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https://n2v.almanacnews.com/square/print/2009/03/11/mayor-robinson-wants-to-raise-the-uut-tax

Town Square

Mayor Robinson wants to raise the UUT Tax

Original post made by observer, Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park, on Mar 11, 2009

Mayor Robinson was quite clear in his state of the City speech last evening that he wants to raise the UUT tax rate.

Well look for our council to elevate the UUT tax rate. Currently at 1% it can go as high as 3.5% and that seems to be where we are headed.

Of course this should have little opposition, since DuBoc, Winkler and Jellins as well as Cohen and Fergusson all voted to put the tax on the ballot and the voters of MP passed it.

Of course then Jellins revolted, but what else would you expect from him.

It was also clear in his pyramid of priorities that cutting staff is a very low priority. You could say this was due to allegiance to the unions, but when Jellins was mayor, he also refused to cut staff until there was absolutely no other choice.

How will Menlo Park voters like more taxes? Good question. We shall see.

Comments

Posted by La La Land
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Mar 12, 2009 at 2:22 pm

Why does Menlo Park continue to go down this path? At one council meeting Mr. Robinson declared, "everything is on the table". NOW, cuts are not on the table? Guaranteed call from a union official got him to change his mind. These dollars, that are being paid out, are OUR dollars Mr. Robinson. You have to find a way, like everyone else is these days, to reduce our spending and hit our budget, without a tax increase. The UUT did not win by an "overwhelming majority" and it won during "the good times". I'd almost guarantee you a unanimous defeat in our current economic climate for the UUT referendum. Please represent the citizens, not your own political ambitions, with the unions!!

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Posted by observer
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Mar 12, 2009 at 8:23 pm

La La Land brings up a very valid point.

Perhaps a initiative (or whatever legal means is needed) would be the right path to kill off the kind of tax more to spend more attitude.

I really believe right now the UUT wouldn't get 25% of voters to approve.

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Posted by GoneGreen
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Mar 13, 2009 at 4:10 pm

It would be nice to keep all the same services without raising taxes, but an increased Utility User Tax would be the best way to raise revenue if necessary. Gas, water and electricity are already priced way below their actual cost to society, and so we don't care how much we use.

To avoid paying higher utility bills while helping to support the city, most of us can easily reduce by more than 1% the amount of these precious resources that we waste every day!

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Posted by be fair
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Mar 14, 2009 at 4:27 pm

It is important for the city and our mayor to keep all budget items on the table. Before asking taxpayers to absorb ALL of the budget pain by having to choose between lower services or higher taxes, how about also asking staff to do what many taxpayers are having to do by taking pay or benefit cuts, forgo bonuses entirely, take unpaid furlough. These sorts of measures should start at the top, with the city manager leading the way just as HP's executive team recently did when they announced a 20% pay cut at the top levels, and smaller pay cuts for lower levels. This could help avoid layoffs, set the stage for tough contract negotiations, and make it more palatable to increase taxes if absolutely necessary. It is only fair that the pain of these times not be borne entirely by taxpayers.

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Posted by Joanna
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Mar 14, 2009 at 4:39 pm

Robinson would rather increase our taxes instead of cleaning house internally? So many highly compensated employees and not one of them on the table?

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Posted by be fair
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Mar 14, 2009 at 7:02 pm

I don't know that, do you? Let's also be fair and give our leaders the benefit of the doubt. We can talk with them, too, right?

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