Mill Valley voters consider sales tax increase

Mill Valley residents will be asked in the Nov. 5 election to add another percentage point to their sales tax.

Measure L would increase the rate by 8.25% to support municipal services, facility maintenance and public safety. The measure was endorsed by the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Marin Association of Realtors and the Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers.

“As a chamber of commerce, we do not take a sales tax increase lightly,” wrote Stacey Lamirand, president of the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce board of directors, in a letter supporting the measure. “But it is important to note that the City of Mill Valley’s sales tax is 8.250 percent, which is comparable to five Marin municipalities and lower than six other Marin municipalities.”

“The Mill Valley business community will benefit greatly from the proposed tax measure and investments in our community,” the letter continued. “You have our full support.”

The city needs to find $150 million to $180 million to upgrade its infrastructure over the next 10 to 15 years. The current rate generates about $3.6 million in annual revenue, according to the city. The tax increase would generate an additional $4.2 million.

Mimi Willard, founder and president of the Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers, said the organization supports the tax because the city has demonstrated it is needed, because it meets the group’s demands for a reasonable timeline and because it is tied to specific projects.

“They fought hard to get the tax as fair as possible,” Willard said. “And perhaps most importantly, the City Council and city manager are exceptionally responsible and can be trusted to spend the money efficiently and on the priorities promised. We hope Mill Valley will serve as a model for other cities and agencies in Marin.”

The measure also has been endorsed by 10 former mayors who still live in the city, Mayor Urban Carmel said. Several city commissions, including parks and recreation and emergency preparedness, have signed letters of support. No formal opposition has emerged.

Carmel said he was cautiously optimistic the measure would pass. He said people were feeling tax fatigue, and while previous polls showed 60 percent of residents surveyed supported it, well above the 50 percent needed to pass it, he said he couldn’t be sure.

“So that means the bill should pass, but it’s hard to pass tax measures,” Carmel said. “We’re trying to move forward cautiously. We’re raising taxes as little as possible.”

Carmel said part of getting the tax increase approved by voters was building trust within the community. He added that the city has a strong tradition of fiscal prudence and infrastructure management.

“We have put in place a number of safeguards that we believe will be very important in building trust within the community,” he said.

The city council has directed that sales tax revenues can only be spent on essential infrastructure improvements such as wildfire prevention measures, landslide prevention, evacuation and emergency preparedness, and maintenance of streets, sidewalks, storm sewers and facilities.

An independent committee would oversee spending and financial audits would be required. The tax would expire in 10 years.

“These are the steps that really need to be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the community,” Carmel said. “Those are our two goals.”