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Council Hears Two Proposed Sales Tax Measures For November Ballot
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Oakdale voters may have to consider if they want to raise their local sales tax by 3/4 of a cent with two proposed measures that could be on the November 2014 ballot.

At the Feb. 18 Oakdale City Council meeting, two measures were discussed, both affecting the sales tax percent charged to purchases within the city.

The council heard from ad-hoc committee chairpersons Frank Clark and Mickey Peabody regarding appointments to the committee looking into extending the current quarter-cent tax charged from Measure O in November of 2011.

Clark asked the council to approve Ed Viohl, Steve Medlen, Dan Cummins, Mary Guardiola,  Jan Brennan, Henry Raven, and Scott Hogg to the ad-hoc committee.

Also appointed was councilmember Don Petersen who will be liaison and a non-voting member of the committee.

The committee will not only look into exploring extending the Measure O sales tax where the money went into the general fund, but also look into exploring a special tax that would be for public safety only.

The special tax would require two-thirds of the vote for passage where the general measure would only require a simple majority for approval.

Stanislaus County Supervisors Bill O’Brien, Vito Chiesa, and Terry Withrow were on hand to show support as StanCOG Executive Director Carlos Yamzon asked the council to support a regional transportation tax measure for the November 2014 ballot and presented a regional tax measure expenditure plan.

Similar transportation sales tax measures failed in the county in 2006 and 2008.

According to Yamzon, the proposed half-cent sales tax increase could raise over $970 million in the 25 year period for road and transit projects in Stanislaus County. Oakdale would receive a 3.89 percent portion of the tax proceeds, over $18 million in projected revenue.

“We believe this is a fair and equitable way,” said City Manager Bryan Whitemyer who, along with other city managers, participated in the formula discussions.

For the entire story, read the Feb. 26 edition of the Oakdale Leader.