Manhattan Beach City, California, Measure A, Parcel Tax (June 2022)

Manhattan Beach Measure A
Election date June 7, 2022
Topic California parcel tax and Education
Status d Defeated
Type Initiative	Origin Citizens

Manhattan Beach Measure A was on the ballot as an initiative in Manhattan Beach on June 7, 2022. It was defeated.

A “yes” vote supported authorizing for 12 years an annual parcel tax of $1,095 per parcel, thereby generating an estimated $11-13 million per year for education funding in Manhattan Beach.

A “no” vote opposed authorizing for 12 years an annual parcel tax of $1,095 per parcel in Manhattan Beach.

A simple majority vote was required for the approval of Measure A.

Election results

Manhattan Beach Measure A
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		4,352	31.98%
No		9,255	68.02%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Measure A was as follows:

“

Shall a measure imposing an annual flat tax of $1,095.00 on each real property parcel within the City of Manhattan Beach, and adjusted annually for inflation, for a period of twelve years, thereby generating an estimated $11,000,000 to $13,000,000 annually for investment in education, with an oversight committee and exemptions for (1) low-income individuals and (2) seniors who use their property as a principal residence, be adopted?

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Background

Vote requirement for citizen-initiated tax measures

Court rulings on vote requirements for special tax measures

In 2019, 2020, and 2021, state superior courts and appellate courts have ruled that tax measures that dedicate revenue to a specific purpose have different vote requirements for approval depending on whether they were put on the ballot through a citizen signature petition or referred to the ballot by local lawmakers. The courts ruled that state law requiring a two-thirds (66.67%) vote to approve special taxes applies to a measure put on the ballot by a city council, county board of supervisors, or other local government body, but that a citizen-initiated special tax measure requires a simple majority (50% + 1 vote) to pass. Courts that have issued these rulings include the San Francisco Superior Court, the California First District Court of Appeal, and the California Fifth District Court of Appeal. In April 2021, the California Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal.

California voters approved Proposition 218 in 1996, adding Article XII C Voter Approval For Local Tax Levies to the California Constitution. The article includes the requirement that local governments may only enact, extend, or increase a special tax with a two-thirds (66.67%) vote of the electorate. Following the passage of Proposition 218, the two-thirds supermajority vote requirement was applied to legislative referrals, referendums, and citizen initiatives.

In August 2017, however, the California Supreme Court ruled in California Cannabis Coalition v. City of Upland that one requirement contained in Article XIII C—that general taxes must be put on the ballot during general elections—did not apply to citizen initiatives. The court categorized taxes imposed by citizen initiatives as separate from taxes imposed by local governments. This ruling brought the two-thirds (66.67%) vote requirement into question for special taxes proposed through citizen initiatives and was the basis of the superior and appellate court rulings on vote requirements.

June 2022 special tax initiatives

The following local measures propose special taxes and were put on the June 2022 ballot through citizen signature petitions:

Ballot Measure
Kings County, California, Measure F, Fire and Emergency Services Sales Tax (June 2022)
Manhattan Beach City, California, Measure A, Parcel Tax (June 2022)
Mariposa County, California, Measure O, Sales Tax to Fund Hospital Construction (June 2022)
San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, California, Measure Z, Special Tax Repeal Initiative (June 2022)

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

This measure was put on the ballot through a successful citizen initiative petition drive.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in California

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in California.

How to vote in California

Poll times

All polls in California are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in California, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and California resident. A voter must be at least 18 years of age on Election Day. Pre-registration is available at 16 years of age. Pre-registered voters are automatically registered to vote when they turn 18.

Automatic registration

California automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they complete a driver's license, identification (ID) card, or change of address transaction through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Learn more by visiting this website.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

California has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

California allows same-day voter registration.

Californians must be registered to vote at least 15 days before Election Day. If the registration deadline has passed for an upcoming election, voters may visit a location designated by their county elections official during the 14 days prior to, and including Election Day to conditionally register to vote and vote a provisional ballot, which are counted once county election officials have completed the voter registration verification process. The state refers to this process as Same Day Voter Registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in California, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

California's constitution requires that voters be U.S. citizens. When registering to vote, proof of citizenship is not required. Individuals who become U.S. citizens less than 15 days before an election must bring proof of citizenship to their county elections office to register to vote in that election. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

As of November 2024, two jurisdictions in California had authorized noncitizen residents to vote for local board of education positions through local ballot measures. Only one of those jurisdictions, San Francisco, had implemented that law. Noncitizens voting for board of education positions must register to vote using a separate application from the state voter registration application.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The secretary of state's My Voter Status website allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

California does not require voters to present identification before casting a ballot in most cases. However, some voters may be asked to show a form of identification when voting if they are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and did not provide a driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of their social security number. On September 29, 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed SB 1174 into law prohibiting any jurisdiction in the state from adopting a local law that requires voters to present ID before voting.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2024. Click here for the California Secretary of State page to ensure you have the most current information.

“

Current and valid photo identification provided by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual presenting it. Examples of photo identification include, but are not limited to, the following documents: driver's license or identification card of any state; passport; employee identification card; identification card provided by a commercial establishment; credit or debit card; military identification card; student identification card; health club identification card; insurance plan identification card; or public housing identification card. Any of the following documents, provided that the document includes the name and address of the individual presenting it, and is dated since the date of the last general election…: utility bill; bank statement; government check; government paycheck; document issued by a governmental agency; sample ballot or other official elections document issued by a governmental, agency dated for the election in which the individual is providing it as proof, of residency or identity; voter notification card issued by a governmental agency; public housing identification card issued by a governmental agency; lease or rental statement or agreement issued by a governmental agency; student identification card issued by a governmental agency; tuition statement or bill issued by a governmental agency; insurance plan card or drug discount card issued by a governmental agency; discharge certificates, pardons, or other official documents issued to the individual by a governmental agency in connection with the resolution of a criminal case, indictment, sentence, or other matter; public transportation authority senior citizen and disabled discount cards issued by a governmental agency; identification documents issued by governmental disability agencies; identification documents issued by government homeless shelters and other government temporary or transitional facilities; drug prescription issued by a government doctor or other governmental health care provider; (R) property tax statement issued by a governmental agency; vehicle registration issued by a governmental agency; or vehicle certificate of ownership issued by a governmental agency.

”

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2022
• California parcel tax on the ballot
• Education on the ballot
• Los Angeles County measures
• Parcel tax

California

• California 2022 local measures
• Local ballot measures, California
• Manhattan Beach, California
• Parcel tax elections in California

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

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