Measure B on the May special election ballot in Rancho Cordova has gotten very little attention. Nonetheless, it's important.
The measure would modernize and expand the city's current 2.5 percent utility users tax to include wireless and other new technologies. For the most part, this is not a new tax. It is the same utility tax Rancho Cordova residents used to pay to the county.
Now, that money goes to the city. The tax applies to electricity, gas, sewer, cable TV and other telecommunications but not to cell phones.
As people have shifted from land lines to cell phones, the utility tax take has diminished. Measure B would extend the tax to cell phones, text messaging, paging and communication lines such as T-1 lines.
According to the analysis of the measure prepared by Rancho Cordova's city attorney, "Measure B does not propose any tax on internet access, including DSL and cable modem lines. It also does not tax internet services, such as purchases or downloads of music, books, games etc."
Rancho Cordova receives $2.1 million a year from its utility tax now. It's estimated that the expanded tax would bring in another $800,000 annually.
Even if expanded as proposed, Rancho Cordova's 2.5 percent utility tax would remain among the lowest among cities in the state. The city of Sacramento's utility tax is 7 percent.
The new tax is a special tax, not a general tax. As a special tax, the money raised could be used only for specified purposes – specifically, for police services, maintaining and improving city streets and sidewalks, landscaping, graffiti removal and code enforcement.
Also, because it is a special tax, the measure needs two-thirds voter approval. That will be hard to achieve in a low-turnout special election.
Nonetheless, Rancho Cordova residents would be smart to approve Measure B. The city's leaders have been thrifty with public dollars. A modernized utility tax will help protect the public purse without gouging taxpayers.
What You Should Know About Comments on Sacbee.com
Sacbee.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can't play nice. (See our full terms of service here.)
Here are some rules of the road:
• Keep your comments civil. Don't insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines click the "report abuse" button to notify the moderators. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior.
• Don't use profanities, vulgarities or hate speech. This is a general interest news site. Sometimes, there are children present. Don't say anything in a way you wouldn't want your own child to hear.
• Do not attack other users; focus your comments on issues, not individuals.
• Stay on topic. Only post comments relevant to the article at hand. If you want to discuss an issue with a specific user, click on his profile name and send him a direct message.
• Do not copy and paste outside material into the comment box.
• Don't repeat the same comment over and over. We heard you the first time.
• Do not use the commenting system for advertising. That's spam and it isn't allowed.
• Don't use all capital letters. That's akin to yelling and not appreciated by the audience.
You should also know that The Sacramento Bee does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "report abuse" button to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at feedback@sacbee.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa.
If you submit a comment, the user name of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them, but you may ask our staff to retract one of your comments by sending an email to feedback@sacbee.com. Again, make sure you note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us your profile name.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.