PLUMAS COUNTY — Controversy has erupted in Plumas County following the Board of Supervisors’ decision to place Measure B, a proposed 1% local sales tax, on the June 2 ballot. The measure aims to bridge the persistent gap between county revenues and expenditures by generating an estimated $3 million annually.
At the April 7 Board of Supervisors meeting, Chair Mimi Hall presented an informational overview of Measure B, emphasizing that she was not advocating for or against the proposal but providing a clear explanation of its provisions. With no county administrative officer available to present, Hall detailed how the tax would be levied and how the proceeds would be allocated.
Measure B would impose a 1% sales tax on dining out, retail goods, vehicles, and equipment purchased within Plumas County. According to Hall, taxable items would include hot prepared foods, alcohol, soda, furniture, clothing, toys, and musical instruments. Exemptions would apply to certain food products, medicines, and prescriptions, consistent with typical sales tax regulations. For example, items such as produce, meat, dairy, canned goods, bakery items, cold food, to-go sandwiches and salads, baby formula, snacks, and noncarbonated water or sports drinks would not be taxed.
The tax is expected to be borne partially by visitors to the county. Utilizing transit occupancy tax data, Hall estimated that nonresidents, including temporary workers and second homeowners occupying many of the county’s roughly 6,000 seasonal residences, would contribute about half of the revenue generated by the tax.
The funds raised through Measure B would support core county services currently reliant on general funds, including the sheriff’s office and public safety, parks and memorial halls, senior nutrition and transportation programs, the county fair and fairgrounds, libraries, and veterans’ services.
The county has been managing its annual budget deficit by utilizing one-time funds such as federal pandemic relief grants and reimbursements from fire camp operations at the fairgrounds. This approach has reduced the revenue-spending gap from $15.5 million in fiscal year 2023-2024 to $6.1 million in the current fiscal year, but Chair Hall noted that this is “about the best that we can do” without additional revenue sources.
Measure B requires a simple majority to pass and has become a focal point of debate among residents and officials as the June 2 election approaches. Supervisor Dwight Ceres
