On Election Day, West Sacramento voters will decide the fate of two ballot measures that cannot be considered in isolation. One of them, Measure V, extends an existing sales tax; its companion on the ballot, Measure U, asks the voters to let city leaders know if they want the money raised by the tax spent on levee repair and a new trolley system for West Sacramento.
Both deserve a "Yes" vote.
Measure V would extend until 2033 a quarter-cent West Sacramento sales tax that is due to expire in 2013. The tax would raise approximately $2.7 million annually.
The city has a strong industrial base and retail giants like Ikea and Target that draw shoppers from around the region. That means that residents who live outside of West Sacramento will end up paying much of the new sales tax. The money will go into the city's general fund, and technically could be spent for any governmental purpose.
The West Sacramento City Council has pledged to spend part of the money to fund urgently needed levee repairs and to build a new streetcar system for the city. Measure U is an advisory vote only. It asks voters if they agree with the council's priorities.
The devastation of Katrina exposed the vulnerability of levee systems across the nation. West Sacramento, which is bounded by water on three sides, needs stronger levees. Money raised on Measure V will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed more quickly to fix the city's levees.
The balance of the additional taxes collected would go to a new streetcar system that would link city neighborhoods with West Sacramento's own waterfront and across the Tower Bridge to downtown and midtown Sacramento.
Stronger levees and improved public transportation are smart investments that will protect lives and property, reduce congestion and allow West Sacramento to continue to prosper. West Sacramento voters can make these investments a reality by approving Measures U and V.
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