Sales Tax Hike for Police Gains Support

Giving new momentum to Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca’s proposed half-cent sales tax for law enforcement, the Los Angeles Police Commission and Mayor James K. Hahn endorsed the initiative Tuesday.

Baca has proposed raising the sales tax in the county to 8.75%, to generate $500 million annually.

The Los Angeles Police Department would receive 34% of that money, the Sheriff’s Department would get 33% and the rest would be split among small agencies. By city Police Commission estimates, the extra money would allow the hiring of 1,700 additional LAPD officers, bringing the force to 10,000.

“We should stand shoulder to shoulder with the sheriff,” Police Commissioner Rick Caruso said. “There is a time when you have to bite the bullet, and that time is now.”

Hahn announced his support in a letter to the sheriff stating that Los Angeles could use the new officers.

“Making Los Angeles the safest big city in America is my top priority, and hiring additional police officers is crucial to this goal,” the mayor said in a statement.

Baca’s $1.7-billion budget has been cut a total of $166 million over the last two years, while the LAPD has not increased the size of its force, despite Chief William J. Bratton’s desire to expand it by 320 officers this year.

The sheriff has until June to collect more than 173,000 signatures needed to place the measure on the November ballot. Baca said he would use campaign funds to hire professional signature gatherers to supplement volunteers.

Commission President David Cunningham said other proposals were under consideration, such as a city parcel tax or extra trash fee, but none has been pushed as Baca has the sales tax plan.

Before Tuesday’s vote, the sheriff lobbied commissioners, council members and Hahn.

“It is the least pain with the most gain,” he told the commissioners.

Baca said a new poll that showed 63% of likely voters willing to support such a tax increase illustrated widespread backing and demonstrated that the required two-thirds approval was within reach.

“I think this poll is a true vindication of how the average county resident feels regarding public safety,” he said.

The survey of 2,002 county residents was performed by the Public Policy Institute of California and the School of Policy Planning and Development at USC, and involved telephone interviews conducted between Dec. 27 and March 9.

The tax increase was most favored in the central/southeast part of the county, where 70% approved. But even in the San Fernando Valley, where voters tend to oppose raising taxes, 60% of those surveyed would support a sales tax increase to pay for more police.

“It’s an impressive level of support,” said Mark Baldassare, statewide survey director for the institute.

Baca first proposed a sales tax initiative in late 2002, when he asked the county Board of Supervisors to put it before voters. But the board said no.