Palo Alto modifies business tax as decision deadline looms | News
After seeing its negotiations with the business community fizzle, the Palo Alto City Council pressed on Monday with its plan to place a business tax on the November ballot.
In doing so, however, the council agreed to revise the tax measure to exempt all businesses with less than 10,000 square feet of space, a change that effectively excludes all small retailers from the tax. Council members also moved to set the rate at $0.11 per square foot, a shift from an earlier proposal that would have set the rate at either $0.06 cents or $0.12 cents, depending on the size of the business.
The council also left the door slightly ajar for last second changes based on a potential agreement with a coalition of business groups that are opposing the tax. Council member Tom DuBois suggested that it’s still possible for the council to tweak the proposal before the final resolution is adopted on Aug. 8, the council’s last meeting before the county…
