Petaluma council states intentions to spend sales tax on street repair

The Petaluma City Council Monday narrowly approved a plan to spend an estimated $2 million annually on street repair if a countywide sales tax measure passes on the June ballot.

The non-binding resolution states the council’s intent to spend the funds on fixing the city’s crumbling streets, but carries no legal weight since the sales tax measure is not earmarked for a specific purpose.

The council voted 3-2 in favor of the resolution. Mayor David Glass and Councilwoman Teresa Barrett dissented, and council members Mike Healy and Gabe Kearney were absent.

Councilwoman Kathy Miller said it was important that voters know the council’s intentions for Petaluma’s share of the potential sales tax revenue, which is expected to amount to $20 million annually countywide.

“We want the people of Petaluma to be comfortable that if the measure passes, we will spend it on roads,” she said.

Measure A was placed on the June 2 ballot by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors as part of the county’s long-term plan to fix its ailing road network. Supervisors have publicly stated they intend to spend the county’s share on rehabilitating the vast, mostly rural road network. Opponents have criticized the supervisors for proposing the five-year, quarter-cent sales tax as a general tax, saying that the money could be siphoned off for public employee pensions or other spending priorities.

Backers of the measure say a general tax, requiring a simple majority of the vote, is easier to pass than a specific tax, which needs two-thirds approval. They say that having politicians on the record as promising to fund road repairs is a good enough guarantee.

The Santa Rosa City Council has stated its intention to spend its share on streets with 10 percent going to subsidize bus passes. Petaluma’s resolution also includes 10 percent spending on public transit.

Glass said he intends to use potential Measure A revenue for street repairs, but did not think that a non-binding resolution stating spending priorities would benefit the public.

“I’m not in favor of putting meaningless things on the ballot,” he said.

Barrett said the resolution amounted to “campaigning from the dais.”

“I think this kind of agenda item is inappropriate because it is a general tax,” she said. “Anything in this resolution has no binding power on this or any other city council.”

The resolution was proposed by Healy, Miller and Councilman Chris Albertson. Albertson said it was an attempt at transparency.

“If you don’t trust us, why did you vote for us?” he said. “We’re trying to make this as clear as possible. The money we are bringing in with this sales tax is going to asphalt. We’re trying to put our cards on the table.”

(Contact Matt Brown at matt.brown@arguscourier.com. On Twitter @MattBrownAC.)