Tehama County tax initiative committee public applicant details provided

Julie R. Johnson, Corning Observer, Calif.
·2 min read

Mar. 19—Tehama County is asking members of the public interested in serving on its newly formed Public Safety Tax Initiative Committee to submit letters of interest to the County Clerk's Office by March 29.

The committee is geared to access and move a sales tax initiative to the county's voters on the November presidential election ballot.

County Chief Administrator Gabriel Hydrick said the increased revenue generated if the initiative passes will be dedicated to preserving and improving law enforcement and fire services in the unincorporated areas of the county.

Two members of the public will be selected by the committee to provide valuable perspectives and advice as the committee drafts the initiative and works to get it on the ballot.

To submit a letter of interest, use the "Public Safety Tax Initiative Letter of Interest" form online at www.co.tehama.ca.us/government/departments/clerk-of-the-board/.

Letters can be mailed to the Tehama County Clerk of the Board, P.O. Box 250, Red Bluff, CA, 96080; or dropped off at the Clerk of the Board office, 633 Washington St., Room 12, Red Bluff; or emailed to TCBOS@co.tehama.ca.us. Deadline is 5 p.m., March 29.

The committee is composed of two supervisors, Bill Moule and Matt Hansen, a clerk, two citizens-at-large, department heads or representatives from each county public safety agency, including the sheriff's office, district attorney's office, probation department and fire department.

The proposed half-cent local sales tax would be used specifically for public safety including law enforcement and firefighting.

Tehama County Sheriff Dave Kain said with rising crime numbers, his department is not only in need of filling its current levels, but will soon be in need of additional patrol deputies and staffing for the under-construction jail facility.

It is estimated the proposed tax increase, if passed, would generate $1.1 million the first year.

If placed on the ballot, the tax initiative would require two-thirds of the county's vote to pass.

A county tax increase initiative on the ballot 10 years ago failed.

Supervisor Matt Hansen said he believes if promoted correctly with the focus on public safety the initiative would pass.

A half-cent tax increase "public safety" measure passed in Corning in 2016. The tax has brought in more than $1 million annually since it went into effect, helping to fund the police and fire budgets and supplement the public works budget.

"We are at the bottom of the bucket and the only way that we are going to fix this problem is to bring a little more into the bucket, or we're going have to start cutting some things out of our county operations to fund these essential services," Hansen added.