'Residents are feeling squeezed': Would a San Jose parcel tax to fund parks have a chance on the ballot?

San Jose may ask voters to support a parcel tax to help chip away at a half-billion dollar parks maintenance backlog — but with other tax measures on the ballot and the potential for voter fatigue, the city could face an uphill battle.

The City Council is set to decide at a special meeting Tuesday on whether to place the parcel tax on the ballot, a decision that could leave taxpayers with nothing to show for it except for a $2 million bill if the initiative fails.

City staff are finalizing a recommendation on whether to proceed after the City Council voted last month to conduct another round of polling. The first batch of polling results came close to meeting the two-thirds threshold needed for passing a parcel tax. Elected officials had sought to find other ways to generate revenue in March with the city facing a $50 million shortfall for the coming fiscal year.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said that while the city’s parks historically have been underfunded, he would follow the community’s lead. In speaking with the community, he noted a legitimate concern that “residents are feeling squeezed.”





https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/08/02/residents-are-feeling-squeezed-would-a-san-jose-parcel-tax-to-fund-parks-have-a-chance-on-the-ballot/