[1:38] Hey everybody.

[1:40] >> Hey.

[1:41] >> Hi.

[1:42] I'm off I'm off uh I'm off video for now

[1:45] until we have to vote, I guess, but

[1:48] >> Oh yeah, me too.

[1:50] >> I'm sitting in a car in Carlsbad,

[1:52] California, so

[1:55] » Do you say nice?

[1:56] >> Yes, sir.

[2:00] » Yeah, we'd like to welcome everybody to

[2:02] this special city council meeting.

[2:05] As I promised online, it should be

[2:06] pretty short.

[2:08] We're going to start with an invocation

[2:10] from council member Lund and a pledge of

[2:11] allegiance from council member Jones.

[2:17] » Oh dear kind and gracious heavenly

[2:19] father, we're so thankful for

[2:21] the opportunity that we have to be here

[2:23] this evening to

[2:25] discuss the tax rate and to

[2:27] be able to accept

[2:29] the current rate and not have to raise

[2:31] taxes on our residents. Please help us

[2:34] to

[2:35] ask good questions and make good

[2:37] decisions as we represent our community

[2:39] and to do what will be best for them.

[2:41] We're thankful

[2:42] once again for this opportunity. Please

[2:44] bless and watch over our city this

[2:45] summer. Keep it safe from fire and from

[2:48] all other kinds of catastrophes and

[2:50] we're so grateful for the

[2:52] again for where we live, this beautiful

[2:53] place. We say these things in the name

[2:55] of Jesus Christ. Amen.

[2:56] >> Amen.

[2:58] >> Please join me in the pledge of

[3:00] allegiance.

[3:01] >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[3:05] United States of America

[3:07] and to the republic for which it stands,

[3:10] one nation under God, indivisible, with

[3:14] liberty and justice for all.

[3:19] » And thank you both.

[3:21] >> [clears throat]

[3:22] >> Okay, we're going to open the public

[3:25] comment. Um

[3:27] All the comments are limited to 2

[3:28] minutes or less. Only [clears throat]

[3:30] in-person comments will be included as

[3:32] part of the official record.

[3:34] Um it looks like I have no public online

[3:37] and I don't have any here in the the

[3:39] meeting, so we will close the public

[3:41] comment section.

[3:42] Uh we'll move to the business side. This

[3:44] will be the discussion of the resolution

[3:46] 2026-40

[3:48] setting the certified tax rate for

[3:50] Woodland Hills city, 2027 fiscal year.

[3:54] So, to give you guys kind of a little

[3:56] bit of understanding there,

[3:58] uh that would be a tax rate of .002976,

[4:04] which would be revenue equaling

[4:06] 1,042,000

[4:09] and and $11. Um and so we will reflect that. That is

[4:15] a little bit actually um higher than we

[4:19] had in the budget, I believe.

[4:21] Um and so we will reflect that and then

[4:23] allocate appropriately, um which gives

[4:25] us the opportunity to to get a few of

[4:27] those other things that you guys wanted

[4:29] to have done done. Um we will have that

[4:31] presented at the next council meeting

[4:34] and I'll get you guys a full sheet

[4:36] breaking down exactly where each of

[4:38] those funds are, so we won't just hand

[4:40] you a budget. I will hand you the same

[4:42] type of spreadsheet that we used when we

[4:45] when I was in Hawaii going over the

[4:47] budget. So, you'll see a little bit more

[4:50] detail there.

[4:52] Um any questions on uh that certified

[4:55] tax rate or the procedure here?

[4:57] >> I was just going to make the comment

[4:58] that we we made the budget based on last

[5:01] year's tax rate, and so that's why

[5:03] um when it ended up being more, we're

[5:05] going to have a little extra.

[5:07] That's my only comment.

[5:08] >> Yeah, and we didn't raise the rate than

[5:10] the county gave us.

[5:12] >> Yeah, what I what I read was we actually

[5:15] assumed a higher percentage. It came in

[5:19] at a lower percentage, but the actual

[5:22] expected revenue from that lower

[5:24] percentage is a higher number than what

[5:27] we had anticipated. So, we actually got

[5:30] a lower tax percentage than in the past

[5:33] and a higher tax revenue from that lower

[5:36] tax percentage.

[5:37] Is that correct?

[5:39] >> Yeah.

[5:41] That's my understanding.

[5:43] Uh values the you know, they have a

[5:45] rate, but they also do base it on the

[5:47] values. So, if the values are still

[5:49] going up,

[5:51] that's why there would be more revenue

[5:53] even though the rate is a little bit

[5:54] lower

[5:55] when they do the calculation.

