Arvin's city council has unanimously voted to place a one-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot, warning that the city's $1.4 million structural deficit threatens essential services and could force significant layoffs of city workers.
During Tuesday's City Council meeting, leaders approved an all-cuts budget, signaling that nothing is off-limits as the city grapples with a financial crisis.
"We're talking about cutting $1 million out of the budget, $1 million. And what we're faced with is layoffs, laying off city workers," Mayor Olivia Calderon said. "And that's not enough, because everyone knows we're facing a $1.4 million structural deficit."
City Manager Jeff Jones has previously warned that immigration uncertainty, tariffs, and rising gas prices are slowing economic growth in Arvin — a city of nearly 20,000.
Calderon said the sales tax measure is the path to financial stability.
"That we can bring in the revenue that we need to restore the cuts and to start stabilizing our finances, to build our reserves, because that's the other thing we know, is that our reserves are dangerously low," Calderon said.
The city's reserves currently stand at less than $300,000, Calderon said.
If voters reject the measure, Calderon warned the consequences would be severe.
"In the event that this does not pass, then what we're facing is deeper cuts. And that is a scenario that at this moment in time I might take day by day, and one, that I pray to God that we can avoid quite frankly," Calderon said.
Despite the current deficit, the council authorized $26,000 to hire a professional firm to educate voters and rally support for the measure.
Business leaders say the strategy can work. Salvador Gomez, President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Arvin, pointed to the nearby city of McFarland as a model.
"The new projects, what they've been able to do thanks to the measure they now have. We hope the people of Arvin will vote on this in November so it can get approved and that way we can follow the same ideology as McFarland," Gomez said.
The vote is set for November. City leaders say the outcome could shape the community's future for years to come.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
