LA County moves toward possible millionaire's tax to fight homelessness

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to pursue a potential ballot measure that would tax top-income eaers to combat rising homelessness. They also agreed to conduct an inteal audit of how county funds for homelessness are spent.

In a 3-2 vote, the board directed its top executive and the county’s legislative advocates in Sacramento to pursue a change in state law to grant counties the authority to seek a ballot measure for a tax on personal income above $1 million a year.

A potential income tax on top-income eaers is one of several options — including a marijuana tax, a parcel tax and redirection of Measure B po condom law funds — the board is considering to raise money for homeless programs.

“It is a crisis — no one can deny that,” Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said before the vote. “It is the most compelling issue confronting us at this time.”

The county has “a moral obligation” to fight the increase in homlessness and ensure those suffering from a range of maladies are “restored to health, dignity and purpose” while becoming contributing members of our communities, Ridley-Thomas said.

Supervisors Michael D. Antonovich and Don Knabe voted against pursuing the change in the law to grant counties the authority to seek the ballot measure.

To provide more data and analysis, the board also unanimously directed staff to work with public health officials, the sheriff and the interim chief probation officer to examine how county funds for homeless services are spent each year. The audit would have a particular focus on the resources allotted to 5 percent of homeless single adults who utilize 40 percent of this funding, according to the motion.

The county now has an estimated 46,874 homeless people on any given night, up nearly 6 percent from last year, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) aounced this month. The agency found a 20 percent increase in the “most visible form of homelessness” — people living in tents, vehicles and encampments over 2015. Meanwhile, veteran homelessness fell 30 percent across the county and the number of homeless families fell by 18 percent.

Polling results released in April found that about three-quarters of likely voters in the county would strongly support a November 2016 ballot initiative to impose a one-half percent tax on income above $1 million, county officials said.

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