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Berkeley council directs staff to draft $300 million bond language and a sales‑tax measure after poll shows likely voter support
Summary
Council reviewed a Lake Street Partners survey of 500 likely voters showing roughly 70% support for a general‑obligation infrastructure bond (both $200M and $300M split‑sample variants) and about 60% support for a 0.5% sales/use tax. Council voted to direct staff to draft ballot language for a $300M bond, prepare draft sales/use tax language, and field a second survey to test wording and ballot interactions.
The Berkeley City Council on Tuesday directed staff to prepare draft ballot language for a $300 million general obligation bond and for a 0.5% sales and use tax after a city‑commissioned survey showed broad initial support among likely voters.
Deputy City Manager David White framed the issue, telling the council that the city faces roughly $1.87 billion in unfunded capital needs and that the sunset of Measure T1 left a funding gap. “We do not devote enough resources to address the totality of our infrastructure needs,” he said, summarizing city revenue constraints and the kinds of projects under consideration, including parks and restrooms, seismic upgrades, 911/dispatch modernization and fire‑station work.
Lake Street Partners pollster David Mermin told the council the firm surveyed 500 likely voters in February (margin of error ±4.4%) and…
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