Following the defeat of these three tax measures, a citizens’ petition supporting other potential revenue sources was submitted to the council Nov. 7.
For example, a 5 percent admissions tax on events including entrance tickets sold at the aquarium would bring in considerable revenue.
Why hasn’t the city renegotiated the $1-a-year aquarium lease? Considering a third of the aquarium is in P.G., a reasonable increase is fair. Will there be litigation about this? Possibly, but when the city’s future is at stake, let’s get on with it.
It seems reasonable to raise the hotel tax by 1 percent. Do you believe there would be an empty hotel room during the International Italiano Concorso? Although the council rejected the concorso, it will likely be resurrected for consideration later.
Other suggestions included installing parking meters from the aquarium to Lovers Point, with residents purchasing a $5 exemption sticker. An entrance fee to our Museum of Natural History could avoid its premature closing.
As far the library, I would gladly pay a $5 or $10 annual fee for a library card, which would possibly save trips to the Monterey library.
Finally, why should residents face draconian threats of service cuts when they had no responsibility in creating this financial mess? Clearly, there are other legitimate and creative ways to enhance city revenues.