Measure H is being touted as a way to fund extra police officers, which many residents and business owners have been demanding ever since gang violence began intensifying on the Westside. The May 1 mayhem added to the sense of urgency. But faced with a 1.5 percent increase in the utility tax (from 7 to 8.5 percent), which would add $5-6 a month to the average household’s financial burden, some of those same people are now balking.
Measure H is being touted as a way to fund extra police officers, which many residents and business owners have been demanding ever since gang violence began intensifying on the Westside. The May 1 mayhem added to the sense of urgency. But faced with a 1.5 percent increase in the utility tax (from 7 to 8.5 percent), which would add $5-6 a month to the average household’s financial burden, some of those same people are now balking.
No doubt that’s due in part to public outrage over police and firefighter pensions. Others oppose all regressive taxes, which this, admittedly, is—though an exemption for seniors and low-income folks mitigates that problem.
But to oppose Measure H on these grounds is to ignore some key facts. First, these aren’t extra police officers at all—they’re eight positions lost through attrition that are finally being re-funded. Similarly, Measure H doesn’t bring in extra revenue, either; rather, its estimated $1.6 million a year will backfill a hole created when the 911 emergency service tax sunsetted in the summer of 2008 (and a poorly timed August election sabotaged its chances for reinstatement). This is not about a surplus so fat cats can go on a spree. At best, Measure H will restore city revenues to a little below normal.
Finally, the fact is the cops will likely get funded whether or not Measure H passes. What we’ll see if it doesn’t pass is still more cuts to parks, libraries, public works and the meager services Santa Cruz has left—something residents have made clear they don’t want.
Right now the city faces a $2.2 million budget shortfall and no other way of raising revenue. Measure H is a well-crafted, necessary mechanism designed to offset the very worst effects of the recession. Santa Cruz Weekly recommends a “Yes” vote on Measure H.
