Backers of Half-Cent LA County Sales Tax for Healthcare Declare Victory
Supporters said the tax will raise about $1 billion a year for hospitals and clinics as county officials warn of funding cuts and possible closures.
- On Wednesday, Los Angeles County Measure ER backers declared victory after the initiative narrowly passed with roughly 50.6% support, winning by 24,436 votes.
- Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis introduced the measure to address federal funding reductions from the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which threatens the county with projected losses totaling $2.4 billion over three years.
- The measure raises the countywide sales tax to 10.25%, with up to 45% of funds designated to support the Department of Health Services and nonprofit hospitals serving low-income populations.
- Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who cast the lone dissenting vote, stated she respects the "will of the voters" and pledged rigorous oversight, though the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association criticized the tax as unreasonable.
- The sales tax increase takes effect October 1, 2026, and is set to sunset in 2031, with officials estimating the measure will generate about $1 billion annually for safety-net healthcare services.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Backers of Half-Cent LA County Sales Tax Hike for Healthcare Declare Victory
Backers of Measure ER, a half-cent Los Angeles County sales tax to fund healthcare services, celebrated victory Wednesday after it staged a narrow come-from-behind win. Following the June 2 election, early vote totals consistently showed the measure falling short of approval. But earlier this week, as the ballots continued to be processed, the measure picked up steam and narrowly crossed the 50% support needed for passage. As of Wednesday, with …
The proposal, which establishes a sales tax of half a penny for every dollar spent, has 50.6% of the votes for the "yes" to the initiative
Measure ER passes, set to increase LA County sales tax for public health care
The Los Angeles County ballot measure to increase the county sales tax by a half-cent has passed, with the “yes” vote surpassing “no” by some 24,000 ballots. With the majority of the votes tabulated as of Wednesday, over 50% of voters approved the sales tax increase while more than 49% opposed the proposal. The passage of the ballot measure means the sales tax increase will take effect on Oct. 1, 2026. Measure ER, which was introduced by Supervi…
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