Azusa : Council Favors Tax Hikes

The City Council has approved six tax measures that will probably appear on the November ballot, ranging from an increase in the hotel occupancy tax to a 10% tax on paid admission to events in the city.

The measures are intended to generate $1.5 million to improve streets and parks and buy equipment for city departments.

Finance Director Geoff Craig said a majority vote of the public is needed to approve the new fees.

The measures call for an increase in the landfill tax from 2% to 10%, an increase in the bed tax from 7.5% to 10%, a special tax on hazardous waste facilities, a $40 increase in the business license tax, an annual inflationary adjustment for the business license tax, and a 10% tax on tickets for such things as movies and sporting events.

City staff, after negotiating with the Azusa Chamber of Commerce, deleted a proposed tax of 3 cents per square foot of business premises. The chamber supported the other measures.