Vote yes on Measure T
What kind of town would you like to live in?
Most of us would agree that we’d like to start with one with
verdant public spaces, safe streets, a lively youth recreation
program and outreach efforts for at-risk youth.
For residents of Hollister, it’s time to do the right thing on
Nov. 6. It’s time to vote
”
yes
”
on Measure T.
Vote yes on Measure T
What kind of town would you like to live in?
Most of us would agree that we’d like to start with one with verdant public spaces, safe streets, a lively youth recreation program and outreach efforts for at-risk youth.
That’s asking a lot of voters. None of us wants to raise our own taxes, but the cost in this case is so low, and the potential benefits so vast, that we can recommend no other course.
Measure T would raise sales tax in Hollister by 1 percent for five years. Every cent of the money raised would stay in Hollister to go toward local programs and services. And it goes away in five years, guaranteed. The sunset is written into Measure T.
We believe sales taxes are not the fairest mechanism for raising revenue. It’s a fact that the poorer a family is, the greater percentage of household income devoted to purchasing taxable items.
But the tax is one of a very limited number of alternatives available to local jurisdictions. Hollister’s sales tax is already as low as any in the state, and lower than that in all surrounding communities. Even if Measure T passes and sales tax goes up, Hollister’s rate will still be lower than that of many neighboring communities.
Consider the facts. The city of Hollister once had a reserve fund of $14 million. That reserve has been tapped each year to balance the city budget, shrinking to the point that a completely depleted reserve is coming soon unless voters act.
Services across the city have been cut. We have fewer police officers today than we did several years ago. As we report in this edition, a parks maintenance staff of eight has shrunk to three and our parks show clear signs of neglect. Streets are deteriorating.
Efforts to stem gang activity continue. A community forum next week will offer people access to resources and information, as we also report this week. But those efforts are taking place with no budget, depending entirely on concerned community members and dedicated police officers.
Measure T comes on the heels of a collision of events that represents the perfect storm. Development stopped under a state-imposed building moratorium that’s now six years old. Cities have lost larger and larger portions of locally generated revenue as the state sought a larger slice of funds. Unpopular decisions by long gone city administrations diminished public trust significantly.
Without Measure T, the dwindling reserve will mean further cuts in city services and, possibly, staff.
The modest cost of recreation services is a bargain compared to the cost of cycling young people through the criminal justice system after idleness and boredom lead some to find illegal outlets for their energy.
It’s unpleasant to pay any tax. But if you believe as we do that local government provides the services we all are most likely to depend upon, we must vote to pass Measure T. Consider the real cost. A full tank of gas might cost you an extra 45 cents. For less than half of the cost of a cup of coffee, isn’t a functioning town, a place we can be proud of, worth it?
We emphatically say yes. Vote yes on Measure T.
