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Albany council places four tax measures on November ballot, directs immediate low‑income relief on two
Summary
At its July 20 meeting, the Albany City Council voted to place four tax measures on the Nov. 3 ballot — updates to the street paving/storm drain tax, EMS/fire tax, business license tax and a tiered real‑property transfer tax — and instructed staff to implement a 50% low‑income rebate immediately for two special taxes should voters approve them.
The Albany City Council on July 20 voted to place a package of ballot measures on the Nov. 3, 2026 municipal ballot that would adjust four local taxes and authorize council members to draft and submit the official ballot arguments.
Finance Director Rena Schwartz told the council that the night’s items included updates to special tax measures and revenue mechanisms already discussed in prior meetings. "This is the first of four ballot measure items that you will be addressing this evening," Schwartz said as she summarized changes including indexing to the Consumer Price Index, application of the taxes to possessory interests, and new exemptions and rebates for low‑income households.
The council debated when a proposed 50% exemption or rebate for low‑income households should take effect for two special taxes (the street paving/storm drain measure and the EMS/advanced life support and fire protection measure). Council member Jordan moved to amend the resolution so that the 50% relief would be implemented immediately upon adoption should voters approve the measures; the motion passed on roll call. City staff had noted that the version attached to the packet tied the 50% rebate to a triggering event (a large parcel becoming untaxable) but that the resolution language could be changed at council direction.
Votes at a glance
- Resolution 2026‑61 — Update to Measure F (street paving & storm drain special tax): motion carried (roll call recorded as yes; motion carries). - Resolution 2026‑62 — Update to emergency medical services / advanced life support and fire protection special tax: motion carried. - Resolution 2026‑63 — Restructure business license tax (gross‑receipts model): motion carried. - Resolution 2026‑64 — Tiered real property transfer tax: motion carried.
The measures include a mix of modest near‑term changes and additional provisions that would only take effect if a specified trigger (such as a large parcel becoming nontaxable) occurs. For example, staff said that if a parcel greater than 500,000 square feet becomes untaxable, some measures will change how rates are calculated and could affect estimated revenue projections.
Council also voted to appoint subcommittees to prepare the city’s primary and rebuttal ballot arguments for the six measures on the agenda; staff reminded council that argument deadlines are Aug. 14 (primary) and Aug. 21 (rebuttal) at 12:00 p.m.
Why it matters
Council members framed the package as both a response to a structural gap between revenues and expenditures and as a modernization of older local tax structures. As Finance Director Schwartz and council members repeatedly noted, some changes were proposed to ensure the city’s tax rates keep pace with inflation and to clarify application to possessory interests; the council also sought to provide targeted relief for very low‑ and low‑income households.
What’s next
If voters approve the measures in November, the council’s direction will determine whether some exemptions and rebates take effect immediately upon adoption or only when the specified trigger occurs. The city’s clerk and legal staff will finalize ballot language and the appointed subcommittees will prepare the arguments the council authorized.
