IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
The Riverside City Council voted Tuesday to place a measure on the Nov. 8 ballot that would raise the city’s sales tax by one cent.
The proposal, formally known as the City of Riverside Public Safety and Vital City Services Measure, was approved 5-0, according to the city clerk’s office.
Council members Paul Davis and Chris Mac Arthur were absent.
The proposal is a general tax, meaning it only requires a majority vote to pass. If approved, the measure would generate $48 million to $51 million a year. That extra revenue would be used to pay for basic city services, including hiring more police officers, tree trimming and street and sidewalk repair, City Manager John A. Russo has said.
Riverside is definitely hurting financially. Earlier this year, the council cut $10.5 million in spending from the 2016-17 budget to avoid running a deficit.
Like Riverside, many California cities are strapped financially because of the loss of redevelopment in 2012 and a lack of financial help from Sacramento, according to Russo.
