LOS ANGELES – The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to press for a change to state law that would allow the county to put a “millionaire’s tax” on the November ballot to fund the fight against homelessness.
Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Sheila Kuehl proposed the legislative push last week, but were denied the three votes needed for passage when Supervisor Hilda Solis chose to abstain.
Tuesday, Solis opened the board’s meeting by saying, “We have resolved our differences and we have agreed to move ahead.”
Not everyone was willing to set aside their objections. The vote was 3-2, with Supervisors Michael Antonovich and Don Knabe dissenting.
The board also approved a related proposal by Solis and Knabe, this time on a unanimous vote, directing the CEO’s office to take a harder look at spending on homelessness, with an emphasis on how to more effectively serve single homeless adults.
A 34-page study by the CEO’s office in January found that the county spent nearly $1 billion on roughly 150,000 people who were homeless at one point or another between July 2014 and June 2015.
Services provided included health care, mental health care, welfare, law enforcement and probation services, with the study estimating that about 40 percent of those dollars were spent on just 5 percent of homeless single adults.
“The vast majority of these services are mainstream services,” said Phil Ansell, director of the county’s Homeless Initiative, meaning that the services are not designed specifically for homeless people or to directly combat homelessness.
However, homeless individuals end up using a disproportionate share of those services and the chronically homeless use even more, with the county spending an average of more than $50,000 per person on the most costly 5 percent.
Antonovich argued that the problem of homelessness cannot be solved “until the state changes the law that limits 72-hour holds” for mentally ill individuals and treatment for mental health problems is mandated.
Tuesday’s vote clears the way for the county to submit a trailer budget bill to state legislators asking for the authority to put the so-called “millionaire’s tax” on the November ballot.
If a majority of legislators support the bill by June 15 and if Gov. Jerry Brown signs it into law by June 30, then the board will have to decide whether to actually back a ballot measure that would require two-thirds voter approval for passage.
Pollsters commissioned by the county were confident about voters’ positive response to such a measure. A preliminary poll showed 76 percent support for such a tax, even in light of several other potential ballot proposals for new taxes or fees.
Ridley-Thomas said the board should pursue every option to fund its fight against increasing levels of homelessness, with more and more people living on the street in makeshift encampments.
“It is the most compelling issue confronting us at this time,” Ridley-Thomas said. “It is a crisis, no one can deny that.”
More than 100 community leaders and activists spoke out about the issue, most advocating for those who are homeless and many applauding the effort to review current spending.
“Some areas of Los Angeles County look like a bomb has hit,” community activist Glenna Wilson told the board.
County CEO Sachi Hamai has estimated that the county needs to raise about $500 million in ongoing revenue to effectively address the problem.
County staffers and pollsters considered several ways of raising that money, including a half-percent increase in sales tax, a parcel tax, redirection of Measure B revenues — designed to support trauma centers — and a marijuana tax.
The idea of a half-percent tax on personal income in excess of $1 million garnered the highest support, with 76 percent of voters polled in favor.
The board has the ability to raise local sales taxes on its own, but needs the state to give it the authority to place the “millionaire’s tax” on the ballot.
A half-percent bump in the sales tax would raise three times as much money — an estimated $746 million versus $243 million according to board documents — than the so-called millionaire’s tax. However, support for a sales tax increase polled at 68 percent — within the margin of error of the two-thirds of voters needed to pass any such measure.
Antonovich warned that a county millionaire’s tax would drive businesses away.
“Making the tax higher is taking those dollars from the job creators,” he said.
Solis said she wanted to increase funding options that didn’t rely on a tax increase, leaving open the question of whether she would ultimately support putting the millionaire’s tax on the ballot.
California millionaires are already paying a 1 percent tax on income in excess of $1 million, as mandated by Proposition 63, passed in 2004 as the Mental Health Services Act.
Last week, Brown endorsed a plan to issue $2 billion in bonds to finance the construction of housing for homeless individuals, paid for with Prop. 63 funds. The governor’s May Revision to the budget proposed $267 million in first-year funding statewide, which would fall far short of either a new local millionaire’s tax or a sales tax increase in terms of Los Angeles County revenues.
