UPDATE: Salinas public safety tax discussion ends in approval

Tuesday evening Salinas city council members voted 6-1 to approve putting a sales tax measure on the November ballot.

The proposed one cent tax increase would be in place for 15 years and a committee of residents would decide where the revenue is spent.

The tax would generate about $20 million a year. The top priority is public safety specifically more police officers and updated fire facilities and equipment.

The city council also voted to modernize the utility tax already on the books. Taxpayers will pay less; it would decrease from six to five percent. That is also something that must be voted on.