Editorial:
As cities such as National City struggled to find ways to survive the economic disaster that befell all of us a decade ago, a savior for these cities came about in the form of a Penny Tax.
Times were tough for everyone; there was no doubt about that! Ten years ago National City asked the voters to levy a Penny Tax on purchases made within the city to help pay for services or as critics charged, out of controlled pensions. In 2006 after the first penny tax was defeated by voters (Prop “B”), City Leaders utilized scare tactics by charging that if the tax was not passed vital services to the police, fire department, library, etc. would be slashed. The tactic worked and the tax was passed for 10 years, however even with the tax hike the city had to slash (2011) city services by 20%!
National City was not alone in turning to the Penny Tax. Other cities in California passed the same tax out of desperation. Ten years later and with the economy on the rebound many of those same cities are NOW letting the sunshine clause (a ten year life to this tax) to take effect, and are allowing the tax to expire. The City of La Mesa comes to mind in this regard.
But not National City the poorest city in SD County and one of the poorest cities in California. The median income for NC is $39,000, for CA residents $59,000. It has become apparent that NC city leaders have become very comfortable with the extra income and feel that they can continue to live beyond their means by simply extending the Penny Tax!
Not being satisfied with the ten year sunshine clause NC City politicians now want to continue the Penny Tax for: 20 MORE YEARS!
City leaders have again turned to using scare tactics to get the Tax passed. These after the court in San Diego (in a recent lawsuit Baca-Myserth vs National City) forced NC to amend their ballot arguments tactics that the Penny Tax was not for city services.
City politicians however continue to state that without the Tax police and fire services will be slashed, even though the court also ruled that the Penny Tax was not designated specifically for police, fire services, etc. That (in fact) the tax collected by the city goes into the city’s general fund. Once collected, that tax can then be spent on anything that the present or a future Mayor and City Council want to spend it on. For example the money could be spent to hire a PR firm to promote tourism in National City, like they did in 2006 when they paid $125,000 for a Charger consultant, and $25,000 for a Charger survey questionnaire? And recently, the hiring of Dan Hom’s PR firm to further promote tourism. PS: The only thing La Prensa can surmise from this latest effort is, “stay in National City because we have cheap hotels!” slogan
La Prensa sees no logical reason to continue the so-called Penny Tax, or any rational reason to continue a tax on NC’s poor residents for 20 MORE YEARS. The only reason La Prensa can deduct is that NC politicians think the Hispanic community is so politically in astute that they will continue to pay for the Mayor and City Leaders delaying actions to, “kick the can down the road,” so they do not have to seriously address or deal with the structural deficit problems, by simply taxing the poorest residents of SD County.
La Prensa does not support the continuation of the so-called PENNY TAX and urge you to vote NO!