Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley has provided Rossmoor Community Services District with clarification that the City of Los Alamitos sales tax rate does not apply to Rossmoor.
Recently, the District informed Supervisor Foley of a problem some Rossmoor residents were having with being charged the increased City of Los Alamitos sales tax rate. The Rossmoor Community Services District inquired about the sales tax charges for the unincorporated area of Rossmoor now that the City of Los Alamitos approved a new 1.5 percent local sales tax. This new sales tax is imposed on top of the base 7.75 percent County rate. The County of Orange has now issued and received guidance from county counsel. The short answer to Rossmoor residents is that they are not subject to the Los Alamitos Tax.
While Rossmoor shares the same zip code with the City of Los Alamitos, Rossmoor keeps the same base 7.75 percent tax rate since the City of Los Alamitos’ new sales tax should only be imposed in the City’s jurisdictional boundaries and should not be charged on sales made in unincorporated areas. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration has a website that allows users to look up a tax rate by address: https://gis.cdtfa.ca.gov/public/maps/TaxRates/
Using this website, you will see that 12081 Chaucer Rd, Los Alamitos, CA 90720, which is in unincorporated Rossmoor, lists a 7.75 percent total sales tax rate. However, 11122 Los Alamitos Blvd, Los Alamitos, CA 90720, which is in the City of Los Alamitos, lists a 9.25 percent total sales tax rate.
Retailers sometimes charge the wrong sales tax rate, particularly where a zip code contains multiple taxing districts as noted in the attached article. In the attached Publication 452, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration states:
What happens if you are charged too much tax? Contact the business where you believe the incorrect rate was charged and request a refund. If you are unable to resolve the issue, call the CDTFA at 1-800-400-7115 (TTY:711), and staff will work with that company to resolve the problem.
Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley has stated that she, “looks forward to continue working with the Rossmoor community to help solve community concerns.”