Voters in Los Angeles County may be asked to approve a temporary half-cent sales tax to stave off funding cuts to the county.
KNX News’ Craig Fiegener reported that the five-year proposed increase would put the county sales tax rate up to 10.25%. The money is needed because of cuts in funding from the federal government, according to Supervisors Hilda Solis and Holly Mitchell.
“It cut what will be $2.5 billion from the healthcare delivery system that the federal government historically has been obligated to pay through Medicaid,” Mitchell told Fiegener. “They come to the state, they come to the county. The county administers the program that the federal government pays for. So this has nothing to do with a perception of mismanagement, and [the county] is in no position, nor would any level of government across this country be in a position to cover a $2.5 billion cut.”
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo is among the supporters of the increase and told Fiegeener that it should also apply to the city of L.A.
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“What we're saying to the administration and Donald Trump [is] we don't know what your endgame is, but we do know what the impact of your very poorly thought-out decisions dismantling the safety net system for people who need it, whether it's healthcare, whether it's housing,” he said. “Ultimately, the voters will decide with us that yes, the systems that we once could count on that came from the federal level have been so eroded that they're essentially not there.”
If a majority of county supervisors vote for the tax increase, it will be up to voters to decide on the June ballot.
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