The City of Carpinteria is responsible for providing public services and facilities that maintain and protect our community’s high quality of life. To help protect Carpinteria’s quality of life, the City is committed to providing the services that residents tell us they value most: repairing streets and potholes; reducing wildfire and flooding risk through brush management and maintaining storm drains; preparing for and responding to natural disasters; keeping public areas and parks safe and clean; and retaining and attracting local small businesses.
As a City, we are committed to serving our community in a fiscally responsible manner. We have been proactive in planning and controlling costs. However, a potential funding deficit is jeopardizing our ability to continue providing the City services and programs valued by our community.
The Challenge: Due to reduced state and federal funding and increased costs to provide essential services, the City forecasts that in the next several years it may need to reduce the available annual budget by over a $1 million dollars. Even with financially prudent practices, the City funds that support valued services and maintain the City’s infrastructure face significant challenges. To help maintain services and avoid potential reductions, additional funding may be needed.
- STREETS & ROADS: Repair streets, fix potholes, maintain sidewalks, and keep emergency routes in good condition
- EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS: Reduce wildfire risk with brush management, maintain and repair storm drains to prepare for and mitigate flooding, and enhance emergency response to natural disasters
- PUBLIC SAFETY: Maintain sheriff services, keep neighborhoods safe, and support emergency 911 response
- PARKS & PROGRAMS: Maintain safe and clean local parks and recreational facilities, maintain library hours, and support valued senior and youth programs
To help protect Carpinteria’ quality of life, one option currently being discussed is a modest, 0.25% sales tax (which would add $0.25 to a $100 purchase), which could provide the City with approximately $700,000 annually. Before this would go into effect, City residents would have the opportunity to vote on the proposed measure.
Taxpayer protections would be required by the measure. All funds raised by the potential measure the City is exploring would go to the City’s general fund and would be available for all City services and facilities. Any funds generated would be locally controlled by the City of Carpinteria. The measure would have independent citizen oversight, independent financial audits, and annual reports to the community to help ensure funds are spent as intended.
Visitors and tourists would also pay the proposed sales tax generated in Carpinteria, meaning nonresidents would supplement the City’s general fund revenue to help pay to maintain our streets, police, and other services. Passing a local sales tax measure would keep revenue local. This means that the dollars you already spend would stay in Carpinteria to help maintain our roads, support public safety, and improve local services.
Groceries and prescription medications would be exempt from the sales tax, ensuring the tax would not increase the cost of essential goods. This means residents can support needed improvements to City services without increasing the cost of basic necessities, keeping the impact low while delivering important benefits for the community.
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