The Clearlake City Council is considering another attempt at passing a half-cent sales tax to assist with the maintenance of city roads.
Two transactions and use taxes, one “special” and one “general,” come before the Clearlake City Council on Thursday, July 27. The council will consider ordinances that would bring these taxes before registered voters in the Tuesday, Nov. 7 election.
During the recent June primary, Clearlake floated Measure L, which was approved by 57.1 percent of participating voters but needed a two-thirds majority to pass.
The transactions and use tax ordinances on Thursday evening”s agenda will require two-thirds approval by the council. If either tax is adopted by the council and thereafter approved by the electorate, the current sales tax would be increased by one-half of 1 percent (0.50 percent) for 20 years.
Clearlake”s sales tax is currently 7.75 percent; either of the two proposed taxes would bring it to 8.25 percent.
The special transactions and use tax would require a two-thirds majority vote by participating registered voters. Its revenue would only be expended toward street and road maintenance. The general transactions and use tax would require a simple majority vote and its revenues would be deposited into the city”s general fund to be spent at the council”s discretion.
