Placentia : Citizens’ Vote Asked on 2% Hike in Utility Tax
A Placentia citizens’ group is circulating petitions calling for a referendum on the City Council’s planned increase in the city utility tax from 3% to 5%.
The Right to Vote Committee was organized last month in reaction to the Placentia City Council’s 3-2 decision to increase the tax, which is levied on telephone, gas, electricity and cable TV bills. The committee is asking voters to sign its petition for a November referendum to force the City Council to reconsider the increase.
The committee, which is co-chaired by Placentia residents Bill Coston and Ina Gibbons, says it is not taking a stand on the propriety of the utility tax nor whether it is needed but believes voters should make the decision for such an increase.
“It’s our money,” Gibbons said. “We still feel that the City Council doesn’t give the people enough trust to decide (the issue) for themselves.”
According to Gibbons, the committee has about 1,600 of the 2,500 signatures needed to get the referendum on the November ballot.
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