LA Voters to Weigh Fire Tax and Ethics Rules in Nov. 3 Election
Residents will decide on a half-cent sales tax increase for the Fire Department, a property tax relief for Pacific Palisades, and multiple charter amendments across city and county jurisdictions.
By Stella Brooks ·
Los Angeles residents will cast ballots on November 3 to determine whether a new sales tax will fund the city’s fire department and whether ethics reforms will be written into county law. The election includes six city charter amendments, two tax measures for city voters, and two county charter proposals.
The most direct financial change for residents is Measure FD, which proposes a half-cent increase in the city sales tax. If approved, the rate would rise from 10.25% to 10.75%. The measure directs $345 million annually to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Those funds are designated for constructing new stations, hiring additional personnel, and upgrading equipment.
The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112 supports the measure, stating that the department’s 3,400 firefighters and 106 stations have remained static since the 1960s. Mayor Karen Bass and other local and state firefighter associations back the proposal, which follows the January 2025 fires that destroyed homes in Pacific Palisades and killed 12 people. Opponents, including the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, argue the city should fund the department without increasing the tax burden on residents.
Pacific Palisades property owners will consider Measure TE, a one-time exemption from the 4% to 5.5% sales tax on properties priced above $5.4 million. Known as the mansion tax, this fee was established under Measure ULA. To qualify for relief under Measure TE, owners must sell their properties within five years of the Palisades fire. Councilwoman Traci Park, Mayor Karen Bass, and Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson support the measure. Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez has raised concerns that the exemption could benefit private investors or entities with multiple properties.
Voters will also decide on five additional city charter amendments. Measure EE increases the maximum fine for campaign finance violations to $15,000 and restricts ethics commissioners from seeking city office for five years. Measure LA creates a capital infrastructure plan and shifts city budgeting to a two-year cycle. Measure PL grants the Department of Planning more authority over permits and replaces seven regional area commissions with a single appeals board. Measure PRK increases funding for the Department of Recreation and Parks from 0.00325% to 0.065% over ten years. Measure PRT requires the Harbor Department to allocate more operating income to waterfront access projects and allows Los Angeles World Airports and the Department of Water and Power to issue leases of up to 66 years.
County voters face two charter proposals. Measure A would ban labor strikes for public safety personnel, including firefighters, deputies, and lifeguards, and mandate binding arbitration for unresolved disputes. Unions such as the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs and L.A. County Firefighters Local 1014 endorse the measure. Critics argue it reduces the Board of Supervisors’ leverage during final negotiations. Measure E would establish an independent ethics commission to enforce campaign finance laws and oversee conflicts of interest. The measure also reinstates funding requirements from the 2020 Measure J, which requires at least 10% of funds to support youth development, job training, and small-business initiatives. These requirements were repealed when voters approved Measure G in 2024, which created the county CEO position and expanded the Board of Supervisors to nine seats by 2032.
