Pasadena's City Council will have one shot to place a fire-focused parcel tax on the November ballot when it meets Monday, Aug. 3. The Monday, July 27 council meeting was canceled, the City of Pasadena confirmed on X, eliminating any remaining buffer before the county's filing deadline.

No second chance.

The measure would generate roughly $30 million a year to fund upgrades to the Pasadena Fire Department's aging, earthquake-vulnerable stations. The council directed staff to draft the ballot language on July 14, according to Pasadena Now, and city staff have signaled that Aug. 3 is the meeting at which the council should vote on whether to send the question to voters on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Los Angeles County's deadline to file ballot measures is Friday, Aug. 7, Pasadena Now reported July 14.

That four-day gap between the council vote and the county cutoff leaves no room for delay.

Rate options under consideration

City staff modeled the special parcel tax on developed square footage and presented three possible rates at a council session in late July: 17, 20, and 24 cents per developed square foot, Pasadena Now reported. A Finance Department report laid out five revenue options total, with the fire parcel tax among measures that could raise up to $30 million annually.

Public feedback mixed

Residents have submitted written correspondence to the council expressing support for firefighters but also concern over the proposed tax, with some calling for additional studies before a vote, according to Pasadena Now's coverage.

Councilmember Rick Cole, who represents District 2, has called for broader public discussion before the council commits to a ballot measure, Pasadena Now reported July 14. The city has also been conducting a community survey to gauge voter support for the measure, according to Pasadena Now.

Why the urgency

The push to upgrade fire infrastructure gained momentum after the Eaton Fire on Jan. 7, 2025, when Pasadena firefighters responded to Altadena during the disaster. The 2020 Bobcat Fire triggered evacuation warnings in Pasadena and threatened Mt. Wilson Observatory, and the 2009 Station Fire scorched more than 160,000 acres, killed two firefighters, and destroyed over 200 structures.

André Coleman, managing editor of Pasadena Now, wrote in a July 22 column: "Ask anybody who lost their home in the Eaton Fire if they would have been willing to pay a parcel tax to save their home. I suspect all of them would say yes."

What's next

The council meets at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3. Residents who want to weigh in can attend the meeting or submit public comment to the city clerk before the session. If the council approves the measure, it would appear on the Tuesday, Nov. 3 ballot.