Earlier this week, Los Angeles County voters woke up to yet another sales tax hike – this one was approved last November with the money providing long-term support for the county’s burgeoning homeless population.
As I rubbed my eyes, I expected someone to shout, “April Fools.” Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
Effective April 1, the tax rate in most Los Angeles County cities is 10.50%.
It’s interesting that politicians of all political persuasions grouse about affordability – or lack thereof. Eggs, diapers, gasoline, electricity – essentially everything – costs more and wages haven’t kept pace with the ever-increasing cost of goods.
Yet, most of these politicians forget about affordability when it means finding a new revenue source for their priorities.
Taxpayers end up bearing the brunt of these policies. Housing affordability declines and our quality of life erodes as a result.
While Los Angeles County’s half-cent tax hike, which has no sunset clause, will provide additional billions to optimistically eliminate homelessness, the fact that the tax never ends represents a surrender by Los Angeles County leadership. It’s an acknowledgment that the homeless problem will be managed but never solved.
At least Los Angeles County voters had a thumbs-up or down vote on the tax increase.
Meanwhile, at the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), a regional regulatory board with responsibility for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, the 13-member board is working quietly to pass a mandate that will impact 17 million homeowners and cost a whopping $300 million annually, or $7.7 billion over a 25-year period.
Usually, the SCAQMD regulates big things – oil refineries, cement plants, warehouses and other big infrastructure. Not now! Homeowners, apartment owners, renters and small businesses are now targets.
The Governing Board is considering two rules – PAR 1111 and 1121 – that mandate higher costs on consumers by forcing them to choose between purchasing an all-electric water heater and/or furnace that cost thousands more than natural gas appliances orrequiring consumers to pay a fee to continue using natural gas water heaters and furnaces.
Tragically, most of the 17 million Southern Californians have no clue that these rules are being discussed much less are scheduled for a vote early this summer. The SCAQMD staff has not made a concerted effort to inform the public about these mandates that target hard-working families across four counties.
Los Angeles County has the highest concentration of small, minority and women-owned businesses in the country. These proposed amendments to Rules 1111 and 1121 will hit Latinos, African Americans, Asians and economically challenged families and small businesses the hardest.
In spite of fact that these two mandates are the most expensive SCAQMD rules ever, the SCAQMD continues to push this bad idea and the Governing Board careens closer to a harmfuldecision.
These two rules don’t occur in a vacuum. Californians already pay some of the nation’s highest energy bills. Residential energy bills have already increased by more than 86% for Southern California Edison customers since 2014. Mandating “all-electric” for an energy grid already stretched thin will result in even higher energy costs…and likely lead to increased black or brownouts for Southern California.
Many of us had fun – hopefully at others’ expense – on April Fool’s Day. However, with the 50-cent tax hike in Los Angeles County going into effect, and the SCAQMD considering two expensive mandates that impact 17 million Southern Californians, it’s clear that the politicians think the joke is on us – the taxpayer, the homeowner, the renter and the small business owner.
Let the SCAQMD know that Rules 1111 and 1121, as amended, must be defeated. Visit https://www.wecantaffordthis.com/ and let the Governing Board know that we oppose Rules 1111 and 1121.
Aidan Chao is founder and chairman of the Los Angeles Taxpayers Association and CALHaven.