I voted for Measure U. When will I see it start working?
On Nov. 6, 2018, Sacramentans voted to extend the City’s Measure U sales tax and raise it from a half-cent to a full cent. But it will be months before the City starts making expenditures from this new revenue stream. Here are some answers about what will happen next.
When does the Measure U sales tax go up from a half cent to a full cent?
The original half-cent Measure U tax approved by voters in 2012 expires on March 31, 2019. The 1-cent tax that replaces it takes effect the next day, on April 1, 2019.
When will the City begin seeing money from the new Measure U?
The City is expected to start receiving funds from the new Measure U in June. Merchants who collect the money from consumers send it to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, which then remits it to cities. The process takes about two months.
How much money is Measure U expected to produce for the City?
The current half-cent Measure U sales tax produces nearly $50 million a year — an amount that’s expected to double with the full-cent tax. This projection will be refined when the City adopts its 2019/20 budget.
Who will decide how Measure U money is spent?
It’s up to the Sacramento City Council to decide how to spend money from Measure U. But the community will have significant input through a new Measure U Community Advisory Committee.
As approved by the Council on Oct. 2, the new Measure U Community Advisory Committee will have 15 members, nine appointed by the Mayor and Council members from each council district and six by the Personnel & Public Employees Committee. The application period for potential applicants opened on Nov. 20, 2018 and will remain open until 5 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2019. Get more information here.
The makeup of the committee will include:
One member between 16 and 24 years old
One member with experience in affordable housing, homelessness or rental housing issues
One member representing a taxpayer organization
One member with experience with business, economic development or workforce development
One member with experience in community trauma, mental health or community-based crime reduction
One member with professional experience with youth-focused adult education, public health or environmental justice groups
The Mayor and City Council, together with City staff, is also working to establish a group of investment experts that will provide input to the City Manager, the Measure U Community Advisory Committee, and the City Council on which investments will lead to inclusive economic growth.
The City Council is expected to vote in December to adopt a number of performance metrics which it will use to evaluate potential Measure U investments.
How can I get involved?
The application period for potential Measure U Community Advisory Committee members will be open from Tuesday, Nov. 20 until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Visit the City’s website to submit your application.
Mayor and Council offices will hold four informational sessions for potential applicants between Dec. 1, 2018 and the first week of January, 2019. Dates will be announced as soon as the sessions are scheduled. Check EngageSac.org or the City’s Measure U page for updates.
When will the City decide what to spend the money on?
Decisions about the first round of expenditures under the new Measure U will be made as part of the City’s budget process for the 2019/20 fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2019.
The current half-cent Measure U is divided between Police, Fire, Parks and the Sacramento Public Library. That funding is expected to remain in place for the current half cent. Mayor Darrell Steinberg and members of the Sacramento City Council campaigned on bolstering and building an inclusive economy, growing jobs and providing housing that is affordable to all.
