Frequently Asked Questions About the 1/4¢ Sales Tax for Streets and Roads
Q: Measure A is a general tax measure. Doesn’t that mean that there is no requirement to spend the funds on high priorities like roads? Isn’t Measure A just a blank check for the politicians?
A: Measure A is a general tax – and that’s precisely why elected officials were careful to include strong accountability provisions to keep voters firmly in control of spending decisions. Measure A requires annual audits be made available to the public and requires elected officials to come back to the voters in just five years to extend the tax. If our elected officials don’t spend our tax dollars wisely, we can simply refuse to renew the tax.
Q: Why didn’t the Board of Supervisors make Measure A specific tax, restricted only to fund roads?
A: Everyone agrees that roads are our highest priority. That’s why the Board of Supervisors made Measure A a general tax measure, because general tax measures have a higher chance of gaining voter approval than specific tax measures.
In short, Measure A is our best chance to provide funds that can make our roads safer. And it includes tough accountability requirements, such as annual audits and requiring voter approval to keep the tax from expiring after five years.
If voters approve the measure, SOSroads will lobby the supervisors to immediately enter into a 5-year contract with the Sonoma County Transportation Authority to administer all of the funds.
Q: How will we know that the funds will be spent on roads – both in the county and in our local cities?
A: All five Supervisors have expressed their intent to use the funds generated by Measure A for roads. Measure A requires that annual audits be made available to the public so we can see how the funds are spent each year. If they use the funds for other purposes we can choose not to renew the tax after just five years.
Still have questions? Read more about why Sonoma County streets and roads are so bad and how the 1/4¢ sales tax will help restore our roads. Click here.