Measure U results
Measure U: Utility user tax
| APPROVED (100% of precincts reporting): | Yes 151,798 (62.5%); | No 91,230 (37.5%) |
A measure to extend the utility user tax in unincorporated county areas to telecommunications equipment not covered by the present telephone tax, while reducing the rate from 5% to 4.5%.
Measure E
ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
WHAT DOES IT DO? Measure E would amend the Los Angeles City Charter to specifically allow city officials to offer economic incentives to persuade businesses to locate, expand or stay in Los Angeles. The measure specifies that incentives be provided to businesses that "will encourage economic development and provide public benefits to the City of Los Angeles and its residents." If a business receives such an incentive, it "must result in clearly identifiable public benefits."
Any plan to give incentives would have to be approved by the Mayor and the City Council.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT LAW? The City Charter is vague on the topic of economic incentives. It does not include any language authorizing or forbidding the city to provide incentives to prospective or current businesses.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? The text of Measure E does not say exactly what these "economic incentives" would include, only that they must be something that "could not be attained" by the business without the incentive.
WHAT DOES MY VOTE MEAN? A Yes vote on Measure E will change the City Charter to allow city officials to give economic incentives to prospective or current businesses they believe will benefit the city. A No vote on Measure E will preserve current charter provisions, which some city officials have already interpreted as a license to woo businesses with financial incentives.
WHAT DOES THE LA TIMES THINK? The Times editorial board urges a No vote on Measure E.
Measure D
SURVIVOR BENEFIT PURCHASE PROGRAM FOR RETIREES OF THE FIRE AND POLICE PENSION PLAN
WHAT DOES IT DO? Measure D would enable retirees in the Fire and Police Pension Plan to buy a pension benefits package for someone they married after they retired.
NOTE: This measure would also apply to domestic partners with whom pension plan members enter into a civil union after they retire. In this summary, "spouse" refers to the partner of the retired person, regardless of gender, and "married" refers to domestic partnerships and civil unions as well.
WHO WOULD PAY FOR THIS? The benfits plan would be purchased entirely by the pension plan member. The benefits would be paid out through a reduction in the retired person's pension.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT LAW? The current law states that retired FPPP members are not able to give pension benefits to those they marry after they retire.
WHAT WILL THIS COST? Measure D, if passed, will not raise any taxes. Retired FPPP members would be permitted to buy a benefits package for a new spouse at their own expense, and those benefits would be paid from the retired person's pension fund.
WHAT DOES MY VOTE MEAN? A Yes vote on Measure D means retired members of the Police and Fire Pension Plan could buy, at their own expense, a benefits package for someone they married after retiring. A No vote on Measure D would maintain the status quo.
WHAT DOES THE LA TIMES THINK? The Times editorial board urges a Yes vote on Measure D.
Measure B
SOLAR ENERGY AND JOB CREATION PROGRAM
WHAT DOES IT DO? Measure B would amend the city charter to require that by 2014, the city of Los Angeles produce at least 400 megawatts by solar power. This would be accomplished by creating a new unit within the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The ultimate goal is to have 20% of the city's energy come from a renewable energy source (solar power, wind power, geothermal, hydroelectric, etc.).
Measure B, if passed, would also create a job training program to meet the expected demand for solar power. In addition, it would offer incentives to properties in exchange for allowing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to install, maintain, and operate solar panels there. There is also a proposal for an outreach program to educate potential participants about the solar energy program.
The DWP would be responsible for creating a timeline to establish benchmarks for the phased implementation of solar panels. It would also be required to create a financing plan for their project.
HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST? Measure B does not say how much the program will cost taxpayers. One of the provisions of the measure is that the DWP must create a financing plan for program start-up.
WHAT DOES MY VOTE MEAN? A Yes vote on Measure B means the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power would make a new unit devoted to installing and maintaining solar energy panels. By 2014, the program would have to generate 400 megawatts of electricity from solar energy. A No vote on Measure B would mean the DWP would not be required to create a department dedicated to solar energy, and would not be mandated to produce 400 megawatts of power via solar panels by 2014.
WHO WOULD BUY AND MAINTAIN THESE SOLAR PANELS? The DWP would be responsible for purchasing, installing, and maintaining the solar panels.
WHAT DOES THE LA TIMES THINK? The Times editorial board urges a No vote on Measure B.
