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Monte Sereno gets scenario-based financial projections for potential police parcel tax; council asks for illustrative language and consultant scope
Summary
An ad hoc committee presented unaudited financial scenarios showing a potential FY2030 structural gap tied to rising police-service costs; council directed staff to include illustrative, clearly labeled projections in the RFP for a consultant to advise on ballot strategy and outreach.
Council reviewed financial projections prepared for a potential police-services parcel tax and discussed how to frame those numbers in a consultant RFP.
Council member McIntyre (speaker 8) described scenarios based on assumed contract-cost increases (2–7% per year) and several parcel-tax levels. On the range of possible deficits he said the projection "could range anywhere in fiscal 20 30, between 770,000 and 900 and or sorry. And 1000000 and 50,000." Council and staff repeatedly emphasized these are illustrative, unaudited numbers and asked that any RFP present them as scenarios rather than a locked-in target.
Council also discussed timeline and scope: staff and the ad hoc committee plan to issue an RFP for consultants to perform outreach and polling; if a ballot measure is placed on November 2026’s ballot and passes, any revenue change would take effect in the following fiscal year (FY 2027). One council member observed that covering full police-service costs might require a very large parcel-tax increase, noting, "If we wanted to cover the police services, we'd have to go 8 x to about 1,200, dollars." The council voted to proceed with including illustrative projections (with disclaimers) and to let consultants review assumptions and present strategy options rather than constraining them with a single target figure.
Why this matters: Monte Sereno’s current parcel tax has been flat for decades and rising contracted police costs create a projected structural shortfall; the council is seeking outside expertise to determine ballot viability and the appropriate parcel-tax structure.
What’s next: Staff will prepare the RFP and include the illustrative projections as scenarios labeled unaudited; the council expects consultant proposals and polling results to inform any decision to place a measure on the November 2026 ballot.
