Disney gate tax won't be on the ballot

Anaheim will not vote on a 3% tourism levy, but may see it debated again in future talks.

- BY GABRIEL SAN ROMÁN

A proposed ballot measure that, if passed, would tax Disney theme park admission tickets will not go before voters next year after failing to gain enough support from the Anaheim City Council.

Councilmember Natalie Rubalcava first requested a discussion on a Disney gate tax in September, as Anaheim recently turned to tax bonds, debt reserves and cash from a parking garage sale to patch up a $63-million budget shortfall.

If a 3% tourism tax were passed, it could generate from $83 million to $134 million in general fund revenue annually, according to a city staff report.

"As a policymaker for the city of Anaheim, it really is my responsibility to ensure that we have a properly funded general fund," Rubalcava said. "I wanted to take the opportunity to really go through the budget and identify the reasons why an initiative like this makes sense for our city."

Past councils have debated a Disney gate tax over the decades without having passed the policy, and last week's council meeting proved no different.

Billed as a citywide tax on theme parks, sporting and entertainment venues, the proposed ballot initiative, as written, would have collected and kept tax revenue only from Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. Angel Stadium already has a ticket and parking tax reimbursement clause in its current lease, while the Honda Center would have been exempt from the measure, as it is smaller than the proposal's 20,000-capacity threshold.