Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ballot Measures topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council places parkland rezoning measure and a 10-year UUT renewal on November ballot after polling
Summary
Council unanimously approved a parkland rezoning measure requiring voter approval to rezone parks; after debate and message testing, council approved a renewal of the existing 2.4% Utility Users Tax with a 10-year term by a 3-2 vote and designated council members to draft arguments.
On July 7 the Cupertino City Council agreed to place two measures on the November ballot: a general-plan amendment to require voter approval for future rezoning of parkland/open space, and a renewal/extension of the city's Utility Users Tax (UUT).
Polling presented by Godby Research showed the parkland rezoning question tested strongly (nearly 70% support in the poll language used), while multiple UUT formulations produced different results. An increase of the UUT from 2.4% to 3.4% (a one-percentage-point increase) was not viable in the survey environment; by contrast, a renewal of the existing 2.4% rate without an increase tested more favorably. Polling also showed message sensitivity: supporters gained ground after positive messaging and lost ground after negative arguments.
Council voted unanimously to place the parkland rezoning question on the ballot; councilmembers expressed a desire to include protections that cover existing park buildings (for example, the Cupertino Sports Center) and to use language modeled on successful measures in other cities. The council designated the mayor and Councilmember Mohan to draft the primary and any rebuttal arguments for the parkland measure.
On the UUT, council debated several draft ballot options (renewal at current rate; renewal with added video/streaming services; a 1.0% or 0.6% increase). After discussion about polling margins, messaging, and potential household impacts, Councilmember Wong moved — and Mayor Moore seconded — a motion to place a renewal of the existing 2.4% UUT on the ballot with a 10-year term. The motion passed 3-2 (Yes: Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, Councilmember Wong; No: Councilmember Fruin, Councilmember Mohan). Council designated the mayor and Councilmember Wong to draft the primary and rebuttal arguments for the UUT measure.
Staff and the pollster noted revenue estimates and tradeoffs: Godby Research reported that a 3.4% rate (a 1.0% increase) would have produced roughly $6.9 million annually in additional revenue; a renewal at 2.4% with streaming/cable included was estimated at roughly $4.8'04.9 million annually, and a 2.4% renewal without streaming was estimated near $4.4 million. Staff advised that franchise-fee and federal Internet laws require careful drafting if video/streaming services are treated differently than cable.
Next steps: staff will prepare proposed ballot language and the required resolutions for the July 21 council meeting to meet county submittal deadlines. Council members were authorized to draft and submit primary and, if needed, rebuttal arguments on the established timeline.
