Stop Measure I

11/06/2016

Questionable City Mailer on Measure I

"..some residents including myself feel they are clearly biased with language like “Measure I: Belmont Streets and City Services Measure” when there is no guarantee that the added general sales tax revenue will be used for such..." Tran Tran

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2016-11-05/letter-questionable-city-mailers-on-measure-i/1776425170911.html

Letter: Questionable city mailers on Measure I -

11/05/2016

Eight Year Plan to Fix Belmont Streets WITHOUT New Taxes

Belmont Citizens for Responsible Spending – Against Measure I – has an 8-year plan to fix Belmont’s streets and storm drains without raising sales taxes...

Vote NO on Measure I.

Visit www.stopmeasurei.com

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2016-11-04/letter-eight-year-plan-to-fix-belmont-streets-without-new-sales-taxes/1776425170825.html

11/05/2016

Belmont's Measure I is Unnecessary

"Belmont’s Councilman Stone is quick to blame predecessors for Belmont’s supposed street problems. He’s forgotten the 2008 to 2012 global economic crisis forced budget cuts to the bone to retain staff and essential city services. But now the economy is booking..." Kristin Mercer

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2016-11-03/letter-belmonts-measure-i-is-unnecessary/1776425170770.html

Letter: Belmont’s Measure I is unnecessary -

11/05/2016

No on Measure I

"Belmont residents are being asked to cough up an additional $1.3M every year — for 30 long years — to throw on a bonfire that the city can spend on virtually anything. It’s a blank check with no accountability." Dave Warden, former Belmont Mayor

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2016-11-03/letter-no-on-measure-i/1776425170768.html

Letter: No on Measure I -

11/01/2016

'No' on Measure I

Reprinted from Palo Alto Daily Journal, 10/31/16

Dear Editor: Belmont residents are being asked to cough up an additional $1.3 million every year - for 30 long years - to throw on a bonfire that the City can spend on virtually anything. It's a blank check with no accountability.

Belmont's City government has spent thousands of our taxpayer dollars to produce multiple "informational" mailers - 30 days before the election.

Belmont businesses do not need to compete with neighboring cities for increased sales taxes - and our residents should not have to pay them.

Measure I is flawed in so many ways. Please vote "no" on Measure I.

Dave Warden
Former Belmont Mayor

10/26/2016

An Alternate Solution to Measure I

Former Mayor Pam Rianda thinks "there is a better way to solve the problem of our decaying roads and storm drains than adding another tax on the residents. The sky is not falling."

Vote NO on Measure I

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2016-10-26/letter-alternate-solution-to-measure-i/1776425170380.html

Letter: Alternate solution to Measure I -

10/25/2016

No to Measure I

According to Gordon Seely, Belmont resident, Measure I is "truly a bridge to nowhere. As the great Gov. Alfred E. Smith once said, 'Lets look at the record.'"

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2016-10-24/letter-belmont-sales-tax-increase/1776425170274.html

Letter: Belmont sales tax increase -

10/25/2016

A Dishonest Way to Raise Taxes - Vote NO on Measure I

"It shouldn’t be easy to raise taxes. I wish our politicians had the courage and honesty of their convictions and had taken the time and effort to convince two-thirds of the voters that these special taxes were necessary and good for The City, instead of pretending they were simply easier-to-pass general taxes. Their political sleight of hand openly thwarts the will of the people that special taxes require a higher voter threshold. The end shouldn’t justify the means." Sally Stephens

http://www.sfexaminer.com/dishonest-way-raise-taxes/

It shouldn’t be easy to raise taxes. Over the past 40 years, the people of California have passed a number of measures, starting with Proposition 13, that required voter approval …

10/24/2016

According to Sidney Reilly,"There have been no complaints about response times and there is no reason for Belmont residents to worry about response times. On the contrary, response times are excellent."

So why does the City need this additional sales tax for "maintaining 911 emergency response"??

No on Measure I.

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2016-10-21/letter-belmonts-half-cent-sales-tax-measure-i/1776425170146.html

Letter: Belmont’s half-cent sales tax — Measure I -

10/16/2016

According to Kristin Mercer, former Planning Commissioner, "the city of Belmont is sitting on nearly $10 million in reserves — over 33 percent of operating expenses — that could be used if there were real needs. Why do they need more when they already have the equivalent of five years of Measure I revenue sitting in the bank?"

No on Measure I.

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2016-10-15/letter-no-on-belmont-measure-i/1776425169858.html

Letter: No on Belmont Measure I -

10/14/2016

10 Reasons to Vote NO on Measure I

Visit www.stopmeasurei.com for detailed financial analysis.

1. A BLANK CHECK

These tax dollars can be spent for any City purpose – not just infrastructure.

2. Revenues More Than Enough

Healthy current and expected revenues from new developments ensure that funding is adequate without new taxes.

3. Infrastructure Needs Exaggerated

Funds needed for infrastructure are about one-third what City officials claim.

4. Tax Increase for 30 Long Years

The period for this tax is far too long to even guess how the proceeds will be spent in the future.

5. False Claims

City officials made many false and misleading claims to panic residents into approving a tax increase.

6. No Accountability

The proposed "Advisory Committee" and annual audits are wasteful and ineffective because they report only on how the tax has been spent, not how it should be spent.

7. Secretive Process

Normal procedures have been bypassed to limit public understanding and input and push through this tax increase.

8. Sales Taxes Regressive

They fall the hardest on low-income families who spend a larger percentage of their wages on basic items subject to sales taxes.

9. Bad for Business

Increasing the sales tax rate to the highest in the County would hurt local businesses.

10. City Staff May Benefit

The tax may be spent for any City purpose, including employee salaries and benefits.