Q: What is Measure A?
A: Measure A was unanimously placed on your ballot by the City Council at the same time that it adopted a Declaration of Fiscal Emergency. The community has the opportunity to vote on Measure A on Election Day—April 13th. Measure A provides temporary emergency funding to prevent additional cuts to your city services that protect the public health, safety, and welfare, including our Police Department.
Measure A expires in 5 years. Revenue generated by this Emergency Measure can be used to protect Cotati residents by:
- Preventing the reduction of the total number of police officers to just 9—the same number of officers protecting Cotati in 1982;
- Maintaining domestic violence response and prevention programs;
- Maintaining programs to reduce drunk driving, and
- Restoring cuts that have been already been made to essential City services, including youth recreation programs, street maintenance and pothole repair services.
Every dime generated by Measure A is legally required to be spent for the benefit of Cotati’s residents and cannot be taken by Sacramento.
Q: Why was Measure A placed on the ballot?
A: Severe budget cuts have significantly reduced services throughout our City, affecting the public health, safety and welfare of Cotati’s residents. As a result, the City Council unanimously declared a Fiscal Emergency.
Cotati faces additional budget cuts as revenues continue to decline and the State continues to take more from our City. Measure A was placed on the ballot to provide a reliable, local source of revenue that maintains current Police services and prevents further cuts to the community’s essential City services.
Q: Can the money from Measure A be taken by Sacramento?
A: No. By law all Measure A funds must be spent in Cotati and cannot be taken by Sacramento.
Q: Why do we need Measure A?
A: The State continues to take funds from Cotati and the City has seen significant losses due to the downturn in the economy. Measure A creates a reliable local revenue source for Cotati city services that cannot be taken by Sacramento.
Q: Has the City cut all it can already?
A: The City has been making substantial cuts since 2007 including:
- A 33% reduction in the total staff, 4 of which were Police Officers, resulting in the absence of resources to ensure adequate public safety for residents;
- Elimination of 2 Police Dispatchers and Recreation staff among several other positions;
- Maintenance reductions and indefinite deferral of maintenance, in every City Park;
- Maintenance reductions and indefinite deferral of maintenance, in all City facilities, streets and roads, landscaping and trees;
- All staff received pay reductions of 14-15%;
- Reductions in children and seniors’ programs.
Q: Did Cotati declare a Fiscal Emergency?
A: Yes. Due to decreasing revenues, the State Budget crisis and anticipated State takeaways from local government which will result in cuts to public safety and other essential services, on January 13, 2010 the Cotati City Council voted unanimously to declare a Fiscal Emergency because of a recognized threat to public health, safety, and welfare.
Q: What will Measure A cost and when will it end?
A: We have worked to put the most fiscally responsible solution we can, for the community to consider. Measure A is one half cent sales tax— half a penny per dollar spent in Cotati, excluding the purchase of food purchased as groceries and prescription medication. Visitors to Cotati – not just Cotati residents pay. Measure A is not a tax on property. Measure A expires in five years.
Q: How can voters be sure that Measure A funds are only spent on our local City services?
A: Measure A includes binding fiscal accountability protections, such as annual independent financial audits and public expenditure reports to the community to monitor spending and keep the City accountable for how funds are spent. These reports are available on the City’s website and at City Hall for anyone to review.
Q: What is the voter threshold required for Measure A?
A: Measure A requires 50% +1 to pass.
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