Palmdale council defers remainder of Measure PD tax increases to 2035–2036, asks staff to study full repeal

Deputy City Manager Janelle Sampson presented a resolution to defer the phased implementation of the remaining 0.5% of Measure PD. Sampson said the city had coordinated with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) and proposed deferring 0.25 percentage point to take effect Jan. 1, 2035, and the remaining 0.25 point to Jan. 1, 2036. The item prompted substantial council debate about whether to repeal the measure entirely or postpone its implementation.

Council members and many members of the public argued strongly on both sides. Several speakers called the deferral insufficient and urged a full repeal or a ballot referendum; others urged deferral to relieve current economic pressure. After extended discussion and public comment, the council unanimously adopted the resolution to defer the remaining Measure PD implementation while simultaneously directing staff and the city attorney to produce a fiscal analysis of a full repeal and to estimate costs and timelines to place a repeal on a special or primary ballot.

"Delaying a tax increase is not tax relief," one speaker told the council; another urged the council to take the repeal to voters. City staff said the deferral approach is permitted by CDTFA and that future councils could further delay implementation by subsequent resolution. Council also requested staff to include the budgetary impacts and options to replace any revenue if repeal were pursued.