Clerk certifies petition signatures for 1% sales-tax initiative; Redding council to put the measure on next general election

Mayor Muns opened a discussion of a citizen initiative to place a 1% transaction-and-use sales tax on the Redding ballot after the City Clerk reported the county’s verification work.

The City Clerk told the council that Shasta County Registrar of Voters staff reviewed 9,672 submitted signatures and verified 6,496 as valid. The clerk said the city has 58,164 registered voters per the secretary of state's report and that 10% is required to qualify the petition; the clerk presented that verified-signature totals exceed the statutory threshold and recommended sending the measure to voters. "On July 24, the county ROV staff completed the review of all 9,672 signatures and verified that 6,496 were valid," the City Clerk said.

Council members asked whether the council must call a special election in 2025 or could instead place the measure on the next city general election. A staff member explained the legal options under state elections law: the council cannot itself adopt a tax ordinance in place of a vote, may submit the matter to voters (special election), or order a report and delay submission. The staff member noted a special election must occur between 88 and 103 days after the order of election if chosen.

After debating trade-offs between cost, voter turnout and public education time, a council member moved to place the measure on the next city general election. The motion passed 4–1. Mayor Muns announced the vote result.

Next steps: council direction means the clerk and elections staff will process the necessary paperwork to place the initiative on the Nov. 3, 2026 city general election ballot. Any further schedule or cost estimates will come from the city clerk’s office and the county Registrar of Voters.