Gilroy residents will be voting on two Santa Clara County measures on the Nov. 6 ballot. Measure A, which would continue a one-eighth cent sales tax in Santa Clara County and Measure X, a bond for Gavilan community college.
One committee has been organized to campaign in favor of measure A.
If passed with a majority vote, Measure A will maintain a one-eighth-cent tax throughout the county. Gilroy’s current combined sales tax is 9 percent. The county portion is 0.25 percent.
A group called the “Committee for the Future of Santa Clara County” has publicly filed in support of the measure. On the committee’s filings, the Valley Medical Foundation and Healthier Kids Foundation are listed as contributors. Valley Medical gave $5,000 to the committee and Healthier Kids gave $48,000.
According to Measure A’s ballot statement, money collected from the tax will go toward “law enforcement and public safety; trauma and emergency care; affordable housing; supportive services for the homeless; transit for seniors and the disabled; children and family services; agricultural preservation; and mental health services.”
Gilroy residents will also see the Measure X Gavilan College school bond. The measure needs a 55 percent majority to pass. It would authorize $248,000,000 in bonds, which would go toward updating and repairing facilities as well as building a new satellite San Benito campus.
Measure X’s ballot statement says the bond will be used for, “constructing, acquiring, repairing classrooms, facilities, sites/equipment, Veterans Center, adding a campus in San Benito County, improving local access to affordable education.”
The committee “Yes For Gavilan College, Yes on Measure X,” has filed on behalf of the measure. The committee has claimed over $100,000 on contribution reports.
Gavilan college gave $65,000 to the committee.
Measure A
Without increasing current taxes, the revenues from this tax will continue to fund local priorities such as: law enforcement and public safety; trauma and emergency care; affordable housing; supportive services for the homeless; transit for seniors and the disabled; children and family services; agricultural preservation; and mental health services. The ballot question reads, “Shall the County of Santa Clara continue its existing one-eighth cent sales tax on an ongoing basis, estimated to raise $50 million annually, with annual public reports for fiscal accountability?”
Measure X
The ballot question reads, “To upgrade classrooms, science, health care, technology, engineering/career training labs and repair aging facilities, shall Gavilan Joint Community College District’s measure authorizing $248,000,000 in bonds at legal rates, levying 2 cents per $100 in assessed value, $14,000,000 annually while bonds are outstanding, constructing, acquiring, repairing classrooms, facilities, sites/equipment, Veterans Center, adding a campus in San Benito County, improving local access to affordable education, with citizen oversight, all money locally controlled, be approved?”
