To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Counsel
Staff Name and Phone Number: Petra Bruggisser, (707) 565-2421
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Sonoma County Child Care and Children’s Health Initiative and Sales Tax Petition
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Provide comment and take a formal position on the proposed Sonoma County Child Care and Children’s Health Initiative and Sales Tax Petition; authorize the Board of the Chair to send a letter in support of, or opposition to, the Initiative.
end
Executive Summary:
At the January 9, 2024, Board meeting, your Board accepted the certificate of sufficiency brought by the Registrar of Voters after the Registrar of Voters determined that the proponents of the proposed Sonoma County Child Care and Children’s Health Initiative and Sales Tax Petition (Initiative) submitted the requisite number of signatures.
On February 5, 2024, the Board approved a Resolution to place the proposed Sonoma County Child Care and Children’s Health Initiative and Sales Tax Petition on the November 5, 2024, Presidential General Election.
This item now provides the opportunity to comment and take a formal position on the Initiative.
Discussion:
On June 2, 2023, proponents of a quarter-cent transactions and use tax (a.k.a. sales tax) filed with the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office (ROV) a notice of intention to circulate an initiative petition to fund (1) child care, preschool and early childhood education for low- and middle-income children and families in Sonoma County and (2) the local children’s health care safety net.
According to the proponents, the goal of the Initiative is to improve the health and well-being of Sonoma County children by increasing access to child care and early childhood education to start kindergarten ready; increasing access to vital children’s preventive health care and mental health services; preventing child abuse/neglect; and by prioritizing children impacted by homelessness and trauma. If approved by the voters of Sonoma County, the quarter-cent sales tax is estimated to provide $30,000,000 annually, until ended by voters, and would be subject to independent audits and review by an oversight commission.
The proponents published the ballot title, summary and notice of intention to circulate the “Sonoma County Child Care and Children’s Health Initiative and Sales Tax”, in a newspaper of general circulation on June 15, 2023. On December 7, 2023, the proponents filed at the ROV the signatures gathered in support of the Initiative.
On January 9, 2024, after careful examination of the signatures, the ROV certified the sufficiency of the number of signatures required to place the Initiative on the ballot to the Board. The Board accepted the certificate of sufficiency and, on February 5, 2024, adopted a Resolution to place the proposed Initiative on the November 5, 2024, Presidential General Election.
This item now provides an opportunity to comment and take a formal position on the proposed Initiative, and to authorize the Board of the Chair to send a letter in support of, or opposition to, the Initiative.
Strategic Plan:
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
On January 9, 2024, the Board accepted the certificate of sufficiency for the Sonoma County Child Care and Children’s Health Initiative and submitted the ordinance, without altercations, to the voters.
On February 5, 2024, the Board adopted a Resolution to place the proposed Initiative on the November 5, 2024, Presidential General Election.
Fiscal Summary
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FY23-24 Adopted |
FY24-25 Projected |
FY25-26 Projected |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
None.
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.