MEASURE N: "CITY OF UPLAND 1% SALES TAX FOR GENERAL CITY SERVICES"

Upland voters will soon have an important decision to make. The City Council has approved placing Measure N on the November 5, 2024 ballot. This measure proposes a 1% local sales tax. If approved by voters, the measure is anticipated to generate around $20 million annually. These funds would be dedicated to local use can be used to pave roads and improve public safety.

UPLAND'S ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

For over three decades, the City of Upland has diligently managed its finances to maintain essential services for its residents. However, as a predominantly residential community, Upland has faced ongoing financial challenges, particularly when compared to neighboring cities with more robust commercial development. These challenges have been compounded by state actions that have consistently reduced and constrained the city's revenue streams, such as the reallocation of property taxes and the dissolution of redevelopment funding. Despite these hurdles, the City Council has taken prudent measures to balance the budget, including outsourcing services, implementing significant budget cuts, and requesting employee concessions. While these efforts have stabilized the city's finances, they have also limited Upland's capacity to invest in critical areas that directly impact residents' quality of life, particularly street repairs and police staffing. The city now confronts escalating costs for infrastructure maintenance and increasing demands on public safety services. Without additional revenue, Upland risks falling short of the standards its residents have come to expect. It is imperative that we secure the necessary funding to address these pressing needs, ensuring the continued safety and well-being of our community.

UPLAND'S STREETS AND PUBLIC NEIGHBORHOOD ROADS

In June of 2023, the City Council approved the creation of a pavement master plan using one-time ARPA funding for the purpose of identifying and prioritizing street repairs and other asphalt maintenance using empirical evidence. The DRAFT Pavement Management Report is based on surveys of every public street, parking lot, and alley in the city. The final report is anticipated to be complete in 2024. Upland's current Pavement Condition Index (PCI) is 61, placing it in the lower half of the "Fair" category, which requires critical rehabilitation. Without intervention, the PCI is projected to decline to 52, or "Poor," over the next five years, even with the use of dedicated revenue sources like the Gas Tax, Measure I, and RMRA funds.

To maintain the PCI at its current "Fair" level, annual funding would need to be doubled to $15.4 million. Achieving a PCI of 70, which would elevate the roads to the "Satisfactory" level, would require an annual investment of $24.8 million. The PCI for Upland's alleys is currently 50 ("Poor"), and improving this to a PCI of 70 would require $1.8 million annually over five years. Upland's parking lots have a PCI of 39 ("Very Poor"), and improving them to a PCI of 70 would need an annual investment of $1.2 million for five years.