Cogdill Snubs Sonora Sales Tax Idea

Sonora city officials and residents are in a maddening Catch-22 trying to find more money for police service.

First, the state of california took many of the city´s revenue sources.

Then it said before city voters could vote on a local sales tax increase, the state legislature has to approve a special bill allowing the vote.

And now, the kicker: Assemblyman Dave Cogdill won´t introduce that legislation because he´s philosophically opposed to new taxes.

Sonora City Administrator Greg Applegate is frustrated.

“The city would not even be placed in this prediciment if the state had not syphoned our traditional sources of revenue away,” he said.

At Monday´s city council meeting, the council made three decisions: to reapproach Cogdill and ask him to reconsider, to have city staff look for money elsewhere and to start looking for a new legislator who might introduce the bill Sonora needs in Sacramento.