The Azusa City Council unanimously voted 5-0 to place a voter initiative on the November 5 ballot. This initiative aims to sustain a local 1/4-cent sales tax designed to support public safety and other essential services within the city.
According to a statement released by the city on August 6th, Measure ZZ aims to replace the 1/4-cent tax on purchases in Azusa, which is currently imposed under Los Angeles County Measure H. This replacement would occur if the existing tax is repealed or if it expires.
Since October 2017, LA County has been collecting a 1/4-cent sales tax from its residents to finance homelessness prevention services under Measure H. However, this measure, which is set to expire on September 30, 2027, is currently facing the possibility of repeal with the upcoming November’s Measure A.
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Mayor Robert Gonzalez emphasized the significant contribution Azusa has made to county-wide homeless initiatives, generating millions in local sales tax dollars. However, the city has only received a small portion of this revenue in return. The upcoming measure aims to give Azusa the local control it needs to effectively utilize taxpayer dollars, ensuring the maintenance of essential services for residents and the continued efforts to address the homelessness emergency in the city.
According to a city staff report, the Measure H tax has generated over $13.5 million in sales tax revenue from Azusa. However, only a small percentage, less than 5%, of that amount has directly benefited local residents.
According to the staff report, a coalition of housing and mental-health advocates has gathered over 390,000 signatures to place a new homeless initiative on the upcoming ballot. The initiative, known as Measure A, aims to repeal Measure H and implement a new 1/2-cent sales tax. Azusa officials estimate that this tax will generate $5 million annually from the city indefinitely.
According to the staff report, the funds will not directly benefit Azusa.
Azusa Police Chief Rocky Wenrick noted that the allocation for local public safety expenses accounts for 60% of the city’s overall budget.
Wenrick stated that having additional locally controlled funding could play a crucial role in various aspects of community management. This includes maintaining an efficient 911 emergency response system and enforcing quality of life regulations, such as addressing issues related to public camping and ensuring regular patrols in neighborhoods, schools, and parks.
Measure ZZ, also known as the “Azusa Public Safety, Community Services, Local Control, and Accountability Measure,” is a voter-approved initiative that aims to preserve local control over taxpayer funds. This measure will allocate funding towards various city services, including police anti-gang enforcement programs, efforts to address homelessness, enhanced police patrols in schools, parks, and recreation areas, street repairs, and the improvement of public facilities.
