IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
The Riverside City Council is considering placing a one-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot.
Council members voted Tuesday to hold a hearing on the proposal, which would raise the sales tax from eight cents to nine cents per dollar, on Aug. 9, said Phil Pitchford, city spokesman.
If passed, the extra revenue generated will be used to pay for basic services, including tree trimming, code enforcement and street and sidewalk repair, City Manager John Russo said.
“We must take action now,” said Russo, who said the city is in dire need of extra revenue if it is to continue providing an adequate level of public services. “This is not something we can put off any longer.”
The tax increase would generate between $48 and $51 million annually, Russo said.
In a recent survey, 64 percent of Riverside residents said they would support a one-cent sales tax increase to pay for extra public services.
