City of Palos Verdes Estates Proposes Tripling Measure E

On April 15, 2025, the City of PVE held a town hall meeting, to discuss a proposed of tax increase of Measure E.  The meeting is recorded in this video. The PowerPoint presentation used is provided here.

What is Measure E?

• Measure E was passed by voters in 2018 to retain the local police rather than outsourcing to the LA County Sheriffs.

• Per the city, the current tax amount based on home size averages  $1,042 (slide 51) per home.

• Measure E expires in 2027.

What is the City’s proposal?

• The city council proposed tripling the tax for Measure E.

• The tax will rise from $1,042 currently to $3,378 for the average home, more than tripling the original amount.

• This tax will further increase annually by the Consumer Price Index.

• The Measure E expiration date is removed. So this new tax will never expire.

• The city council said there will be more town halls to discuss ballot measure and timing.

What is driving this tax increase?

• On March 5, the city published its priorities. A town hall was announced for April 15 to discuss “a Measure E replacement”.  During the town hall, Councilmembers presented the need for more taxes for services and challenges, such as inflation.  However, no specifics were provided, such as a breakdown of service costs that substantiated tripling the tax.

• The city council stated that PVE, unlike other Peninsula cities, must pay for a $7 Million contract with LA County for fire services.  However, PVE receives 11.3% of property taxes from the county compared to other PV cities at 6.4% (page 127).  This provides PVE with $5.6 Million of the $7 Million.  So PVE pays $1.4 Million more than other PV cities, not $7 Million.

• Other stated reasons included the pension debt interest increase to $2 million a year. This will consume 8% of the city’s budget.  Yet, interest is only a portion of total pension costs.  Without reducing pension cost, this tax proposal will be a temporary solution as pension cost will continue to rise, displacing funds needed for services.  The city will have to raise taxes again. Is PVE facing their problems effectively?

Resident Support?

• On March 30, 2025, the City Council sent out a survey to a sampling of residents.

• Survey results have not been released at this time nor discussed at the town hall.

• The level of resident support for this tax increase is not known.

Transparency and Resident Engagement

• The town hall rules were enforced which prohibited resident interaction with the Council.

• The Council pre-selected and answered some of the questions.  The Council presented the merits of their tax increases.

• Mayor Lozzi said she heard “loud and clear” residents’ requests for transparency to understand specific services that constitute a 220+% tax increase. She asked residents to submit questions to city staff. 

What’s Next?

• The Council said they will hold more town halls.

• Mayor Lozzi requested residents to submit questions to the city.

• We encourage PVE residents to:

  • Send questions and comments to the city to voice your opinions.

  • Seek clarity and transparency on this tax increase proposal.

  • Find out when the ballot will be voted on.

  • Vote according to your preference.

NOTE: It is PVP Watch's goal to provide news about the four cities on our Hill, Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV), Rolling Hills (RH), Rolling Hills Estates (RHE) and Palos Verdes Estates (PVE).  Above is a summary of items discussed at the April 15 PVE town hall meeting.  In the future, PVP Watch intends to publish articles from other cites on a regular basis.

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