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Board debate centers on who pays: earned income tax versus property tax
Summary
Board members traded arguments about equity, administrative readiness and community understanding — with supporters arguing an earned income tax is more progressive and opponents warning of voter confusion and campaign time constraints.
Board members sharply debated which funding mechanism to present to voters, weighing equity concerns against political feasibility.
Vice President Moffett said she "support[s] an earned income tax levy rather than another property tax levy," arguing it spreads responsibility more directly across earned income and can grow as wages do. Opponents cautioned that changing the funding mechanism raises new outreach needs: Board member Bolton said the change would put many new people into the tax base and that 99 days is a short window to educate and mobilize them. Treasurer Guston provided illustrative figures for residents — for the median income shown in the district materials, the presentation translated to about "$408 a year" on average (and higher for some income levels) under the income-tax scenario — and noted property-tax millage impacts by home value.
