Scotts Valley City Council approves business license tax measure

SCOTTS VALLEY — The Scotts Valley City Council voted Wednesday to place a business license tax modernization measure on the city’s November ballot.

“The reason that this is being considered was the City Council has a goal to pursue additional revenue sources to support a thriving city,” said Scotts Valley City Manager Mali LaGoe at the meeting. “We have been focused heavily on the long-term financial stability of the city while not cutting services to the community. A decade of deferred maintenance on streets, parks and facilities has made our financial situation challenging as well as labor market challenges to attract and retain staff.”

According to the meeting’s staff report, “Like many California and Bay Area communities, the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenge to fund the City of Scotts Valley’s critical community services. Without increased revenue, deep budget reductions will be required starting in Fiscal Year 2025-26. These reductions would further degrade services prioritized by the community, including street repairs, park maintenance, wildfire preparedness, and public safety.”

Lagoe said in the meeting that the city is projecting an annual $2 million budget deficit, which the business license tax modernization measure could help to remedy and that a number of other options were explored.




https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2024/08/10/scotts-valley-city-council-approves-business-license-tax-measure/