RESIDENTS of Westminster will get the chance to vote on Nov. 8 whether to renew the Measure SS 1-percent sales tax (Shutterstock).

Nobody likes paying taxes, but as Thomas Jefferson said, they are the price we pay for civilization.

If you want police protection, fire and paramedic services and parks, you have to contribute with your property and other taxes. And just like what you pay for gasoline and food, the prices tend to go up over time.

On Nov. 8, voters in Westminster will decide the fate of Measure Y. It’s not a tax increase, but instead is the extension of Measure SS, a one-cent levy passed by voters in 2016 with a six-year sunset clause.

The original measure kept the city from tumbling into bankruptcy. Westminster has one of the lowest property tax rates in California, and the only way to balance the municipal books is through a sales and transaction tax.

Frankly, the city council has been playing politics with this issue. Without the revenue from that tax, there has to be severe cuts in public safety and other services necessary to a modern city.

The fact that the council agreed to put the ballot before voters at the very last moment will nevertheless cost Westminster millions of dollars because of the gap between the end of the original measure and the tax accrual date of the “new” one.

The new tax levy will provide financial stability as it would remain in place until March 31, 2043, unless ended before then by voters.

For anyone interested in good government and a better Westminster, this is a no-brainer. The Orange County Tribune recommends you vote “yes” on Measure Y. If it fails, there’s a terribly big chance so will Westminster.