Council member Wernick's letter in Monday's IJ states that adding a sunset clause to a sales tax, as recommended by the IJ, "creates a potential financial crisis for a future Council".
Not so.
The tax's sunset provides voters the opportunity to determine whether city officials have been proper stewards of the city's finances, adhering to their promises and, if not, giving voters an opportunity to correct any financial mismanagement (of which Novato has a plateful since 2017). It also provides an incentive to city officials to perform admirably.
Properly structured, a sales tax can provide needed assistance to the City's finances. But without an opportunity to hold city officials accountable, wasteful spending untethered to actual needs, neglect and missed revenue opportunities of the sorts uncovered by the 2023 Grand Jury are inevitable.
A proper sales tax measure should contain a sunset, an oversight committee with real authority, benchmarks to measure progress and a tax rate determined by justified needs. Vote No on M as recommended by the IJ and have the City return promptly with a superior sales tax.
While I disagree with the Council Member on this issue, generally I have admired her civic performance. Her absence in the Council's deliberations will be a loss.