San Benito County supervisors Tuesday showed support for placing a proposed business license tax for unincorporated areas only on the November ballot, while they indicated it will include language so the entire county electorate votes on the matter.
That was among items approved by the four supervisors in attendance. Supervisor Jerry Muenzer was absent. They also OK’d such items as an $8 million conservation overhaul on county buildings and moving forward on a cannabis permitting plan.
On the business license matter, the board voted 3-1 to come back at the Aug. 7 meeting, just three days before the elections office filing deadline, to approve placement of a proposed business license tax on the Nov. 6 ballot. Supervisor Mark Medina was opposed.
“My decision was, basically we’re taxing people enough right now,” Medina said after the meeting.
Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz made the motion to move ahead toward the ballot with a proposed tax voted on by countywide voters.
“I would favor countywide because we have more liberal voters in the city,” De La Cruz said.
In his staff report to the board, Clerk Joe Paul Gonzalez noted how the county had a business license tax in the county until March 1996 when voters rejected it.
According to the board agenda, the county would use the same ordinance that was operative in 1996 and put it back but with a 20 percent escalator. The measure would raise an estimated $453,600 annually.
The fee schedule from 1996 listed most categories having a $99 fee on top of an additional amount depending on the number of employees with the business (it’s $6.50 per employee in the “Professionals” category).
As for the concept of the entire county voting on something that affects just rural areas, Deputy Clerk Angela Curro confirmed state law allows it.
“They have the authority to do unincorporated area only,” she said, adding how recent elections have had similar situations such as a vehicle abatement ordinance in June.
-Kollin Kosmicki
