Street Sales Tax
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Street Study Session
An update on the street maintenance program and anticipated road projects for 2023!
Program Strategies
On average, the cost to build one block of new road ranges from $180,000 – $240,000 for concrete and $150,000 – $210,000 for asphalt. The cost to resurface one block of road on average costs anywhere from $20,000 – $30,000. To make our tax dollars stretch further, we use a combination of strategies to repair and lengthen the life of our streets.
The city takes several approaches, including preventive maintenance, major rehabilitation, reconstruction, full depth repairs, and stop-gap measures.
Preventive maintenance – Keeping the good streets good!
Crack sealing and surface seals – this increases the service life of existing pavement.
Major Rehabilitation – Restoring streets to like-new condition
Structural overlays and mill & overlays – significantly improve the life of the pavement.
Reconstruction – Replacing pavement
Complete reconstruction – restores the original service life of the pavement.
Full depth repairs & stop-gap measures
Pothole patching and small-scale full-depth patching projects – addresses localized severe pavement failures.
Street Sales Tax History
– 2011 –
In 2011, voters authorized a ¼ cent sales tax to pay for street improvements for five years.
– 2015 –
In 2015, voters reauthorized this ¼ cent sales tax.
– 2017 –
In 2017, Pittsburg paid off the debt from a ½ cent sales tax that paid for Fire Station #1 and the Law Enforcement Center, causing the tax to expire a year early. The City Commission decided to use a portion of the expiring ½ cent tax to provide additional street maintenance funds, as the state matching funds program had been reduced.
In 2017, voters authorized the additional ¼ cent sales tax, which when combined with the existing ¼ cent sales tax, doubled the city’s annual funding available for street repair. This ¼ cent sales tax passed in 2017 also included a five-year sidewalk improvement program, which allows $50,000 each year to be set aside to, provide a 50-50 match for property owners who wish to build new sidewalks or repair existing ones.
As a result, the city has two (2) separate ¼ cent sales taxes to pay for street repair and maintenance.
– 2020 –
On October 6, 2020, Pittsburg residents voted to combine the two ¼ cent taxes into one ½ cent tax, renewing the sales tax for a period of ten (10) years and allocating $100,000 each year for sidewalk repair.