{"id":346999,"date":"2026-06-04T20:41:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T20:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/346999\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T20:41:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T20:41:10","slug":"inaction-orange-officials-cant-agree-on-sales-tax-measure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/346999\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Inaction:\u2019 Orange Officials Can\u2019t Agree on Sales Tax Measure"},"content":{"rendered":"

Orange City Council members once again are struggling to agree on the components for a sales tax increase measure city-hired consultants previously said is needed to avoid municipal bankruptcy.<\/p>\n

[Read: Orange Inches Closer to Tax Increase Ballot Measures<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very confused by the fact that everybody agrees that for the last year or two years we\u2019re struggling \u2013 can\u2019t pay to keep police officers, we\u2019re going to have trouble starting to fund our fire department \u2013 but we\u2019re back at indecision and inaction,\u201d said Councilman Jon Dumitru at the May 26 meeting.<\/p>\n

\"\"Orange City Councilman Jon Dumitru speaks in the city chambers during a council meeting on July 22, 2025. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

The indecision comes as city leaders now say they are facing an over $20 million deficit in the next year starting in July that they propose balancing by transferring out $15.5 million from three different spending pots and the rest from eliminating vacant positions.<\/p>\n

Officials say a one-cent sales tax increase, if passed by voters, will bring in $37 million.<\/p>\n

Yet elected officials couldn\u2019t reach a consensus on how long the increase should stay in place if approved in November, with two elected officials previously voicing opposition to any increase.<\/p>\n

The council\u2019s failure to reach a consensus comes as the deadline to place the sales tax increase on November\u2019s ballot looms.<\/p>\n

According to City Manager Jared Hildenbrand, the last day to get a measure on the November ballot is July 14.<\/p>\n

\"\"The Orange City Council meeting on May 14, 2024. Credit: ERIKA TAYLOR, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

At the May 26 meeting, city council members ultimately voted 5-2 to continue the discussion on the sales tax measure to a future meeting. Councilman John Gyllenhammer and Councilman Denis Bilodeau were the dissenting votes.<\/p>\n

Council members also voted 5-2 to place a measure on the November ballot that, if approved, would raise the hotel tax from 10% to 14% for hotels with 11 rooms or more. Gyllenhammer and Bilodeau were the dissenting votes.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the first time city council members have hesitated to put a sales tax increase before voters.<\/p>\n

In 2024, city council members went back and forth struggling to get consensus on a proposed sales tax increase<\/a> before deciding in the 11th hour to place a 0.5% sales tax measure that ultimately failed.<\/p>\n

How Long Should a Sales Tax Increase Last?<\/p>\n

Orange officials couldn\u2019t agree on how long the proposed sales tax measure should last \u2013 whether it be 10 years, 12 years, 15 years or maintaining the measure indefinitely with both Gyllenhammer and Bilodeau voting against every suggestion.<\/p>\n

Any vote on the proposed measure needed a supermajority vote \u2013 meaning at least five of the seven council members had to vote in favor of the measure.<\/p>\n

Councilwoman Arianna Barrios suggested not placing a timeframe on the proposed sales tax measure and keeping the increase indefinitely until voters decide to end it but her motion only garnered support from Dumitru.<\/p>\n

Mayor Dan Slater suggested the measure have a 10-year limit, which garnered support from Councilwoman Kathy Tavoularis \u2013 who refused to support any other suggested term limit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re shooting ourselves in the foot if we go for more than 10 years because I don\u2019t think the voters are going to be happy with that,\u201d Slater said.<\/p>\n

\"\" Mayor Dan Slater listens to public speakers during the July 22, 2025, Orange City Council meeting. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

Tavoularis said the 10 year limit would force future council members to focus on economic development.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason I want 10 years is I think it keeps future councils\u2019 feet to the fire,\u201d she said at the May 26 meeting. \u201cIf they\u2019re sitting on an income from a tax increase that is on there until voters decide they don\u2019t want it, that will cause the council to be lazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The motion for a 10-year limit on the tax barely failed to get enough support with Barrios, Gyllenhammer and Bilodeau voting against it.<\/p>\n

Councilwoman Ana Gutierrez suggested a compromise of the proposed tax increase lasting 15-years but her motion also failed to get enough support from her colleagues.<\/p>\n

Tavoularis pushed back on the 15-year period.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe live in a small-c conservative community,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be hard for people to do this and I think putting a 15-year (tax increase) on our residents is a little burdensome at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Councilwoman Kathy Tavoularis during the July 22, 2025, Orange City Council meeting. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

As officials in Orange disagree over how long the proposed sales tax increase should last if it\u2019s approved, Santa Ana City Council members are likely to place a measure on the ballot to maintain the temporary sales tax increase approved by voters in 2018 called Measure X.<\/p>\n

[Read: Will Santa Ana Revive Sales Tax Measure or Make Budget Cuts?<\/a>]<\/p>\n

It comes as leaders in Santa Ana are grappling with their own projected multi-million dollar deficit.<\/p>\n

Dumitru, who initially supported the measure not having a time limit, suggested a 12-year limit on the increase, indirectly calling out Tavoularis for not budging.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have one council member who says we need the money but doesn\u2019t want to vote for anything but 10 years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Tavoularis said Dumitru\u2019s remarks were unfair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all want to do the right thing. I feel strongly about one term, you feel strongly about another doesn\u2019t mean that you or I care any less than anybody else,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re afraid,\u201d Dumitru said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not afraid of anything. You know what I\u2019m afraid of? The city not working,\u201d Tavoularis said, suggesting they table the vote.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Dumitru\u2019s motion did not receive enough support from his colleagues, with Tavoularis, Gyllenhammer and Bilodeau voting against it<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re a council that has been amazing at inaction,\u201d Dumitru said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m just very frustrated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org.<\/p>\n

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