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Voters favor more sheriff’s oversight, but fire tax falls short

by City News Service • March 4, 2020

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County residents granted subpoena power to a watchdog civilian commission monitoring the Sheriff’s Department, but a measure to provide additional funding to the county Fire Department through a parcel tax was defeated.

Measure R, or the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission Ordinance, which will give the panel the authority to conduct its own investigations of the sheriff’s department, rather than working through the Office of Inspector General, was strongly backed by voters. The measure includes granting subpoena power to the nine-member commission.

The measure only required a simple majority to pass and well exceeded that threshold.

The Board of Supervisors recently gave the commission power to compel documents and records indirectly through the OIG, over the objections of Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Measure R would go a step further, with backers saying it would ensure the authority is not subject to political whims.

The county and the OIG have battled with the sheriff in and out of court, first over his rehiring of a deputy who had been fired over allegations of domestic violence and then over what the OIG called repeated failures to turn over documents critical to investigators.

“Measure R will mean accountability, transparency and fairness is brought back to L.A.’s criminal justice system,” according to the Yes on R website.

Villanueva had warned that granting subpoena power will result in expensive legal wrangling and maintains that the department has turned over all documents it is legally entitled to release.

“Measure R will open the floodgates for many more ill-advised lawsuits designed to seek documents that are not legally available for public release. This is simply weaponizing oversight as a way to politically bash the LASD,” Villanueva said in a statement to Ballotpedia. “The Board of Supervisors, the Inspector General and the Civilian Oversight Commission would better serve the community by working collaboratively with the sheriff’s department.”

Measure R also requires that the county develop a plan to reduce the county jail population and provide alternatives to incarceration, reinvesting jail dollars into community-based prevention and mental health treatment for low-level, nonviolent offenders.

Reform L.A. Jails and other backers of Measure R pointed out that the county’s jails amount to the largest mental health hospital in the nation, and even the sheriff agrees that the system is ill-equipped to provide effective treatment. Spending money on prevention and treatment programs would be less expensive than incarceration in the long run, advocates argue, noting that many inmates cycle in and out of jail, county emergency rooms and homelessness.

Patrisse Cullors, founder and chair of Yes on R and co-founder of Black Lives Matter, told City News Service the measure represents 15 years of activism and offers an opportunity to truly change the lives of some of Los Angeles County’s most vulnerable residents.

“It’s a watershed moment,” Cullors said of the vote, adding that she hopes change here will drive reforms across the country. “Its passage is both a hyperlocal issue … and also a national issue.”

The second ballot measure, Measure FD, would have established a 6-cents-per-square-foot parcel tax to pay for more county firefighters and upgrade fire equipment. The measure was backed by a slight majority of voters, but it required a two-thirds vote for approval.

Fire Chief Daryl Osby told the Board of Supervisors in December that it was the first time the department had asked for additional dollars in more than 23 years.

A 2018 assessment by the county’s chief executive officer concluded that the department needed $1.4 billion to upgrade and replace fire engines and rescue vehicles — some more than 20 years old — and to modernize its technology.

The plea for more funding came as the department is called on to fight more demanding and dangerous wildfires, exemplified by the massive Woolsey Fire that burned through much of Malibu in 2018.

Osby told City News Service that firefighters and resources are also strained due to a jump in the number of paramedic calls.

“We are facing bigger, faster and more intense wildfires than ever before. At the same time, my department has seen an over 50% increase in 911 emergency medical calls over the last decade alone,” Osby said. “Measure FD will give us the resources we need to hire more firefighter/paramedics and provide them with the equipment they need to meet these challenges and protect our communities.”

The tax would have applied to property improvements up to 100,000 square feet, does not include parking areas and is estimated to generate $134 million annually. It would have increased by the lesser of 2% or the California Consumer Price Index each year and remain in place permanently unless revoked by voters.

Measure FD applied to 56 cities and unincorporated areas within Los Angeles county.

–

Filed Under: Home, Los Angeles County, Politics

22 comments for "Voters favor more sheriff’s oversight, but fire tax falls short"

  1. Mojave John says

    March 11, 2020 at 12:11 am

    Why does people have to argue about firemen and politicians ? You have a vote so use it, where do you think all that campaign money comes from ? what unions fund the politicians (liberals) ?

  2. Fake Fireman says

    March 5, 2020 at 1:49 pm

    Our Palmdale Mayor supported this tax and the Hospital Tax as well. He too will dress up in a fireman suit at election time. It Works a lot! Palmdale and Lancaster Mayors working together to raise your taxes, how swell is that?

