MEASURES, ANALYSES AND ARGUMENTS (whichever is applicable to your ballot) Arguments in support of, or in opposition to, the proposed laws are the opinions of the authors. |
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ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE U VOTE NO on MEASURE U --- We are an intelligent and compassionate community. However, this 20% Tax increase was drafted without a guaranteed shelter or even a planned specific use. First suggested to fund livable wages for city employees, not this eleventh-hour proposal will fail like Westside MetroBase and ill-conceived "Sleeping Zones" in the Natural Bridges and Harvey West Neighborhoods. DON’T KILL THE GOLDEN GOOSE --- Tourism and the Hospitality Industry are the largest private-sector employers and major revenue generators for our community. More importantly, they are also one of the largest employers of women and minorities. This year alone, Transient Occupancy Tax contributed nearly $3,500,000 to the City of Santa Cruz. An unwarranted Tax increase could threaten the ability to provide basic services for everyone. HOTEL TAX HIKE IS A BAD IDEA Santa Cruz City Council: The council should kill it’s plan to increase the hotel tax "There are so many problems with this proposal that the council should apply the brakes on its careening ride to fiscal irresponsibility. The council has misread the public will and is not serving its constituency….it wants to raise the hotel tax from 10 percent to 12 percent, a 20 percent increase (not 2 percent, as the council falsely claims.) The hotel tax proposal is being rushed through the city process… That’s no way for a responsible body to act. Democracy just can’t be rushed." Santa Cruz Sentinel, 7/25/2000. WE DESERVE BETTER --- We deserve a council that listens to the local community. According to the recent City of Santa Cruz survey, our two most pressing problems are: Traffic and Affordable Housing. The council should address these top priority matters first. Let’s bring people together to solve our problems --- not pit them against one another. Please help send a message that we deserve better government. VOTE NO on MEASURE U s/ Lorette Wood, Former Mayor of Santa Cruz s/ Bob Munsey, Owner, Crow's Nest Restaurant s/ Pattie Carta, General Manager, Westcoast Santa Cruz Hotel s/ Bruce Morse, Vice President, Local 270 Laborers' International Union of North America, AFL-CIO, Retiree Council s/ Alice Ponza, Co-Chair, COLAB |
REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST MEASURE U Don't be misinformed by the special interests opposed to Measure U. Measure U is a pay-as-you-go approach to providing a service desperately needed by more than 300 Santa Cruz families a year. A recent study by the United Way found that more families are in need than ever before. Most homeless families are not transient but have lived in Santa Cruz for at least five years. And most of them have jobs! Many California cities currently tax hotel rooms at 12 percent or even higher, and none of them have lost tourist business as a result. Every penny raised by this tax is guaranteed to be used to fund homeless services, including, but not limited to shelter. An oversight committee, including a member of the tourism industry, will ensure that these dollars are used for these purposes. The current economic boom has pushed the cost of basic housing beyond what many working people can afford, and many families live only one paycheck away from homelessness. Measure U will raise the average night's stay in Santa Cruz by less than $2.00 but will return dignity, hope and health to families in crisis. We can not ask for a better return. The opponents are using this issue for their own political gain. Let's get back to the real point: providing a permanent, year-round shelter for homeless families with children. Measure U is something the people of Santa Cruz can do for families in crisis, without playing political games. Preserve the quality of life in Santa Cruz. Vote Yes on Measure U. s/ Don Hubbard, Chairman of the Board of Directors s/ Chris Johnson-Lyons, Executive Director s/ Lois R. Muhly s/Jane Weed-Pomerantz s/ Kaitilin Gaffney |
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