Truckee Considers New Sales Tax For Trails Construction

A quarter-cent sales tax appears to be on the fast-track in Truckee.

Town leaders wants to get it on the June ballot, so it’s not competing with other funding measures likely to show up on the ballot in November. That means the measure must be approved by the town council by Jan. 28 and voters must be provided with the details in time to make a decision.

Town Manager Tony Lashbrook says public funding sources for trails are disappearing, so the people of Truckee must ask themselves a question.

"What their priorities are, if they want to accelerate trail construction and get these backbone trails built, providing a committed funding source to do that would make that happen,” says Lashbrook.

Town managers conducted a survey late last year and found that nearly two-thirds of people who responded would support a tax for trails.

Two-thirds would be the margin needed to pass the tax. There will be a public workshop in Truckee to talk about the tax Tuesday at 5 p.m. in town council chambers.