A committee of Yucca Valley residents has started an initiative petition for a half-percent sales tax that would be used to reduce the costs associated with the proposed sewer project. The initiative proponents-Lori Herbel, Sabrina Peukert, and Nancy Haynych-say that the half-percent sales tax would generate $80 million over 30 years, which would be used to offset the sewer project’s estimated cost of $145 million, thereby lowering the sewer project assessments for Yucca Valley residents. According to the committee, the proceeds from the half-cent sales tax would be deposited into a municipal sewer tax fund for use by the Hi-Desert Water District to repay its loan for the sewer project. In addition, a 5-percent reserve would be used to help low- and moderate-income residents with the costs associated with hooking up their homes to the town’s main sewer lines. Revenue from the sales tax would be released to the Hi-Desert Water District on a continual basis starting when the tax is implemented and would end at the end of 30 years.
INITIATIVE PETITION STARTED FOR HALF-PERCENT SALES TAX FOR YUCCA VALLEY SEWER SYSTEM
