By admin 
Woodland voters will decide two ballot measures in November that could increase city revenue and expand municipal utility services beyond city boundaries. The proposals come as local governments face rising costs, budget pressures and cuts to federal safety net programs.
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Measure Y would raise the city’s sales tax by one percentage point, while Measure Z would allow Woodland to extend water and sewer services to certain businesses outside its urban growth boundary.
Woodland’s revenue has not kept pace with its growing population. The city has grown 15% over the past 15 years but employs roughly the same number of workers. It also faces a $150 million backlog in road repairs and confronted a $3.5 million general fund deficit during its most recent budget process.
Both measures require a simple majority to pass.
What are the measures asking?
Measure Y would increase Woodland’s sales tax by one percentage point, generating an estimated $16 million annually for city services, according to city officials. The revenue would go into the city’s general fund and could be spent on any lawful municipal purpose, including road repairs, public safety and parks.
The Woodland City Council placed the measure on the Nov. 3 ballot in June.
Woodland voters rejected a similar proposal, Measure U, in 2024 by a margin of about 6 percentage points. Voters previously approved a quarter-cent sales tax in 2020 and a half-cent sales tax in 2016.
Measure Z would allow Woodland to extend drinking water, recycled water and sewer services to qualifying businesses outside the city’s urban limit line, a boundary established by voters in 2006 to restrict development and protect agricultural land.
The measure would apply only to existing commercial facilities on properties wholly or partially within one mile of the urban limit line. It would not authorize utility extensions for new commercial developments or residential properties. Each extension would require City Council approval.
The proposal is expected to primarily affect two businesses, Clark Pacific and Bayer U.S. Crop Science. Both companies have approached Woodland about obtaining water and wastewater services because of concerns about groundwater access and quality.
In June, the Woodland City Council voted unanimously to place Measure Z on the ballot.
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Clark Pacific also received approval to expand its facility near Woodland by about 77 acres to meet growing demand for prefabricated concrete products used in stadiums, parking garages and data centers.
The company’s plans to expand and its efforts to secure more reliable water and wastewater services are separate, co-CEO Don Clark said in a July interview.
Who is funding the measures?
A political action committee formed by the Woodland Firefighters Association has raised nearly $50,000 in support of Measure Y. The Woodland Police Employees Association contributed $4,000, the Woodland Firefighters Association more than $40,000 and the Woodland Fire Battalion Chiefs another $5,000.
A committee supporting Measure Z, called “Yes on Measure Z, sponsored by local manufacturing and agriculture leaders,” received $49,000 each from Clark Pacific and Bayer, for a combined $98,000.
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Who else is supporting the measures?
Both measures were supported by the Woodland City Council, which opted to send them to voters. Neither measure has an argument in opposition filed, meaning none will appear on the ballot.
The ballot argument supporting Measure Y was signed by Trevor Moureaux, treasurer of Neighbors for Woodland, the firefighters-backed political action committee; former Mayor Skip Davies; community member Janet Ruggiero; Willow Oak Fire Protection District Chief Marcus Klinkhammer; and public safety professional Robert Strange.
The argument supporting Measure Z was signed by farmer Blair Voelz, educator Karen Rosenkilde Bayne, former Woodland City Manager Kris Kristensen, business leader Aniek Pflager and agricultural supplier Erik Wilson.