Santa Monica Next is a party of a 501c(3) and as such cannot make candidate endorsements. However, we can weigh in on ballot measures and have already urged voters to vote Yes on QS, the SMMUSD School Bond, and Yes on Measure K, the tax increase on private short-term parking lots and No on PSK, the advisory measure on how to spend any funds raised by Measure K.

Santa Monica Next urges a “Yes” vote on Measure F, the Business Tax Modernization Ballot Measure.

The changes would bring an estimated $3 million to the city’s coffers every year, but filling a portion of the city’s budget shortfall is a side-effect, not the goal, of the measure. The goal is to “modernize and streamline the badly outdated business license tax fee structure” to provide relief for small businesses and increase the tax fees on some of the larger businesses.

The measure would raise the corporate headquarters rate to 0.25 percent, remove auto dealer tax exemptions, decrease tax rates for most retailers and restaurants, and restore a business license processing fee. The business license tax increase would be phased in incrementally over three years. Supporters of the measure argue that the fee structure hasn’t been updated since the 1990’s, before the tech boom changed the economy of the city. You can read more about the measure on the city’s official Measure F page.