Los Angeles County Fire District, California, Measure FD, Parcel Tax (March 2020)

Los Angeles County Fire District Measure FD
Election date March 3, 2020
Topic California parcel tax
Status d Defeated
Type Referral	Origin Lawmakers
List of California measuresCalifornia Proposition 13 (March)California Proposition 14California Proposition 15California Proposition 16California Proposition 17California Proposition 18California Proposition 19California Proposition 20California Proposition 21California Proposition 22California Proposition 23California Proposition 24California Proposition 25Submit

A parcel tax measure was on the ballot for Los Angeles County Fire District voters in Los Angeles County, California, on March 3, 2020. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported authorizing the district to levy an annual parcel tax of $0.06 per square foot of structural improvements on property up to 100,000 square feet and excluding parking areas.

A "no" vote opposed authorizing the district to levy an annual parcel tax of $0.06 per square foot of structural improvements on property up to 100,000 square feet and excluding parking areas.

A two-thirds (66.67%) vote was required for the approval of Measure FD.

Election results

Los Angeles County Measure FD
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		372,726	52.59%
No		336,075	47.41%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot question

The ballot question was as follows:

“

Shall an ordinance ensuring local firefighter/​paramedic emergency response, involving house fires, wildfires, heart attacks, strokes, and car accidents, to hire/​train firefighter/​paramedics, upgrade/​replace aging firefighter safety equipment, vehicles, facilities, life-saving rescue tools, and emergency communications technology, by levying 6 cents per square foot of certain parcel improvements, providing $134 million annually, limited to 2% annual adjustment, until ended by voters, exempting low-income seniors, with independent citizens oversight, be adopted?

”

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Los Angeles County Counsel:

“ Approval of Measure FD ("Measure") would authorize the Consolidated Fire Protection District of Los Angeles County ("District") to levy a special tax ("Tax") annually on improved parcels within the 56 cities and unincorporated areas of the County of Los Angeles ("County") in the District identified in the Measure, commencing with fiscal year 2020-21. The Tax shall be levied at a rate of 6 cents per square foot of structural improvements up to 100,000 square feet, excluding square footage of improvements used for parking, on all taxable parcels. The rate shall be adjusted by 2 percent (2%) annually, or by the California Consumer Price Index, whichever is less. The Tax has no expiration date. This Measure was placed on the ballot by resolution of the County and District. Tax proceeds as designated by the ordinance will be used by the District to hire and train firefighters, paramedics, and staff, maintain, upgrade, and replace emergency response infrastructure, safety equipment, vehicles, aircraft, facilities, life-saving rescue tools, and communications technology, to improve fire protection and emergency medical response. Proceeds from the Tax will not be used for unfunded workers' compensation or pension liabilities. Tax revenues will be expended by the District pursuant to an annual expenditure plan approved by the County Board of Supervisors ("Board") prior to June 30th of each year and a needs assessment shall be conducted by the District every 15 years for updates. The annual allocation of the Tax for nine of the District's contract cities will be expended to fund services described in the Measure, with a minimum 30 percent (30%) of revenue for hiring, training, capital improvements, and fire station replacement costs; and a minimum 30 percent (30%) to offset overhead costs assigned to each city for minor facility maintenance, vehicles, equipment, and systems net of the expenditures for levying and administering the Tax. The District and cities will evaluate the allocations every three years. The County Auditor-Controller shall file an independent audit with the Board each year. An Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee shall provide annual review to ensure proceeds are expended only as authorized in the Measure, and report to the Board. Tax proceeds shall be deposited into ten separate accounts, for the contract cities and remaining areas of the District as specified in the Measure. Any property otherwise exempt from ad valorem property taxes in a tax year shall also be exempt from the Tax to the same extent. Additionally, upon application to the Fire Chief of the District, parcels owned and occupied by individuals over the age of 62 who are the head of a household with a household income that does not exceed the Low-Income limit for the County, as specified in the Measure, shall be exempt from the Tax. The Tax shall be collected by the County Tax Collector at the same time, in the same manner, and subject to the same interest and penalties applicable to ad valorem property taxes. The Tax may be repealed or reduced by the District. This Measure requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote for passage. ”

Full text

The full text of the measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the Los Angeles County Fire District Board and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2020
• California parcel tax on the ballot
• District tax on the ballot
• Los Angeles County measures
• Parcel tax

California

• March 3, 2020 measures in California
• Local ballot measures, California
• Los Angeles County Fire District, California
• Parcel tax elections in California

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• Los Angeles County Elections Office website