From the Redlands Community News (9/25/20):

The city of redlands is asking voters to approve Measure T in November.

The city’s webpage describes it as “a 1-cent sales tax measure,” and per the city attorney’s impartial analysis, “the 1-cent sales tax would be in addition to the existing state sales tax, and would be collected in the same manner.”

Given that we are in the midst of a pandemic that has unfortunately resulted in many residents losing their jobs, being unable to work or shuttering their businesses, it is shameful that the powers that be are turning to residents to make up a financial crisis that occurred under their watch.

Why should that burden be placed on an already fiscally stressed public during this unprecendent time?

This especially as has alreayd been pointed out:  “The city has $18.2 million in reserves.  A fraction of those funds added to conservatively estimated revenues can carry us through this time of crisis.”

Additionally, according to the same city attorney’s partial analysis, “the sales tax would remain in effect until rescinded by the voters.”  Not mentioned, however, is that in order for voters to rescind the sales tax, they would need to get an initiative on the ballot that voters would then vote upon.

In order for any such campaign to be succesful, it would require a massive effort at a significant financial cost to the voters.

The city of Redlands has emergency reserves that can be tapped to get us through a fiscal drought.  Frankly, if this pandemic does not qualify as an emergency, then the city of Redlands needs to tell voters, then exactly what does???