Redondo Beach Voters Will Decide Fate of Utility Tax

Would you pay $1.25 a month to help maintain city services? That’s one of the questions Redondo Beach voters will answer Tuesday at the polls.

Proposition A would raise the city’s utility users fee by 1%. The tax, which applies to telephone, gas, electricity, waste and cable television services, would raise about $840,000 in general fund revenues a year, or about half of the projected $1.5 million shortfall in next year’s budget.

According to city estimates, the tax would cost the typical homeowner an extra $1.25 a month.

Councilwoman Barbara J. Doerr, who is running for reelection, supports the measure, saying the city has done as much as it can to cut nonessential services without raising taxes.

But Mayor Brad Parton, who also seeks a second term, remains skeptical about the need for additional revenues.

“I’m not trying to downplay our financial situation, because we definitely need to cut back,” Parton said this week. “But I don’t think we’re there yet. I’m not going to support it until I feel we have cut everything we can.”

Other propositions that will appear on the ballot:

* Proposition B, which would amend the City Charter to change the name of the Redondo Beach City School District to the Redondo Beach Unified School District.

* Proposition C, which would change the City Charter to allow members of the newly formed school board to receive compensation of up to $240 a month for their services.

* Proposition D, which would change wording in the City Charter regarding absentee voters to conform with state law.

* Proposition E, which would amend the City Charter to allow the board of education of the newly formed Redondo Beach Unified School District to stagger its members’ initial terms of office.