June 2 ballots for residents of Palos Verdes Estates will include Measure PF, a citizen’s initiative to fund Police and Fire which proposes a new parcel tax to replace the funding from Measure E, which expires next year.
Key Facts About Measure PF
Purpose: To ensure continued funding for Police, Fire, and emergency services, freeing up general fund resources for critically needed maintenance and capital improvements
Origin: This is a citizen-led initiative, not a city-sponsored measure. Because it is independent of the government, it requires a simple (rather than 2/3) majority to pass.
Endorsements: The Palos Verdes Democrats has not taken a formal position on the measure at this time.
Why It Matters: The PVE Fiscal Outlook
The city is currently navigating a challenging budget environment:
$3M Deficit: PVE is forecasting a shortfall for FY ‘25, requiring the use of reserve funds to maintain basic operations.
Efficient Operations: Despite having one of the lowest expenditures per resident, lowest median employee salaries among similar municipalities, and the smallest city staff over the past decade, the current budget cannot cover all needs.
Deferred Maintenance: The current "streamlined" budget continues to defer critical capital improvements and maintenance, which will become more costly over time.
Public Safety: Almost 60% of the city budget is dedicated to Fire and Police, contributing to PVE’s status as one of California's safest cities with among the fastest response times in California.
Get Informed
We encourage you to research the measure and the city's fiscal health before voting:
City Budget Data: pvestates.org/budget-outlook
Proponents (Measure PF): PVEfuture.com
Opposing Views: A committee to oppose Measure PF has filed with the city, however, we have not found a corresponding website.
Join Us: Former City Treasurer Kate Greenberg, a member of the initiative team, will speak and answer questions at our April meeting. We hope to see you there.