If the sales tax measure were to pass on the November 3, 2020 Election Ballot, then the Citizen’s Oversight Committee will be established. Similar to the Measure E Oversight Committee for Essential Facilities, this will be a committee that meets conducts an annual review on the proceeds from this sales tax measure to make sure they are being spent appropriately.
Yes, the sales tax will apply to product deliveries. The proposed tax is a Transaction and Use tax. Meaning, it is applied on all goods delivered to San Rafael. For example, Golden Gate Transit were to purchase buses from Mississippi to use in San Rafael, San Rafael would charge an additional $0.25 per $100 tax on the buses.
In April 2020, the City launched the San Rafael Small Business COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund to help small businesses struggling to maintain cash flow during these unprecedented times. Please visit the fund’s website for more information. In addition, in conjunction with the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce and the City, the San Rafael Business Improvement District (BID) spearheaded a weekly initiative to support … Continued
Yes, the City welcomes any opportunity to work with neighboring jurisdictions. Please refer to page 56 of the June 15th Staff Report on the City’s Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget for a full list of San Rafael’s shared services and partnerships with other government agencies.
San Rafael strives to enhance the quality of life for all residents and to provide a safe, healthy, prosperous and livable environment in partnership with the community. Important priorities include safe neighborhoods, active community centers for our youth and seniors, emergency response services and providing social services to support our most vulnerable populations. These essential … Continued
In addition to the health impacts of COVID-19, the restrictions put into place through the public health order have taken an unprecedented toll on our federal, state, and local economy. Economists are predicting cities such as San Rafael who are heavily reliant on sales tax, transaction and use tax (TUT), and transient occupancy tax (TOT) … Continued
For context, revenue reductions of this magnitude represent roughly the equivalent of: San Rafael’s entire Department of Public Works Budget for one year; Two-thirds of San Rafael’s Fire Department Budget for one year; or One-half of San Rafael’s Police Department Budget for one year.
To meet our financial challenges, there are a number of efforts and programs we have implemented to reduce expenses and increase revenue, including: Hiring Freeze – A hiring freeze has already been instituted which will result in approximately $1.4 million in savings annually. Mandatory Furlough Program – The San Rafael City Council has approved a … Continued
The City is committed to ensuring citizen safety as we face these challenging times. The City has implemented budget cuts in every department in the City of San Rafael. Greater needs and fewer staff resources available could lead to cuts in areas of homelessness initiatives, our Climate Change Action Plan, library hours in our three … Continued
The City of San Rafael recently commissioned a survey of local residents that measured 64% support for increasing the local sales tax rate to help preserve city services. On July 20, 2020, the San Rafael City Council unanimously voted to place a measure on the November ballot that would increase the local sales tax rate … Continued
