City of Redwood City - Business License Tax Measure
Ballot Question
Shall the measure to maintain local city services, such as: maintaining 911 emergency response/neighborhood police patrols; fixing potholes, repairing streets/sidewalks; maintaining on-duty firefighters/paramedics; and storm drains to prevent flooding; by modernizing the City of Redwood City business license tax base, and per employee rates between $10 and $250, with the highest fee on larger businesses, for general government use, as described in the ordinance, providing approximately $7,000,000 annually, until ended by voters, be adopted?
Type of Measure
Business License Tax Measure
Explanation
The current Business license tax ordinance was last updated in 2011. For most businesses, it has a base tax rate of $86 and an incremental tax rate of $57 per employee.
Measure BB would modernize and streamline the business categories. It would change the base tax rate to $90 and the incremental tax rate from $10 to $250 per employee. Smaller retail businesses would pay lower rates, and larger professional service businesses would pay higher rates.
The estimated $7,000,000 generated annually would go to the city’s General Fund, which can be used for street repair, police and fire services, and other City services.
Voting YES supports this change to the Business License Tax Ordinance
Voting NO opposes this change to the Business License Tax Ordinance
50%+1 voter approval is needed to pass this measure
Arguments in Favor
The measure will lower taxes for small businesses and generate funds from large businesses for city services such as infrastructure repairs and police.
This measure will not tax Childcare providers or residents. The measure does not increase taxes on rental housing units.
All funds will be used locally. Measure BB continues the city’s high fiscal transparency standards by requiring independent audits and annual reporting to ensure funds are spent responsibly.
Support
Redwood City Council members Alicia Aguirre, Kaia Eakin, Lissette Espinoza-Garnica, Jeff Gee, Diane Howard, Elmer Martinez Saballos, Chris Sturken
Small business owners David Kassouf, Dayna Marr, Sahlik Khan, Zareen Khan
Community leaders Alice Kaufman, Regina Van Brunt
San Mateo County Central Labor Council
San Mateo County Democratic Party
Arguments Against
Currently none
Opposition
Currently none
