Laserfiche WebLink
ATTY/RESO.0047/CC RESO CALLING ELECTION – BUSINESS LICENSE TAX RATE <br />REV: 07-24-24 EI <br />Page 1 of 5 <br />RESOLUTION NO. 16234 <br />A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDWOOD <br />CITY CALLING FOR AN ELECTION TO BE CONSOLIDATED WITH THE <br />GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION AND STATEWIDE GENERAL <br />ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 5, 2024, AND SUBMITTING TO THE <br />VOTERS AT THAT ELECTION A MEASURE MODERNIZING <br />CATEGORIES OF BUSINESSES SUBJECT TO THE CITY’S BUSINESS <br />LICENSE TAX AND INCREASING THE BUSINESS LICENSE TAX RATE <br />WHEREAS, the City of Redwood City adopted a Business License Tax in 1911 <br />and the current tax rate structure, adopted in 1967, is old and outdated, with smaller <br />businesses paying a proportionately higher tax than larger businesses; and <br />WHEREAS, the City’s Business License Tax has not been updated since 2011 <br />and does not reflect the way business operates in the City today; and <br />WHEREAS, over several months, the City has engaged members of the business <br />community, neighborhood association leaders, community organizations and groups, and <br />residents through approximately 20 group meetings and community surveys; and <br />WHEREAS, modernizing the Business License Tax will ensure that large <br />businesses pay their fair share for City services; and <br />WHEREAS, modernizing the Business License Tax will lower the proportionate tax <br />burden on small businesses; and <br />WHEREAS, the City seeks to maintain general city services, contributing to a high <br />quality of life, while not increasing annual taxes on Redwood City residents; and <br />WHEREAS, modernizing the Business License Tax would provide locally <br />controlled funds to maintain 911 emergency response times, neighborhood police patrols <br />and crime prevention, and the number of on-duty firefighters, paramedics, and police <br />officers; and <br />WHEREAS, this measure would help fund repairs for potholes, streets and <br />sidewalks; and <br />WHEREAS, funds from this measure will be used solely for local needs, not taken <br />by Sacramento; and <br />WHEREAS, cities in the San Francisco Bay Area have imposed business license <br />taxes to appropriately track modern regional economic conditions and that, accordingly, <br />far exceed the amount of revenue generated by the City’s outdated Business License <br />Tax; and