tax hike for November ballot

According to estimates, the one percent cent sales tax – on top of the existing 7.25 percent sales tax – could bring in an additional $1.9 million per year to the city, which in turn would fund a variety of city services. At stake is a continuing lack of revenues needed to meet the demands of a growing city, and in particular, provide funding for specific “strategic” initiatives – economic development and future growth.

The city of Lemoore has never raised its sales tax. The only Kings County community to approve a sales tax increase was Corcoran, which recently implemented an 8.25 rate. However, Tulare County’s five cities have all passed tax increases, ranging from 7.75 percent to 8.75.

Councilmembers will review a resolution and ordinance Tuesday night calling for a “general” tax option which allows city leaders to spend the additional funds on a variety of city services. A general tax requires a simple majority of voters (50 percent) to approve.

At their June 5 study session, councilmembers debated the wisdom of seeking a tax hike. While councilmembers discussed the merits, only Councilmember Holly Blair was a solid no, arguing that a sales tax is a regressive tax and would hit the poor the hardest.

Blair announced via social media recently that after meeting with City Manager Nathan Olson, she remains an emphatic no on the sales tax measure. During the meeting, Blair defended her position by making a false assertion that Lemoore suffers from a 68 percent poverty rate and that such a regressive tax would disproportionally affect low-income residents.

The proposed tax measure would have a “sunset” provision ending the tax after seven years.

Lemoore voters have been particularly generous to local governmental institutions in recent years, approving several bond measures (West Hills College) and Lemoore High School's 2016 $24 million bonds to renovate its facilities.

Also, in 2016, local voters nearly passed a Kings County sales tax measure for public safety. Measure K lost twice in 2016, narrowly failing in the June and November elections. Lemoore voters overwhelmingly approved the .25 sales tax measure, which would have raised about $4 million per year. County-wide, voters turned it down despite garnering 65 percent. It needed a little over 66 percent to win.

 

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