THE WESTMINSTER City Council had a do-over on Monday’s vote on placing a sales tax measure on the Nov. 3 ballot and did the same thing at a special meeting on Friday (Shutterstock).
A second consideration of putting an extension and increase of city’s 1 percent sales tax before voters again failed at a special noon meeting Friday of the Westminster City Council.
Facing a hard deadline of 5 p.m. to notify the Orange County Registrar of Voters, the council voted twice and did not overturn Monday’s rejection of the proposal.
Councilmembers Tai Do and Kimberly Ho voted no, and Mayor Tri Ta again abstained, as he did on Monday. Another motion by Ho to change the measure to 1.5 cents with a sunset of 20 years failed for the lack of a second.
Councilmember Sergio Contreras, hoping for a compromise, proposed asking voters to extend the 1 percent levy, but with no end date.
That motion also failed on a 3-1-1 vote, with Do voting no, and Ta again abstaining. A four-fifths vote is required.
The outcome came in the face of pleas Friday from citizens to be allowed to vote on the sales tax and predictions of dire financial consequences from city staff that without increased sales tax revenue layoffs and cuts in service were likely and that bankruptcy and possible disincorporation of the city were possible within 10 years.
Ta, who was criticized by some speakers for his abstentions, said he chose that option because “I believe we still have two years” before Measure SS expires in 2022.
