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Resident criticizes proposed 1% Santa Paula sales-tax measure and city survey process
Summary
A Santa Paula resident told the council the city's outreach on a proposed 1% sales-tax increase lacked transparency and may have biased survey results; the comment called for alternatives such as relying on a cannabis business tax revenue instead.
During public comment at the Aug. 21 meeting, Joseph Bierhalter of Santa Paula urged the council not to promote a full 1% local sales-tax increase on the Nov. ballot and criticized the city's public-opinion survey process.
Bierhalter said the city's digital survey did not ask respondents whether they would support a time-limited tax or one with defined, prioritized uses; he also said the survey was long and offered ways that could have encouraged repeat answering, producing fatigue and unreliable analytics. "The citywide survey never asked if a increase with no end date for identified priorities was an option... I question the analytics and accuracy of the data due to the survey fatigue and manipulation of that survey," Bierhalter said.
He urged the council to consider other revenue options, noting the city already has a cannabis business tax and suggesting economic development and tax reductions to ease resident burden.
The comment was heard during the public-comment period and council did not take action on the issue at the meeting; staff did not provide a substantive response during the speaker's remarks.