[5:58] And then there's probably more homes

[6:00] than there were last year.

[6:02] A couple?

[6:02] >> Yeah, a few.

[6:04] >> How many?

[6:04] >> 18. 18 new homes last year.

[6:07] >> 18 new homes than last year. So, there's that.

[6:12] >> So, so just for my understanding and

[6:13] maybe somebody out there who's got the

[6:15] same question,

[6:16] we we were 0.0030903

[6:20] last year, 0.002976

[6:23] this year. So, again, fractionally less

[6:26] of a percent,

[6:28] the county just says, "Hey, we decide

[6:31] how much we're giving you.

[6:34] Here you go." And we don't have any say

[6:37] in that, right? Cuz independent of the

[6:39] truth in taxation,

[6:41] we we determine not to

[6:44] do a tax increase, right? Our property

[6:47] tax increase. But this is seems

[6:50] independent of that. Is that correct?

[6:53] >> It kind of. The county does do the

[6:55] calculation like Janet explained. Um and

[6:59] so with that calculation, they then kind

[7:01] of figure out, "Okay, what is current

[7:03] home value?" You're looking kind of for

[7:06] this much money per the rates. And so

[7:09] they kind of, in my opinion,

[7:12] work the numbers on this side for that

[7:14] rate. And then if we had budgeted or

[7:17] needed more than this number, that's

[7:20] when we would then say, "No, we actually

[7:22] need a higher number. We're going to go

[7:23] for a truth in taxation cuz we're

[7:25] looking for this revenue amount to

[7:27] accomplish what we need to."

[7:29] And in this case, this revenue amount

[7:32] satisfies our needs.

[7:33] >> So, they take the current value, 45%

[7:36] discount, times the tax rate. And then

[7:39] that's what each home is, you know, tax

[7:41] rate is. but then they take the whole

[7:43] So, they'll calculate that for all the

[7:45] homes in Woodland Hills,

[7:47] but then they

[7:48] Well, yeah, but then they'll divide it

[7:50] out.

[7:51] There's different like certain

[7:52] percentage goes to the school district,

[7:54] a certain percentage goes, you know, to

[7:56] all the things.

[7:58] And then, um whatever percentage we get,

[8:00] that's that's what we get.

[8:02] >> And and they were just kind of at their

[8:04] mercy, sorry.

[8:05] >> Well, so and I I I think we're not at

[8:08] their mercy at this point. We could

[8:10] decide that this isn't what we wanted to

[8:13] do and we would have to have another

[8:14] truth and taxation and so on and so

[8:16] forth. So, we could make a change to

[8:19] this. Um but what we're saying is that

[8:22] originally we decided to go with this

[8:24] the the standard tax rate. We weren't

[8:26] going to raise it any higher. I Well,

[8:28] originally we were going to raise it and

[8:30] then we decided against that. We did

[8:32] some

[8:33] you know, some some constructive

[8:34] financing.

[8:35] Changed that around to where we didn't

[8:37] need to raise it. And we said we'll

[8:39] stick with the with the county's number.

[8:41] Well, the county finally comes back and

[8:43] says, "Well, here's the the actual

[8:45] number, not what we guessed it was going

[8:47] to be." Um and here's your actual

[8:50] number. We could make a change. Um

[8:52] but we kind of have decided that we're,

[8:55] you know,

[8:56] it it's actually giving us more money

[8:58] than than we had intended and we had

[9:01] expected. So, uh

[9:04] to change it now is possible, but not uh

[9:08] >> So, actually, Brian, that's what makes

[9:10] this so complicated right now. We've

[9:13] already made the decision and because of

[9:16] how late

[9:18] the county was in getting us this

[9:20] number,

[9:21] our ability to declare a truth in

[9:23] taxation or an increase is actually

[9:25] passed.

[9:26] So, it was Well, that's so terrible.

[9:29] >> I I agree with that, but I think we

[9:30] would we could uh

[9:33] There There would be a way to finagle

[9:34] it, but I don't know why we would even

[9:36] want to. Um just because we're actually

[9:38] getting more more money than than what

[9:41] we had expected and a lower tax rate.

[9:45] So, it all turns out good in the end.

[9:47] >> It's too late. It's past the deadline.

[9:49] So, we actually can't.

[9:51] >> deadlines are again when because they

[9:53] came out late, I think we have grounds

[9:55] to fight being able to change it if we

[9:57] were wanting to, but there's no reason

[9:59] to even approach that.

[10:01] >> Yeah, Carrie.

