Mayor, Officials At Odds Over Sales Tax Boost

In Stockton, the new Mayor is pushing to boost the police roster through a boost in the City’s sales tax. But that proposal hasn’t earned universal support of the Council, and some says the move may be too early to do any good.

The half-cent sales tax measure would bring the City’s sales tax from 8.25 to 8.75 percent and generate between $15 and $18 million. That money would enable the city to boost its police force from its current level of 330 officers to 500.

Before years of cuts impacted the department, there were 440 officers. Since the cuts, the City has experienced a spike in crime.

However, the City is going through its bankruptcy and raising taxes now could result in complicating the City’s plan to settle debts with creditors – many of whom could lose the vast majority of their investments. According to the Mayor, the tax measure would require the approval of the bankruptcy judge.

Read the full story at the Stockton RecordNet.