A campaign leaflet arriving in mailboxes around Los Angeles County promotes a ballot measure that would “take a new approach to expand programs that have been proven effective in preventing homelessness and increasing housing affordability.”
It said the measure, which will appear on the November ballot, would “repeal the current approach.”
It is not said in this that This measure is a tax And it would double the quarter-cent sales tax that funds the current approach.
Measure A, which requires a simple majority to pass, would repeal A quarter-cent sales tax was approved by voters in 2017.Two years before its mandatory expiration in 2027, it would be replaced by a half-cent sales tax that would remain in effect indefinitely unless repealed by voters.
One ad promotes Measure A, a tax increase estimated to raise more than $1 billion a year for programs and services for the homeless.
(Los Angeles Times)
The tax is estimated to raise more than $1 billion annually, which would fund homelessness programs, including mental health care, affordable housing, rental subsidies and services.
Sixty percent of those funds will be given to counties for homeless services and prevention, including subsidized housing and shelter, mental health care, case management, employment services and acquisition of existing housing.
The other 35.75% of the funds will go to the newly formed Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency, which aims to build new housing, preserve affordable housing, and protect tenants.
The flyer states that LA County officials estimate that homelessness would increase by at least 25% if the previous tax is eliminated without a replacement. Still, it says, the previous measure “does not adequately fund homelessness prevention or affordable housing — which is reflected in Measure A.”
Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics and accountability program manager for the watchdog group California Common Cause, said there is no requirement to provide all relevant information as long as the proper disclosures are included to explain who is behind the mailer. However, it is a requirement for details to be included in the sample ballots sent to all voters.
“This is kind of a common political strategy: Avoid the negative aspects and focus on the positive aspects or the issues that will be most attractive to the public or less controversial,” McMorris said. “If that means not mentioning that this is an actual tax, then voters are left to do their own research or read the ballot description or let the press inform them.”
The flyer showed it was sponsored by United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles, and PATH (People Assisting the Homeless).
Tommy Newman, United Way’s vice president of public affairs and activism, said the groups sent it out independently of the Measure A campaign.
“This is not an election mailing,” Newman said. “It doesn’t say to vote yes. It gives facts about the measure. You only get so much space in these pieces to try and prove yourself right. Tell the story about what will happen with this solution.”
Newman said this is one of several mailings that will be sent out as the campaign begins and others will include information about the tax source.
This flyer, which was sent to one million homes, links to a Website created by United Way It goes into more detail, including a cost analysis. It estimates the sales tax would cost $5 a month for the average family and $13 a month for a high-income family. It gives the example of an additional cost of 25 cents for a $100 tennis racket or necklace.
If Measure A is adopted, sales taxes in most cities and unincorporated areas would increase by a quarter of a percent. But six cities would see taxes increase by half a percent because their sales tax rates were at the maximum when the previous measure took effect. A recent change in state law allows them to raise their rates.
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which wrote the statement of opposition that will go on the ballot, considers the measure a special interest tax placed on the ballot by groups that will benefit from it, said Vice President of Communications Suzanne Shelley.
The measure, which qualified for the ballot through a signature drive, needs only a simple majority to pass under court rulings. Voter-approved requirement The two-thirds majority provision for government-imposed tax increases does not apply to citizen initiatives.
“Raising the sales tax, taking a temporary tax and making it permanent, and doing it in the face of a citizens’ initiative, we think is outrageous,” Shelley said.
Shelley said the Jarvis association has not yet decided how much money it will put into the opposition campaign.
Newman said the focus of the advocacy campaign is on Measure A’s key new elements — increased funding for housing, homelessness prevention and accountability — rather than the cost.
“From the research the campaign has done, voters’ primary concern is not about the sales tax increase,” Newman said. “Their primary concern is how that money will be spent, How is this different from what we were doing before And what will be the consequences.”
This measure requires oversight by a new board called Leadership TableMade up of city and county officials and community representatives. Prior to the election, the group will draft specific metrics for each of five goals: increase the number of people leaving encampments, reduce the number of homeless people with mental illness and/or substance use disorder, increase the number of people who become chronically homeless, prevent people from becoming homeless and increase the number of affordable housing units.
Programs that fail to meet these goals will have funding removed.
Campaign finance record Filed with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Reports show the two committees behind the measure have raised nearly $4 million, with the United Way contributing $1,580,000.
