Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor. The opinions expressed in this letter are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Mendocino Voice. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor feel free to write to info@mendovoice.com.
Dear Editor:
A county proposition wants you to approve a sales tax to fix potholes.
Consider why you should reject this proposal.
As of March 27, gas in Ukiah and on the coast was around $5.40 a gallon taxed at 17% or 91.8 cents. Of the 91.8 cents in taxes, the state takes 61.2 cents (which is supposed to fix roads) and the Feds take 18.4 cents. Counties and localities receive varying amounts.
This tax revenue should be more than enough to fix all the county roads in the state except for the in equitable method that the state uses to allocate the funds to counties.
We should properly blame our legislators and the legislature for choosing a metric of gas tax distribution to counties that is based upon population—instead of the miles of road within the county.
I say hell no to this proposition to raise taxes because we pay more than enough already. We pay more than any other state in the country.
Enough is enough. To fix potholes, our state senators and representative need to change the distribution formula or get voted out.
A call for new taxes is always an admission of failure in government leadership.
That our county assessor has yet to assess taxes on one third of the property in
Mendocino is but one sign of county failure.
A large Town Hall meeting needs to be held in Fort Bragg with the assessor answering why tens of millions of tax revenue on property is not being collected. Why are many properties that sell not being assessed higher taxes?
I call on the Board of Supervisors to hold a Town Hall in Fort Bragg in which the assessor is invited to provide answers to an audience.
Alan Stein
Mendocino
There are a couple points in this article that tells me Alan may not understand how funding for roads works in CA and the US.
Even if the Assessor was caught up on appraisals, this wouldn’t solve Mendocino’s road funding problems or lack there of.
Also most (if not all) other states in particular struggle to fund rural roads…
https://dailyyonder.com/rural-states-bear-high-per-capita-cost-nations-road-system/2019/07/30/#:~:text=We're%20dedicated%20to%20keeping,Thank%20you!&text=You%20can%20make%20a%20tax,to%20state%20and%20local%20taxes.
CA funding for roads, like voting and other forms of funding, is based on volumes of people. This isn’t news but just a fact of life. Schools work this way, the census works this way and most voting works this way for government office. The schools that lose students get less funding, counties that maintain low populations of drivers get less funding for roads, etc, etc.
Mendocino County residences are exempt from regular smog dues (which most drivers in CA do pay in addition) But Alan isn’t complaining about this metric.
Mendocino County should change the way they plan urban / rural development and charge people (user taxes for county roads) who insist on living far away from state and federal highways accordingly. (District taxes would also be appropriate) Most of Mendocino County is rural and spread out all over the place even in awkward hard to reach places like Black Bart Trail, Goat Rock Ridge rd, etc… These roads only serve a handful of people and there isn’t enough tax base to upkeep these roads.
Better Urban Planning and more density (and less road) will create better quality roads. The county always has the option to let cities annex more of their own valleys and take some roads off the county budget concerns.
In the old days, Americans were free. You could live far away in a rural area away from people if you wanted. (You would need to use a dirt road.) You could get in your car and travel. Today, there are those in positions of power that want to restrict where you live and drive. Not only that but tax you as much as possible for your choices. Generally speaking of course.
Specifically, California generates over $20 billion annually in gas taxes and fees. It is supposed to take care of the roads, fix potholes, etc. But funds are diverted for “transportation” needs elsewhere, (subways, high speed rail), and don’t forget revenue projects meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. California has a spending problem, not a low sales tax problem.
Also the wealthiest American pays 90% of highest income earned to help the rest of the working class Americans ..
The wealthy pay more taxes in the past you speak of too. So yes please tax the billionaires.
I’m not sure about Fort Bragg, but in Brooktrails subdivision more than 600 Brooktrails lots have been listed on the county tax collector’s delinquency rolls. This is largely due to the high number of lots being undeveloped, or, “unbuildable” parcels where owners have abandoned the property to avoid ongoing property taxes and service fees. Combining lots would make some buildable but then there’s high water connection fees, county permits, building restrictions, sales tax on building materials, high labor costs, etc., and it just ain’t worth it. Walk away. Check into Texas.
Hell no to more taxes use the money for the roads instead of funding other stuff.
The States general fund is cash infused everyday with our fuel tax money🤣😅😅😁
Someone needs to bring it up with the county assessor that the decling real estate values in the county may no longer support the valuations on most rural properties.
The values only go up and not down. In some states there is a process for requesting revaluation based on market conditions when they go down.
But in general, taxation and affordability is making property ownership here a bad investment. We already have some of the highest home and rental prices, so now add to it a higher sales tax? Affordability and the sales tax go hand in hand.
There is a process for this in CA: It’s called Prop 8. You as an owner need to make the case with the County assessor by getting comps in your neighborhood.
Diesel just went past $8 a gallon in San Francisco — the highest price ever recorded in any U.S. city, driving up the cost of groceries for those trying to make ends meet.
Time to hit residents with a sales tax increase.
Let them eat cake.
From the 2025 CA Auditor’s report on Mendocino County:
“Moreover, Mendocino’s procurement and financial reporting processes leave it vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse. We found insufficient documentation or justifications for nearly half of the 30 expenditures we reviewed and found some expenditures violated prohibitions on direct funding of religious organizations and gifts of public funds.”
Why give the Supes more money when they can’t guarantee it will be spent on roads?