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kree says
Liberal Republican all crooks…we the people are to stupid to get together n say screw them…instead we argue with eachother n thats the way they want it….divide n coquer my fellow Americans
ANNON says
Maybe if this County knew how to budget OUR money more efficiently we would have more to invest for concerns like this.
Tim Scott says
4 to 6 billion a year, from california budget to take care of illegals.they need one billion a year to take care of homeless.lets do the math.
Michelle Egberts says
Mike Antonovich needs to retire and go far far away. He’s not for the people or for businesses.
Shane Falco says
Ok Michelle … You’re right. His plea is documented along with the evidence, but of course your knowledge contradicts the court documents. You should be lobbying to get his obviously mistaken plea overturned.
Station 33? The busiest in the county and the country with some of the most decorated firefighters..is “dirty”? I guess we should consider the felonious source. Perhaps you’re as right about 33’s as you are about Dena Boy.
Michelle Egberts says
@Shane Falco… yes I’m smart and very well educated.. A USC grad. I mentioned station 33 because I was assaulted by Brown and he tried charging me when I defended myself and kicked the crap out of him.
Shane Falco says
Well you wouldn’t be the first felon who kicked a firefighter. Why were firefighters called on you?
You should have said you graduated from Harvard, Yale or MIT grad. If you’re going to tell a lie, make it a big one!
Michelle Egberts says
@Shane Falco… A proud Troy girl and Brovelli girl. I wasn’t a felon when that happened. And? Brown deserved what he got. Do I regret it, yes.
Mike says
$50,000 a year for one bum? That’s a government program for you. Why not have forced labor camps for the bums where they go out and work on the roads, etc? Their signs say “Will work for food,” so there you go! A win-win.
SMHX2 says
“bum” and “illegals”, that shows what type of education you received. Isn’t your neck a little too red to live in California? Hit the I-40 E and then the I-75 S and let us know when you arrive to your new home in Everglades City. Von voyage!
Laughing says
Who is John Galt?
Leaving says
Exactly.
les says
Seems we are coming closer and closer to finding out.
Tim Scott says
“There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.” -John Rogers
David Harrelson says
From someone who read Atlas Shrugged in his thirties and still, at 61 years of age, think it was one of the greatest novels written, I disagree with John Rogers’ opinion. I only wish I had read it at fourteen. If you have read Atlas Shrugged and agree with Mr. Rogers, then the novel must scare you. If you think it’s only a fantasy, then you aren’t dealing with the real world. If you think reading it will stunt one’s emotional growth, then you give too much credence to emotionalism. If you think it will socially cripple someone, then you put too much weight on others’ opinions. If you think it will make someone unable to deal with the real world, you are out of touch with reality.
Regarding the “Millionaire’s Tax”, why just tax millionaires? Why not increase taxes on everyone who works for a living? And, why just the homeless? Why aren’t we helping everyone in the world who makes less than we do? Why don’t we just take everyone’s income and equally distribute it? For realistic answers to these questions, read Atlas Shrugged, or just study history…
Tim Scott says
I think it makes smart people arrogant and average people falsely arrogant. The whole “I’m too good for the world of my lessers” is nonsense. Brave new world at least poked a pin in it after blowing up that balloon. Atlas Shrugged turned the balloon into an idol and worshiped it.
As to any sentence starting with “If you think this then you must be…”, congratulations, Ayn would be proud to know that she closed your mind to the idea of bothering to find out before jumping to self serving conclusions.
David Harrelson says
Then I’m correct that the novel scared you…
It is a powerful novel, for sure, but didn’t know it had some of its powers. It “engenders a lifelong obsession with its … heroes.”, “leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world.” “it makes smart people arrogant and average people falsely arrogant.” Wow, it’s powerful. In fact, it sounds evil.
I’m still surprised when I hear many people’s reactions to Ayn Rand’s writing — many who have never read her.
Tim Scott says
LOL…Ayn would REALLY be proud of that one. “Oh, you disagreed, so that proves I’m right, because, y’know, I’m really Howard Roark incarnate.”
By the way, I was a strong believer in objectivism until I outgrew it, so your unfounded belief that the novel “scared me” is even more ludicrous than the average post around here…which is also saying something.
At any rate, discussion of outdated novels promoting a “philosophy” that paints a very thin veneer on base selfishness aside, you seem an interesting fellow.
