Los Angeles Voters Consider 10 Local Measures on the November Ballot

Los Angeles voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to decide on 10 local measures on the November ballot, including a proposed half-cent sales tax increase for the city fire department and an effort to establish ethics reforms for the county. City voters are evaluating six City Charter amendments and two tax-related measures, while county voters weigh two County Charter changes.

Among the high-profile local proposals is Measure FD, which asks city voters to approve a half-cent sales tax increase to generate an additional $345 million annually for the Los Angeles Fire Department. If approved, the city's sales tax would rise from 10.25% to 10.75%, funding new fire stations, increased hiring, and equipment upgrades. Proponents, including Mayor Karen Bass and the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112, argue the additional resources are vital following the January 2025 fires that destroyed thousands of homes in Pacific Palisades and killed 12 people. Conversely, the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association oppose the measure, expressing concerns that a tax hike would place an undue burden on residents.

Another notable proposal on the ballot is Measure TE, designed to provide Pacific Palisades property owners with a one-time, five-year exemption from the city's mansion tax, formally known as Measure ULA. Supporters, including Councilwoman Traci Park and Mayor Bass, back the relief for property owners affected by the Palisades fire, though concerns were previously raised by Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez regarding how private companies or investors might utilize the exemption.

Voters are also considering several City Charter amendments, such as Measure EE, which introduces ethics and governance reforms by increasing maximum campaign finance campaign violations fines to $15,000 and prohibiting ethics commissioners from running for city office or the school board for five years after leaving the commission. Another proposal, Measure LA, aims to overhaul infrastructure planning and budgeting by establishing a capital infrastructure plan and moving toward a two-year budget cycle.

Additionally, Measure PL focuses on planning and land-use decisions by granting the Department of Planning more authority over permit applications, limiting the City Council's jurisdiction over development issues, and replacing the seven regional area commissions with a single appeals board. Other city proposals include Measure PRK to increase park funding, Measure PRT to alter regulations on proprietary departments like the port and airports, and Measure SC to clarify campaign rules for school board elections.

At the county level, voters are deciding on two County Charter amendments. Measure A proposes banning labor strikes for public safety personnel and mandating binding arbitration for unresolved disputes, a measure backed by several local unions but criticized by opponents over potential loss of board leverage. Meanwhile, Measure E seeks to codify an independent ethics commission to enforce campaign finance laws and reinstate funding requirements originally established under Measure J.

The outcome of these local measures will shape municipal governance, infrastructure development, emergency services funding, and ethics oversight across Los Angeles for years to come.