Published originally by LAist on May 7 and updated August 15, TPR shares this piece by David Wagner offering perspectives on LA County Measure A--a proposed evergreen, half-cent sales tax to replace the existing quarter-cent sales tax approved by voters as Measure H in 2017. Wagner delivers insights from proponents and opponents, including homeless services providers, housing authorities, the California Community Foundation and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Please find the piece as originally published by LAist, here.
"Despite billions in spending, L.A.’s unhoused population has risen approximately 37% since Measure H took effect. There are a lot of factors at play: rising rents, the pandemic, a crisis-level lack of affordable housing. Still, many officials and taxpayers are asking why there isn’t more to show for so much taxpayer investment."
Supporters of a new ballot initiative believe they can once again convince L.A. County voters to pay a higher sales tax to fund efforts to make progress on a homelessness crisis that remains top of mind for many Angelenos.
An existing quarter-cent tax approved in 2017 would rise to a half-cent tax, with a focus on getting unhoused Angelenos off the streets and keeping vulnerable residents housed.
Proponents of the “Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions and Prevention Now” initiative brought more than 410,000 signatures to the L.A. County Registrar’s Office in Norwalk on Tuesday. County officials will now have 30 working days to verify about 240,000 of those signatures, the threshold needed to qualify for the November ballot.
“Housing affordability is the top issue that most Angelenos care about,” said Miguel Santana, president of the California Community Foundation and one of the measure’s formal backers. “It’s also impacting the quality of life. So this initiative is aimed at increasing affordability for all Angelenos so that there are less people who are entering homelessness.”
If the measure gets approved for the November ballot and receives support from more than half of L.A. County voters, it would repeal the existing quarter-cent sales tax under 2017’s Measure H. A new half-cent sales tax would take its place. Measure H is set to expire in 2027. The proposed half-cent tax would not sunset.
Continue reading on LAist, here.
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