The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Utility tax measure wins by just 1 percent margin

Measure L, which allows the City Council to raise residential utility taxes, passed by a slim margin, securing 51 percent of the vote. Its companion, Measures K, which applies to industrial utility taxes, won 61.6 percent voter approval. A 10 percent decrease in utility bills is expected in 1998, and then another 10 percent by 2002 and a final 10 percent in 2008.

With the passing of Measures K and L, the city will be able to make up the deficit by increasing the utility tax to a maximum of 3 percent.

If deregulation does not decrease the revenue, the city will not increase the tax. Public hearings will be held before an increase is made.

--Natasha Collins

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, November 5, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.