Tonight, Antioch City Manager Steve Duran will be recommending to the Antioch City Council that they move forward with a “per unit” tax on residential landlords after he was unable to work out a deal with stakeholders.
The City Managers recommendation comes two weeks after the City Council voted 5-0 on May 13 to allow Mr. Duran to move forward with trying to find an agreement with all parties. The City Council had hoped both sides could come to a mutual agreement so that the City Council would not have to determine a “fair” compromise.
The City Manager was to present the following terms basic terms to “The Friday Morning Breakfast Club”, the California Apartment Association and the Antioch Chamber of Commerce:
- Establish that the rental or leasing of real property is a business subject to the City’s Business License Tax
- Raise the minimum Business License Tax to $100 a year for all business subject to the gross receipts formula other than the rental or leasing of residential real property
- Establish a minimum Business License Tax on the rental or leasing of detached single family dwelling units at $250 per dwelling unit per year
- Establish a minimum Business License Tax on the rental or leasing of attached multi-family dwelling units at $150 per dwelling unit, including condominiums, cooperatives and apartments.
The additional landlord fees could bring in $2.6 million per year.
According to Mr. Durans Weekly City Manager Report, this was his recap of the talks between the Friday Morning Breakfast Club, the California apartment Association, and the Chamber of Commerce on Monday, May 19th.
On Monday, I met with representatives from the “Friday Morning Breakfast Club,” the California Apartment Association (CAA,) and the Chamber of Commerce on Monday, May 19th to see if all parties can come to an agreement on a proposed Business License Tax update. After well over a year of negotiations, the CAA has not been willing to budge from refusing to support any per unit tax on residential landlords. Thus at the on May 27, 2014 City Council Meeting, staff will be recommending that the City Council put a measure on the November ballot.
Also on the table is a minimum Business License Tax:
According to the Staff Report, the minimum Business License Tax in Antioch has been in place since 1947 with businesses paying pursuant to the gross receipts formula at $25. In Brentwood, the minimum tax $100, in Oakley its $100 and Pittsburg is $30. Staff is recommending raising the minimum for any business to at least $100—the Antioch Chamber of Commerce is opposed to any increase in the minimum Business License Tax for non-residential rental business.
If approved, the Measure will require a 50%+1 approval and will appear on the November Ballot.
If you go:
Antioch City Council Meeting
Tuesday, May 27, 2014 @ 7:00pm
200 H Street, Antioch
