Tax Break for Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo Homes?

Landowners in Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo may not have to pay for a routine 2 percent increase in their Mello-Roos taxes.

The Capistrano Unified school board asked for the matter be placed on a future agenda. At Wednesday’s meeting, board members were scheduled to rubber-stamp the annual adjustment for inflation.

But Trustee Jim Reardon asked district consultants if they had to tweak the taxes. Because taxpayers in Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo paid an unfair share to build the district headquarters, he said it was the least the Board of Trustees could do.

The Mission Viejo-Aliso Viejo Mello-Roos district “was the largest contributor to the building of this building. Nowhere in the documents were the authorizations to spend the funds in this way,” Reardon said.

When Board President John Alpay said he felt uncomfortable approving a resolution that was not included in the agenda packet, district consultant Andrea Roess said the board could approve the regular tax hike that evening, then revise it by early September.

The board voted 5-1 to do just that, with Trustee Anna Bryson voting no and Trustee Lynn Hatton recusing herself because she lives in the taxing district.

• Read about Las Flores landowners getting a break on their taxes.
• Read about Talega residents not recouping any savings derived from a recent financing of Mello-Roos bonds.