A growing deficit in Yucaipa’s paramedic program funding has led the city to bring a sales tax before voters.
On Monday, Nov. 25, the City Council unanimously agreed to put a half-cent sales tax on the March 3, 2020, ballot.
Mayor Bobby Duncan said he wanted to be clear “all we’re doing tonight is deciding do we want to put this on the ballot and let our constituents, let the city of Yucaipa, decide if they want the tax.”
In the 2019-20 fiscal year, which began July 1, the city’s paramedic services are expected to cost $1,736,378, which is $658,878 more than proceeds from the property tax assessment designed to fund the service.
Greg Franklin, assistant city manager, said the numbers went “a little upside down,” in the 2015-16 fiscal year, but “the deficit continues to escalate.”
The city expects about $2 million to be generated by the sales tax measure.