Sonoma County officials seek early return of mail-in ballots in June 2 special election

With just two weeks remaining until Election Day, Sonoma County officials are encouraging voters deciding the fate of a proposed general sale tax measure to return their mail-in ballots early.

The June 2 special election has just one item on the ballot: Measure A, a proposed five-year, countywide quarter-cent sales tax increase. Though the tax would designate revenue for general government purposes, county supervisors and some city representatives said they intend to use the money for road repairs, with some jurisdictions backing use of a smaller portion of the proceeds to fund public transit programs.

Measure A, which needs a simple majority to pass, would generate $20 million in the first year, with annual revenues expected to rise by 3 percent thereafter. The proceeds would be split, with 44 percent - or about $8.7 million - going to the county, and the remainder divided among the nine cities, based on population and road miles.

If approved, the sales tax rate for unincorporated Sonoma County, Cloverdale, Petaluma and Windsor would jump to 8.5 percent. Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa and Sonoma would see their sales tax rates rise to 9 percent. Sebastopol sales taxes would be 9.25 percent, and Cotati would have the highest rate, at 9.5 percent.

The total cost of the special election is $361,602. Of the county’s 239,929 registered voters, nearly 165,000 are permanent mail-in voters. Mail-in ballots for the special election went out May 4.

Registered voters can drop off their mail-in ballots any time at the self-service window located at 435 Fiscal Drive, Santa Rosa. Voting officials emphasized the importance of signing ballots when people return them. Additional drop-off locations are being organized for May 30 from ?10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at:

Santa Rosa Veterans Building, at 1351 Maple Ave.

Cotati Veterans Building, at 8505 Park Ave.

Guerneville Veterans Building, at intersection of First and Church streets

Healdsburg City Hall, at 401 Grove St.

Petaluma Veterans Building, at 1094 Petaluma Blvd. South

Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library, at 6250 Lynne Conde Way

Sebastopol Veterans Building, at 282 S. High St.

Sonoma Veterans Building, at 126 First St. W.

Windsor Town Hall, at 9291 Old Redwood Hwy., Bldg. 400

The official ballot language for Measure A asks voters:

Shall the people of Sonoma County enact a one-quarter ?percent sales tax for general governmental purposes such ?as public safety, local roads ?and pothole repair, senior, student and veterans transit and other essential services within the nine cities and unincorporated area for ?5 years with annual audits made available to the public showing how all revenue was spent the previous year?

You can reach Staff Writer Angela Hart at 526-8503 or angela.hart@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ahartreports.