Measure Y

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March 30, 2018

Dear Neighbor,

On March 6th, the Merced City Council unanimously voted to place Measure Y on the June 5th , 2018 ballot to maintain and improve Merced’s police, fire, parks and recreation services.

Over the last 10 years, the State has taken millions of dollars in locally controlled funding for Merced. The Merced City Council placed Measure Y on the ballot to provide funding for public safety, parks and recreation services within the City. In a recently conducted survey, over 62% of Merced residents felt that crime in general has increased over the last few years. The Council decided to place this measure on the ballot to ensure that the City has an independent source of locally-controlled revenue to fund these vital public safety services.

Measure Y will, if enacted, provides a source of independent, locally-controlled revenue to provide rapid responses to neighborhood fires, retain qualified police officers, protect and maintain 9-1-1 emergency response times, and prevent gang activity in the city. Resources will also be used to improve park safety, prevent youth violence and drug use, and maintain neighborhood-based policing to make areas surrounding our local parks safer.

Measure Y will only be paid by those in the cannabis industry. Merced residents who are not cannabis business operators will NOT be taxed by Measure Y. Measure Y has stringent accountability provisions, including annual audits and independent citizens oversight. By law, Measure Y can only be used for police, fire, parks and recreation services, and cannot be used for other services. Finally, all Measure Y funds must be spent in Merced and cannot be taken by the State or used for other purposes.

If you would like additional information regarding Measure Y, please view “Measure Y Frequently Asked Questions.”

Sincerely,

Steve Carrigan
Merced City Manager

Chris Goodwin
Interim Police Chief

Michael R. Wilkinson
Fire Chief