County withdraws proposed low‑value tax‑exemption ordinance after temporary administrative workaround identified

County Treasurer and Tax Collector Patrick Sullivan and the Auditor presented a plan Feb. 3 to delay a second reading and adoption of a previously proposed low‑value property tax ordinance after identifying a short‑term administrative procedure that can reduce costly tax‑sale processing.

Sullivan said his office and the Auditor have identified a Revenue and Taxation Code mechanism that allows the Treasurer’s Office and the Auditor‑Controller to cancel individual bills in certain cases, thus avoiding the cost of auctioning low‑value parcels while officials work with cities and potential partners to find a permanent approach.

Both officials stressed the workaround is a temporary “band‑aid” that would require manual adjustments and ongoing department effort; they urged continued coordination with the City of Clear Lake on longer‑term policy and potential layered solutions. Board members applauded the creative short‑term fix but emphasized the need to show progress toward a durable resolution to avoid returning to the low‑value ordinance later.

With the withdrawal, there is no second reading and no ordinance was adopted at this meeting. County staff said they will continue working with city officials and the board’s ad hoc committee to pursue multiple potential remedies to reduce administrative costs and address blight concerns while preserving tools that protect local revenues and enforcement incentives.