Many who voted no believed that the monthly cost of Measure J - $24 for most households – was too pricey, while others said there were aspects of Measure J that troubled them. Some of those aspects turned out to be false: one voter who asked not to be identified said he believed that Measure J would be in effect for 30 years, confusing the public safety tax with a sales tax measure to benefit transportation and highways.The November 2 ballot had an epidemic of tax funding and bond measures and by the time voters got to the Santa Paula section of the ballot they had decided on a variety of initiatives that were connected to wallet-opening. “And it was too much,” according to an anonymous Santa Paulan. “People don’t like to vote for taxes.”While many said they would not vote for the tax unless it was imposed on all residents, others said the lack of a clear plan to supplement tax payments for city residents with the lowest incomes caused them to pull support.Many Santa Paulans who opposed Measure J believed it to be politically incorrect not to support the hometown fire and police departments and few were vocal about opposing the measures. That extended to telephone surveys, polls conducted by the consultant retained by the Measure J and Measure K support committee to gauge the public’s reaction to the initiatives. Based on the polls, supporters believed that the measures would win with up to 58 percent of the vote in favor of the utility tax and oversight committee.
Measure J: 796 votes kept public safety tax from victory
December 15, 2004
Santa Paula News
Although the City Council has had to initiate cuts of over $400,000 in the wake of the failure of Measure J, the public safety tax, only 796 votes kept the initiative from being successful, according to final election results released by the county.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesAlthough the City Council has had to initiate cuts of over $400,000 in the wake of the failure of Measure J, the public safety tax, only 796 votes kept the initiative from being successful, according to final election results released by the county.Measure J need a simple majority to pass to place a $6 a month tax on electric, gas, cable and telephone bills. The measure would have garnered about $2.25 million annually to boost the funding for the city’s fire and police departments. Measure J wound up with 2,886 yes votes (39.2 percent) and 4,476 no votes (60.8 percent).Companion Measure K would have created an advisory committee to oversee Measure J fund distribution and audits. Measure K also required a simple majority to pass and needed only 526 more votes for passage. It received 3,102 yes votes (42.8 percent) and 4,154 no votes (57.2 percent).