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Los Angeles County Parks and Recreational Facilities Special Parcel Tax, Measure P (November 2014)
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A Los Angeles County Safe Neighborhood Parks, Gang Prevention, Youth/Senior Recreation, Beaches/Wildlife Protection Measure, Measure P ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in Lost Angeles county, California. It was defeated.
If approved, Measure P would have authorized Los Angeles County to levy for 30 years a special parcel tax of $23 a year per parcel of land. The tax measure would have required annual independent financial audits. It was estimated that this tax would have generated about $54 million per year for neighborhood and regional parks and recreation.[1][2]
A two-thirds (66.67%) vote was required for the approval of Measure P.
Election results
| LA County Measure P | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 No | 508,672 | 37.11% | ||
| Yes | 862,224 | 62.89% | ||
Election results via: Los Angeles County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The question on the ballot:[1]
| “ | SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, GANG PREVENTION, YOUTH/ SENIOR RECREATION, BEACHES/ WILDLIFE PROTECTION MEASURE.
– To ensure continued funding from an expiring voter-approved measure for improving the safety of neighborhood parks and senior/youth recreation areas; assisting in gang prevention; protecting rivers, beaches, water sources; repairing, acquiring/preserving parks/natural areas; maintaining zoos, museums; providing youth job-training, shall Los Angeles County levy an annual $23/parcel special tax, requiring annual independent financial audits and all funds used locally?[3] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis was prepared for this measure:[4]
| “ | Approval of Measure P would authorize the County of Los Angeles ("County")
to levy a Special Tax ("Tax") of $23 per parcel of land located in the County. Parcel is defined as any unit of real property that receives an annual secured property tax bill from the County Treasurer and Tax Collector. The Tax would be levied for 30 years beginning on July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2045. The Measure was placed on the ballot by resolution of the County Board of Supervisors ("Board"). In 1992 and 1996, voters approved an annual assessment on parcels of real property within the County for the purpose of development, acquisition, improvement, restoration and maintenance of parks, recreational, cultural and community facilities, and open space lands within the County. The 1992 assessment raises approximately $52,000,000 per year and expires on June 30, 2015. The 1996 assessment raises approximately $28,000,000 per year and expires on June 30, 2019. This Measure is intended to replace the funding provided by the expiring 1992 and 1996 assessments. The Tax proceeds from this Measure will be used to improve, acquire and develop park and recreation facilities in neighborhoods throughout the County. The allocation and associated purposes of the Tax include, but are not limited to: 20% to cities and unincorporated County areas, apportioned on a per parcel basis, for park and recreation facilities and park safety improvements; 15% to the County for County parks, beaches and clean water/park projects; 30% to the County for regional projects and open space, foothill, mountain, trail, river, wetland and stream projects; 10% to the County for increasing open space and recreational opportunities in underserved communities; 5% for competitive grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for projects such as trails, senior citizen/youth facilities, urban tree planting, graffiti prevention, river and stream recreation, and natural land restoration, with priority being given to proposals that employ local youth and at-risk youth; 15% for maintenance and servicing of the projects funded by the 1992 and 1996 assessments and this Measure; and 5% for administration. All laws and procedures for administration and collection of ad valorem property taxes shall apply to this Measure, and the Tax shall be collected by the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector at the same time and manner as ad valorem property taxes. Properties owned by government agencies and also devoted to a public use will not be subject to the Tax. The Tax shall become a lien upon each parcel and is subject to the same penalties imposed for unpaid ad valorem property taxes in the event the Tax is not paid. The Board shall comply with Government Code section 50075.1 accountability measures including, but not limited to, indicating the specific purposes of the Tax and requiring that Tax proceeds be used only for those purposes; creating an account within which the Tax proceeds shall be deposited; and causing an annual report and independent financial analysis to be prepared reporting all revenues and expenditures of the Tax. This Measure requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote for passage.[3] |
” |
| —Richard D. Weiss, Acting County Counsel[4] | ||
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
Supporters
Measure P was supported by the following individuals and organizations:[5]
- AARP, California
- Amigos de los Rios
- Climate Resolve
- The Conservation Fund
- Greater LA Zoo Association
- League of California Cities
- Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
- Los Angeles Beautification Team
- Los Angeles Conservation Corps
- Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
- Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters
- Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative
- Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust
- Los Angeles Parks Foundation
- People for Parks
- Northeast Trees
- River Revitalization Corporation
- The Trust for Public Land
- Trust South Los Angeles
- Ian Calderon, Assemblymember, District 57
- Anthony Rendon, Assemblymember, District 63
- Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles County District Attorney
- Gloria Molina, Los Angeles County Supervisor, District One
- Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor, District Three
Opposition
Opponents
The following organization opposed Measure P:
- The Los Angeles Times[6]
See also
- Parcel tax
- Parcel tax elections in California
- California parcel tax on the ballot
- Los Angeles County, California ballot measures
- November 4, 2014 ballot measures in California
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Los Angeles County Registrar, "Measures appearing on the ballot," accessed October 13, 2014
- ↑ Department of Parks and Recreation, County of Los Angeles," "Proposition P - 2014 Safe Neighborhood Parks Measure - November 4, 2014," accessed October 13, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Voters Edge, "Measure P: Safe Neighborhood Parks," accessed October 13, 2014
- ↑ Protect Parks and Water, "Who supports Measure P?" accessed October 13, 2014
- ↑ The Los Angeles Times, "Endorsement: No on Proposition P," October 12, 2014
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