Measure PFD Falls Short of Two-Thirds Threshold

Pasadena's proposed 14-year parcel tax holds 66.26% of the vote with 345 mail ballots still outstanding.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Elections

Measure PFD Falls Short of Two-Thirds Threshold

Live Poll

Would you vote yes on a new parcel tax for local firefighting and emergency services?

Measure PFD, a proposed parcel tax in Pasadena, has captured 66.26% of the vote, or 36,178 votes, below the two-thirds threshold needed to pass. The county registrar's office reports 345 outstanding mail ballots remaining.

Why it matters

Parcel taxes require two-thirds approval, and even if every remaining vote supported the measure it would reach only about 66.46%, leaving it short. The proposal followed the Eaton Fire, which decimated Altadena and damaged more than 100 Pasadena homes.

The measure has 66.26% support against a 66.67% requirement, with 345 mail ballots still uncounted. Official results from the remaining ballots have not yet been reported.

The players

Pasadena Now

A local news outlet that reported the vote count and has not called the race.

The details

Measure PFD would levy 19 cents a year per square foot of improved property and is projected to raise an estimated $22.1 million annually for 14 years. The county has no automatic recount policy, though any registered voter may request a recount of votes for candidates or local measures.

2025: The Eaton Fire decimated Altadena and damaged more than 100 Pasadena homes.
2026-11-09
The county registrar reported the vote count as of Monday morning.

Political Context

Pasadena voters already approved Measure L in 2022, renewing a library parcel tax for 15 years and generating about $2.8 million annually. Measure EE in 2024 added a $90 annual parcel tax for eight years, raising roughly $5 million a year.

If approved, the tax would cost property owners 19 cents per square foot of improved property each year, with a low-income senior exemption. Because the measure is short of the threshold, property owners will not face the new charge unless the remaining ballots shift the result.

The takeaway

Local tax measures that require a two-thirds vote can fail narrowly even with majority support, so close vote counts often turn on the remaining mail ballots.