The Indian Wells City Council has unanimously adopted a resolution to place a local ballot measure before the voters at the General Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The proposed measure would update and clarify the language in the City’s Admissions Tax ordinance regarding which organizations qualify for an exemption.
Approved by Indian Wells voters in 2005 as "Measure H," the City's current law established a general admissions tax at a maximum rate of 10 percent, while providing tax exemptions for certain non-profit organizations and event sponsors. In July, the City Council determined that, after 20 years, the current exemptions merited an update to clarify their terms. Under state law and the municipal code, changes to those exemptions must be approved by a majority of the City’s voters.
If approved, the new “Measure H” will update the municipal code to specifically identify qualifying exempt organizations by their federal tax classifications, such as Section 501(c)(3) for charitable, religious and educational groups, and Section 527 for political organizations. The measure would also require organizations seeking an exemption to demonstrate that they are in good standing and maintain their federal tax-exempt status. Finally, the measure would clarify that the exemption from the tax includes events hosted at hotels in the City.
"This measure is a reflection of our commitment to our nonprofit partners and other community organizations," said Mayor Toper Taylor. "By clarifying these rules, we are safeguarding tax-exemption benefits for residents and visitors who purchase tickets for events sponsored by charitable, religious and public service organizations. When a charitable event is exempt, residents and visitors do not pay the admission tax."
City Manager Chris Freeland also emphasized the measure does not create or increase the tax, but merely clarifies which events are exempt from it.
"This measure does not raise taxes," Freeland noted. "The proposed ordinance seeks to update and clarify exactly what types of organizations are exempt from the admissions tax, and updates the application process so the City can consistently evaluate an organization's federal tax-exempt status. Because the original measure was adopted by the voters in 2005, we must return to the voters to make these updates.”
The ballot measure will appear on the November 3, 2026, General Municipal Election ballot. In the coming months, the City will continue to provide residents with factual information on the proposed measure. For more information on the proposed ordinance and the upcoming municipal election, residents can visit CityOfIndianWells.org/MeasureH or review the full text of the measure, which will be printed in the upcoming voter information guide.
