What’s Really Going On With PVE’s Mega-Tax?
Residents deserve answers before approving the largest parcel tax in California.The IssuePVE resident John Williams engaged City Council VIDEO for a simple question:
Why did Council identify tax increases as “critical” to fund infrastructure and pension debt, then suddenly drop their tax plan, to support an anonymous Mega-Tax that funds neither? Council left John’s questions unanswered. What the Mega-Tax Actually DoesThe new $16+ million “Mega-Tax” proposal would triple city taxes permanently, then increase annually faster than inflation. Yet it doesn’t provide fiscal stability by funding neglected infrastructure or stop rising pension debt. Instead, it provides Council a blank check for new spending. Council confirmed VIDEO they have no plan on how to spend it. The City admits on its website that no analysis or planning has been done on how the money will be used: “At this stage, any discussion about specific public safety uses would be speculative.”
Council confirmed Video they plan to seek another tax later for infrastructure, even though this Mega-tax is already the largest parcel tax in California. Three Unanswered QuestionsWhy permanently triple taxes for one-time costs like fixing neglected infrastructure and paying down pension debt? Once pension debt is repaid, the city would save $1.4 million each year. Why tax $16+ million to fix a $2.6 million shortfall? Why did the Council abandon their original tax plan (which funded infrastructure and pensions) and endorse the new Mega-tax that excludes both?
Misleading Information on the City WebpageResidents deserve transparency, yet the City’s own statements are misleading: Claim: The Mega-Tax is based on Council’s proposed structure. Fact: Council’s tax included funding infrastructure and pension debt. The Mega-Tax funds neither. Claim: Police services cost $8.23 million. Fact: That figure excludes pension costs, causing $20 million in unfunded debt. Claim: We must renew the $5.1 million Measure E tax. Fact: The Mega-Tax triples Measure E and replaces it entirely. It’s not a “renewal”, it is an entire replacement of every word in the Measure E tax.
What the Audit RevealedThe City recently celebrated its first clean audit in seven years. But it revealed serious underlying concerns: Departments overspent their budgets by millions (Legal: $1M+, Public Works: $2.8M+). Legal costs skyrocketed from $200,000 to $2 million. Why? The Pension debt policy failed, with high interest continuing to grow.
Residents Deserve a VoiceThe City’s own survey shows residents want funds directed to fiscal stability, infrastructure and pensions, not new discretionary spending. If the Mega-Tax fails, it forces the Council to conduct fiscal planning and provide accountability, instead of an open-ended tax that increases faster than inflation. With fiscal management, accountability and community input we can place our city on a path of fiscal stability, safety and build trust with transparency and facts. Share your interests on an better tax that addresses our needs and provides accountability of services and taxes: Info@PreservePVE.orgRESULTS will be published to reflect a community-driven solution.
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