REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Adoption of Resolutions Calling for a Municipal General Election and Ordering Consolidation with the Gubernatorial General Election for the Purpose of Submitting to the Voters a Business License Tax (BLT) Modernization Measure and Utility Transfer Charter Amendment; Authorizing the City Clerk to Contract with the County of Santa Clara for Services to be Performed in Connection with the Gubernatorial General Election to be Held on November 8, 2022, as well as Directing the City Attorney to Prepare an Impartial Analysis; and Setting Priorities for Ballot Arguments
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High-Quality, Efficient Services and Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
The City Council has identified modernization of the City's employee-based business license tax and an amendment of the Utility Transfer Tax provisions in the City Charter as priorities for voter consideration on the November 2022 General Election Ballot. The Council directed Staff to bring forward a workplan and timeline for successfully placing these measures before the voters. This information was presented and approved by the City Council at the February 8, 2022 Council Priority Setting Session.
On December 7, 2021, the City conducted voter research and community engagement through the City's professional and public opinion research experts. In January 2022, 600 voters likely to participate in a November 2022 General Election were surveyed on a variety of issues, attitudes, and service priorities, including gauging support for various mechanisms to achieve those goals, inclusive of a Business License Tax Modernization Measure and a Utilities Transfer Tax Charter Amendment. This work was augmented by focus group meetings conducted with local businesses in February 2022. Results of this preliminary voter research and stakeholder outreach were presented to the City Council at the February 2022 Council Priority Setting Session.
At that time, the City Man...
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