City Council Combines Bond Issues on Ballot
The City Council on Wednesday agreed to combine two bond measures into one $532-million initiative that will ask voters in November to pay for upgrading and building fire stations and animal shelters in selected sections of the city.
In recent weeks, the council has debated whether the issues should be merged on the ballot. Some members have questioned whether the bonds favor only those sections of the city that would get the money.
On Wednesday, the council voted 11 to 3 to keep the fire and animal shelter requests on one bond measure. Council members Laura Chick, Nick Pacheco and Rudy Svorinich opposed it.
The measure includes $378 million for the city Fire Department to upgrade or build 19 stations, including sites in Watts, North Hollywood, Sun Valley, San Pedro and Hollywood. The money would also be used to replace the Air Operations and Helicopter Maintenance Facility at Van Nuys Airport.
The bond would additionally raise $154.1 million to upgrade the city’s six animal shelters and to build two facilities--one in the east San Fernando Valley and one in South-Central Los Angeles.
Approval requires a two-thirds majority. Last year, the city failed to win a two-thirds vote needed for a $744-million combined police and fire bond measure.
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