Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Services Tax topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council directs staff to form municipal services tax study committee to plan renewal
Summary
Staff briefed council on the Municipal Services Tax (MST) history, revenue and uses; council directed staff to form a time-limited study committee to recommend a renewal approach, allocation priorities and public outreach ahead of a potential 2026 ballot measure.
City staff told the council that the Municipal Services Tax, first approved by Mill Valley voters in 1987 and renewed periodically since, remains an important restricted revenue source for street repairs, bridges and fire-prevention work. Kelsey Rogers, senior management analyst, told the council the MST is forecast to provide approximately $1,985,000 in the coming fiscal year and outlined proposed allocations: about $800,000 for street improvements; $175,000 for bridges and culverts; $225,000 for hillside and roadway stabilization; and $300,000 for fire prevention, tree management and the city’s steps, lanes and paths network.
Rogers reviewed the MST’s history and how the tax has supported pavement-condition improvements: the city’s Pavement Condition Index rose from the high 50s to a 2024 score of 74 after prior investments. Staff recommended authorizing the mayor and city manager to appoint an MST study committee to review renewal amounts, eligible uses, term length and whether to include inflation indexing, and to return recommendations in early 2026 for council consideration.
Council members discussed the committee’s size, composition and process. Several members suggested recruiting 5–9 people and including community members with relevant technical background; former mayors John McCauley and Andy Berman were named as potential participants. Vice Mayor Perret and Council Member Carmel were identified as the initial council liaisons. Council members asked staff to keep the subcommittee process open and compliant with the Brown Act; staff confirmed the meetings would be public.
Council also debated whether to commission new polling. The city manager and other members said the MST is well understood by many residents and recommended saving public funds by relying on targeted outreach rather than a new poll at this time, while other council members asked for broader outreach to guard against public confusion with recently approved Measure L funding.
Direction to staff: Council signaled support to proceed with formation of an MST study committee, task staff with updating public-facing materials and to return with committee recommendations in early 2026. Staff said a campaign committee (a separate, independent group) would be needed later if the council and community decide to place a renewal on the ballot.
