Measure Y passed Tuesday night with 64.74 percent of the vote, meaning that the city of San Luis Obispo will now pay a half-cent more on sales taxes for the next eight years.
The measure finished with 7,738 votes supporting it and only 4,215 votes opposing it. The measure is expected to provide approximately $4.5 million in revenue for San Luis Obispo.
“It’s an unfortunate necessity,” said newly re-elected City Council member Allen Settle. “Now we know the state can’t take our money.”
Former Associated Students Inc. President Tylor Middlestadt agreed, saying that the negative impacts of unfunded mandates can be reversed with the passing of Measure Y.
“San Luis has been sapped for resources, and that’s the only thing that has been keeping us from implementing important stuff,” Middlestadt said. “I think that when it comes to the city’s infrastructure, this will make a big difference. It’s a modest amount with a big impact.”
The tax increases in Arroyo Grande, Morro Bay and Grover Beach passed, but Pismo Beach’s measure was defeated 51.52 to 48.48 percent. San Luis Obispo’s version of the tax increase was unique in that Measure Y will only be put into effect for a period of eight years. In 2015, it will be up for review and voters can either renew or repeal Measure Y.
Settle, a political science professor, said that while the measure won’t affect tuition costs or other Cal Poly finances, he does think that the revenue from the measure will vastly improve the bus transit system.
The measure will be put into effect next year to protect and maintain essential services such as neighborhood street paving, pothole repair, traffic congestion relief, public safety, including restoring eliminated traffic patrol, Fire Marshal and fire/paramedic training positions, flood protection, senior citizen services and facilities, neighborhood code enforcement, open space preservation and other general purpose services.
The sales tax throughout the county was previously 7.25 percent, the lowest sales tax allowed by the state. This new increase brings the sales tax up to 7.75 percent, which is still less than what 85 percent of Californians pay.
Measure Y will become active April 1, 2006.