Measure A
FIRE DEPARTMENT INDEPENDENT ASSESSOR
WHAT DOES IT DO? Measure A aims to establish an independent person (‘assessor’) to review the Fire Department’s activities, including complaints against civilian employees and how they are handled. This person will be appointed by the Board of Fire Commissioners, who also would have the power to remove the assessor.
WOULD THIS PERSON BE A FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE? The assessor would be exempt from the civil service provisions of the Fire Department. They would report to the Fire Commission, but would not technically be a member of the Fire Department, which is why they would be considered “independent.”
WHAT WOULD THEIR JOB BE? The assessor’s job would be to “audit, assess, and review” several aspects of the Board, including how the Board of Fire Commissioners have handled complaints, including misconduct related to civilian employees and firefighters.
WHERE WOULD THEIR SALARY COME FROM? The text of the measure does not include where the assessor’s salary, if any, would come from.
WHAT DOES MY VOTE MEAN? A Yes vote on Measure A will give the Board the power to hire this independent assessor to review complaints. A No vote on Measure A means no one will be hired to independently review certain actions of the Board.
WHAT DOES THE LA TIMES THINK? The Times editorial board urges a Yes vote on Measure A.
Endorsements: Measure E
Here is a sampling of the positions taken on Measure E, which would change the Los Angeles city charter to explicitly authorize the council to offer financial incentives to companies that relocate to or expand in the city:
Los Angeles Times: No
LA Daily News: No
VoteNoLA: No
Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce: Yes
Measure C
DISABLED CHILDREN SURVIVOR BENEFIT OF THE FIRE AND POLICE PENSION PLAN
WHAT WOULD IT DO? Measure C would make it so that the disabled children of deceased members of the Fire and Police Pension Plan could get married or be adopted by someone else without losing their dependent child benefits.
It would also allow monetary benefits to be paid directly to the dependent child or to the Dependent Children Special Needs Trust.
WHAT ARE THE 'DEPENDENT CHILD BENEFITS'? Under the current Fire and Police Pension Plan, offspring of deceased pensioners are eligible for "dependent child" benefits if they become disabled before they turn 21 and have not married. They receive certain benefits based on the deceased parent's plan; the amount is 25% to 50% of what the deceased member's spouse or partner receives. If a surviving disabled child gets marred or is adopted, he or she loses those benefits.
HOW ARE THE BENEFITS PAID NOW? The law states that the benefits a dependent child receives must go to a guardian or conservator. However, in accordance with other state laws, dependent children have been able to have the benefits paid directly to them. The current plan does not allow the benefits to be given directly to the Dependent Children Special Needs Trust. With Measure C, that would be allowed.
HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST? Passing this measure will not increase any taxes. It is intended to change the bylaws of the FIre and Police Pension Plan related to payment for disabled children.
WHAT DOES MY VOTE MEAN? A Yes vote on Measure C will allow the disabled children of deceased FPPA members (fire fighters, police officers, et cetera) to still get pension benefits even if they get married or are adopted. A No vote on Measure C will mean the surviving disabled children of FPPA members will not receive pension benefits once they get married or are adopted.
WHAT DOES THE LOS ANGELES TIMES THINK? The Times editorial board urged a Yes vote on Measure C.
Endorsements: Measure B
Here is a sampling of the endorsements for Measure B, which would give the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power the formal go-ahead to install enough city-owned solar panels on rooftops to generate at least 400 megawatts of energy by 2014:
Los Angeles Times: No
LA Daily News: No
Republican Party of Los Angeles County: No
Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce: No
VoteNoLA: No
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Issues: Yes
California League of Conservation Voters: Yes
Sierra Club: Yes
Natural Resources Defense Council: Yes
Coalition for Clean Air: Yes
IBEW: Yes
Working Californians: Yes
The Policy Report: Yes
San Fernando Valley Examiner: Yes
Endorsements: Measure A
Here is a sampling of the endorsements for Measure A, which would authorize an independent assessor for the Los Angeles Fire Department, reporting to the Board of Fire Commissioners:
Los Angeles Times: Yes
L.A. Daily News: Yes
Los Angeles Democratic Party: Yes
VoteNoLA: No
Witness LA: Coming Monday
Measure Q results
Measure Q: Los Angeles Unified School District bonds
| APPROVED (100% of precincts reporting): | Yes 709,726 (68.9%); | No 319,832 (31.1%) |
A measure to authorize the largest local school bond in state history -- $7 billion worth, for construction projects known and as-yet unknown -- to be repaid with a property-tax increase. Read a Times story on the proposal here.
