The Atascadero City Council will consider Tuesday whether or not to put a sales tax increase on the November ballot.
City staff has proposed placing a half cent sales tax measure on the ballot. The ballot initiative would call for a general tax but with direction to primarily use the funds for road maintenance and repair.
Staff is also suggesting alternative language that would direct most of the funds to the roads, while money would also go to parks, storm drains and the city zoo.
If the council were to place a specific tax measure on the ballot, it would require a 67 percent vote in order to pass. A general tax measure requires just a majority vote.
The staff proposal would raise sales tax to 8 percent in Atascadero. Currently, Atascadero is the only city in San Luis Obispo County that does not have an 8 percent sales tax rate.
Staff says the tax measure would raise $1.7 million to $2 million annually.
Four of the five council members must support the measure in order to place it on the ballot.
