Voters Cast Ballots Today in Local Races

A year from now, Los Angeles County voters will help choose the next leader of the free world.

But today, people will cast ballots on issues that cut closer to home: special taxes and bond measures, small city elections, and races in water districts, community college boards and school boards.

Some of the races are rife with controversy. In Claremont, two candidates for school board are creating a buzz because of their past associations with white supremacists; and in Lynwood, candidates are winging allegations of corruption, child abuse and drive-by shootings at each other.

But generally, today’s elections offer measures and races to guide government spending and policy in scores of local communities.

In Hermosa Beach, voters will consider a repeal of the city’s controversial utility user tax. Proponents say the tax was supposed to expire 11 years ago, that city officials have squandered the money, and that the excess cost of doing business in town pushes some firms to other cities.

“If you can’t get tax relief in the longest economic upswing this century, you’ll never get it,” wrote Donley Falkenstein of the Hermosa Beach Taxpayer Consent Committee.

But city officials say the 6% tax surcharge on all utilities is crucial and that the repeal, called Measure D, would be disastrous.

“This initiative will result in even less police, firefighters and paramedics,” wrote the mayor and other officials. “Streets and sewers will continue to go without badly needed repairs!”

Meanwhile, in Artesia voters are facing the issue in reverse, deciding whether to implement a utility user tax that would not exceed 5%.

Several school districts are also seeking a boost in funds. Bond measures are on the ballot for the districts of Antelope Valley Union, Mt. San Antonio Community College, William Hart Union and El Monte city. And Arcadia voters must decide on an $8-million bond issue to build a new police station.

But some issues are more about power than money. In Agoura Hills, the ballot is dominated by a measure that would strip from the City Council the power to rezone land designated as open space.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters should call the Los Angeles registrar’s office to get their polling place at (800) 815-2666.

The registrar’s office, which will tally results for all the cities voting today except for Lomita, will post results after the polls close at: https://www.lavote.net