DATE: August 9, 2022
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Paul Nerland, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT: Consider request by the Fresno County Transportation Authority and approve a resolution to place a ballot measure on the November 2022 general election ballot to extend for 30 years the current one-half percent local sales tax to be used for transportation purposes in accordance with the approved Transportation Expenditure Plan.
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Consider request by the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) and approve a resolution to place a ballot measure on the November 2022 general election ballot to extend for 30 years the current one-half percent local sales tax to be used for transportation purposes in accordance with the approved Transportation Expenditure Plan.
REPORT
The recommended action would place before the voters of Fresno County a measure that, if approved would extend the one-half (1/2) percent local sales tax for 30 years beyond the expiration of the current Measure C sales tax in 2027.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may choose not to approve the resolution to extend Measure “C”. The current sales tax will sunset on June 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended action will not result in an increase in Net County Cost. California Public Utility Code Section 142252 (a) obligates the FTCA to reimburse the County for its costs to place the measure on the ballot. The add-on cost of placing the item on the ballot was estimated by the County Clerk/Registrar of Voters to be $500,000.
Under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 7251.1, Fresno County’s sales tax rate cannot exceed 2.0 percent above the statewide tax rate. Passage of the Measure “C” tax extension by the voters would not cause the 2.0 percent limit to be exceeded.
DISCUSSION:
Measure “C” has been in place since 1986. The current Measure “C” is scheduled to expire in 2027. Over those 40 years, Measure “C” will have furnished approximately $2.5 billion in needed transportation improvements throughout the County and the 15 cities. The recommended action would approve a resolution (see Attachment “A”) placing an extension of Measure C on the November 8, 2022 statewide general election ballot. A vote of two-thirds (67%) of the electorate is necessary for its passage, and if approved, would extend the Measure for 30 years beyond the current expiration date. The ballot language for this Measure is included in Attachment “B”.
The proposed Ordinance that would be adopted by the FCTA Board to continue the one-half percent sales and use tax is included in Attachment “C”. The Measure “C” Renewal Expenditure Plan, which was approved by your Board on July 12, 2022 and would be included in the voter information materials, is included in Attachment “D”.
If FCTA does not have a majority of the City Councils’ approval of the Expenditure Plan by August 9, 2022, this item will be continued to a special meeting of this Board to be held on or before August 12, 2022.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #19, July 25, 2006
BAI #13, July 12, 2022
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Attachment “A” - Resolution
Attachment “B” - Measure “C” Ballot Language
On file with Clerk - Attachment “C” - Proposed Ordinance
On file with Clerk - Attachment “D” - Measure “C” Renewal Expenditure Plan
CAO ANALYST:
Greg Reinke