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Measure O: Second try to pass 1/8-cent sales tax for parks

Original post made on Jun 1, 2008

The only countywide measure on the June ballot would put extra money into San Mateo County and city parks and recreation programs squeezed for years by hard economic times and tight budgets.

Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 12:00 AM

Comments (4)

Posted by Jack Hickey
a resident of Woodside: Emerald Hills
on Jun 1, 2008 at 9:00 pm

If passed, Measure O is expected to provide approximately $634,000 a year for 25 years to the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD).
MROSD already sucks more than $7,000,000/yr from San Mateo County South in property taxes.

I have suggested that this alien agency be detached from San Mateo County.

Jack Hickey


Posted by Ben Gentel
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Jun 2, 2008 at 1:29 pm

I've got a better idea, Jack.

Why don't you put down the poison pen, take a little break from railing against publicly-funded EVERYTHING, and take a nature walk in one of the county's fabulous open space preserves. It might clear your head and improve your disposition.

Open space enriches us all.


Posted by Rick Moen
a resident of Menlo Park: University Heights
on Jun 8, 2008 at 3:29 am

Sales taxes are the classic example of a "regressive" tax, one that tends to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. When I was young -- pre-Ronald Reagan -- all of California, state-wide, kept the sales tax down to a tolerable 5%. Reagan was the first to crank that up, followed by the Bay Area's own vampiric transit agency, BART, and every little county with a funding problem.

8.25% out of almost every dollar we spend to (e.g.) feed ourselves was and is already outrageous. 8.375% would have made a bad situation just that much worse. I'm glad the voters agreed.

Rick Moen
rick@linuxmafia.com


Posted by Amelie
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Jun 9, 2008 at 10:43 am

Speaking as a poor person, I'm a frequent user of the (free) park facilities in San Mateo County. I can't afford to buy much, but I'd be willing to pay an extra 1/8 cent sales tax to help with the upkeep of these wonderful community resources.


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