By Paul Jacobs
1. 100 percent stays here in Saratoga.
This is the only tax that you pay where every dollar stays right here in Saratoga. The tax is 3.5 percent of your utility bills and averages about $77 per year per household in Saratoga.
2. Because you get two for the price of one!
Because of the tax, we receive additional tax revenue from the state and the county. For each dollar of tax that we collect, they give us almost one dollar more. Thus, although the tax directly produces about $800,000 from Saratogans, we get a total of about $1.5 million. If the tax stops, we won't get that additional money. But the amount of taxes that you pay to other agencies won't go down. Instead, those additional dollars, taxes that you pay to the county and state, will be kept by them and will go elsewhere.
3. For well-maintained streets.
For the past 11 years, you have been paying this tax and probably didn't even know it! That shows how painless the tax is. But during that time, the money has been well-spent, mainly for our excellent pavement-management program. If the voters reject Measure L, the city will have to cut back drastically on maintenance of streets, limiting work to major repairs only. Also, other traffic-control projects, such as new stoplights, better turning lanes, etc. will be reduced or eliminated.
4. For better law enforcement.
Some of the additional monies that we get because of the tax are for law-enforcement purposes. If the tax stops, our law-enforcement budget will automatically be cut. To correct for that, we would have to take funds from elsewhere in our budget.
5. For the parks.
If Measure L fails, we will have to cut our budget by 20 percent. That means it is likely that there will be reductions in both maintenance and personnel, and that means a reduction in the care and maintenance of our parks.
6. For the schools.
The city helps the schools in a variety of ways, such as funding crossing guards and the Sheriff's school resources officer, who spends full time at our schools working to help keep children out of trouble. Defeat of Measure L means that these kinds of programs may have to be discontinued.
7. For community events.
The city contributes both money and employee services for a large variety of community events, such as Celebrate Saratoga! and the Community Parade. Loss of the tax means that it is likely that the city will have to cease such contributions, and these events may no longer be possible.
8. For youth programs.
Programs like after-school activities at the Warner Hutton House, The Boneyard, youth dances, Summer Camp and the Youth Commission are all funded to various degrees by the city and staffed by city employees. Loss of the tax may mean the end of these programs.
9. For senior programs.
The city subsidizes Senior Day Care and a number of other senior programs. An end to the tax will likely force a reduction in city support.
10. To reduce the pressure from development.
If you're opposed to increased development in Saratoga, then vote for the tax. When a city is experiencing financial difficulties, the pressure increases to find other sources of money to survive. Tax revenues from commercial development become an irresistible temptation. How often have you said, "I would be willing to pay more in taxes in order to preserve what we have?" Here's your chance to prove that you mean it.
If you vote to stop the tax, the city's budget will have to be cut by 20 percent. We all want lower taxes, but cutting them here, where you live, is not the answer. These taxes benefit you and your family more directly than any other tax that you pay. These are monies that stay right here in your town and work for you every day. You can see where they are going and what they are buying. A vote for the tax is a vote for a better Saratoga.
Paul Jacobs is mayor of the city of Saratoga.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, October 23, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved