Goleta Raises Stakes with County on Taxes

Goleta Raises Stakes with County on Taxes

Noozhawk.com

Tuesday was a day of bold moves for the city of Goleta, as council members voted to put two measures on November's ballot -- measures that if passed, would have far reaching consequences for Santa Barbara County. Both measures were vote in in an effort to offset the effects of the city's revenue neutrality agreement with the county and projected budget deficits.

"The voters giveth, and the voters taketh away," Bennett said.

"We're saying that we will not stop addressing the revenue neutrality agreement till we have exhausted every single opportunity to correct it," Onnen said. "The revenue neutrality agreement is improper."

Goleta Council Talks Tax Negotiations

SB Independent: The Goleta City Council pushed city staff on 5/21 to renegotiate the city's revenue neutrality agreement with the county. Currently, half of Goleta's taxes flow to county coffers so as to prevent financial strain to the county stemming from the city's incorporation in 2002. City Manager Dan Singer said that staff would prepare a report in six months, and that the city might see some relief in 2012 — when taxes might be reduced. Singer said that staff needed to study the issue further before approaching the county, noting that it “takes two parties to negotiate.”