ABOUT
No On Measure Q
The Davis City Council conveniently blames our fiscal problems on recent inflation and unspecified “additional services”, but is pushing to increase taxes FOREVER.
Only Voters Can Stop Them
About Measure Q
If passed on the November ballot, Davis Measure Q would double the extra sales tax imposed by the City of Davis from 1% to 2% on all goods purchased or used within the City except for some food and medicines. Like the previous two ½ percentage point sales and use tax hikes, this tax is permanent. It doesn’t matter if the City’s financial condition substantially changes for the better in the future, this tax never goes away!
NO ON MEASURE Q OFFICIAL BALLOT STATEMENT
Ballot Argument Against Measure Q
The Davis City Council conveniently blames our fiscal problems on recent inflation and unspecified “additional services”, but is pushing to increase taxes FOREVER.
The real problem is our Davis City Council has irresponsibly granted excessive salary increases to Senior Management and Firefighters while the city is in dire fiscal straits. The latest salary increases, granted by the current Davis City Council, will cost taxpayers millions of dollars over the coming years.
Together with past salary increases far in excess of inflation, every bit of the new taxes is consumed going forward. Regrettably, the Davis City Council has NOT been honest and transparent about this.
Further, just in the past year:
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The Davis City Council reduced the annual budget to repair our crumbling streets by $1.5 million.
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The Davis City Council suspended paying down $42 million in unfunded employee healthcare benefits, leaving our children to pay.
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Our General Fund reserve has shrunk to 7.5%, which is half the desired 15%.
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The Davis City Council is 3 years behind in providing audited financials.
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The Davis City Council refused to appoint Commissioners to our independent oversight Finance and Budget Commission so it could not legally meet for over a year, and it never once discussed the need for nor the anticipated uses of this new tax.
Our Davis City Council is out of control with no plan to rein in costs. Instead they referred to new programs and services, while continuing to spend our tax dollars on exorbitant salaries. We simply cannot trust them with more of our money until appropriate oversight and controls are implemented.
Say NO to irresponsible spending that has gone off the rails. Tell our Davis City Council that there will be NO more money until they 1) create a plan to use our tax dollars wisely, 2) stop the runaway escalation of employee compensation, and 3) implement independent financial oversight controls.
Vote No on Measure Q – Quit Wasting our Taxes.
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Elaine Roberts Musser, 2014 City of Davis Citizen of the Year; Former Chair, Utilities Commission; Former Chair, Senior Citizens Commission
Mark Mezger, President, Yolo County Taxpayers Association
Jeff Miller, Former Chair, Davis Finance and Budget Commission
Jeff Boone - 45 year Davis Resident, Downtown Davis Business Owner
Alan Pryor, Treasurer, Yes on Measure D - 2012 Davis Parks Tax Renewal; Principal Officer, Yes on Measure O - 2014 Davis 0.5% Sales Tax
NO ON MEASURE Q OFFICIAL REBUTTAL
TO THE ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Rebuttal to the Argument in Favor of Measure Q
The Davis City Council is insisting “Measure Q is critical for the health, safety, and financial stability of Davis”. But Measure Q is just a band-aid placed over a massive, self-inflicted financial wound caused by uncontrolled spending on additional programs, a complete failure to implement an economic development plan, and giving senior management huge raises.
For the Davis City Council to now claim the city has “worked diligently to manage existing resources, trimming expenses” is downright laughable when they have actually given away the store! The recent salary increases for employees were well beyond the inflation rate. It now costs the City more than $11 million/year for excessive raises given over the past decade.
While the Davis City Council contends Measure Q will support upgrades to the city aging infrastructure, such as “filling potholes and repaving streets and bike paths”, they just did the exact opposite by reducing funding for street maintenance by $1.5 million/year. So how can we believe them?
The Davis City Council also claims “Measure Q helps address homelessness and affordable housing”
First, Measure Q is a general tax, so there are no guarantees how it will be spent.
Second, duplication of County social services for homelessness would result, at a time when the city is desperately hurting for funding.
Third, shoveling $1 million/year into the City of Davis Affordable Housing Program does virtually nothing to solve the homelessness problem because low income housing can cost up to $650,000/unit.
Stop the massive, unsustainable bleeding in our city’s finances.
Send a Strong Message to the Davis City Council - Vote NO on Measure Q!
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Elaine Roberts Musser, 2014 City of Davis Citizen of the Year; Former Chair, Utilities Commission; Former Chair, Senior Citizens Commission
Mark Mezger, President, Yolo County Taxpayers Association
Jeff Miller, Former Chair, Davis Finance and Budget Commission
Jeff Boone - 45 year Davis Resident, Downtown Davis Business Owner
Alan Pryor, Treasurer, Yes on Measure D - 2012 Davis Parks Tax Renewal; Principal Officer, Yes on Measure O - 2014 Davis 0.5% Sales Tax