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- Donations to the campaign total over $274,000, with major contributions from businesses, nonprofits and industry groups.
- If approved, the sales tax would increase Redding’s rate to 8.25% and is projected to generate $30 million in annual revenue.
Two groups of donors are poised to gain financially should voters approve Redding’s 1% sales tax initiative during the Nov. 4 statewide special election and are the biggest backers of Measure A, campaign contribution records show.
A total of $274,223.91 was donated through Sept. 20 to the Citizens for a Better Redding / Yes on Measure A campaign since a community group collected enough voter signatures to put the item on the ballot earlier this year, according to the organization’s most recent publicly-available campaign statement.
Contributors in support of Measure A range from retirees who’ve given $100 to major nonprofits, businesses and industry advocacy or political action groups that have donated much more.
While no arguments against the measure appeared in the special election voter’s guide, “No on A” signs are evident around the Redding area.
The top single donor in favor of the sales tax is Advance Redding, which gave a total of $49,500. The nonprofit that runs the Redding Civic Auditorium made two contributions, one in March and one in May.
Julie Dyar, general manager of Advance Redding — which is also a Civic Auditorium tenant — is listed as providing $7,000 in loans in June to the Measure A supporters’ group.
Should voters approve the higher sales tax, a portion of the proceeds would be earmarked for the Civic Auditorium. That means the aging entertainment facility could collect $1.8 million, or 6% of what city officials have said the proposed sales tax could raise.
The organization’s campaign donation didn’t sit well with some members of the Redding City Council, which in early September granted Advance Redding a $675,000 lifeline that Dyar requested to remain in operation through the end of 2025.
“I think that some of us, given all of the information, potentially would have made a different decision,” Mayor Pro Tempore Erin Resner said at a city council meeting on Oct. 7.
After the meeting, Resner told the Record Searchlight: “If I were a community member, I would be asking ‘Are they really in that hard of a situation? Like, is it really that dire?’”
The Redding Rodeo Association was another major donor to the sales tax effort.
That nonprofit has contributed $30,000. Should the measure pass on Election Day, the rodeo nonprofit would be earmarked to receive 3% of sales tax proceeds.
And two groups representing public safety workers also contributed to Measure A.
The proposed measure says the Redding Fire Department would receive 13% of the revenue from the tax allocation to construct and staff Fire Station 9, cover improvements or replacements to other fire stations, purchase equipment and help carry out fire mitigation efforts.Under the proposal, the Redding Police Department would receive 12% to be allocated to additional staffing, equipment and facilities.
The Redding Firefighters Political Action Committee contributed $5,000, while the Redding Police Managers Association gave $1,500, the report said.
The Redding Independent Employees Association contributed $5,000. That labor group represents primarily clerical, technical, and professional city employees.
Organizations that would not receive sales tax proceeds have also placed major donations, including lumber company Sierra Pacific Industries of Anderson, which contributed $25,000.
Cannabis retailer Bryant Wellness Partner Inc. donated $20,000, according to the donation disclosure.The Redding Rancheria, which operates the Win-River Resort and Casino just south of Redding, gave $20,000 in May.
Langum Land and Cattle contributed $5,000 and Ardent Security contributed $4,900, while the Mikala Corp. tree and forestry firm donated $2,500.
K&S Staffing Solutions, Inc. gave $2,000 and Frozen Gourmet Inc. gave $2,500.
People who donated as individuals include business owner Baron Browning ($4,900) and InterWest insurance broker Steven Williams ($2,000).
The real estate and construction companies stood out as major Measure A supporters.
The California Association of Realtors Issues Mobilization PAC, located in Los Angeles, made a $10,000 donation in July.
Dennis Morgan, a Redding realtor, is a spokesman for the citizens’ group.
S.T. Rhoades Construction Inc. donated $15,000 in August, the report said, while J.F. Shea also donated $15,000. Redding contractor Independent Structures Inc. contributed $10,000 in September.
Several other companies from the building industry also donated, including Cox and Cox Construction Inc. ($2,500) and Dars Cox Construction Inc. ($2,500).
Turtle Bay Holdings Inc. gave $5,000, while Simpson University contributed $2,500.
If voters pass the proposal, Redding’s sales tax would rise to 8.25%, up from 7.25%. City officials have said the proposed sales tax would bring in an estimated $30 million in revenue.
- Roads: 30% spent on maintenance, repairs and improvements.
- Redding Fire Department: 13% allocated to construction and staffing of ninth fire station, upgrades and improvements to the other fire stations, equipment and some of the fire department’s cost of fire mitigation efforts.
- Redding Police Department: 12% allocated to additional staffing, equipment and facilities.
- Shasta County Sheriff’s Office: 12% allocated to address repeat offenders and jail capacity.
- Parks: 9% spent on construction, improvements and maintenance, including Redding Sports Park, California Soccer Park, South City Park, Caldwell Park, Panorama Park, Lake Redding Park and the Redding Aquatic Center.
- Redding Civic Auditorium: 6%
- Redding Rodeo Grounds: 3%
- Redding Regional Airport: 5% allocated toward building an additional terminal, staffing and general operations of all airport facilities.
- Unallocated: 10% will remain unallocated and be spent at the discretion of the Redding City Council, based on budget needs, a recommendation from the Citizens Advisory Committee and public comment at a City Council meeting.
Three prior efforts to get a sales tax approved in greater Redding have failed.
In 2014, a quarter-cent sales tax was turned down. In 2016, a half-cent sales tax was not approved. Both those measures were placed on the ballot by the Redding City Council.
In 2020, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors placed a countywide 1-cent sales tax on the ballot, but voters also rejected that measure.
Michele Chandler covers dining, food, public safety and whatever else comes up for the Redding Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. Accepts story tips at 530-338-7753 and at mrchandler@gannett.com. Please support our entire newsroom’s commitment to public service journalism by subscribing today.
