Local Tax Measures Have Mixed Results
Sonora, CA — In Tuolumne County, Measure Y is expected to easily pass, but Measure X is likely defeated.
Measure Y is a one-cent sales tax increase for the City of Sonora with the new revenue going to the General Fund. It requires a simple 50% +1 majority and currently sits at a very comfortable 60% in favor.
Assuming the numbers hold up, Sonora Mayor Mark Plummer states, “It means that we can make our public safety services more robust.”
He adds, “I want to thank the citizens of Sonora. We look forward to their input (regarding new money), and we will be good stewards of this responsibility, and look forward to building a better and brighter Sonora.”
Meanwhile, Measure X (for unincorporated parts of Tuolumne County) appears to be going down in defeat with 49% in favor (requires a 2/3 supermajority – money would go specifically to fire, sheriff and roads).
In Calaveras County, the Measure A one-cent sales tax increase for fire services has just over 50% in favor (requires a simple majority of 50% +1).
Measure A supporter Dana Nichols is hopeful that the final tally will remain in the plus category. He adds, “It would allow us to make it so that at least some of our firefighters will stick around and we’ll be able to keep more experienced people, and have three or four on the engines like we should, rather than the two that we have at times. This measure would be a benefit to the entire county.”
Bond measures for Calaveras Unified School District and Mark Twain Elementary are both narrowly trailing. Calaveras Unified is at about 51% and Mark Twain is at 54%. Both require 55% in favor to pass.
Measures C and D, special district taxes for the Circle XX Community Services District and Middle River Community Services District are both likely to pass with about 72% in favor.
Both Tuolumne and Calaveras counties still have thousands of provisional and late-arriving vote by mail ballots to process over the coming days.
Full local election results can be found here. The numbers will be updated as more information comes into the News Center over the coming days.
