City moves toward drainage tax (by Dana Yates, Daily Journal)
Burlingame is considering a $150 annual property tax to raise $39 million for sewer and creek drainage improvements, according to a report issued last week.
The Burlingame City Council will discuss the proposal this evening. If it goes ahead with the tax proposal, property owners would likely see notices in the mail this month and be asked to vote on the proposal in April, according to the report.
The battle to fund the much-needed improvements began in Burlingame more than a year ago with Measure H a $44 million bond measure marginally defeated in November 2006. Since then, the city looked at various alternatives for funding projects including a second bond measure. The narrow defeat was attributed to a small but vocal group of residents who felt the general obligation tax was unfair for new homeowners. That thought has not changed among those residents, according to the report.
A consultant's report conducted earlier this year on the likelihood of passing a $192 annual tax placed residential support at 54 percent, with a 5 percent margin of error. The tax will require 51 percent approval to pass and the all-mail ballot will only ask voters to respond if they want to vote no.
The city is already working to educate residents about the tax and why the city is requesting it. Staff is meeting with community groups, sending letters to community leaders, educational material to property owners and posting information on its Web site that allows for feedback, according to the report.
If approved this evening, the city will mail notices to residents by Dec. 5 informing them of a storm drainage fee public hearing to be held Jan. 20, 2009. The notice will explain the fee and protest procedures, according to the report.
The city will then hold a public hearing on Jan. 20 to receive a presentation about the tax and hear any opposition to the proposal. Based on the presentation and public feedback, the city will then consider officially calling for a mail ballot election to be held May 5, 2009, according to the report.
The ballots would arrive in mailboxes by the first week of April and property owners will have until May 5 to respond to the ballot. The election allows one vote per parcel, according to report.
At any point, the council can call off the election if it feels it does not have enough support for the fee, according to the report.
In other business, the council will discuss raising parking violation fines from $25 to $35 to be more in line with other nearby cities; approve a new lease with the Burlingame Lions Club for the building at 990 Burlingame Avenue for $1 a year; and appoint a new city attorney Clark Gus? Guinan.
The City Council meets 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1 at City Hall, 501 Primrose Road, Burlingame. (agenda)

– Written by Fiona