Perris council approves measure to place warehouse business‑license tax on November ballot

The Perris City Council voted July 28 to submit to voters a proposed general business‑license tax on distribution facilities, industrial businesses and truckyards that would levy up to $0.10 per square foot of taxable area and carry an annual escalator capped at the lesser of 3 percent or the consumer price index.

City Manager Ernie Reyna told the council the measure is designed to raise funds for local public services, including street maintenance and public safety, and to make industrial users pay “their fair share” for the heavier wear and tear generated by trucks. Staff’s traffic analysis found trucks account for 5.1 percent of daily trips; applying a trip‑impact factor used in pavement formulas produced an adjusted truck impact of about 15.3 percent. Based on roughly 25.2 million square feet of taxable industrial space, staff estimated the measure would generate about $2.5 million per year.

The presentation included a 20‑year pavement‑rehab model that staff said produces an estimated $329.5 million need over two decades (about $16.4 million per year), and explained how the square‑foot rate was derived from those assumptions. Reyna told council the city must submit election materials to the county by Aug. 7 to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Public testimony was mixed. Supporters, including residents and community organizers, urged the council to give voters the chance to make industry contribute to local infrastructure and public safety; one speaker said the fee would help offset truck impacts and provide “a crucial revenue stream.” Industry representatives and trade groups, including a speaker identifying himself with CREDA, asked council to slow the process, questioned the study’s timing and said business owners had only days to review revised materials.

Councilmembers debated several staff‑proposed features: the measure is written as a general tax (simple majority) rather than a special tax (two‑thirds); staff included an exemption for certain e‑commerce facilities under 50,000 square feet and a definition intended to limit broad loopholes; and several councilmembers asked staff to add a supermajority requirement for any future council action to reduce the voter‑approved cap. Mayor Pro Tem Coron Corona said staff kept the measure intentionally simple to avoid confusing voters; other councilmembers said the exemption is a strategic choice because some e‑commerce facilities already generate substantial sales tax revenue for the city.

After debate, the council adopted the resolutions necessary to place the measure on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot and directed staff to refine ballot language and implementation details. The council’s roll call showed a majority in favor with one member absent.

The next procedural step is for staff to finalize the ordinance language, prepare the impartial analysis, and submit required election materials to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters by Aug. 7 if the item is to remain on the November ballot.