City to float a sales tax measure in special election
With the city’s finances in the dumps and zero growth happening
to offset the cost of general operations, Hollister has been in a
state of freefall. Last year’s proposed sales tax initiative was
rejected by a thin margin by voters
– 52.1 percent voted no and 47.8 percent said yes.
City to float a sales tax measure in special election
With the city’s finances in the dumps and zero growth happening to offset the cost of general operations, Hollister has been in a state of freefall. Last year’s proposed sales tax initiative was rejected by a thin margin by voters – 52.1 percent voted no and 47.8 percent said yes.
Measure T picks up where Measure R left off last year. Measure R was the ballot measure that would have added a one-percent sales tax increase to the city’s current 7.25 percent for a seven-year period.
For the last fiscal year, Hollister faced a shortfall of $2.8 million. This year’s budget has a shortfall of $1.5 million. The shortfall was decreased by conservative spending and reductions to city services including police and fire. Last year one of the ladder crews was eliminated from the Hollister Fire Department. The city council determined not to make any additional cuts this year until after the special election, which will be held Nov. 6.
During the last nine months, the city council members and city manager have made serious cutbacks to city services. People have begun to understand that without an additional source of revenue, the city’s situation will only get worse, according to organizers.
Last year’s campaign was spearheaded by David Huboi who came on board in September. Huboi had less than two months to get things moving on the campaign.
The new campaign is being spearheaded by political consultant Rick Rivas and has the support of such political figures as City Councilman Doug Emerson and County Supervisor Pat Loe.
“I’ve run a number of campaigns in Hollister,” Rivas said. “I take a deep investment because I grew up there. I love the city and its people and I wanted to make sure the city is protected.”
Emerson was excited about the differences between this year’s campaign and last year’s.
“Obviously campaigning started much earlier this year,” Emerson said. “We’ve had an organized committee since July. Furthermore we have a very diverse cross section of the community working with us.”
The slogan for the new campaign is ‘Campaign for Hollister.’ And according to some involved with the campaign, it’s the perfect slogan because this movement is for the city and the people, according to David Huboi.
“It seems to be what we’ve heard from the community,” Huboi said, “Is that people are concerned for education, law enforcement and gangs and these are the same concerns shared by everyone.”
There is a lot to be learned from last year’s failure, according to Huboi.
“Last year was a learning process,” Huboi said. “But we learned that perhaps we could do better with the team we have in place now, with the Rivas brothers. This year we have a really good chance of success.”
Part of the reason Huboi is excited about the potential that exists for success is his faith in Hollister and the citizens that make it up.
“This is an opportunity for all to come together, to invest in the community,” Huboi said. “To help shape the future for ourselves and our children.”
Two of the core groups that represent businesses in Hollister, the Hollister Downtown Association and the Chamber of Commerce have both endorsed Measure T and citizens also seem to be on board with the initiative, according toHuboi based on a number of people he has talked to who have verbalized their support of the ballot measure.
At the group’s first fund-raiser, held Aug. 9, the group sold more than 200 tickets and raised $10,000, double what they raised in totality last year.
“I think we have a very organized campaign this time,” Rivas said. “But we need all the support we can get.”
People need to be aware of what the city stands to lose if the measure fails to pass, according to organizers.
“We all want safe streets and public transportation,” Rivas said. “[The city] provides 23 percent of all jobs in the county through the city. The city is in a lot of trouble and we need to take action now or we’re going to have an emergency situation.”
One of the biggest selling points of the new measure is that it calls for the establishment of a citizen review committee, which would oversee the revenues raised from the sales tax increase.
“The citizen review committee would provide accountability and report back to the community every year,” Rivas said.
Huboi agreed.
“Last year it was a struggle to get people to participate,” Huboi said. “Looking at the response from the community, accountability was important. The citizens oversight committee makes people accountable for their spending.”
