As election night came to a close and votes rolled in for the last couple weeks, results for Measure PP, a proposed half-cent sales tax increase, were announced. 54.93% of Pleasanton voters voted no to Measure PP while 45.07% voted yes for the measure.
Measure PP aimed to raise Pleasanton’s sales tax from 10.25% to 10.75% to help support the city’s budget deficit. These funds would be put towards essential services, such as emergency response, park maintenance, and supporting local businesses. The money would also go to improving quality of living for residents.
“In order to maintain [Pleasanton’s] standards, there has to be some sort of budget that could support our demands,” said Allya Mukherjee (’25).
Many chose to vote no due to the current high cost of living in Pleasanton, as well as worries for the local economy and the effects such a measure would have on where people would shop. Other concerns arose such as how low-income residents would handle the price shocks, as this measure would negatively affect lower-income persons.
“I was walking around the neighborhood and…. there was a sign outside saying it would raise property taxes. The property here is already expensive,” said April Xu (’25).
Despite the city’s concerns for the budget deficit the people voted no, leaving the city to search for other solutions to support the city’s projected $11 million shortfall by 2026.
