Measure A

When Measure H was passed by L.A. County voters in 2017, it promised to provide funding to stem the increase in homelessness and keep residents housed for 10 years.

The County boasts that the Measure has sheltered more than 137,000 residents, housed nearly 99,000, and prevented homelessness for another 28,000. Nevertheless, emergency rooms still say they are overwhelmed, and more than 75,000 county residents on any given night find themselves wandering, or sleeping on the street, in tents, in encampments, or even in their vehicles.

With the measure expiring in a few years, a new measure has been written – Measure A – to replace the 10-year sunset with a permanent .25 cent sales tax to ensure long-term funding for a problem that has persisted despite Measure H spending. We encourage the county’s voters to vote Yes on A.

We’re not high on permanent taxes, particularly in a region now above 10 percent sales taxes in most areas. But it’s unfortunately difficult to see the homelessness crisis ending anytime soon and area affordability improving much quicker.

Specifically, Measure A establishes specific percentages for distributions of its revenue thusly:

• “60 percent to the County for Comprehensive Homelessness Services, the Local Solutions Fund, and Homelessness Solutions Innovations
  • At least 15 percent of the funds allocated under subparagraph B.1 shall be used for the Local Solutions Fund;
  • At least 1.65 percent of the funds allocated under subparagraph B.1 shall be used for Homelessness Solutions Innovations;
• 25 percent to the County for Accountability, Data, and Research
• 3 percent to LACDA for Local Housing Production
• 75 percent to the Housing Agency for Affordable Housing and Prevention.”

We are comforted by the fact that the measure also allows the Board of Supervisors to adjust the percentages starting in fiscal year 2030-2031, and every five years thereafter based on shifting needs and what is working or not. It’s probably the most important provision in the 20-page language of Measure A, and one we see as the taxpayer’s best defense against throwing money at efforts proving ineffective.

Funding must not be allowed to expire in three years. A new report by the L.A. Forward Institute claims that if Measure H were to expire without replacement, some 57,000 receiving aid now “would lose services and housing.” That includes more than 4,800 on the Westside.

Please join us, medical providers, faith leaders, labor, and affordable housing advocates, and vote Yes on Measure A.

Measure G

Measure G would amend the L.A. County Charter to create an elected County Executive, an Ethics Commission, and add a Legislative Analyst to review policy proposals. It would create greater transparency by requiring county departments to present their respective annual budgets publicly, and probably most notably – would expand the Board of Supervisors from five to nine elected members.

Opponents argue that making the county executive a political position with greater power would be a huge mistake and weaken the Board of Supervisors (BOS). That may have made Measure G a tougher decision for us, but we ultimately think the benefits far outweigh this concern. Others say it will be a boon to good governance to elect a person in this position.  We encourage a Yes vote on G.

Westside Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, the current Chair of the BOS, endorses the measure and was an early advocate for this good government reform. Nick Wyville, a spokesperson for Measure G wrote me on the elected County Executive issue saying, “It is Supervisor Horvath’s belief that this position will 1) create an important system of checks and balances, and 2) allow the executive to set a clear agenda and move quickly with implementing policies needed to address our biggest issues.”

Additionally, take the flipside of opponents’ argument. Can you name the L.A. County Executive? This person governs the county’s $45 Billion budget; shouldn’t we have a direct say in who that is? Shouldn’t they be more scrutinized by the media and other watchdogs? We believe so.

On ethics reform, not only will this finally give the county an independent Ethics Commission, but will also prevent outgoing or former elected leaders from lobbying the county in their first two years out of office. It also allows for the suspension of county officials under felony indictment.

But its boldest feature is one that’s been debated for decades – an expansion of the BOS from five members to nine. Los Angeles County is the nation’s most populous – one in 35 Americans lives here. Concentrating such a massive and diverse population in the hands of five people has never made sense. In addition, several diverse populations have a tougher time being represented by one of their own on the board. One of those is L.A. County’s Asian American community, which I’m sure would appreciate, and certainly deserves, a district or two with larger enclaves of Asian communities. This feature of the proposal is long overdue.

Please join us, Supervisor Horvath, dozens of county elected leaders, community organizations, and academics, and Vote Yes on Measure G.

Photo by gguy44 on iStockphoto.com