Milpitas wants to extend an existing quarter-cent tax measure this November to provide the city with $7 million annually to support city services until 2037, eight years longer than its initial end date.
The tax, which first appeared and was passed by 60 percent of voters in 2020, supports funding for 911 emergency response services, police and fire services as well as for repairing streets and maintaining neighborhood parks and public infrastructure until 2029.
The city also is hoping the tax can be stretched out longer to accommodate for a growing budget deficit, projected to swell from $1.2 million in the 2027-28 fiscal year to $5.9 million in 2028-29.
Purchases that are exempt from the statewide sales tax, like most groceries and prescription drugs, also are excluded in Milpitas’s tax. The city has a combined state and local sales tax rate of 8.25%. All funds generated are locally controlled and required to be spent to benefit Milpitas residents. A city committee currently advises the City Council on funding-related to the tax measure.
Supporters of the tax include board members of the Milpitas Firefighters Local 1699 and Police Officers Association, who state the extension will “maintain rapid response times for 911 calls to police, fire and paramedics, which are critical for stopping crime, protecting victims and saving lives.”
The city’s public safety officers have been stretched thin recently. In 2023, city firefighters responded to 6,712 total calls for service — an increase of 700 incidents compared to 2022.
In April, the city surveyed residents to gauge their support for extending the tax. According to the survey results, 50% believe Milpitas has either a great or some need for additional funding and want the city to prioritize maintaining 911 emergency police, fire and local ambulance response services, repairing streets and fixing potholes, addressing homeless encampments and maintaining parks, public facilities and public sewer and wastewater system.
In 2023, the city’s Public Works department received 1,259 service requests for various maintenance issues including potholes, street striping and signage and sidewalk repairs. Milpitas is experiencing a backlog of projects and is currently repairing more than 200 sidewalk locations and paving more roads, such as the Great Mall Parkway, according to city documents.
While no formal argument against it will appear on the ballot, not every resident is a fan of the extended tax. Dipak Awasthi, who is running for a seat in the Milpitas City Council this November, believes the quarter tax should end in 2029. On his campaign website, Awasthi states that he is against imposing the tax on residents and businesses, and will vote against the measure.
“The city should focus on reducing wasteful spending,” Awasthi said. “and implementing policies that increase revenue without placing additional financial burdens on residents and businesses.”
Originally Published:
Source: www.mercurynews.com