(March 9, 2017) -- Precinct results on the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder website, displayed graphically on LATimes.com, show voter majorities in nearly all of LB's 5th Council district, the eastern part of the 4th district and parts of the 3rd district voted against L.A. County Measure H (1/4 percent sales tax increase in most of L.A. County for but not in LB for six years, see below). The measure received support at levels exceeding 50% but less than the 66.7% in most of Long Beach, with support exceeding 2/3 in areas mainly west of Redondo and in some cases reaching 80% support in portions of Central and WLB.
At the end of the March 8 busines day, Measure H (with no organized countywide or LB opposition) was supported by roughly 59% of LB ballots cast with roughly 40.9% opposed, a lower support level than Countywide. With roughly 300,000 ballots Countywide remaining to be counted, Measure H was supported by roughly 67.44% of voters voting Countywide with 66.7% support required for passage (in our opinion still too close to call.) LB voter turnout was very low, roughly 8.8% of eligible LB voters voting. [Scroll down for further.] |
On February 7, the City Council voted 9-0 to urge LB residents to support Measure H and Mayor Garcia appeared at events urging residents to support the measure. LB city officials noted that Measure H wouldn't raise the sales tax in Long Beach for six years, because LB has already reached a state sales tax rate maximum due to the June 2016 Measure A sales tax increase...and this will remain for six years when the measure drops in half (unless voters extend it at that time.)
Revenue from the ballot measure, which voters were told would fight homelessness, will be allocated by L.A. County's Board of Supervisor for items including subsidized housing, shelters, outreach programs, support services and possibly building apartment style housing for homeless persons Countywide, all of which could include Long Beach with details not currently known.
LB voter patterns on Measure H roughly paralleled LB's June 2016 Measure A sales tax increase, placed on the ballot by a unanimous Council and rejected in nearly all 5th Council district precincts, narrowly passing in the 3rd district but with roughly 60% voter support overall and higher voter margins in much of Central and West LB. LB City Hall wrote Measure A as a "blank check" measure for any General Fund purposes, enabling passage with 50%+1 of the vote.
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Hardwood Floor Specialists Call (562) 422-2800 or (714) 836-7050 |