City’s sales tax dollars at work

Sonoma Mayor Ken Brown unveils the new temporary sign at the Depot Park Bicycle Path and Parking Lot Improvements project. Temporary signage will be placed designating the projects funded by Measure J, the half-cent local sales tax.

In June 2012 the voters of the city approved Measure J as a temporary sales tax over-ride to fund city services through 2018. It bumped the sales tax within Sonoma city limits from 8% to 8.5%.

“We promised the voters we would use their tax dollars wisely, and we wanted to let them know we are doing just that,” Brown said. “We follow through with our promises to our citizens.”

Other capital projects funded with the help of Measure J dollars include: Broadway/Napa Rd./ Leveroni Signal Improvements; 2013 Slurry Seal Project; 2014 Streets Overlay Project; Chase Street Bridge Replacement Project; and the East Napa Road Paving Project.

These local sales tax dollars provide a “bridge” revenue source to minimize the impacts of the loss of redevelopment dollars, said City Manager Carol Giovanatto. “Over $900,000 in street projects have been approved in the current city budget which would have formerly been paid for with redevelopment funds.”