Your Guide to the World Ag Expo — pages 6, 7 and 9
Volume XXXVI No. 3 • 4 February, 2016
www.ourvalleyvoice.com
Visalia Council Approves Sales Tax Hike Ballot Measure Catherine Doe After ten months of research and discussion, the Visalia City Council gave a green light to putting a sales tax measure on the November ballot. The vote was five-0 during their work session February 1st. But not all council members were in favor of raising taxes. Council member Warren Gubler said that he is never in favor of raising taxes but was not opposed to letting the voters decide. If the November ballot measure is approved, sales tax in Visalia would go up by a half cent and is projected to raise approximately ten million dollars a year. The measure only needs a 50% plus one votes to pass.
BMAC Gives Their Support
After meeting twice a month for five months, the Bond Measure Advisory Committee (BMAC) recommended that the City put the sales tax measure on the ballot. Many of the BMAC members were participants in the 2013 Blue Ribbon Committee. At that time the Blue Ribbon Committee recommended against putting a similar measure on the ballot. But because of the city’s growing needs and the positive survey results, the BMAC felt it was the right time. Their biggest reason for recommending the ballot measure was that Visalia’s
sales tax revenues have been less than projected. The weak sales tax returns are due to the fact that shoppers are increasingly buying more on-line than at brick and mortar stores. When buyers forgo Visalia shops, and buy their good on-line, Visalia losses revenue. The BMAC also pointed out that the recession forced significant personnel reductions, the city needs to continue to build cash reserves, and that the city needs to rebuild pension reserves. They also pointed out that Visalia will not be able to keep up with the public safety needs in the future unless another source of revenue is found. The BMAC report stated, “Having performed our ‘due diligence’ in reviewing Visalia’s financial challenges between August 2015 and January 2016, the BMAC recommends the following to the City Council in order to maintain our city’s ‘quality of life.”’ We propose a 0.5% local sales tax for the 2016 ballot (equivalent to 50 cents per $100 in taxable purchases). We propose this be a general tax requiring a 50% public approval.”
Survey Results
The BMAC based much of their final decision on a survey conducted by a
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Visalia Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Emergency Communications Center
Phil Cox is the current Tulare County District 3 Supervisor. Courtesy/Tulare County
Amy Shuklian is a Visalia Councilwoman. Courtesy/Amy Shuklian
Cox, Shuklian Square Off in District 3 Electoral Race At a low-key event last week, Tulare County District 3 Supervisor Phil Cox officially launched his campaign for a fourth term as Visalia’s primary representative, promising to continue his work for more streamlined, responsive government. “I’m not done,” Cox, who has served three, four-year terms on the Board of Supervisors, said. “We still have efficiencies that can be achieved.” At the forefront of Cox’s thinking are the county’s upcoming large construction projects. Cox, before entering politics, owned a pair of construction firms in Visalia. “We’re talking about (my) construction experience,” he said. “I’m the supervisor who will jump up on the roof.”
Dave Adalian
Board Remaking Itself
The Board as whole, Cox said, has been restructuring how it does business, and he wants to continue working with his fellow supervisors toward that end. “We have been changing the way the county operates,” he said. The focus has been improving “quality of life” for county employees with better working spaces and resources, an approach he took in running his own businesses. “Providing my people with the right tools was key to making money.” He also found the county’s money
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Huerta Declares Candidacy for 21st Congressional District Emilio Huerta filed papers to run for the 21st Congressional seat against incumbent Rep. David Valadao. Huerta is a Kern County lawyer specializing in unions, worker rights and establishing sustainable non-profits organizations. After much deliberation with his family, he decided to shutter Emilio Huerta his law practice to concentrate
Catherine Doe on his campaign. He is the son of Dolores Huerta, one of the original organizers with Cesar Chavez of the United Farm Workers. “The Huerta and Chavez families are going to win this seat back,” said Huerta at the Tulare County Democrat
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Nordstrom Delays Decision
“This is a historic day for our city, as this facility will benefit our citizens and our employees. The Visalia Emergency Communications Center will house the 911 communications center, emergency operations, fire administration, information services and the traffic management system.” – City of Visalia Mayor Steve Nelsen “This facility will be great and what is even better is the people who will work in it. Our dispatchers received 97,000 911 calls and 169,000 calls for service last year. They’re the really the front line of the services we provide and it’s a historic day for all of us and the citizens we serve.” - Visalia Chief of Police Jason Salazar
Visalia and Fresno are going to have to wait a little longer to find out where Nordstrom will build its new distribution center. According to Mike Olmos, Visalia’s City Manager, he called Nordstrom in January to see if they were still on track. The representative said that the date had been pushed out to April or May. Olmos, who has been through this process many times, said that it is not uncommon for large companies or large facilities to take more time than they
Catherine Doe originally projected. He said that he and Nordstrom have been going back and forth with additional information about the building site, but that the company has all the data and information they need to make the decision. The person who negotiated the incentive package for Nordstrom is Visalia’s contact. Olmos said that the site
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