How should Sonoma County fund road repairs? About 36 percent of those responding to an online Argus-Courier poll said that the county should siphon money from other county programs to pay for roads.
Thirty-percent felt that a specific sales tax ballot measure dedicated to road repairs should be used. Only 1 percent said that a general sales tax ballot measure with promises to spend it on roads should be used.
Here are some of the comments:
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“What many people (mostly older or renters) don’t realize is that the average homeowner in Sonoma County is paying something like $5,000 a year in property tax. At some point we have to say no to all these new taxes. And people wonder why they can’t aford to buy a home in our county.”
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“One-hundred percent of the tax money on road repairs only. None going to any other programs, salaries, benefits, reserves and etc. limited sales tax to a yearly review.”
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“Ask the wineries to help with the wear and tear on the road. Tourist from out of the area travel to visit wineries. Also, take money from social programs, the area’s middle class is inundated with taxes to support a large segment of society.”
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“A specific sales tax would generate the most dollars, but how about an income from bikes and hybrid autos that use the roads? It would be interesting to know the cost of special paving and striping of lanes used by bikes.”
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“Have the state turn over all the gasoline sales tax money, DMV fees, back to the counties for their intended use of road funding, instead of being diverted to the politician’s pet social programs and public employee pension and medical benefits.”
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