Frequently Asked Questions about Measure A

 How much is the tax projected to raise? 

The tax is expected to raise about $20 million per year in total revenue. Per person, this costs about $41 per year.

I've heard the Supervisors say they would like to spend this on roads, but what level of accountability can there be for a general tax?

Maintaining and improving roads is one of the top priorities for the Board of Supervisors, as shown by the recent adoption of the Long-Term Roads Plan. However, because this is a general tax, there is no legal requirement for the Board to allocate the funds to roads.

Each year, the use of the money will be tracked and audited, and the records will be publicly available for voters to review. This tax must be re-approved by voters in five years.

Why is this only a five-year tax?

The Board of Supervisors chose a five year tax to earn the public's trust that the funds will be spent wisely.

How will this help our whole road network, in and out of cities?

The Board has expressed an interest in distributing the revenue among the cities and the county pursuant to the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) Measure M Local Streets Rehabilitation formula, which takes into consideration both road miles and population.

Based on this formula, 56% ($11.3 million per year) of the funds would be distributed among the cities in Sonoma County, leaving $8.8 million per year for the county. Because this is a general tax, the purpose and distribution of the revenue will be annually decided by the Board of Supervisors.

Will any of the funds from this tax go towards public transit?

The Board has expressed an interest in allocating about 10% of the funds towards public transit. Communities have asked that students and veterans have access to free public transit, and that there be good connectivity between Transit and the SMART Train service. This money could be spent towards those goals.

Why did you choose a general tax instead of a special tax?

A special tax limits the use of the funds to specific projects described in the ballot measure, while a general tax allows the funding to be dedicated towards all aspects of the Long Term Roads Plan. The County understands that a general tax has no legal restriction on the usage of the revenue, which is why the Board has committed to complete transparency through annual audits for the use of these funds.

Will this be enough funding to fix the roads?

The Board recently committed an additional $11.2 million annually from the general fund for roads.

The Long Term Road Plan identifies the need to spend $47.7 million annually for 20 years to increase the pavement condition of the entire County road network from poor to good. While choosing to appropriate the sales tax revenue to roads won't generate all of the additional funds needed, it is a start.

Will this raise any city's tax above the tax cap?

This general tax measure does not raise any city's tax over the limit of the tax cap.

The ballot measure mentions public safety. What does that have to do with roads?

The Long Term Road Plan takes into account public safety by prioritizing roads that connect communities to public safety facilities, and ensures road improvements meet the County's complete streets policy - enhancing safety for bicycles and pedestrians.

Ambulances and fire vehicles require well-maintained roads to quickly reach their destinations, while good lighting and signage are key features of public safety.

Please note:

 

The County is legally prohibited from promoting or opposing ballot measures. The answers to the questions posted above are factual statements taken from published reports, Measure A, and/or Board statements made during public meetings, and in no way either promote or oppose the ballot measure up for voter consideration in June 2015.

 

The Long Term Roads Plan is a framework for how the County should address roads. To the extent the Plan and the sales tax conflict with respect to the sales tax, the sales tax controls.