From Andy Hoder (Redlands Community News):

Much the same as Measure G a few months ago (which met with a resounding smack-down 2-to-1 defeat), the new Measure T carries a lot of the same tone and uses similar manipulative language. But make no mistake, T is for Tax. And therein begins the argument. Is it an increase of One Penny or One Percent? On the City’s propaganda page it’s described in several places as a penny (i.e. one cent). You might say that mathematically it comes out the same either way. But in the language of advertising (and political campaigns), “one penny” sounds much cheaper than One Percent, and therefore more palatable. So I already smell something I don’t like.

Let’s be honest. The proposed tax increase is One Percent more than the existing Sales Tax. It goes from 7.75 PERCENT to 8.75 PERCENT. That means every taxable item you buy from now until forever will cost 1% more, which for an average family can translate to a couple hundred bucks per year per family member.

Although the City tries to justify the proposed tax increase because of the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus, Measure T will stay in place long after COVID-19 is brought under control and the economy has recovered. There is no “sunset clause” in the Measure.

Probably you’ve also noticed the full court press by the City to persuade you in favor of Measure T. It shows up all over social media, comes in the mail as slick flyers, and appears on big banners at various street corners. Somebody is putting a lot of money into this campaign at a time when the City is crying “we have no money.”

Who would do such a thing and what would they have to gain? How about the City’s powerful labor unions? More money in the cookie jar means more coins available when it comes time to negotiate union contracts.

But according to the pro-T campaign literature, it sounds like without Measure T, disaster looms. Criminals will take over the City, your house will burn down because we don’t have enough fire fighters, and our vintage library will go out of business. Wouldn’t you give a penny to save all those things? Of course you would. It’s just a penny. Not.

However, if you oppose Measure T, it’s supposed to mean you don’t care about our City, it’s wonderful police force, it’s brave firefighters, and our beautiful library. Yet, it’s precisely because we DO care about our city that we think T is for Terrible.

I don’t like the attempt to guilt me into voting for Measure T by using melodramatic rhetoric, or scare tactics that forecast the collapse of our community if we don’t go along with the program.

There is nothing in Measure T that specifies exactly where the revenue will be spent, just a menu of “possibilities.” So why are we setting up the police and firemen as props to make you think that’s where the money is going?

Don’t be “shamed” into voting for Measure T, and don’t be fooled into thinking that it would solve the homeless issue or “make Redlands clean again.” When you fill out your ballot, go “eyes wide open.” Vote NO on Measure T.