Laughing says
You missed the point of the story if your take away is “I’m too good for the world of my lessers”
Tim Scott says
If you think that ISN’T what most adherents of Rand’s objectivism are getting from it you need to look at them more closely. The lesson best learned from it, which most people ignore, is that without a cast of thousands Fransisco can barely dig a hole in the ground, but most people don’t want to see that part.
Joe says
As an avid reader, I have a 100 page rule. If I start reading a book and the author hasn’t captivated me by page 100, that author has failed and their book is relegated to the shelf to gather dust. Ayn Rand is a horrible writer! I’ve read textbooks that were far more compelling than the first 100 pages of Atlas Shrugged. Atlas Shrugged should have been titled Snooze Fest or Natures Rohypnol. You want a great novel? Read anything by Anthony Burgess. He could’ve written circles around the likes of Ayn Rand.
Ayn fan says
Well said, Mr. Harrelson.
Tim Scott- Why must you come off as so condescending to anyone that has a differing view? To wish people dead, as I have seen you do more than once, seems quite childish. Though I do not frequent this page as often as I’d like to but you appear have all the time in the world to do so as you seem to comment on almost every post. One must wonder what has bred your hatred towards law enforcement and anyone with a conservative opinion.
John says
Loved the Atlas Shrugged movies. Never read the book.
You look up the definition of ‘Bigot’ and you will see the true nature of Tim Scott’s comments.
bigot
1. a person who is intolerant toward those holding different opinions
William says
My take on the movies recently made of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged which all bombed at the box office was this.
There weren’t enough collectivists paying money to see a movie about objectivism.
Thus, the underlying flaw in Rand’s philosophy and those who buy it. The problem with going it alone for your own selfish or even idealistic purposes really requires others for you to do so.
Even Robinson Crusoe had a little help from another man who he found on a Friday.
John says
This movie was never going to make lots of money at the box office. The opening weekend showing of the first film had 299 screens.
In comparison, The Muppets opening weekend showing had 3440 screens the same year.
By the 3rd Atlas Shrugged film, it only showed on 65 screens.
What I got from the movie was there where the people who worked hard to produce and invent better products that helped their fellow man. These people created jobs but also made alot of money.
Then the politicians and the corporations schemed together to dismantle and redistribute a successful business. Turned the people against them. It also destroyed the other businesses that relied on one another for success.
That was when these successful people, who were destroyed by redistribution, decided to disappear and go it alone. They were the great minds of industrialism and inventions. When they were free from the governments thumb, they created a secret community with incredible inventions and advances in technology.
Tim Scott says
As I said…the guy who inherited an empire of copper mines “went it alone” and managed to dig a hole in the ground…but only because Ayn Rand was writing fiction. In reality “one man copper mining” involved a dirty prospector and a mule…which at some point the prospector ate to stay alive.
And next time you feel bad for “poor li’l Dagny Taggart” losing the railroad her family built “all by themselves” take a trip along the route of the first transcontinental rail line and check out all the little churches that were built by the immigrant railroad workers so they would have a cemetery to be buried in when their wage slave poverty and deadly working conditions killed them by their thirtieth birthday.
John says
You have the story all wrong. Francisco did not dig holes alone. He was trying to bankrupt and spend his families fortune so others cannot profit from it.
When the Mexican government nationalized and seized the copper mines they find out there was no copper and money left to take.
Tim Scott says
So that he could go to Galt’s paradise…and dig a hole by himself and call it a copper mine.
Ashley says
Why because someone makes over a million dollars they should be taxed even further?
How about our elected officials all take a pay cut and use that money towards their proposed new bill?
How about instead of all these city hall meetings they have to blow smoke up each other’s butts they spend that money in the hone less?
Stop taxing the rich to take and give to the poor. You aren’t Robin Hood, it’s not the riches fault that the poor are poor and vice versa.
Next their is going to be a tax for people that have blue eyes because their eyes are bluer than everyone else’s.
Mikey says
Wait,doesn’t ca have a budget surplus?why so many homeless.oh that’s right,since Obama been in office.1 in 5 in poverty.thanks obama
Ashley says
That’s why I am voting Trump 2016!