Monterey Park : Vote on Sales Tax Opposed

In a rare moment of unity Tuesday night, the City Council voted 5 to 0 against putting the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission’s proposal for a half-cent sales tax increase on the ballot. But city councils in El Monte, Hermosa Beach and Compton approved similar resolutions Tuesday.

Under the commission’s proposal, 30% of the tax money would be distributed to cities so they can improve local streets and roads. The remainder would be used for freeway and highway projects such as car-pool lanes and tow service patrols and to buy land for commuter rail lines.

In order to place the measure on the ballot, the commission needs backing from 44 of the county’s 86 cities. It now has support from 20 cities.

Monterey Park is one of four cities that have refused to back placement of the sales-tax issue on the ballot. Last month, Temple City rejected a similar proposal. But San Gabriel Valley communities such as Covina, West Covina and Duarte have supported the ballot plan.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Councilman Chris Houseman questioned the plan’s emphasis on freeway and road projects.

“All of this is going to create more lanes for more cars to get stuck in,” he said.

Councilwoman Judy Chu said she is reluctant to support the plan partly because the city and other Southland communities are not adequately represented on the county Transportation Commission.

“I don’t think it’s enough to have just two representatives for all the cities outside of Long Beach and Los Angeles,” Chu said.

Despite the setback in Monterey Park, commission spokeswoman Brynn Kernaghan said she is optimistic the county will be able to round up enough support by the end of next month to get the measure on the ballot.