Letter: Back Measure Q

I support Measure Q. It is a very efficient way to fund our local government because 100% of the revenue it generates stays in the City.

This may seem like a surprising argument because you may assume that all tax revenue generated in Davis stays here — be it property or sales taxes. However, that is not the case. Indeed, the overwhelming majority of revenue generated by these taxes leaves the City to fund State and County government, school districts, and special districts. No matter where you live in Davis, more than 70 cents on every dollar you pay in property taxes LEAVES the City.

In addition, over 80 cents on every dollar of the base state sales tax LEAVES Davis and the County. Of the 20 cents that return, only a small portion comes back to Davis.

In contrast, when we vote to tax ourselves via parcel taxes or an addition to the local sales tax, 100% of the revenue generated stays here. Sales tax increments are tiny and increase costs very little, even for large purchases. And we get to keep it all. Taxing ourselves costs us relatively little as individual consumers, but it generates significant revenue for our City.

If you are concerned about how the City Council will spend the revenue from this general tax, plan to hold them accountable for using it in the ways they have proposed. I plan to do that, and I hope you will, too.

Robb Davis
Former Davis Mayor