Quick Take:\
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to place the question of a sales tax rate increase on the March 5 primary ballot. The proposal would increase the county’s sales tax by a half-cent to 9.5%, funds local leaders say they need to address weather-related infrastructure issues and to pay salaries that reflect the escalating cost of living. Supervisors also proposed a parking ban on Highway 9 near Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.
It’s official: Santa Cruz County voters will decide in March whether they want to increase the sales tax rate by a half-cent, to 9.5%. The board of supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to place the question of the sales tax rate increase on the March 5 primary ballot. Every voter in the county will have a say.
County staff estimates the increase could bring an additional $10 million per year to the government’s coffers. District 1 Supervisor Manu Koenig said the county has been left holding the bag when it comes to addressing the consequences of natural disasters and housing crises. The county has had to spend millions repairing infrastructure following last winter’s storms and 2020’s CZU fire.
Amid the region’s housing affordability crisis, the county has had to increase public sector salaries in order to keep up with housing costs and remain competitive in the job market. The county needs more money, and government leaders say a sales tax increase is a way to ensure that the burden is spread across residents and visitors alike.
The supervisors also voted to petition Caltrans to eliminate parking along the 1.1-mile stretch of Highway 9 from the city of Santa Cruz boundary. The area has been a popular place to pull over and access the trails of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. However, litter has piled up, illegal dumping has become more frequent and the government has grown concerned over increased wildfire risk. County staff will now write a letter to Caltrans by Dec. 15, asking the state agency to approve the parking prohibition. Caltrans’s timeline for approval is yet uncertain; however, if the state transportation agency approves the proposal, the county will install the no-parking signs within 90 days of approval.
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