Lawndale Drops Plans for Utility Tax Proposal

The Lawndale City Council has dropped plans to place a proposed utility tax on the November ballot but postponed a decision on budget cuts to offset the unexpected loss of $91,000 from the state.

The council had ordered city staff to draw up the text of the measure, which would have imposed a 2% tax on residents and businesses and generated $240,000 a year for the city’s general fund.

But during a budget hearing last week, after questions were raised about whether senior citizens and low-income residents should be exempt from the tax, the measure’s two strongest advocates withdrew their support.