The Santa Monica City Council voted Tuesday to place a Parking Facility Tax increase on the 2024 ballot alongside an advisory measure that would allocate at least 50 percent of the money to public safety.

An increase from 10 percent to 18 percent on the Parking Facility Tax — charged to users of parking facilities in the city by operators — is expected to raise approximately $6.7 million in General Fund revenue. If approved, the increase would go into effect starting January 1, 2025, and planning for allocation of the funds is expected to start in September with a Study Session.

Advisory measures are not binding but are used in tandem with tax increase measures to avoid being considered tax revenue dedicated to a specific source, which requires a two-thirds vote instead of a simple majority to pass. If passed, the advisory measure would simply indicate to the city that voters approve of at least 50 percent of the money generated being allocated to public safety.

While the motions are placed on the ballot in tandem, voters can choose to approve the tax increase but vote no on the advisory measure. The tax increase measure can pass and be put into effect even if the advisory measure fails, but a simple majority approving the advisory measure indicates to the city that voters want at least half of the revenue generated from this increase to be designated as public safety spending.

Specific examples of spending priorities on the measures include attracting and retaining well-trained police officers and firefighters, improving crime and homelessness prevention services, increasing police patrols, and enhancing emergency medical response in neighborhoods and public areas.

Councilmember Gleam Davis suggested designating the tax increase as “Measure PS” on the ballot to demonstrate to voters that this was more about public safety than it was about a tax, while Councilmember Oscar De La Torre suggested “Measure SS” for “Safer Santa Monica.” Several options must be submitted to the county for approval, and the advisory measure must have a closely related identifier.

Enhancing public safety spending is the first priority listed on the measure, but another avenue for spending in the measure’s text that will appear on the November Ballot is creating safe routes to schools.

Councilmember Jessie Zwick also wanted to ensure that the focus and message was being properly portrayed, hoping that the language of the ballot measure could be changed in a way that puts public safety at the forefront. Councilmember Caroline Torosis also expressed her support, emphasizing the urgent need for funds that Santa Monica has.

“I think it’s no secret that we absolutely need revenue,” Torosis said. “We all want to enhance our public safety, we all want to make sure we have safe streets…and I feel this is in line with our clean and safe objectives.”

Mayor Phil Brock’s emphasis on the need to improve public safety services was an impetus to bring this forward. He expressed his opposition to new taxes but said that this measure “is of utmost importance to our residents.” He also wanted to make sure that the priorities were clear, with at least 50 percent of the money going to public safety and the rest going to safe routes for schools if that is what is written on the measure.

“If we can find a way to…make sure they fully understand where the money is going and that it is not a diversion,” Brock said. “then it’s a good measure that doesn’t cost the average resident in our city anything.”

While Brock’s recent comments provided a spark, it was Vice Mayor Lana Negrete who brought discussions back to the parking facility tax after they started in June. She too discussed the urgent need for action to address the public safety crisis in the city and helped outline the timeline of how the potential revenue would be allocated.

After hearing from public safety departments in the city at the September study session, the city council would receive the first report on the state of the tax and make concrete decisions on how to spend the money during the Mid-Year Budget Review expected to happen in April 2025.

Like Brock, she wanted to ensure that the public was informed about exactly how the money would be spent, down to things like how many drones the police department would purchase with the money. She emphasized a need to set a direction quickly and hoped that specific priorities could be set before the measure is passed with the council currently unified on the issue.

“I think we need to not kick this can down the road anymore,” Negrete said. “It’s not about politics, we need to respond and do something.” 

As part of the motion voted on by the city council, Negrete also included that direction be given that the specific priorities be set in September as opposed to the Mid Year Budget review as originally proposed by city staff. The full text for the approved measures — passed unanimously by the Council — with the changes suggested by Zwick read as follows:

Parking Facility Tax Increase:

“To enhance public safety, create safe routes to school to protect children, lower the risk of fatal traffic accidents, and maintain other essential city services, shall the measure increasing the City of Santa Monica Parking Facility Tax by 8 percent for users including visitors and tourists, causing no additional cost in City-owned lots and structures (including downtown and the beach) because of a partial City exemption, generating approximately $6,700,000 annually until ended by voters, be adopted?”

Advisory Measure:

“If [[the Parking Facility Tax Increase]] is enacted, should at least half of the additional revenue raised be used to protect public safety in Santa Monica, including attracting and retaining well-trained police officers and firefighters, improving crime and homelessness prevention services, and increasing police patrols and enhancing emergency medical response in neighborhoods and public areas, including downtown, the pier, and the beach?”

Photo by Michael Vi on iStockphoto.com