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City weighing property‑transfer‑tax hike and public‑safety parcel tax for November 2026 ballot
Summary
Staff outlined two ballot options under study for November 2026: a property‑transfer‑tax increase projected in staff scenarios to generate about $6 million annually and a narrower public‑safety parcel tax projected at about $3.1 million; staff plans targeted polling and asked council for feedback on spending priorities such as streets, parks, and safe‑team funding.
City staff told the finance subcommittee on June 9 that the city is studying two possible revenue measures for the November 2026 ballot and plans targeted polling after the June primary to gauge voter sentiment.
Option A (general purpose): staff described a placeholder scenario based on increasing the city's property‑transfer tax and said the scenario could yield roughly $6 million a year; staff characterized such a levy as general purpose and discretionary unless the council elects to earmark portions for specific programs such as affordable housing. The presenter said the city currently charges $2 per $1,000 of transfer value (commonly described as $2 per $1,000) and that staff used that base in its scenario work.
Option B (targeted public safety): staff described a parcel‑based public‑safety tax modeled at roughly half of prior Measure P, projected to raise about $3.1 million annually and to prioritize public‑safety needs such as funding for the Safe Team, expanded community‑service officers in the police department, and additional ambulance staffing for cross‑staffed stations.
Staff noted program needs the revenue could address: streets and pavement preservation (a shortfall staff estimated at about $2 million a year to maintain the city's pavement condition index), about $1 million a year to address parks deferred maintenance over a 10‑year plan, storm‑drain and sidewalk needs, and ongoing funding for the Safe Team (grant funding covers through FY 26–27 but not beyond). The police department was described as authorized for 68 sworn positions (down from 88 in 2008–09); staff said adding community‑service officers can free sworn officer time.
Staff said it will return to council with polling results around the July meeting and asked council for direction on priorities and whether to proceed with placing a measure on the ballot; the council must act in July to place a measure on the November ballot given filing deadlines in early August.
Council members urged clarity in outreach materials, asked staff to consider sunsets or tiering options, and cautioned that a measure combining many uses can be harder to explain to voters than a more focused approach. Staff said the polling instrument will test sunsets and tiering as policy options.
