Sutter County voters will decide this November whether to raise the countywide sales tax by one percentage point, after the Board of Supervisors unanimously placed a measure on the ballot that officials say could generate about $22.5 million a year for local government services.

The Board voted 5-0 Tuesday, July 28, to advance the “Sutter County Safety/Water Protection Measure” to the Nov. 3 election. The proposed tax would apply throughout Sutter County, including Yuba City, Live Oak and unincorporated communities, adding 1 cent to every dollar of taxable sales. County Administrator Steven Smith said the current sales tax rate throughout the county is 7.25%; the proposal would bring the rate to 8.25%.

The measure is being developed as a joint effort among Sutter County, Yuba City and Live Oak as the three governments confront rising costs for public safety, roads, water infrastructure and other services. The Board also directed Smith to negotiate agreements determining how revenue would be shared with the two cities.

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County estimates prepared by HdL put annual revenue from the full 1% increase at roughly $22.5 million. The proposed ballot language identifies drinking water supplies, fire and emergency medical response, sheriff and police patrols, road repairs and support for local businesses among potential uses of the money. The tax would remain in place until voters repeal it.

But despite the measure’s name and the services highlighted in its ballot language, the proposal is structured as a general tax. Revenue would be deposited into the general fund and could legally be used for general government purposes rather than being restricted exclusively to public safety, roads or water projects. Because it is a general tax, the county’s resolution says it requires approval from a majority of voters.

Sutter County resident Deborah Desrosiers, who said she works for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association but was speaking on her own behalf, opposed the proposal because the money would not be legally earmarked for the services promoted to voters.

“The money goes into the general fund and can be spent on anything,” Desrosiers told supervisors. She urged the county instead to consider smaller special taxes dedicated to specific purposes, such as road improvements or public safety. She also argued that the proposed oversight committee would only be able to make recommendations, rather than control how money is spent.

The proposed ordinance would create a five-member Independent Community Advisory Committee appointed by the Board of Supervisors. The committee would meet at least quarterly to review tax revenue and spending and issue an annual report to supervisors. Revenue and expenditures would also undergo an annual audit by an independent accounting firm, with the audit discussed publicly and posted on the county’s website.

County officials said years of budget pressure have reached a point where cuts are increasingly affecting public safety services.

Smith told supervisors that 91.3% of the additional general fund revenue collected by Sutter County since 2011 has gone toward public safety. At the same time, he said, the county has reduced its workforce by a net 64 positions over the past eight years and currently has 189 vacant positions, equivalent to about 17% of its workforce.

The Sheriff’s Office is holding 23 positions vacant this budget year, Smith said, while reducing boat patrol services and eliminating a homeless liaison position. Yuba City is holding 15 police officer positions vacant, he said. In Live Oak, ongoing negotiations over the city’s contract with the county could reduce the number of sheriff’s deputies assigned to the city by about half.

“We've cut so much over the years to not impact public safety that we're to a point where we now are impacting public safety,” Smith said.

Smith also pointed to deteriorating roads, aging water infrastructure and reduced library service as signs of the broader financial strain. County staff attributed the pressure to rising operating costs, insufficient local revenue and state policies that officials say have shifted responsibilities and expenses to local governments without adequate funding.

The county and cities recently surveyed residents about service priorities and received nearly 2,000 responses, according to Smith. Road maintenance, public safety, water infrastructure and other local services ranked among residents’ top priorities.

Supporters at Tuesday’s meeting argued the additional revenue could help stabilize those services.

Bob Harlan urged supervisors to give voters the opportunity to consider the measure, saying residents broadly want better roads and stronger police and fire protection. He said the new revenue would need careful oversight to ensure money is directed toward community needs.

Representatives of local public safety employees also backed the proposal. Costin Beachum, president of the County Peace Officers Association, said funding constraints have reduced proactive policing and contributed to the loss of experienced deputies. He said the average Sutter County patrol deputy now has about three years of patrol experience and described the measure as a way to retain personnel and strengthen emergency response.

The November vote will mark Sutter County’s latest attempt to persuade voters to approve a local sales tax increase. Supervisors placed another 1% tax on the ballot in 2022, but voters rejected it. That proposal was intended for county operations alone, while this year’s measure is being pursued in partnership with Yuba City and Live Oak.

Before making the motion to place the measure on the ballot, Supervisor Karm Bains said the Board was not deciding whether residents should pay the tax, but whether they should have the opportunity to make that choice.

“This is about giving the community a voice,” Bains said. “That choice belongs to the voters.”

Supervisor Jeffrey Boone seconded the motion. Supervisors Boone, Dan Flores, Mike Ziegenmeyer, Bains and Jeff Stephens all voted in favor, sending the measure to the Nov. 3 ballot.