Office of the City Manager
PARKING TAX
Continued Revenue Option Discussion
July 13, 2026
July 20, 2026
Parking Tax
• Revenue estimate, $5M
> New taxing structure for Pasadena
> Administration
Structure likely mimic Transient Occupancy Tax,
Gross Receipts structure; % of revenue collected
New tax for parking facility operators
2 General Tax
• Most cities with this tax originated as pre-Prop
13 > Recent Parking Taxes include Santa Monica 10-
18% (2024), Burbank 12% (2002)
• Rates range from 10% to 25%
> Staff would recommend 10% as most common
3 Common Exemptions for Parking Tax
• Deposits of coin(s) into city owned and operated
parking meters
• Residential and hotel parking in excess of 30
consecutive days
• If cost of parking is included in hotel bill and not
taxed separately (to avoid stacking TOT and Parking
Tax)
Staff recommend language in ordinance that
would allow for adoption of exemptions by City
Council resolution to allow flexibility to meet
community and business needs.
4 Cities with Parking Tax
City Rate Voter Approval Annual Revenue
Burbank 12% Initiated in 1995; 2002 by voters $5M
Santa
Monica
10-18% Initiated in 1993; 2024 by voters $7M
LA City 10% Initiated in 1990; considered
increase but withdrew
$142M
Oakland 20%;
monthly
(10% GF
and 10%
dedicated
to Violence
Prevention)
Initiated in 1992; Amended in
2014 and 2024 by voters
(parcel tax included in
measure)
$12M
5 Cities with Parking Tax
City Rate Voter Approval Annual Revenue
San
Francisco
25% Initiated in 1972; Amended in
1980 by voters
$88M
Berkeley 10% Initiated in 1978 $1.6M
Inglewood 10% Initiated in 1973 $7M
Ontario 12.5% Initiated in 1984 $5M
6