By Jeff K. Evans
Over the past two months, the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has been studying the various ballot measures which will require your vote on Nov. 5. We strongly recommend passage of Measures A, B and L.
As part of our duty to the community, we have listened to both proponents and opponents of these measures. We feel that Measures A and B are absolutely necessary to encourage the improvement and maintenance of our Santa Clara County roads and the continuing development of local transit project, which help tie into the existing BART and rail connections and ultimately decrease congestion and resultant pollution in our community.
Measures A and B will be funded by a one-half of 1 percent sales tax and will be overseen by an independent citizen watchdog committee. The sales tax will "sunset" in nine years (2006). With the cutback in transportation funding at both the state and federal levels, it is essential that we position ourselves to take advantage of whatever money will become available. Several of the road improvements in the Saratoga area would not have become reality if matching transportation money had not been available. The former one-half of 1 percent sales tax was able to be used to build high-priority major projects. If we pass these measures again, it will allow us to continue to get maximum use of available funds from other sources.
Measure L is equally as important to our well-being. This is the utility tax we have been paying for 11 years; 100 percent of this utility tax stays in Saratoga and is used exclusively to fund city services. If we support this measure, it will continue for an additional four years.
This will mean an average cash outlay of $77 for the average household per year, and it will provide $1.6 million (or 20 percent) of the total city general fund budget in fiscal year 1997. This tax actually returns twice the amount of money it raises to Saratoga because of other laws relating to property tax, sales tax and gasoline taxes.
Without the continuation of this tax, street maintenance must be reduced, parks and youth sports will suffer, and recreational and after-school programs would be cut, all adversely affecting your property values and quality of life. Please help the community by voting yes on Measure L.
Jeff L. Evans is president of the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, October 30, 1996.
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