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CVB gets full cut; city employees taking cuts
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Two years ago when city employees took a 3.8 percent hit due to furlough days to keep the city afloat the pain was also shared by contracted services such as the Manteca Convention & Visitors Bureau. The mayor and the rest of the City Council voluntarily took an even higher cut in their stipends of 10 percent.

That apparently is no longer the case - at least where the CVB is concerned - even though municipal employees are still taking the same 3.8 percent hit via furlough days. City workers also have accepted other adjustments in benefits that have reduced their compensation overall by more than 20 percent. All council members are still taking reduced compensation based on the philosophy they shouldn’t ask workers to make sacrifices that they don’t take themselves.

The Manteca City Council on Tuesday is being asked to award the CVB the full 20 percent of motel room tax the city collects as called for in their contract.

That comes to $77,935 in addition to $9,115 as their share of room tax owed from previous years and finally collected by the city. A 3.8 percent cut based on last year’s room tax would translate into about $3,000.

The room tax is generating close to $400,000 a year for Manteca’s stressed general fund.

Salary and benefit compensations made by city groups over the next four years have helped erase the city’s structured deficit.

The CVB, in return for the room tax, is expected to work to fill hotel rooms by promoting tourism. They also stage various events designed to lure visitors who spend money on food, amusements, gas, and in stores by working with organizations to secure everything from major soccer and softball tournaments to BMX races. It creates economic activity in the private sector, protects and develops jobs, and generates additional sales and gas taxes for the city.

The City Council meets at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St.