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Arcata council places Measure G renewal on Nov. 3 ballot, appoints subcommittee to craft argument
Summary
The Arcata City Council voted 5–0 to place a renewal of Measure G (three‑quarters of a cent transactions and use tax) on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot and appointed Councilmember Stillman and Vice Mayor Atkins Salazar to draft the primary argument in favor of the measure.
The City of Arcata City Council voted unanimously on June 17 to place a renewal of Measure G — a three‑quarters of a cent transactions and use tax — on the Nov. 3, 2026 municipal ballot and authorized the city attorney to prepare an impartial analysis.
Tabitha Miller, assistant city manager and finance director, reviewed the staff report and said the proposed renewal would remove the measure's expiration and continue the tax until voters choose to end it. “It will sunset and expire on 03/31/2029,” Miller said of the current measure's timeline while explaining the proposed renewal removes that sunset and would continue the voter-approved tax as general‑fund support for essential services and transportation repairs.
Council members discussed the measure's uses and whether to seek state maintenance‑of‑effort funds; staff said state grant requirements made some anticipated options unavailable in the current cycle. After discussion, Councilmember Stillman moved to adopt resolution 256‑63 placing the renewal on the ballot and to request an impartial legal analysis; the motion passed 5‑0 in a roll call vote.
The council also adopted resolution 256‑66 calling the November general election and appointed a two‑member subcommittee to draft the primary argument in favor of the measure. Councilmember Stillman and Vice Mayor Atkins Salazar were named to that subcommittee; staff said the draft argument will be returned to the full council for approval (the deadline for filing primary arguments was stated as mid‑August).
Public comment: Joanne McGarry urged that council members sign and publicly back any argument they want voters to see. “I do look at those arguments when I'm voting,” McGarry said.
Next steps: staff will request the impartial analysis from the city attorney, file the election-calling materials with the county, and bring a draft primary argument from the subcommittee to the council for consideration at the August meeting.
