Monterey, mulling a sales tax increase, gets voters’ thoughts.

Erik Chalhoub here, thinking that there are very few people (if even that) who like to pay taxes. We all want to keep more of our paychecks or wish our receipts from the store were just a little less.

Taxes, though, are the lifeblood of our cities and towns. Every time you walk on a sidewalk, drive on a paved road or call the police in an emergency, taxes made that possible, whether we like paying them or not.

Sometimes, jurisdictions have to ask the voting public for more taxes. What’s critical is the messaging behind the ask—cities can’t be blunt and say that they’re broke, even though that may be the case. Rather, they need to craft a message that speaks to the everyday person: What are you going to get if you vote for this?

In the case of the City of Monterey, why should voters help solve the city’s $10 million structural deficit?

The Monterey City Council, looking to get a sense of voters’ appetite for a possible tax measure, got its first look on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at results from a survey that took place in November.

Through phone and online interviews, FM3 Research polled 438 likely voters for their thoughts on a variety of possible tax measures, as well as got a sense of how they feel the City of Monterey is doing.

Respondents were asked if they would support either a 0.375-percent sales tax increase, or a 0.875-percent increase, which would extend the city’s existing 0.5-percent sales tax and add another 0.375 on top of it. The former could generate $4.5 million annually, according to Assistant City Manager Nat Rojanasathira, while the latter would garner $6 million.

The polling showed that 52 percent of those surveyed said they would vote yes for the 0.375-percent increase, while 63 percent would support the 0.875 percent. Those percentages slightly increased when the likely voters were given more information pro and con to the measure, said Lucia Del Puppo of FM3 Research.

But councilmembers were concerned over the language used in the survey, which worded it in a way that suggested the 0.875-percent tax was just an extension and not an additional amount. Mayor Tyller Williamson called it “pretty misleading.”

A shorter poll that distinguishes between the extension and the new tax is expected to take place soon.

Other results from the survey found that voters would likely support a parking tax (a 10-15 percent tax on parking in private facilities) after being educated on it, while 57 percent were opposed to an admission tax to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and other venues.

Del Puppo advised the council to keep in mind that 84 percent of those surveyed said the quality of life in Monterey is “excellent,” while 70 percent said cost of living was a serious problem. While three in five said Monterey needs more funding for city services, only 15 percent felt strongly about it.

Whether the council agrees to put a measure on the ballot is still to be determined. But if it does, it has to be very convincing in its ask for more money. Messaging is key.