Why, in a tea party era, is there no organized fight against Placerville’s Measure H, a proposed quarter-percent hike in the sales tax?

No one even offered a ballot argument against it.

“It’s kind of eerie,” admitted City Manager John Driscoll.

The lack of opposition may boil down to these two factors:

• The tax hike is predicted to dramatically lower utility rates that had recently skyrocketed.

• Much of the revenue from the hike will come from the pockets of outsiders, not Placerville residents.

In other words, it’s largely seen as a win-win for Placerville’s 10,000 residents.

When the city included a survey with utility bills earlier this year, it got a response that persuaded officials to put the measure on the November ballot.

“It was interesting,” Driscoll said. “Just about 80 percent were in favor of (an increase of) half a cent.”

That is, more than the two-thirds required for passage said they supported an increase of double what Measure H asks.

Expressing some nervousness, the City Council put it on the ballot at the lower rate.

Caution may be justified.

Although there is no organized opposition, that doesn’t mean everyone likes the tax, said Cathy Nerwinski, who is running for a council seat on the same November ballot.

Some folks are still sore at the council for the water and sewer rate increases required when the city had to borrow millions to make state-mandated improvements to its water treatment plant.

Nerwinski’s husband, John, a former council member, even started a short-lived recall campaign against two councilmen over the utility rates.

Sewer rates went up 88 percent, water 43 percent, after completion of the new plant in 2009.

About half the operating budget for those utilities is going to debt service, said Dave Warren, Placerville’s finance director.

The quarter-percent increase will bring the city’s tax rate to 8.75 percent – even with Folsom and Sacramento – and is expected to generate $700,000 to $1 million in new revenue.

City officials think that would allow them to cut sewer rates 33 percent and water 10 rates percent.

“If you understand the leverage Placerville has, it makes good business sense,” Warren said.

By leverage, he’s referring to the city’s unusual sales tax position.

In a recent analysis it was found to have the Sacramento region’s highest per capita sales tax revenue.

In 2008, the last year for which numbers were available, it had sales tax revenue of $313 per person while California’s median is just $129.

It stems in part from the city’s position on two tourist routes – Highways 50 and 49 – and its place as an economic nucleus for surrounding unincorporated areas. As a result, the people who will pay much of the tax increase won’t be the same ones voting on it.

The measure is due to expire after 30 years, a few years after the treatment plant’s 30-year bonds are supposed to be paid off.

Nobody likes to raise the sales tax, said Placerville merchant Peter McQuillen, but he’s hoping it will bring down the water rates.

That’s why he and other merchants, including a car dealer, have signed the pro-Measure H ballot argument.

“We’re hoping people will say yes,” McQuillen said.