Letter: Santa Clara County plan for tax increase raises questions

For businesses and residents in San Jose, this means increasing the sales tax rate to 9.875%.

Plan to place tax increase
on ballot raises questions

On Aug. 13, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted to initiate the process for placing yet another tax increase on the 2020 ballot. This would entail a 5/8ths of one-cent increase in the sales tax rate.

For businesses and residents in San Jose, this means increasing the sales tax rate to 9.875%.

Voters should recall that the county passed six new tax increases in nearly every election year since 2008, and it looks like 2020 will bring more of the same.

The only “no” vote was from Supervisor Mike Wasserman, who correctly stated that the county budget has doubled in just nine years, while the number of county employees has increased 50%.

I am skeptical of unrestricted tax increases that can be spent indiscriminately, even on items not in the county charter. Taxpayers should demand that the county live within its means without overburdening residents with additional tax obligations.

Pierluigi Oliverio
San Jose

 

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