[10:03] >> Yes. Um so, it's all based on state

[10:05] statute. And so so, what they do is they assess the values of the homes. And

[10:12] by law, we had to have our budget

[10:15] numbers in whether they were high or

[10:17] low, it's our prerogative to to do the

[10:20] budget for the city. Um we kind of

[10:23] usually base it on last year's because

[10:25] they try to do a tax rate that's

[10:29] um negative uh a revenue neutral. So,

[10:32] that it's similar to the last year. So,

[10:34] it gives us something to go off, but

[10:36] it's not set in stone. So, we have to

[10:39] turn in that that um

[10:41] that a temporary budget or preliminary

[10:44] budget um a few weeks ago. And then um

[10:48] whether it's going to be high or low um

[10:51] is dependent on this tax rate that the

[10:54] county does give us based on the

[10:56] assessed values. Now, then after that

[10:58] assessment comes in, you don't get to

[11:01] change your your budget at all. Um if

[11:04] it's if your budget is higher than what

[11:06] they

[11:07] um

[11:08] gave you the tax rate for, the county

[11:10] sends out a a notice to all residents

[11:13] that says they're over and we have to

[11:16] schedule a truth in taxation. Now, we

[11:18] have done it in the past where we've had

[11:20] to just up it a few percent to make it

[11:22] work. And there's times when we have

[11:25] then taken things out. So, by the time

[11:28] our truth in taxation hearings is in in

[11:31] know, is held in August then we have

[11:33] already cut it and it and then we can

[11:35] say we're not going to raise any taxes.

[11:38] So, they always have you put the

[11:39] preliminary budget in first, then they

[11:42] give you the rate, and then you have to

[11:44] go with process from there. So, so we

[11:47] did we can't change it higher, but we

[11:49] can always at truth in taxation take

[11:52] things out so that we can make it um

[11:57] that that neutral

[11:59] um space, but it's it's kind of a

[12:01] complicated thing because we don't know

[12:03] what it's going to be until the end of

[12:05] June, which of course July 1st is our

[12:08] fiscal year starting point. And so it's

[12:10] kind of a tight crunch for us, but it is

[12:13] what it is and we are work we'll work

[12:15] with it. And luckily for us, we've made

[12:17] our budget so it came in relatively like

[12:20] last year, but we did get some new homes

[12:22] and some home values increased. So, our

[12:25] tax rate um is sufficient for our needs

[12:28] and we may have some to do some of those

[12:30] other projects.

[12:33] >> Beautiful summary. Okay.

[12:35] That helps, Steve?

[12:36] >> Yeah, thank you.

[12:36] >> Perfect.

[12:37] Uh any other questions or comments on

[12:39] that?

[12:42] Okay, then I will we will uh

[12:45] close that and head into the city

[12:48] council meeting.

[12:49] >> I did have separate we just did it.

[12:51] >> Oh, we're just all combined today. This

[12:52] is great. Then I will take and accept a

[12:55] motion to accept uh resolution 2026-40,

[13:00] which is setting the certified tax rate

[13:02] for Woodland Hills City 2027 fiscal

[13:04] year.

[13:04] >> I'll make a motion.

[13:06] >> I have a motion from uh Council Member

[13:08] Lund.

[13:09] >> I'll second.

[13:10] >> I've got a second from Council Member

[13:12] Johns. Sorry, Roden the the delay.

[13:15] >> The delay was worth

[13:16] >> All right, whatever. I get it.

[13:18] >> Jody, we'll be getting signatures later.

[13:21] >> [laughter]

[13:21] >> Exactly. Council Member Malkovich.

[13:24] >> Yes.

[13:25] >> Council Member Hutchings.

[13:26] >> Yes.

[13:28] >> Council member Rowden?

[13:29] >> Yes.

[13:30] >> Council member Johns?

[13:31] >> Yes.

[13:32] >> Council member Lund?

[13:33] >> Yes.

[13:34] >> Okay, that motion that resolution

[13:36] passes.

[13:37] Um I don't have any need for a closed

[13:40] session. We can push that till next

[13:42] time. Um if there's anything that uh

[13:45] additionally comes up. Um so unless you

[13:48] guys have a need to go into closed

[13:50] session, I'll entertain that.

[13:53] >> No.

[13:54] >> Perfect. Okay, then I will accept a

[13:56] motion to adjourn.

[13:57] >> I'll make a motion.

[13:59] >> Okay, then we are adjourned.

[14:01] Thank you guys. Travel safe.

[14:03] >> Have a good evening.

Special City Council Meeting June 16, 2026

Transcript