Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Calabasas council declares fiscal emergency, sets May mail ballot for 1% sales tax to keep revenue local
Summary
The Calabasas City Council unanimously declared a fiscal emergency and voted to place a 1% transactions-and-use tax on a May 5, 2026 all‑mail ballot, citing a projected structural deficit, declining reserves and more than $23 million in unfunded capital needs; the measure would be audited and overseen by a citizens advisory committee.
The Calabasas City Council on Feb. 5 declared a fiscal emergency and voted to place a 1% transactions-and-use tax on an all‑mail special election ballot on May 5, 2026, saying the tax would keep an estimated $5.3 million a year in local control rather than diverting it to county programs.
City Manager Kendan Meek told the council the measure is time-sensitive after a recent county proposal for a half‑cent countywide sales tax. Meek said Calabasas currently sends roughly $3 million a year to the county under Measure A and that a local 1% tax could return about $5.3 million annually to the city for general governmental purposes. "If we do not act first then the county or another agency could claim that capacity," Meek said.
Pam, a staff presenter, outlined the four actions on the agenda: declare a fiscal emergency (a procedural prerequisite under Article…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
