Facing a $6.5 million deficit, South Lake Tahoe puts 1-cent sales tax on November ballot
South Lake Tahoe voters in the upcoming November election will decide whether approve a 1-cent city sales tax to fund roads and public safety projects, along with retaining police officers and firefighters.
The City Council on Tuesday, in a 5-0 vote, placed the South Lake Tahoe sales tax measure on the November ballot. The city says it is facing a $6.5 million budget deficit due to the coronavirus pandemic.
If approved by the voters, South Lake Tahoe Fire Protection, Emergency Response, City Services Measure would allow the city to address unmet local fire and safety and public works needs, city officials said in a news release Wednesday.
“We had a choice of reducing vital services even more in the wake of COVID-19 to continue balancing our budget, or give our voters the opportunity to consider approving locally-controlled funding to meet these needs,” City Manager Joe Irvin said in the news release.
City officials say the sales tax measure includes stringent accountability provisions, including mandatory independent financial audits and reports to the community, and the revenue from the proposed sales tax cannot be diverted to state coffers.
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the city has had to grapple with local funding issues made worse by years of state takeaways,” Irvin said.
He said reducing the threat of wildfires, maintaining fire protection and 911 emergency response, and retaining public safety personnel, were consistently at the top of a priority list for hundreds of residents who provided their input in city outreach effort.
Other priorities for residents included maintaining snow removal, protecting lake water quality, treating storm water runoff, repairing streets and roads, keeping public areas safe and clean and supporting our local businesses, according to Irvin.
“Unfortunately, with the impacts of COVID-19 we are looking at a $6.5 million deficit, mandating future cuts to the very services our residents deserve and want most,” the city manger said in the news release.
South Lake Tahoe has already deferred public works improvements to streets because of past budget deficits, and the city has not had sufficient funding to update vital equipment for firefighters and paramedics, city officials say.
Independent engineers have rated 60 percent of South Lake Tahoe roads “poor” or “very poor,” and firefighters do not have updated life-saving equipment needed, according to the city.
