Are your “mello roos” incorporated into your tax bill or is it a separate bill? Is the only way to figure it out is to look at your itemized bill and that if you had an impound account your lender pays it and reports to you on your 1098, in the tax column, the taxes inclusive of the mello roos?

Whatever the dollar amount is on the 1098 reported by your lender as the “property taxes paid” I say you go with that number, that is the number the irs computer will be looking to match their data with your return.

If it is excluded on your 1098, like an hoa would be, then you are asking for attention and can’t play stupid when caught.