HomeMy WebLinkAboutG.13 - Sales Tax PollCOMMUNITY SURVEY RESULTS
•Potential Local Transactions & Use Tax
Measure
•General Tax vs. Public Safety Special Tax
•Key Question: Which measure provides the
strongest path to success?
PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION
Financial Challenges
↓
Community Survey
↓
General Tax Test
↓
Special Tax Test
↓
Council Direction
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Voters recognize fiscal challenges.
✓ Public safety is the highest funding priority.
✓ The Special Tax is more attractive to voters.
✓ The General Tax is more likely to pass.
✓ Council must determine whether voter appeal or
likelihood of passage is the higher priority.
THE DECISION BEFORE THE CITY
COUNCIL
General Tax Special Tax
Approval Required 50%+1 66.67%
Use of Funds Pledge to Public Safety Public Safety Only
Flexibility High Low
Voter Appeal Moderate High
Risk of Failure Lower Higher
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT
GENERAL TAX
59.9%
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Threshold 50%
SPECIAL TAX
65.4%
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Threshold 66.7%
PUBLIC SAFETY DRIVES THE
DISCUSSION
Top Funding Priority:
•Police Patrols 34.7%
Preferred Measure:
•Both Equally 21.4%
•Special Tax 37.2%
•General Tax 20.1%
WHY ARE VOTERS OPEN TO A
MEASURE?
Direction of City
•Right Direction: 32%
•Wrong Track: 47%
•Unsure: 21%
Biggest Issue Facing Grand Terrace
•City Finances 36.7%
THE THRESHOLD PROBLEM
GENERAL TAX
50% ---------- 59.9%
PASS
SPECIAL TAX
65.4% ---------- 66.7%
SHORT
WHAT DRIVES SUPPORT?
Message:
Funds Stay Local 60.5%
Independent Audits 58.3%
Protect Police 49.5%
WHAT DRIVES OPPOSITION?
Opposition Message
No guarantee funds
go to police 40.0%
Tax never ends 14.9%
Could hurt local
businesses 10.7%
WHY THE GENERAL TAX STILL WORKS
Despite opposition messaging:
General Tax support remains 59.9%.
Why?
The positive messages tested stronger than the
negative messages.
WHO SUPPORTS THE MEASURES?
✓Republicans✓Democrats✓Independents✓Homeowners✓Hispanic Voters✓White Voters
Key Finding:
Support is broad-based and not dependent upon a single voter bloc.
GENERAL TAX VS. SPECIAL TAX
ADVANTAGES & RISKS
GENERAL TAX
ADVANTAGES:
•Clears threshold
•Flexible
•Broad support
•Lower threshold
RISKS:
•No guarantee attack
•Accountability issue
More Achievable
SPECIAL TAX:
ADVANTAGES:
•More attractive
•Dedicated funding
•Accountability
•Public safety focus
RISKS:
•2/3 vote required
•Below threshold
•Little margin
More Attractive
WHAT THE SURVEY TELLS US
More Popular
↑
Special Tax
General Tax
↓
More Likely To Pass
Core Policy Question:
Should the City prioritize maximum voter appeal or maximum
likelihood of passage?
RECOMMENDED PATH
FORWARD
Option 1 –
General Tax
Option 2 –
Special Tax
Option 3 –
Additional
Evaluation
✓ Highest likelihood
of passage
✓ Strongest voter
appeal ✓ Additional polling
✓ Greater fiscal
flexibility
✓ Dedicated public
safety funding
✓ Additional public
outreach
✓ Strong support
after message
testing
✓ Greater
expenditure
restrictions
✓ Further financial
analysis
NEXT STEPS
Council Direction
↓
Ballot Documents
↓
Council Action
↓
Election
REQUESTED DIRECTION
General Tax
Special Tax
Further Evaluation