On the ballot is Measure A, a proposed 30-year tax. Measure A is on the ballot because Measure D, passed many years ago to fund roads as a temporary tax, is about to expire.
Some have said that Measure A is not a new tax. As noted above, Measure D is temporary and about to expire. The key words here are “temporary” and “expire.” Measure D is about to end, therefore, Measure A is a proposed new tax.
Much has also been said about how, for the next 30 years, local control will assure that the money is spent wisely. Wasn’t it local control that squandered the Measure D money all these years, and to this day has not fixed the Highway 101 problem?
I suggest a no vote on Measure A. First, 30 years is much too long for a temporary tax. Second, five or 10 years from now, who knows who is going to be elected to the Board of Supervisors and the various city councils? They could spend it all on ferryboats, or some such thing.
Clearly, a much shorter tax is in order. We should be voting for a two-year action plan with a following two-year proposal. When the two-year action plan comes up for a vote, the citizens would know exactly what the money will be spent on.
Also, any money not spent as directed in the action plan would be set aside. This money, when spent later, would reduce the tax at that later time.
Vote no on Measure A.
This article appears in Oct 16-23, 2008.