Early election results show Sebastopol voters support Measure U and half-cent sales tax

With Measure U’s half-cent bill trending toward passing, Sebastopol voters are on track to throw the city a much-needed lifeline.

If passed, the sales tax is expected to bring $1.5 million annually to the city, which has been struggling with successive budget crises. The sales tax will expire in 12 years.

“I am thrilled that our Sebastopol citizens support this initiative to support vital services in our small city,” Council Member Neysa Hinton told The Press Democrat.

With 48% of the total potential votes counted, 72.4% of voters approved the measure. The Press Democrat will rely on information from election officials before deciding whether the measure passes, since not everyone who receives a ballot will have voted. But early returns pointed to confirmation.

Whether the full half penny will be applied or not still in the air. If passed, Measure I, the Sonoma County Child Care and Child Health Initiative, would also raise taxes in the city by another quarter cent. Early voting results point toward passage of the measure.

These two measures would increase Sebastopol’s sales tax from the state limit of 10.25% to 10.5%. As a result, the city will need to appeal to the California Attorney General’s Office, which will decide whether the full half-cent sales tax can be imposed.

The City Council has signaled it will spend the bulk of its sales tax revenue, about 60%, on public safety staffing and response. The remainder could go to projects including wildfire and emergency preparedness, street or road maintenance, parks and trails, a new library building, services for youth and seniors, retaining and attracting local businesses, and general government use.

Amie Windsor is The Press Democrat’s Community Journalism Team Leader. He can be reached at [email protected] or 707-521-5218.