FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
What will LA City’s sales tax be if this passes, and how will that compare to our neighbors?
If this measure passes, the sales tax in the City of Los Angeles will increase by a half-cent from 9.75% to 10.25%. Neighboring cities, such as Manhattan Beach, Inglewood, Santa Monica, Burbank, Pasadena, and Glendale, all have sales tax rates of 10.25% and above.
When will it be on the ballot?
The measure will be on the ballot in the General Election held November 3, 2026.
When will it go into effect?
This Ordinance shall be effective ten (10) days after the City Council or other governing body certifies that this Ordinance has been duly approved by the voters voting in the election of the measure enacting this Ordinance. The transactions and use tax imposed hereunder shall be operative on the first day of the first calendar quarter commencing more than one hundred ten (110) days after the adoption of this Ordinance (“Operative Date”) or as otherwise provided by law.
How long will this measure last?
The measure will last until it’s repealed by voters.
How can I trust that the City will spend this money on the LAFD?
The Initiative Ordinance states that as a matter of law, its purpose is to provide funding support for the LAFD. All revenues generated by the special tax must be used for purposes that support the core functions of the LAFD, including, but not limited to these priorities: hiring and maintaining sufficient firefighters and paramedics and civilian LAFD staff to meet the fire safety/rescue needs of the City; purchasing and maintaining vehicles to support firefighting and rescue needs, such as fire trucks, fire engines, ambulances, aircraft, and helicopters; purchasing and maintaining equipment to support firefighting and rescue services; to replace, upgrade, and build additional fire stations and EMS facilities to meet the growing demand for service; purchasing and maintaining emergency communication systems; and improving brush clearance and wildfire readiness.
The Ordinance includes a Maintenance of Effort provision that states that all revenues collected shall supplement and not supplant existing expenditures by the City for LAFD services. The City shall maintain, at a minimum, the average percentage of total discretionary budget funding to the LAFD during the ten fiscal years immediately preceding the operative date of this Ordinance. Money raised from this measure will be deposited into a special fund that can ONLY be spent on core LAFD services.
What assurances are there to make sure the money is spent properly?
The measure calls for an annual audit as well as a Citizen’s Oversight Committee to monitor the expenditures of revenue collected and shall provide reports to the public, the Board of Fire Commissioners, the City Council, and the Mayor.
How will this measure protect me and my family?
This measure will provide funding to add more firefighters, paramedics, fire stations, and equipment that will help lower response times across the city and enhance your safety.
