Officials in the city of El Cerrito deceptively used public funds to push for a hike in the city sales tax. That is the charge being made by local newspaper columnist Daniel Borenstein.
Last year, city voters approved a measure that increased the local sales tax to the top rate in the state. But Borenstein alleges the city aided the campaign in a deceptive, if not illegal way.
He writes:
The campaign included mailers, social media, letters to community leaders and public presentations. Documents and emails obtained through the state Public Records Act reveal that the city deliberately downplayed that Measure R would increase a pre-existing tax.
Talking points from El Cerrito's political consultant were distributed to the city's managers and department heads as part of their public speaker training on the measure. The material included this admonition: "AVOID: Drawing attention to the fact that you are doubling the rate."
Instead, the ballot wording and much of the campaign material used an ambiguous yet technically correct explanation of Measure R. It would "extend the existing voter-approved sales tax and set the future rate at one cent for 12 years."
In addition to using city staff time, El Cerrito spent $76,000 on legal advice, consultants, pollsters and mailers. Governments can legally spend public money on informational campaigns, but they cannot ask someone to vote yes or no. Documents show that city officials and consultants took care not to cross that line. But they weren't balanced and transparent.
You can read the entire story here.