According to an announcement from the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters, voters in west county should start receiving their voter guides for the March 2 Special Election soon. Guides will start being mailed out to voters on Jan. 21.
Two west county issues — the West County Transient Occupancy Tax and a parcel tax measure from the West Sonoma County Union High School District — will be on the March ballot.
Measure A, the district parcel tax, requests voters approve a three-year, $48 parcel tax for the high school district which, according to voter guide language will provide stable funding for El Molino, Analy and Laguna high schools as well as provide funding to “protect music, art, dance, shop, culinary and other career technical programs; retain teachers/staff; (and) keep class sizes low.”
If approved, the tax is expected to raise $1.15 million annually.
Measure B, the transient occupancy tax, proposes adding an additional 4% in TOT tax for hotels and short-term rentals in west county, with the goal of supporting “sustainable paramedic emergency medical and rescue services provided by local fire agencies, and to support west county schools and education, raising approximately $2.7 million annually, with all funds exclusively used for west county,” according to voter guide language.
In the statement from the county, Deva Marie Proto, County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters, reminded voters that delivery time of more than 30,000 booklets takes longer than regular first class mail. Voters who have not received a booklet by Feb. 12 should contact the Registrar of Voters Office at 435 Fiscal Drive, Santa Rosa or by calling 707-565-6800 or emailing ro******@so***********.org. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (excluding holidays).
Voters who have opted out of receiving a paper County Voter Information Guide may view it online at the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters website at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/vote.
Ballots themselves will be mailed to Sonoma County voters beginning Feb. 1.
