$48M+
Spent on landslide emergency response since 2022
$39M
The city's total annual operating budget
$37.9M
FEMA disaster recovery request denied
Parcel Tax — Flat Rate per Property
+$8,500,000
A flat annual assessment on each parcel of land within the city. Revenue stays entirely local and can be designated for specific services like road maintenance, emergency response, and infrastructure repair. Requires simple majority approval.
Utility Users Tax — 4% on Utilities
+$5,200,000
A percentage-based tax applied to residential and commercial utility bills — electricity, gas, water, phone, and cable services. Applied proportionally, meaning larger users pay more. Common among California cities.
Transient Occupancy Tax Increase to 14%
+$2,800,000
Increase the hotel/short-term rental tax from the current rate to 14%. This tax is paid by visitors, not residents, and is a common funding mechanism in coastal cities with tourism activity.
Emergency Response Fee Program
+$1,200,000
A voluntary subscription program for emergency medical services. Residents and businesses can opt in for an annual fee that covers EMS response. Non-subscribers would be billed per-incident at established rates.
Increase Franchise Fees to 15%
+$800,000
Increase franchise fees paid by waste haulers and utility providers for operating within city limits. These costs may be partially passed to customers through modest rate increases.
Short-Term Rental Registration Program
+$600,000
Require registration and annual permitting for short-term vacation rentals (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.). Revenue comes from permit fees and ensures compliance with local regulations and safety standards.
Defer Civic Center Construction
+$1,500,000
Continue operating from current facilities and postpone the planned civic center project indefinitely. Saves annual debt service payments but limits long-term operational efficiency.
Reduce Contracted Maintenance Services
+$900,000
Scale back contracted landscape maintenance, street sweeping, and facilities upkeep. Would affect the appearance and maintenance of public spaces, parks, and roadways.
Consolidate Recreation Programs
+$750,000
Merge overlapping recreation and community programs into fewer offerings. Reduces staffing and facility costs but limits the variety of programs available to residents.
Implement Hiring Freeze (Non-Safety)
+$500,000
Freeze hiring for non-public-safety positions and allow attrition to reduce headcount. Reduces payroll costs but increases workload on remaining staff and may slow service delivery.
Reduce Library & Community Center Hours
+$400,000
Reduce operating hours for public library and community center from 6 days per week to 4 days. Impacts access for residents, particularly seniors and families.
Renegotiate Technology & Software Contracts
+$350,000
Audit and renegotiate existing vendor contracts for IT services, software licensing, and consulting. Savings vary but typically yield 15-25% reduction through competitive rebidding.
— demonstrates what we would build for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.
