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Temple City council affirms priorities for proposed Measure TC sales tax; resolution passed unanimously
Summary
The council adopted a resolution stating its intended priorities for revenue from a proposed 3/4% local sales tax on the March 3, 2026 ballot, emphasizing street repaving, public safety/emergency preparedness and parks/recreation; staff said the measure would be a general tax and not legally binding on future councils.
Temple City Council on Jan. 10 adopted Resolution 26‑5855, which sets the council’s stated priorities for revenue from the proposed local transaction and use tax (Measure TC) to appear on the March 3, 2026 ballot.
Staff presented polling and outreach from 2024–25 that identified street maintenance/repaving, public safety and emergency preparedness, and parks and recreation as top community priorities. Brian Cook, the city manager, said staff will follow up with a pavement management plan and parks capital plan to show unfunded needs and guide future budget decisions should the measure pass.
Council members asked whether the resolution legally binds the city’s future use of proceeds. City attorney Greg explained that a ballot general tax cannot legally bind future councils to specific uses; if the city wanted legally enforceable restrictions it would need a special‑tax structure and a different approval procedure. The attorney and staff noted that a resolution publicly records the council’s current priorities, creates expectations the public can reference, and that the city can separately track Measure TC receipts and expenditures in the budget and audits to maintain transparency.
Public commenter Jerry Jambasian urged additional voter outreach and clarity on how Measure TC funds would be used; legal staff noted that, once on the ballot, public agencies are limited by state law on using public funds for advocacy but may publish factual statements and others (including volunteer committees) typically lead advocacy campaigns.
The council voted 5–0 (Chavez, Chen, Yu, Mayor Pro Tem Man, Mayor Sternquist) to adopt Resolution 26‑5855.
