Guest opinion–
I’m Hector Alcazar, manager of the El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant in Citrus Heights. Our business is struggling to survive and our employees are struggling to provide for their families. I’m opposed to the Citrus Heights Measure M sales tax increase and I want to tell you why.
The owner of our restaurant, Efran Guitron, came to America in 1970 seeking freedom, liberty, and a better way of life for his family. He landed in a small Mexican restaurant in Seattle. He worked hard, learned the business, and in 1980 he decided to take a chance and opened his first restaurant.
He understood the risks associated with owning his own business, but never in his wildest imagination did he envision a time in America when government would have the power to close his doors.
These times are very challenging as we just “fully opened” our second restaurant in Auburn, while at the same time our Citrus Heights business has been decimated. First it was COVID, then we were allowed to partially open in the parking lot and the smoke from the fires has impacted our business and now the City of Citrus Heights wants to impose a higher sales tax that will take more money out of the pockets of our customers and send them to restaurants in Folsom and Roseville where the taxes are lower?
Our employees are suffering, and more than 20 of them signed a “No on M” petition to oppose the Measure M sales tax increase, especially during the current pandemic.
City employees don’t feel our pain because they continue to get their paychecks, raises, and benefits while businesses throughout the city continue to struggle and many Citrus Heights residents have had their hours cut or have lost their jobs. Many businesses have already closed and some will not open again.
Instead of higher taxes, it would be helpful if the City of Citrus Heights could help us fully open, like in Auburn, so all our employees can return to work, our business revenues could return to normal, and we could generate more sales tax revenues for the city.
This is not the time for higher taxes that hurt our business community and take money out of the pockets of our customers. Business owners who are still open have tightened their belts as much as they can. Instead of asking for more, maybe the city should consider cutting back on their salaries and expenses like we have had to do.
I hope Citrus Heights residents, including all our customers, will join me to oppose the Measure M sales tax increase on the November ballot.
Hector Alcazar is the manager of El Tapatio Restaurant, located at 5637 Sunrise Blvd., in Citrus Heights.
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I’m Hector Alcazar, manager of the El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant in Citrus Heights. Our business is struggling to survive and our employees are struggling to provide for their families. I’m opposed to the Citrus Heights Measure M sales tax increase and I want to tell you why.
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