By Eric Heinz
Measure OO was intended to raise the transient occupancy tax (TOT or hotel tax) for nightly rates in San Clemente from 10 percent to 13 percent, but it did not pass by a margin of eight votes.
With such a close margin in the decision, the City Council voted on Tuesday, Dec. 6, to initiate a recount of the ballots. This will cost the city at minimum $18,000 and could be as high as $40,000, City Clerk Joanne Baade said. Although the City Council voted to spend up to $18,000, city manager James Makshanoff has the authority to authorize more funds if the process is more expensive.
The vote to initiate the recount was 3-1-1 with Councilwoman Lori Donchak opposing, saying she trusted the results and spending the money on the recount likely won’t overturn the election, and Mayor Bob Baker abstained.
Councilman Tim Brown said, if Measure OO passed, the increase in taxes would have provided between $600,000 and $1 million for the city to fund three and a half to four more Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies for San Clemente, although the ballot measure wasn’t really advertised to do so. No candidate during the election supported or opposed it.
The recount is expected to start Monday morning, Dec. 12, Baade said.
Baade said the Orange County Registrar of Voters has only had one overturned election due to a recount since 2000, and that election wouldn’t have been overturned if it occurred a year later as certain election code changed.
If the results are overturned, the county will reimburse the funds used to pay for the recount election. Should the decision not be overturned, city attorney Scott Smith said the ballot measure could be brought back during a general or special election.