It provides millions of dollars in additional sales tax revenue that is used to pay for everything from police and fire protection to street lights. 

And the City of Lathrop is currently looking for somebody to help oversee it. 

From now until Jan. 4, 2019, the City of Lathrop will be accepting applications from residents who want to fill the recent vacancy on the Measure C Oversight Committee – a vacancy that was created when Ash Ramilay resigned from the seat with more than two years left on the term. 

All hopefuls must be Lathrop residents to be eligible for the position, which will ultimately be filled by a vote of the Lathrop City Council, and while the body receives no formal compensation for their efforts, the council does have the ability to authorize it if they so choose. 

The term that the city is accepting applications for is set to expire on June 30, 2021 – nearly nine years after voters in Lathrop voted overwhelmingly to approve a one-cent sales tax increase to help provide essential city services in the wake of the economic downturn. 

While Lathrop’s economic position has improved since voters approved Measure C, the additional revenue has been used to pay for things that the city wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford – from new playground surfaces at a number of the city’s most heavily used parks to traffic signals at strategic intersections that pose a safety threat to the public. 

The council has also authorized the revenue to be used to pay for a number of both police and fire positions – 40 percent of all Measure C funding goes to the Lathrop Manteca Fire District – that were either severely cut back or eliminated altogether after the housing market collapse hit Lathrop very hard. 

For additional information about the vacant position, the roles and duties of appointed persons, or for a schedule of the committee’s meetings, contact either Lathrop Finance Director Cari James at 209.941.7320 or City Clerk Teresa Vargas at 209.941.7200 or visit Lathrop City Hall – located at 390 Towne Centre Drive – during normal business hours. 

For additional information, visit the City of Lathrop’s website at www.ci.lathrop.ca.us. 

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.