    • Alexis says

      March 9, 2020 at 7:32 am

      Your Palmdale mayor was elected by voters, and is doing a fine job so far! I do my research and know his history which is serving Palmdale which he has been doing for decades. He doesn’t have to dress up in a fireman suit at election time.

    • Alexis says

      March 9, 2020 at 7:42 am

      Mayor Hofbauer is a retired Senior Fire Inspector 2. He is also a paramedic, among many other attributes. He was also on the City Planning Commission for Palmdale.

      • FD says

        March 9, 2020 at 12:02 pm

        No one said Hofbauer wasn’t a Fire Inspector 2or a paramedic. He was both. He was never a Firefighter. That is a fact.

        • Alexis says

          March 9, 2020 at 3:10 pm

          Oh, so your the fake firefighter, hence “Fake Firefighter.” That clears it up.

          • Alexis says

            March 10, 2020 at 5:18 am

            Edit-You’re.

      • Fake Fireman says

        March 9, 2020 at 8:03 pm

        If the Mayor doesn’t have to dress up as a Fireman at election time then why is that very image on all his election flyers and signs. I’m sure the heavy yellow firefighter jacket is worn at all times while working as a inspector for the Fire Department. He is fake!

        • Alexis says

          March 10, 2020 at 12:48 pm

          Maybe if you actually did your research about this man that is now the mayor of Palmdale, you would know his history in Palmdale and what he has and is actively doing for Palmdale. The voters did their homework and chose Steve Hofbauer. You, on the other hand are only focused on him dressing up as a firefighter. Go ahead a be bitter. Palmdale is moving forward without you.

          • FD says

            March 10, 2020 at 3:13 pm

            No one is arguing with you about him being mayor, Alexis. He is everything you say he is. He is also not a firefighter. Never has been, never will be. There is a difference between a fire inspector and a firefighter. It is clear you are not a firefighter.

          • Fake Fireman says

            March 10, 2020 at 5:30 pm

            Not bitter! The people want honesty not a dress up Mayor that promotes tax increases. This November is going to be very interesting.

          • Citizen says

            March 11, 2020 at 7:32 am

            Mayor Hofauer has wholly supported the veterans in the A.V., which includes both Palmdale, Lancaster, and surrounding areas. I am happy with what he is doing as mayor of Palmdale in other areas as well. We will see in November.

          • FD says

            March 11, 2020 at 7:53 pm

            Mayor Hofauer has supported veterans unlike Mayor Paris. Neither one of them is a firefighter.

          • Alexis says

            March 12, 2020 at 9:37 am

            FD: I’m going to clear this up for you, since you’re stuck. Mayor Hofbauer progressed from firefighter to Senior Fire Inspector 2, now retired. Voters chose him to be mayor of Palmdale because he is qualified. As far as taxes, FD, you live in California; it’s a state run by Democrats (elected), which means lots of taxes. Californians love Bernie.

          • FD says

            March 12, 2020 at 11:37 am

            Alexis, please provide evidence of Hofbauer ever being a firefighter. Not a fire inspector, but a firefighter. Take as long as you need.

          • Alexis says

            March 12, 2020 at 12:43 pm

            You have to have firefighting experience and post-secondary fire science training before Senior Fire Inspector 2. Look it up yourself or don’t. I have a strong feeling you could be presented with actual paperwork which explains the process, and you would reject what was right in front of you. If you’re going require evidence then start submitting evidence which you never do. Your perception is NOT evidence.

          • Alexis says

            March 12, 2020 at 12:58 pm

            FD: Please provide hard evidence he was not a fireman before he became a Senior Fire Inspector 2. Take as long as you need.

  3. Eric says

    March 4, 2020 at 6:47 pm

    Those fighter fighters are so overpaid. Don’t think so check Transparent California. Measure FD unlimited motor homes and boats. I hope you check the facts.

    • Eric2 says

      March 5, 2020 at 11:13 am

      Reduce the obscene pension formula to one that is in line with normal public agencies and you’ll save millions upon millions.

  4. 2020 Vote says

    March 4, 2020 at 5:42 pm

    Great results for the taxpayers…

    • Jason Zink says

      March 5, 2020 at 6:39 am

      This would of been a fire tax on top of a present fire tax “double taxation”. It would of been a slush fund wasting millions of taxpayers dollars. In a time of State and County surpluses, this was nothing more then greed by our own out of hand liberal government. Happy to see voters did not fall for it because of politicians using firefighter image propaganda campaign to get voters to pass it.

      • Serena says

        March 8, 2020 at 8:27 pm

        Yes, firefighters are such a bastion of liberal intellect and politics, aren’t they? LOL! Do you ever bother to read before you post?

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