CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council this week will continue its consideration of a proposed sales tax measure for November to tackle the city’s road maintenance and code enforcement needs.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 12, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive. TV8 will broadcast the meeting live.
City Manager Joan Phillipe is bringing back several options for pursuing the sales tax measure, after the council decided on June 28 to forgo participation in a countywide measure and instead pursue its own effort, as Lake County News has reported.
Phillipe’s report to the council notes that the council has several decisions to make, including the tax amount, percentage breakdown for road improvements and code enforcement, and whether there will be a sunset clause.
The city currently has a half-cent sales tax, Measure P, passed in 1996, which funds the Clearlake Police Department. Based on what Measure P generates, Phillipe estimated that a new one-cent tax would bring in $1.4 million annually.
A one-cent sales tax with a 50-50 split would raise $700,000 each for roads and code enforcement, while a 75-25 split would raise $1,050,000 for roads and $350,000 for code enforcement, Phillipe’s report explained.
Her report also considered a $0.75-cent tax. Phillipe said a 50-25 split would generate $700,000 for roads and $175,000 for code enforcement.
Phillipe said she’s still waiting to confirm with Clearlake’s legal counsel that the city can in fact combine into one measure two different tax categories. She expects to have that question answered in time for the meeting.
Also at Thursday night’s meeting, the council will hold the first reading and introduction of an ordinance to prohibit aggressive panhandling, which Clearlake Police staff told the council is a growing problem in the city.
In other business, the council will discuss scheduling of the 2012-13 budget workshop and the redevelopment trailer bill AB 1484.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .