By Jose Herrera
City News Service
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles city voters were poised Tuesday, Nov. 3, to approve a half-cent sales tax increase projected to provide the Fire Department (LAFD) with an additional $345 million annually, while county voters overwhelmingly backed a measure to establish ethics reforms.
All 10 city and county measures on the ballot were receiving more than 50% support, according to figures released by the LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
City voters were poised to approve six City Charter amendments and two tax-related measures, while two County Charter changes were also ahead in countywide returns.
Measure FD had 53.63% support, or 386,446 votes, while 46.37%, or 334,174 votes, were cast against the half-cent sales tax increase.
If approved, the city’s sales tax would increase from 10.25% to 10.75%. Revenue generated by the tax would be used to build new fire stations, increase hiring and upgrade equipment to address emergencies.
United Firefighters of LA City (UFLAC) Local 112, the union representing city firefighters, said more money is needed to fund the department. The LAFD has about 3,400 firefighters across 106 fire stations, a number that has not changed since the 1960s, according to the union.
The proposal came in response to the January 2025 fires that destroyed thousands of homes in Pacific Palisades and killed 12 people. The tax hike is supported by UFLAC, other local and state firefighter associations, Mayor Karen Bass and City Council members.
The LA Police Protective League, the union representing police officers and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association opposed the measure, saying the tax would further burden residents. The organizations say the city should fully fund the department rather than ask voters to pay more.
City voters also backed Measure TE, which had 63.97% support, or 460,967 votes, compared with 36.03%, or 259,601 votes, opposing the measure. If approved, Measure TE would provide a one-time exemption for Pacific Palisades property owners from paying the so-called “mansion tax,” or Measure ULA.
Measure TE aims to provide Pacific Palisades property owners with five years of relief from the 4% to 5.5% tax on property sales above $5.4 million. Property owners must sell their properties within five years of the Palisades fire to qualify for relief.
Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents Pacific Palisades, Bass, Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and the Palisades Community Council, among other groups, have expressed support for the measure.
While no formal opposition was filed, City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez raised concerns earlier this year about how the exemption could be used by private companies, investors or people with portfolios of properties.
City voters were also poised to approve the following six City Charter amendments:
– Measure EE had support from 53.88% of voters as of Wednesday morning. Measure EE would make ethics and governance reforms. It proposes increasing the maximum fine for campaign finance violations to $15,000; prohibiting ethics commissioners from running for city office or the LA Unified School District Board of Education for at least five years after leaving the LA City Ethics Commission; empowering the LAPD inspector general and LAFD independent assessor to open investigations and audit their respective departments; and changing a requirement for the City Council to meet at least three times a week to once a week;
– Measure LA had 60.38% support. Measure LA aims to change how the city plans for infrastructure improvements and budgeting. It proposes creating a capital infrastructure plan for projects such as streetlight, sidewalk and road repairs. The measure would implement a two-year budget cycle and move away from one-year budget planning, provide more authority to the director of the Department of Public Works while reducing some of the power held by the Board of Public Works, the governing board overseeing the department and allow the city to sell products and mortgage city property;
– Measure PL had nearly 70.31% support. Measure PL would change certain provisions related to planning and land-use decisions. If approved, the measure would provide the Department of Planning with more authority over permit applications and limit the process that allows the City Council to assert jurisdiction over planning and development issues. It would also replace the Department of City Planning’s seven regional area commissions with one appeals board in an effort to streamline project appeals. Lastly, the proposed measure aims to remove some zoning and planning rules and make it easier to do so by ordinance;
– Measure PRK had 77% support, compared with 23% opposition. Measure PRK would allocate more funding to the Department of Recreation and Parks. Under the proposal, funding for parks would increase from 0.00325% to 0.065% over a 10-year period;
– Measure PRT had nearly 76% support, compared with 24% opposition. Measure PRT aims to make changes to the city’s proprietary departments, such as the Harbor Department, which oversees the Port of LA; LA World Airports (LAWA), which oversees LA International Airport (LAX) and Van Nuys Airport; and the Department of Water and Power (DWP). If approved, the measure would require the Harbor Department to allocate more of its operating income to waterfront public access projects and require economic and employment disclosure forms for individuals or parties seeking to lease or develop port-owned land. It would also require a coastal development permit. The measure would authorize LAWA and DWP to issue lease terms of up to 66 years, similar to terms already provided under the Harbor Department. Lastly, the measure would change the composition of the LAWA Board of Airport Commissioners, requiring that five of its seven members reside in the communities hosting the airports. Three members would be required to live in communities near LAX, and two members would be required to live in neighborhoods around Van Nuys Airport; and
– Measure SC had 78% support, compared with 22% opposition. Measure SC would make changes to campaign rules and oversight pertaining to LAUSD Board of Education elections. The measure aims to clarify that city election campaign rules also apply to LAUSD elections. While LAUSD election campaign rules are similar to city election rules, they are detailed in a separate part of the City Charter, and proponents seek to ensure school board candidates comply with regulations for citywide seats.
Meanwhile, county voters largely backed two County Charter measures:
– Measure A had nearly 65% support. Measure A aims to ban labor strikes by public safety personnel, including certain fire department employees, sheriff’s deputies, Department of Medical Examiner employees, district attorney investigators, lifeguards, supervisors and nonadministrative civilian staff, and require binding arbitration for unresolved labor disputes.
The unions representing these employees, including the Association for LA Deputy Sheriffs, LA County Federation of Labor, LA County Firefighters Local 1014 and the LA County Professional Peace Officers Association, have endorsed the measure. Critics argue it would take away the county Board of Supervisors’ leverage to make a final offer if the sides cannot reach an agreement, leaving final negotiations to a three-person arbitration board; and
– Measure E had 73% support, compared with 26% opposition. Measure E would codify the creation of an independent ethics commission. The commission would enforce campaign finance laws and oversee conflicts of interest and other ethics-related issues. It would also reinstate funding requirements under the 2020 voter-approved Measure J, also referred to as the Community Investment and Alternatives to Incarceration measure. Measure J requires that a minimum of 10% of funding go toward youth development, job training and small-business support, alternatives to incarceration and other areas. In 2024, county voters approved Measure G, which established an independent ethics commission, created a county CEO position beginning in 2028 and expanded the Board of Supervisors from five seats to nine by 2032. When Measure G passed, it repealed Measure J funding requirements.
“Tonight, the voters of Los Angeles spoke clearly. Measure E’s decisive victory affirms our long-held belief that voters want more ethics, more transparency and more accountability from their government,” County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said in a social media post Tuesday night.