I know well how city finance works in California. Though we don't have legal authority to impose a city income tax (compare East Cast cities like Philadelphia), we can do a sales tax instead of a utility tax. As a general-purpose tax, either one needs the same 50% vote. A sales tax is much less regressive than a utility tax. By its nature, a utility tax affects essential services. You have to pay, no matter what you can afford. A sales tax at least exempts services (including essential ones like water), food, and prescription drugs.

And the whole reason I started this campaign is to protect city services. The city has for several years followed a policy of laying off employees so it can afford to give raises, better pensions, and more workers comp to the remaining employees. We have fewer workers today but they are earning more money. It's layoffs for raises!

Each job that we cut equals a reduction in service. Only by managing the growth in personnel spending can we save city services. It's fair to pay employees a cost-of-living increase, tied to the Consumer Price Index. That way they don't lose ground, and we don't have to lay people off.

At the current growth rate (almost 350% of inflation), we could pass a Measure X tax every year and still have a deficit and layoffs.

Voting NO on X will encourage politicians like Mike Rotkin (I doubt he actually wrote that comment, but perhaps he did) to control spending. That change will prevent layoffs and save city services.