City Council places half-cent sales tax hike on ballot
Mayor Steve Martin, left, and councilman Fred Strong, right, discuss a new sales tax.
—The Paso Robles City Council agreed Wednesday night at a special meeting to put a proposed one-half cent sales tax on the November election ballot.
Voters will be asked to approve the one-half cent tax which would continue for six years. It will be a general purpose tax, so that 50-percent plus one vote will be the majority needed to gain passage.
The new tax could raise about $5 million for the general funds. The city estimates that 40-percent of the sales tax would be paid by tourists.
The council is suggesting an oversight committee would oversee expenditures of the tax revenue with roads and emergency services to get top priority.
The council accepted public input and debated options for four hours before approving the proposal. The city will conduct outreach to promote and explain the sales tax proposal before the election in November.
Resident John Reynolds weighs in on the sales tax proposal at the city council meeting.
