Mount Shasta council sets November ballot for public-safety sales-tax measure; rate to be determined

The Mount Shasta City Council voted unanimously to place a sales-tax measure on the November 2026 ballot to raise local revenue for police, fire and emergency medical services, with the exact tax rate to be decided later.

The decision followed a presentation by William Barry of WBC Campaigns, who reviewed a scientific survey of roughly 100 likely local voters and recommended additional outreach before choosing a final rate. “Seventy-seven percent said yes” when asked about a 1¢ sales tax, Barry told the council, and “51% said yes” when asked the follow-up question about a 1.5¢ rate, after undecided respondents were probed, according to the poll results he shared.

Mount Shasta city manager Todd explained the policy rationale behind pursuing a local measure: declining local sales tax revenue from online-fulfillment allocation changes and rising personnel costs have produced multi-year shortfalls. “We have lost $500,000, $600,000 and $700,000 over the last three years,” Todd said, describing the cumulative gap and saying the city needs new revenue to avoid further staffing and equipment reductions.

Why it matters: Council members and residents said the measure is intended to prevent cuts to police and fire services and to preserve 9-1-1 response capacity. Council discussed timing — whether to pursue a special June election that would require a unanimous fiscal-emergency declaration, or the regular November election that draws higher turnout and avoids special-election costs. Several council members favored November to maximize turnout and minimize added election expenses.

Details from the survey and council discussion: Barry described the poll as a “snapshot in time” with a margin of error of roughly 7.5 percentage points. Respondents rated local services positively overall, and many said accountability provisions mattered: 94% said keeping funds local was important and 95% rated citizen oversight and audits as important. Barry emphasized outreach: “If you communicate… and voters know this stuff, I would… plus or minus 7%,” he said, arguing that informed voters were more likely to support the measure than uninformed voters.

Council direction and action: A motion to place a sales-tax measure on the November general-election ballot, with the final rate to be determined later (the council signaled discussion of 1% to 1.5%), passed unanimously. Council members agreed to return to the matter to set the rate and finalize ballot language after additional public outreach and budget work.

What council did not decide: The council did not set a tax rate, did not declare a fiscal emergency, and did not adopt ballot language. Staff and the consultant said outreach, additional polling or split-sample testing, budgeting details and draft ballot language should be completed before the council fixes a rate and final language.

Public comment: Residents and community organizers urged clear messaging and robust outreach, noting that voters’ support appears to rise when they understand the specific local consequences. One resident encouraged the city’s supporters to assist with promotion and outreach.

Next steps: Council members instructed staff to return with more detailed budget information and to bring back ballot wording and a recommended rate for a future agenda so the council can adopt a final measure and related materials.