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RESOLUTION NO. 2026-R__
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY
COUNCIL OR CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SUBMIT
ARGUMENTS REGARDING A CITY MEASURE TO INCREASE
THE RATE OF THE TRANSITENT OCCUPANY TAX (HOTEL
TAX) TO THE RATE OF 16%.
WHEREAS, a General Municipal Election (the "Election") is to be held in the City of Culver City on November 3, 2026, at which time there will be submitted to the voters of the City the following question (the "Measure"):
Measure _____
Shall an ordinance to maintain Culver City 911 emergency response/ firefighter/ paramedic/ police staffing; affordable housing/ mental health/ homeless reduction programs; improve streets, roads, sidewalks, public transportation, storm drains, infrastructure, parks and provide other general fund services by raising Culver City’s transient occupancy tax paid by hotel/ motel guests from 14% to 16%, generating approximately
$2,000,000 annually until ended by voters, requiring
annual audits, public spending disclosures, with all funds used locally, be adopted?
YES____
NO ____
WHEREAS, California Elections Code Section 9282(b) provides that “[f]or measures placed on the ballot by the legislative body, the legislative body, or a member or members of the legislative body authorized by that body, or an individual voter who is eligible to vote on the measure, or bona fide association of citizens, or a combination of voters and associations, may file a written argument for or against any city measure;" and
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WHEREAS, California Elections Code Section 9282(c) provides that written arguments for or against a ballot measure shall not exceed 300 words in length; and WHEREAS, if the City Council desires to have a written argument prepared in favor of or against the proposed ordinance to be submitted to the voters, the City Council may authorize Council Members to prepare the argument on behalf of City Council; and WHEREAS, City Council may authorize said Council Members to prepare an argument to be brought back to City Council for approval, or, in the alternative, authorize Council Members to submit the written argument to the Elections Official by the filing deadline.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Culver City, California, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE as follows:
SECTION 1. The City Council hereby authorizes Council Members __________________ and ___________________ to prepare a written argument for or against the Measure hereinabove and as set forth in its entirety in Exhibit A, attached hereto, for approval by the entire City Council; or, if City Council so desires, to have the authorized Council Members directly submit the ballot argument to the Elections Official by the filing deadline.
SECTION 2. In accordance with Article 4, Chapter 3, Division 9 of the Elections Code of the State of California, changes to the arguments may be made until and including the date fixed by the Elections Official after which no arguments for or against the Measures may be submitted to the Elections Official, which for the November 3, 2026 Election shall be August 14, 2026. The arguments shall be filed with the Elections Official, signed, with the printed name(s) and signature(s) of the author(s) submitting the written
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arguments. The arguments shall be accompanied by the Form of Statement to Be Filed by Author(s) of Argument.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
APPROVED and ADOPTED this 27th day of July, 2026.
FREDDY PUZA, Mayor
City of Culver City, California
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
JEREMY BOCCHINO, City Clerk HEATHER BAKER, City Attorney
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EXHIBIT “A”
ORDINANCE NO. 2026-_____
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CULVER CITY AMENDING
SECTION 11.02.105 OF THE CULVER CITY MUNICIPAL CODE, TO
INCREASE THE TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX FROM FOURTEEN
PERCENT (14%) TO SIXTEEN PERCENT (16%).
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF CULVER CITY DO ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: Section 11.02.105 of the Culver City Municipal Code is hereby amended, effective March 1, 2027, as follows (deletions indicated by strikethrough text; additions indicated by underlined text):
§ 11.02.105 TAX IMPOSED.
For the privilege of occupancy in any hotel, each transient is subject to and shall pay a tax in the amount of fourteen percent (14%) sixteen percent (16%) of the rent charged by the operator. Said tax constitutes a debt owed by the transient to the City which is extinguished only by payment to the operator or to the City. The transient shall pay the tax to the operator of the hotel at the time the rent is paid. If the rent is paid in installments, or if any amount paid is less than the full amount of the rent and tax accrued to the time of payment, a proportionate share of the tax shall be deemed to have been paid with each such payment or installment. The unpaid tax shall be due upon the transient's ceasing to occupy space in the hotel. If for any reason the tax is not paid to the operator of the hotel, the City Treasurer may require that such tax shall be paid directly to the City.
SECTION 2. Effective Date. These Sections shall become effective March 1, 2027.
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SECTION 3. Amendment or Repeal. Section 11.02.105 of the Culver City Municipal Code may be repealed or amended by the City Council without a vote of the people. However, as required by Article XIIIC of the California Constitution, voter approval is required for any amendment provision that would increase the rate of any tax levied pursuant to this Ordinance.
SECTION 4. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining portions of this Ordinance shall nonetheless remain in full force and effect. The people hereby declare that they would have adopted each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Ordinance, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases, or portions of this Ordinance be declared invalid or unenforceable.
SECTION 5. Execution. The Mayor is hereby authorized to attest to the adoption of this Ordinance by the voters of the City by signing where indicated below.
I hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance was PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED by the people of the City of Culver City voting on the 3rd day of November, 2026.
_________________________________
FREDDY PUZA, Mayor
City of Culver City, California
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________
JEREMY BOCCHINO, City Clerk HEATHER BAKER, City Attorney