Using Ubers or Lyfts to get to the Disneyland Resort area or Angel Stadium in Anaheim may become more expensive down the road as elected leaders contemplate asking voters to tax ridesharing apps traveling to the city\u2019s local attractions.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the latest tax proposal being floated by city council members in Orange County as elected leaders around the region are already asking voters to decide on a variety of tax hikes this November on the heels of a tough budget season that saw many cities struggle to balance their budgets.<\/p>\n
[Read: Voters Across OC to Decide on Tax Hikes in November Amid Budget Woes<\/a>]<\/p>\n At their 5 p.m. meeting Tuesday, Anaheim City Council members will decide on placing a measure on the ballot that if approved by voters would implement a 10% tax on Ubers and Lyfts going and coming to and from nonresidential parts of the resort area.<\/p>\n It would also apply to certain parts of the Platinum Triangle area \u2013 including the areas around\u00a0 the Honda Center, Angel Stadium and the expected OC Vibe! Development along the Santa Ana River and off the 57 freeway.<\/p>\n \u201cThe proposed Tourism Mobility Tax is intended to establish a locally controlled revenue source to help offset the municipal service demands associated with high volumes of rideshare activity within Anaheim\u2019s primary visitor-serving districts,\u201d reads a staff report<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dara Maleki, president and CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, said the proposed tax isn\u2019t different from the surcharges applied to trips from airports, will help the budget and bring greater order when it comes to regulating unlicensed taxi cabs.\u00a0<\/p>\n He also said it won\u2019t impact local businesses.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think it stopped anybody from taking an Uber from an airport. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to take anything out of it,\u201d he said in a phone interview Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m hoping that they\u2019ll use the revenues in a smart way to create a system that regulates all of the non-permitted taxicabs.\u201d<\/p>\n None of the city council members responded to requests for comment Monday morning and spokeswomen for Disney also did not respond to emailed questions.<\/p>\n Neither did spokespeople for Uber or Lyft.\u00a0<\/p>\n The proposed rideshare tax that is estimated to bring in under $4 million annually isn\u2019t the first tax elected officials have debated that could impact the Disneyland theme park.<\/p>\n Last year, Councilwoman Natalie Rubalcava unsuccessfully tried to get her fellow councilmembers to adopt a gate tax<\/a> on large entertainment venues like the iconic theme park but colleagues shut down the request arguing it targeted Disneyland.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the time, city staff were directed to come back with other revenue generating ideas.<\/p>\n The proposed tax comes after city officials adopted a balanced budget and closed an over $40 million gap by pulling from reserves and using money from a parking lot sale.<\/p>\n During the budget deliberations this summer, staff warned next year\u2019s projected deficit would eat up half of roughly $120 million in new revenue expected to be freed up next year once the city pays off the bonds for the 1997 Disneyland Resort expansion.<\/p>\n