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Los Angeles Emergency Reserve and Budget Stabilization Fund, Measure P (March 2011)
From Ballotpedia
A City of Los Angeles Emergency Reserve Fund, Measure P ballot question was on the March 8, 2011 ballot for voters in the City of Los Angeles, where it was approved.[1]
Measure P establishes an emergency reserve fund that will amount to 2.75% of the city's general fund, that can only be tapped in the event of fiscal emergency,[1]
Specifically, Measure P will:
- Establish two reserve accounts within the existing reserve fund, a contingency account and an emergency account.
- The emergency account will consist of at least 2.75% of the city's general fund receipts
- The emergency account ccan be tapped if 2/3rds of the city council members vote that there is an "urgent economic necessity"
- Funds taken from the emergency account will have to be repaid the following year
- The contingency account will be used for unanticipated expenditures and revenue shortfalls.
- The contingency account will establish a budget stabilization fund.[2]
Measure P was one of 10 ballot measures on the March 8, 2011 City of Los Angeles ballot.
Election results
| Measure P | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes
|
107,996 | 65.91% | ||
| No | 55,867 | 34.09% | ||
Supporters
- The official voter guide arguments in favor of Measure P were signed by Councilwoman Jan Perry.[3]
- Stephen Box, a writer for LACityWatch, said, "While it’s important to plan for emergencies, it’s unfortunate that it takes a Charter Amendment to ensure fiscal responsibility. Again, this is a small step in what amounts to be a long journey to budgetary responsibility."[4]
Opponents
No arguments in opposition to Measure P were submitted for publication in the official voter guide.[3]
Newspaper editorials
- The Los Angeles Times supported Measure P, writing, "This measure amends the City Charter to require contributions to the existing emergency reserve fund and would make it harder for the City Council to draw money from it in non-emergency situations. It's a fiscally prudent move."[5]
- The editorial board of the Los Angeles Daily News supported Measure P, writing, "Every smart person has an emergency saving account for the unexpected crises; the city should have one, too."[6]
Text of measure
The question on the ballot:
| Measure P: Shall the Charter be amended to: establish an Emergency Reserve Account within the City's Reserve Fund, with an annual balance of not less than two and three-fourths percent of General Fund receipts, to be accessed only if the City Council finds by a two-thirds vote that there is an urgent economic necessity and to be replenished in the subsequent fiscal year except in the event of a catastrophe; establish a Contingency Reserve Account within the Reserve Fund for expenditures and revenue shortfalls unanticipated in the annual budget with details defined by ordinance; and establish a Budget Stabilization Fund within the City Treasury with details defined by ordinance?[7] |
External links
- Official Voter Guide/City of Los Angeles/March 8, 2011 election (dead link)
- Measure P charter language
- Measure P ballot title
- List of March 8, 2011 ballot measures published on "The City Maven"
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mercury News, "LA City Council puts medical pot tax on ballot," November 24, 2010 (dead link)
- ↑ NBC Los Angeles, "Los Angeles March Ballot Measures," February 22, 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Los Angeles Times, "Decoding the March 8 ballot: Think measure L for Libraries, M for Marijuana and N for No-good-reason," December 21, 2010
- ↑ LA City Watch, "Ballot Measure for Measure: City Hall’s cry for help!" February 8, 2011 (dead link)
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Times endorsements for the March 8 city elections," March 6, 2011
- ↑ Los Angeles Daily News, "These measures make it easier to run the city, and so, should pass," February 22, 2011
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
