Fail: 3,062 / 48.90% Yes votes ...... 3,200 / 51.10% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Official Sources of Information

• Full Text

The revenues from the transient occupancy tax are not designated for any particular purpose. These revenues are placed in the City’s general fund and are used for general City functions, such as police protection, and street and park maintenance and repairs. If approved, the revenues from the 2% increase of the transient occupancy tax will be retained by the City for these purposes and will not be rebated to any hotel operator, because the hotel rebate program does not apply to revenues from any increase of the rate of the transient occupancy tax above 10%.

The City last adjusted the rate of the transient occupancy tax in 1991. That year, the City Council adopted an ordinance increasing the amount of the tax from 6% to 10% of the rent charged by the hotel operator. To comply with subsequent decisions of the California Supreme Court, in 2001, the City Council submitted a measure to the Rancho Palos Verdes voters, who ratified the 10% tax rate.

If adopted, this measure would increase the rate of the City’s transient occupancy tax from 10% to 12%. This measure also would enable the City Council to adjust the tax to any rate that is less than or equal to 12%, or to repeal the tax, without further voter approval.

If adopted, this Measure would not allow the City Council to increase the rate of the transient occupancy tax in excess of 12% without voter approval.

Measure TOT must be approved by a majority of the votes cast, in order for the ordinance increasing the rate of the transient occupancy tax by 2% to become law.

A “yes” vote on Measure TOT will enact an ordinance that will increase the rate of the City’s transient occupancy tax to 12%. A “no” vote will maintain the City’s transient occupancy tax at the existing rate of 10%.

City of Rancho Palos Verdes

Hotel Online

• Terranea Resort Hotel Tax to Appear on November Ballot in Rancho Palos Verdes, California - reprinted from an article by Ashley Ratcliff in the Palos Verdes Peninsula News (7/2/09)