Los Angeles County voters will be asked to consider a half-cent increase in the general sales tax this June to help offset federal cuts to healthcare funding.
The Board of Supervisors approved the ballot measure Tuesday on a 4–1 vote, with Kathryn Barger dissenting.
"Backfilling federal funding cuts on the backs of county taxpayers is not acceptable," Barger said in a statement. "Los Angeles County residents are already stretched thin. Last year, Bloomberg News reported that Los Angeles now has the highest sales tax rates of any major metropolitan region in the nation. This proposed half-cent increase would push us even higher, making our county less affordable for families and less appealing for consumers to shop and businesses to operate. We are risking imposing higher everyday costs and small businesses and employers choosing to l leave Los Angeles County altogether."
Holly J. Mitchell, who authored the motion, argues that raising taxes is necessary to prevent a public health crisis driven by funding cuts in H.R. 1 (the “Big Beautiful Bill”), signed into law by Donald Trump last year.
“The county's most impacted departments face projected losses totaling $2.4 billion over the next three years,'' according to the motion. "Due to funding losses, county officials have already initiated hiring freezes and are contemplating service consolidations, potential layoffs of 5,000 staff, and facility closures in the coming years."
If approved, the ballot measure would raise the county sales tax from 9.75% to 10.25%. The increase would also apply to incorporated cities. The tax would sunset on October 1, 2031.
Up to 47% of the revenue raised would go to the county Department of Health Services (DHS). Around 22% would support public hospitals and clinics, and 10% would support the county Department of Public Health. Approximately 1% would be distributed to the cities of Pasadena and Long Beach, which operate their own public health departments.
Read more at NBC Los Angeles.