‘Daily Post’ covers LPSCC’s arguments against ballot measures
Aug. 27, 2022

In preparation for the Nov. 8, 2022 election, the Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County filed arguments against Palo Alto’s Measure K, which would instigate a business tax, and Measure L, which would divert natural-gas ratepayers’ funds to other city programs.

On Aug. 26, the Palo Alto Daily Post newspaper published an article about the filing of the two measures’ proponents’ and opponents’ arguments. The article cited strong points made by LPSCC Treasurer Alan Kaiser, a Palo Alto resident, and Chair Joe Dehn, and revealed that local businesses had chosen not to spend time lodging an argument against the tax measure, which the councilmembers had watered down since initially proposing it.

Dehn also co-signed arguments against numerous other tax-hike and bond-debt measures in the county, in cases where LPSCC has officially taken a position urging a “no” vote. The bond measures alone comprise obligations of over $1 billion; once interest charges accrue over the approximately 30-year terms, the taxpayer burden could wind up double that amount.

Here is the Daily Post’s coverage (“Arguments out for 2 ballot measures,” by Braden Cartwright; Aug. 26):

When Palo Alto council members were talking about putting a business tax on the ballot, they faced the threat of an organized and a well-funded fight from business leaders.
But after significantly lowering and restructuring the tax, the city will be up against only the Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County, which has also written arguments against nine other tax measures on the November ballot.
Treasurer Alan Kaiser and Chair Joe Dehn signed the arguments against both Measure K and Measure L.
Measure K is the business tax. Measure L would allow the city to transfer profits from natural gas bills to other city projects.
“To attempt to raise taxes right at the end of the Covid pandemic, in a time of spiking inflation, smacks of the worst possible timing — and Palo Alto spending is hardly moderate,” Kaiser and Dehn wrote.
A collection of 24 residents including former mayors Peter Drekmeier, Larry Klein and Yoriko Kishimoto, signed arguments in favor of both measures.
They point out that Palo Alto has no business tax, unlike early every other Bay Area city. City revenues fell 20% during the pandemic, leading to cuts to police officers, firefighters, libraries and youth programs, even as crime and homelessness worsened, they said.

Signers of Yes-on-K argument:
Annette Glanckopf
Enoch Choi
Maico Campilongo
William Dale
Yoriko Kishimoto
Kimberly Axtell, Co-Owner, Copy Factory
Joe Head, Business Development, Charities Housing Development Corp
Peter Drekmeier, Former Mayor, City of Palo Alto; Policy Director Tuolome[sic] River Trust
Greg Schmid, Former Vice Mayor, City of Palo Alto; Economist
Nadia Naik, Responsible Rail Design
Signers of Yes-on-L argument:
Debbie Mytels
Larry Klein
Jon Foster
Gail A. Price
Peter Drekmeier
Dennis Burns, Former Police Chief, City of Palo Alto
Jade Chao, Parent Volunteer
Victor Ojakian, Former Mayor City of Palo Alto; Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Activist
Becky Sanders, President, Palo Alto Neighborhoods
Bob Wenzlau, CEO Terradex, Community Leader

The text of the two Palo Alto measures, along with their pro and con arguments and rebuttals, are posted at the City Clerk’s Nov. 2022 elections web page, here

To review or bookmark LPSCC’s local voter guide, visit our 2022 General Election web page, here.