Frequently Asked Questions - Fees and Taxes

QUESTION:  Do we, the residents and businesses of the unincorporated County, pay more in taxes and fees than City residents?  

Yes.  You will pay less in taxes and fees by annexing to the City of Santa Clarita. Click here to find out why.  Typical residences can expect to save an average of $200 per year.   

QUESTION: How come unincorporated County residents pay more taxes?

Because County residents pay a 5% tax on their gas, electric, phone and cell phone bills.  This tax is identifed on these bills.  The City does not charge this tax.  This tax alone averages about $200 per year, more if you have higher utility bills.    Click here to find out more about this tax.  Businesses can save tens of thousands of dollars if they don't have to pay this tax. 

$200 may not be a lot, but why pay it if you don't have to?     

QUESTION: Are there any fees in the city that are higher than what I currently pay?   

Yes, but the tax/fee savings you will receive with annexation are far greater than these increased fees.  

The City assess a stormwater utility fee which average $24 per year for a typcial house (click here to read about this fee).  Also, the $5 annual streetlight maintenance fee you currently pay will increase to $50 (click here to read about this fee).  These increased fees total $69 per year, far below the $200 savings you will receive from not having to pay the utility users tax, not to mention the fee savings from lower trash fees discussed below.   

QUESTION: What about Trash Collection Fees?

Trash Collection Fees are significantly lower in the City than they are in County. Upon annexation, everyone's monthly trash fee will go down, saving an additional $70 a year.  Click here to learn more (this savings alone covers the increased City fees)

QUESTION: What about fees for Parks and Recreation Services?

City residents (including children) pay less for parks and recreation programs.  This savings can be as much as $30 per person per program.  

QUESTION:  I do a substantial amount of shopping in the City and, therefore, contribute a lot of sale tax to the City.  Shouldn't I receive something back in the form of services? 

If you shop in the unincorporated County your sales tax goes to the County.  About half of these taxes are spent on County programs elswhere in the County, programs that do not benefit us.  When you shop in the City, the City collects all of the sales tax, 100% of which is spent in the Santa Clarita Valley on programs that directly benefit City residents.  The only way to ensure that your sales tax dollars are spent locally on services and programs that benefit you and your community is to annex.  Click here to read more.   

QUESTION:  As an unincorprated County resident, how much of the taxes we pay is returned in the form of services?

Only about half of the taxes that are paid by unincorporated County residents is returned in the form of services.  The other 50% of our tax dollars are leaving our valley to be spent on some County program elsewhere in the County that does not benefit us. 

Annexing to the City would keep a large portion of out tax dollars in our community, benefitting us as well as our neghbors.  Our community will get a lot more in government services through local government in Santa Clarita than from the huge bureaucracy of Los Angeles County.  Click here to learn more about keeping our tax dollars local. 

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