The Issue
The push to put a sales tax increase on the November ballot looks to have failed after Councilwoman Donna Frye failed to support the measure, saying it wasn’t part of a package of reforms that could solve the city’s financial problems.
What’s At Stake
The city has a $70 million-plus deficit next year and no one has any ideas on how to solve it. A toddler choked to death last week after previous budget cuts left the Fire Department slow to respond.
What’s Next
City Council still has almost two weeks to decide if it will put something on November’s ballot, but Council President Ben Hueso’s office declared sales tax discussions dead.