Jack Saelid has proposed a cap on the utility tax: when a yet-to-be-determined sum has accrued, collection would cease. City Attorney Charles Liberto will research and report on a possible ordinance.
Tax rates are being increased in the city's five lighting districts. Article discusses status of other tax rates and notes an increase of 9.2% in the total assessed valuation of all properties in Arcadia.
City Council met with representatives of Santa Anita Park race track to discuss the possibility of raising the admissions tax. Council is concerned with the cost of traffic control. Benefits to the city from the track have increased 22.6% in the past two years and 43% the previous season.
The Arcadia City Council unanimously supports a 5% utility tax on interstate and international telephone calls. The proposed tax will cost about $.40 per person per month.
City Council has renewed an examination of the admission tax Santa Anita pays compared to other race tracks. The track provided 34.1% of the city's total annual revenues in the fiscal year 1980-81. Traffic control costs in Arcadia are higher than in other cities with race tracks.
Santa Anita Park pays 38.5% of the overall tax revenue of the City of Arcadia. It pays the usual taxes plus a unique admission tax. Article outlines a history of the tax and the projects it has helped finance.
Tuesday's City Council meeting saw a 4-1 approval of a recommendation to direct staff to prepare to place a 2% utility tax on the ballot in April 1998.
Don Pellegrino, incumbent on the ballot for City Council, has definitive opinions, listed in this article, on the election issues: the budget, race track admission, utility tax, etc.
The Arcadia City Council appointed Thomas C. Clark to the Planning Commission and approved an ordinance reducing the number of members on the commission from 7 to 5.
Article outlines discussion at City Council meeting about the ballot measure to increase the utility tax to raise money for the schools. It was suggested a higher admission tax at Santa Anita Park be used to raise the money.
A plan to reduce the size of the Arcadia Planning Commission from 7 to 5 members has been held over by the City Council. The Council has until July to think about the proposal.
In an attempt to produce permanent revenue enhancement, the City Council has agreed to go to ballot with a Fire Suppression District assessment which would ask property owners to tax themselves to achieve a balanced budget.
In an unusual move, the normally apolitical Arcadia PTA Council has endorsed Measure A on the April 14 ballot, pushing voter approval for a 2% utility tax increase.