Voters to decide on extension of Measure F-14 Sales Tax for continued road and service 

ATASCADERO — On June 25, the Atascadero City Council approved a resolution to place Measure L-24 on the ballot for the November 5 General Election that will extend Measure F-14 — a sales tax adopted in 2014. The measure, titledAtascadero Local Roads and Vital Services Funding Extension Measure, will ask voters to extend the existing half-cent per dollar (0.5 percent) general sales tax that is otherwise set to sunset in 2027.

“The adoption of this measure will not increase the current sales tax but simply extend the current Measure F-14 rate,” said Mayor Heather Moreno. “Funds from the measure have significantly improved the quality of neighborhood roads in Atascadero and assisted with other vital services. Extending F-14 by adopting L-24 would enable the city to continue delivering key services for the community.”

A general sales tax is a tax approved by local voters that is applied to the sale of goods and services to raise funds for that jurisdiction. Staples like groceries and medicines are excluded from the tax. Revenue from general sales taxes can be used for a variety of general services, such as public safety, city programs and more. Since 2015, Measure F-14 funds have been predominantly used to maintain and repair neighborhood roads.

Originally approved by the voters in 2014, Measure F-14 generates approximately $3 million per year in general fund revenues, which is 9 percent of the city’s 2024-25 annual budget. A nine-member Citizens’ Sales Tax Oversight Committee meets annually to review the use of sales tax funds.

“This is a case of promises made; promises kept. The city has made investments in our community with a focus on our streets, and many roads have seen improvement. But we have more work to do,” said Grigger Jones, chair of the Oversight Committee.

Measure F-14 became effective on April 1, 2015, and will sunset on March 31, 2027, unless renewed by the voters with Measure L-24. If voters adopt the Atascadero Local Roads and Vital Services Funding Extension Measure, it will become effective on April 1, 2027, and continue the funding already available to the city.

Since its implementation, Measure F-14 has funded approximately 120 roadway segments equivalent to nearly $23.2 million in neighborhood road repair. These projects have repaired, resurfaced, or rehabilitated over 55 miles of neighborhood roads, or 38 percent of all city-maintained streets. Upgrades include the removal and replacement ofasphalt on full roadway sections, improved drainage, and enhanced roadside slope stability.

Aided by the funds received from Measure F-14, the city’s overall pavement condition index (PCI) has increased by 9 points, from 47 to 56 — a significant increase from the expected 17-point decrease if Measure F-14 had not passed in 2014. If adopted by voters, the Atascadero Local Roads and Vital Services Funding Extension Measure would provide funding to continue improving the City’s streets and address the 26 roadway segment projects that are slated to be addressed should funds remain available. The measure could also fund other City services.

Visit the city’s website (atascadero.org/project/measure-f-14-road-projects) to learn more about Measure F-14’s impact on city infrastructure, review the Oversight Committee reports and examine current projects funded by F-14. Additional information on Measure L-24, the Atascadero Local Roads and Vital Services Funding Extension Measure, can also be found on the city’s website.