LAKE COUNTY >> Clearlake”s Measure R, a tax that would have funded code enforcement, was rejected by voters Tuesday.
The measure received 53.3 percent, or 990 votes, of approving votes and 46.7 percent opposing, or 867 votes.
A majority vote of 66.7 percent was required for the special tax to be implemented.
“At this point nothing short of a magic wand or a sudden burst of funding will get Clearlake cleaner and safer anytime soon,” Clearlake Councilman Joey Luiz said. “The next city council will be faced with continuing to stretch limited resources in the general fund to meet some of the needs to combat code violations. Through my four budget cycles as a councilman I can tell you we have cut every ounce of fat to find the funding to staff that department and it is just not there.”
The tax would have generated approximately $700,000, according to Clearlake City Manager Joan Phillipe.
In March, the council held a town hall meeting to get public input on how the tax should be used, how much it should be and whether it should be a general or special tax.
After the town hall meeting, the council held multiple discussions during its meetings. In May, The council reached consensus to place a specific .5-percent tax to be used for code enforcement, with a review of the tax in five years, as well as a 10-year sunset clause, on the November ballot.
According to preliminary election results, a total of slightly more than 2,000 Clearlake residents participated in the election. Of those votes, 1,127 were absentee ballots and 878 were cast at the city”s nine precincts.
During the November 2012 election, a total of a little less than 4,000 residents voted, with 2,182 being absentee ballots and 1,650 votes being submitted at precincts.
This is the third time in as many years that the Clearlake City Council has tried getting essentially the same tax approved by the voters.
In November 2013, Measure H was placed on the ballot, but fell 5.5-percent short of the required 66-percent vote.
If passed, the measure would have increased sales tax by 1-percent within the city limits to fund code enforcement and road repairs, according to Phillipe.
In November 2012, the same measure, then known as Measure G, received 61.7-percent of the votes.
“I feel bad, because the majority of voters want it,” Clearlake Mayor Denise Loustalot said. “But because we didn”t get the vast majority, they can”t have it. I feel like my hands are tied.”
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
