San Jose voters this fall will not have to decide on five sales tax measures.
The City Council was considering placing five tax measures on the November ballot. They were two general tax increases, both of which would require a simple majority to pass, and three special sales taxes for public safety services, requiring a super majority to pass.
Today the council voted 9-2 to approve a motion by Councilman Sam Liccardo to decline going forward with placing the tax measures on the ballot. Councilmen Ash Kalra and Xavier Campos opposed the motion.
The council reached its decision following a presentation by a pollster who said a survey of 1,206 residents show that passing a one-half percent general purpose sales tax measure would be difficult.
The survey indicated also that the three separate one-quarter percent special taxes for public safety services would fall short of the two-thirds super majority required for approval.
Furthermore, because it’s an off-year election, placing a general tax measure on the ballot would have required the City Council to declare a fiscal emergency by a unanimous vote, according to Michelle McGurk, a spokeswoman for Mayor Chuck Reed.
