The Salinas Taxpayers Association hosted a “Monterey County Infrastructure Tax Forum” on Monday, January 25 at First United Methodist Church in Salinas. The forum featured a presentation by the Executive Director of the Transportation Agency of Monterey County, Debbie Hale. Also in attendance representing the Transportation Agency of Monterey County was Community Outreach Coordinator Theresa Wright.
TAMC is proposing a 3/8 percent sales tax for transportation programs and projects in Monterey County. See more details at 3/8 Percent Transportation Sales Tax for Monterey County.
Audience members had numerous questions and brought up important issues, such as fair geographical collection of tax revenue and distribution of expenditures, other sources of revenue for TAMC, the funding of bicycle projects, public oversight, and potential passenger rail connectivity projects to the planned California High-Speed Rail station in Gilroy.
The Salinas Taxpayers Association board of directors will likely ask the TAMC board to take certain actions. The board will also consider a position on the sales tax.
The mission of the Salinas Taxpayers Association is to “inform, discuss and formulate opinions on the topic of taxes, fees and assessments impacting residents and businesses in the City of Salinas.” Membership is free and open to anyone who lives or does business in the City of Salinas. The Board of the association meets monthly and mixers like the one on January 25 occur quarterly.