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Council hears update on city's take-home vehicle policy after payroll review
Summary
Staff told council a recent payroll review found the city had not withheld IRS-taxable income for some take-home vehicles; the CFO and legal counsel guided adjustments and staff said employees were informed and payroll corrected. Council asked for clearer eligibility criteria for positions permitted to take vehicles home.
Council discussed a city update to its take-home vehicle practice after staff uncovered inconsistencies in payroll withholding.
City staff presented a packet summarizing the current take-home vehicle policy and a list of positions that have take-home cars. Staff said the discovery was made after the new CFO (identified in the report as Miss Shaw) learned the city had not been deducting the IRS-regulated taxable value from some employees' paychecks. Staff described the response: legal counsel was consulted, affected employees were educated about reporting requirements, and payroll adjustments were implemented. "The take home vehicle tax is regulated by the IRS," staff said while reviewing the packet materials, noting the city referenced IRS publications in determining which positions qualify.
Councilmembers asked whether the stipend that department directors receive is separate from the taxable take-home-vehicle benefit; staff confirmed they are separate payroll items and answered questions about insurance coverage, exceptions, and whether civilian (non-sworn) positions still have take-home vehicles. Staff said the policy currently does not enumerate positions by title; exceptions not covered by policy would come to council for approval.
