Pinole Council To Address Utility Tax

Ultimately, Pinole voters will decide in November whether to keep paying an 8 percent utility tax that provides about 20 percent of the city's revenue. On Tuesday the city council will discuss whether and how to support ballot measure that will go voters.

The council is scheduled to give direction to city staff on a proposed extension of the levy on electricity, phone and cable bills. The tax is is due to expire at the end of the year unless voters extend or replace it with an alternative.

The council has yet to vote on the rate or length of extension for a tax renewal, but without the revenue, the city likely would suffer profound cuts that could affect the police, fire and public works and administrative departments.

At a city budget workshop last week, city department heads presented dire scenarios if voters don't renew the tax, which provides about $2 million a year in revenue.

If the tax revenue disappeared, the police department projects to decline from 27 sworn officers to 22, Police Chief John Hardester told the council last week. Staff for dispatch, records and other support would be reduced from 19 to 11 people.

The fire department would see about $325,000 in revenue losses, effectively eliminating the position of fire chief that the city shares with Hercules, and subsequent losses down the line of command, Chief Charles Hanley told the council.

In public works, residents would notice reductions in street sweeping, street median maintenance, tree trimming, graffiti removal and park maintenance.

In administration, the position of assistant city manager position likely would be eliminated. Also in jeopardy is city funding for the Pinole Swim Center.

In April the council a proposal to hire a consultant to conduct a telephone poll to measure voter attitudes toward an extension of the tax. In 2010 Pinole voters rejected a ballot measure that would have continued the utility tax and applied it to water bills.

Tuesday's council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday in the City Council Chamber at 2131 Pear St. It will be televised live on Pinole TV and streamed live on the city's web page.