by John Glidden | glid24@protonmail.com | November 14, 2023
VALLEJO – A seven-person committee, created to review how the city of Vallejo spends Measure P monies, will convene for the first time on Wednesday, Nov. 15.
More than 55% of Vallejo voters approved Measure P — a seven-eighths-cent sales tax increase — last November. Passage of the tax measure included creation of the oversight committee which is tasked with reviewing how the city administration spends Measure P monies.
Much of the agenda will focus on administrative items, including selection of a committee chair, and vice-chair, as well as the members receiving training on the state’s open meeting law, decorum rules and the California Public Records Act, among others.
Future agenda items include receiving presentations on the Measure P budget and proposed projects to be funded. City officials expect the tax increase will generate $18 million annually for Vallejo. City officials previously said the funding will be used to improve city roads, address blight, stopping illegal dumping, and helping the homelessness. Vallejo’s sales tax is the highest in Solano County at 9.25%.
Each oversight appointee was selected by a member of the Vallejo City Council in October. Mayor Robert McConnell appointed Jackie Jones, with Vice-Mayor Rozzana Verder-Aliga picking Kenneth Rodriguez-Praeger to represent District 1. Meanwhile, District 2 Councilmember Diosdado JR Matulac named Garrett Toles, as Councilmember Mina Loera-Diaz picked Richard Hybels. Councilmember Charles Palmares tapped Anna E. Bergman to be the District 4 oversight member, as councilmembers Peter Bregenzer (District 5) and Tina Arriola (District 6), named Brien Farrel and Jasmine Salmeron, respectively.
Passage of Measure P came two years after local voters rejected a similar tax hike in November 2020. City officials had sought the tax increase amid declining revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 measure failed with 50.57% opposed.
There were doubts voters would approve a sales tax measure as city leadership first sought to place a special tax on the ballot to address the city’s infrastructure needs. That plan was abandoned after a polling firm hired to survey 500 residents determined that such a tax measure was likely to fail. The pollsters found that about 60% of residents expressed an unfavorable opinion of the city council, while 67% said they had an unfavorable opinion of the city government overall.
Passage of a special tax requires a two-thirds supermajority to pass, while Measure P, a general transaction and use tax, only requires a simple majority of 50% plus 1 to pass. Such general taxes can be spent on most needs in the city.
That authority alarmed opponents who called Measure P “regressive” and more than likely to harm the poorest Vallejo residents. Supporters disagreed, stating that the tax increase was sorely needed to address systemtic problems.
Debbie Martir, an administrative manager in the city’s public works department, will serve as the committee secretary.
The Measure P Oversight Committee will meet at 5:30 pm, Wednesday, November 15 inside the Vallejo Room, located on the 1st Floor of the John F. Kennedy Public Library, 505 Santa Clara St. in downtown Vallejo. The meeting can be viewed online via Zoom: https://Zoom.us/my/vallejoeoc
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