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D.13
To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Date: June  16, 2020
The Seal of Contra Costa County, CA
Contra
Costa
County
Subject: Update on Potential Half-Cent General Countywide Sales Tax Measure

APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On:   06/16/2020
APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:See Addendum

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:
John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor
NO:
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Contact: John Gioia, (510) 231-8686
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED:     June  16, 2020
David Twa,
 
BY: , Deputy

 

RECOMMENDATION(S):

1. RECEIVE an update on polling for a potential sales tax measure to be listed on the November 2020 ballot; and  
  

2. CONSIDER authorizing a contribution from the County towards the cost of polling for a potential sales tax measure.

FISCAL IMPACT:

No immediate fiscal impact. The Board of Supervisors is being asked to deliberate about a contribution towards polling for a potential November 2020 sales tax measure.


BACKGROUND:

At the November 4th meeting of the Finance Committee of the Board of Supervisors, committee members Gioia and Mitchoff discussed the formulation of a Potential Sales Tax Measure Ad Hoc Committee and considered input from staff and community members. The Ad Hoc Committee was tasked with activating a larger, self-identified working group consisting of representatives of Community-Based Organizations, Labor Organizations, and members of the public charged with the development and formulation of a Needs Assessment. All willing participants were invited to attend and participate.

  
The first meeting of the Ad Hoc committee occurred on Monday, November 18, 2019. At this meeting, Supervisors Gioia and Mitchoff directed staff to work with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration on the logistics of listing a ballot measure and setting up collection contracts. Staff also was directed to forward to the full Board of Supervisors the Committee’s recommendation to begin discussions with County Lobbyists regarding special legislation required to list a measure on the ballot. Additionally, staff was directed to forward to the full Board of Supervisors the recommendation to acknowledge that the Governor would need to sign said special legislation. The Ad Hoc committee concluded by directing district staff members Chris Wikler (Supervisor Mitchoff’s office) and Sonia Bustamante (Supervisor Gioia’s office) to staff the working group.  
  
The Working Group convened for its first meeting on Monday December 2, 2019. At that meeting, Mariana Moore of the Ensuring Opportunity Campaign & Josh Anijar of the Contra Costa Central Labor Council were selected by those in attendance to serve as co-chairs of the working group. The Working Group began to identify top-line vision statements and values to guide the creation of a Needs Assessment report, as well as form smaller sub-groups to study specific issues and matters relative to the larger goal of a general sales tax for County services.  
  
The Working Group subsequently met on five occasions over the months of December, January and February. Members worked to distill and clarify the underserved needs of the county and identified several thematic areas: Health and Emergency Services, Safety Net Services, Housing, and Early Childhood Services. The group also retained Jim Ross of Telegraph LLC, a communications firm, to advise the Working Group and assist with the formulation of the Needs Assessment Report. Mr. Ross’ services along with a poll of likely voters on a potential general services sales tax conducted by pollsters FM3 were funded by labor unions and CBOs who participated in the Working Group process.  
  
On Wednesday, April 8th, Senator Steve Glazer amended Senate Bill 1349 to include language providing relief to the County and cities within the County for future transaction and use tax measures. The bill was immediately referred to the Senate Governance and Finance Committee. The Senate Governance and Finance Committee hearing on SB 1349 was scheduled for Thursday, May 21st. Supervisor Gioia along with Concord Mayor Tim McGallian testified in support of the measure at the Senate committee meeting on May 21st. Additionally, Chief Assistant County Administrator Tim Ewell and Concord City Manager Valerie Barone have coordinated with cities in the County to collect letters of support for the bill.  
  
The Potential Sales Tax Measure Ad Hoc Committee convened a meeting via video teleconference on May 13th to receive the finalized Needs Assessment Report from the Working Group and provide direction to staff. Supervisor Mitchoff noted the need for additional polling to determine the viability of the measure, as well as her perspective that public safety should be a part of any ballot measure in November. Supervisor Gioia agreed that there needs to be additional polling and suggested that the co-chairs could bring further polling information when presenting the Needs Assessment to the Board of Supervisors. Supervisors Mitchoff and Gioia agreed to direct staff to forward the Needs Assessment Report to the full Board of Supervisors, for consideration and direction to staff on next steps regarding the Potential County-wide General Sales Tax measure at the May 26th meeting of the Board of Supervisors.  
  
On May 26th, the Board received an update on the status of Senate Bill 1349 and a presentation of the Needs Assessment assembled by the Working Group. At that time, Senate Bill 1349 had been heard in the Senate Governance and Finance Committee the previous week, but was ultimately scheduled for reconsideration by the Committee due to a procedural issue on May 28th. The Committee authorized the reconsideration and ultimately voted the bill out of Committee on June 3rd. The bill was passed on the Senate Floor on June 11th and will now be sent to the Assembly for consideration. In addition, after receiving a report on the Needs Assessment, the Board directed the Working Group to return in mid-June with additional information about a second poll, including the number of people to be polled, the type of questions put forth and the cost.  
  
Today's action includes an update to the Board's requests from May 26th and asks the Board to deliberate as to whether or not to provide a County contribution towards a second poll for a county-sponsored November 2020 sales tax ballot measure.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The Board of Supervisors will not receive the Needs Assessment report from the Potential Sales Tax Measure Ad Hoc Committee.

CLERK'S ADDENDUM

Speakers:  Marianna Moore, Ensuring Opportunity, Josh Anijar, Central Labor Council; Lucia, FM 3 Research.

The Board authorized a contribution of $10,000 toward the polling costs. 

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