Sacramento City Council Considers Property Tax Increase Plan For Streetcar Line

The Sacramento City Council is expected to consider a plan that would allow property owners along the streetcar line an advisory vote on a property tax increase for the street car project.

If more than half of the property owners approve the creation of a Community Facilities District to collect taxes, the people who live in the area will then also vote on the project. 

Project Manager Sparky Harris says the City is asking for property owners input, even though by law it is not required.

"It was more fair to go to the property owners themselves first to say, 'Is this something that you believe you'll benefit from, that the city will benefit from, everybody in general, since you're the ones that are going to be paying it,'" says Harris.

Harris says the tax would raise $30 million. There are four tax zones proposed between the Railyards and Midtown Sacramento. The increase in taxes per parcel range from about $2 to more than $94,000.