Citrus Heights will decide tonight whether it becomes the first city in Sacramento County to formally oppose a prospective sales-tax increase to fund anti-gang efforts.
The resolution before the City Council is a scathing criticism of a proposal first introduced by Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson in late May.
The proposal would hike the county's sales tax by a quarter-percent, raising about $5 million annually to fund added law enforcement and gang-prevention measures. Under the proposal, half the money would go into a general fund to be distributed by a committee made up of regional representatives. The other half would go back to the jurisdiction on a percentage basis determined by what it paid in.
If the tax hike were passed, Citrus Heights would pay in about $3,050,000 to the anti-gang fund and would receive about $1,525,000 back, according to the staff report.
The measure will go before the county Board of Supervisors on July 22 to decide whether it will go to the voters in November's general election.
"While the supervisor's proposal is laudable … the city has a number of concerns with the proposed measure," said a staff report accompanying the council resolution.
Among the concerns brought up in the report are shoppers shunning Citrus Heights in favor of neighboring Roseville and Placer County's 7.25 percent sales tax, the lack of law-enforcement input on the proposed tax hike and undue influence by the county and the city of Sacramento over the disbursement of the collected funds. Though no other city has authored a formal resolution against the measure, several city leaders have voiced opposition, citing similar concerns to the one's outlined by Citrus Heights.
Citrus Heights Mayor Steve Miller said he's personally opposed to the measure.
"I don't feel it's a good time to go with a tax with the economy the way it is," he said.
Already, Miller said, Citrus Heights sends Sacramento County about $3 million a year to offset money the county lost when the city incorporated in 1997 – an agreement known as revenue neutrality.
He also said that with half the money going to a committee dominated by representatives from the city and county, Citrus Heights would get the short end of the stick.
"Our sales tax dollars might be used for something outside our jurisdiction," he said.
The Citrus Heights City Council will meet at 7 p.m. at its City Hall at 7117 Greenback Lane.
Call The Bee's Stan Oklobdzija, (916) 608-7453.
