Overview
- Early June election returns showed Measure ER trailing with a majority of counted ballots opposing the half-cent county sales tax, but final results remain unsettled while more ballots are tabulated.
- The measure would have raised the Los Angeles County sales tax from 9.75% to 10.25% for five years to generate roughly $1 billion a year and about $5 billion total.
- County leaders placed the measure on the ballot to offset an estimated multi‑billion‑dollar shortfall tied to recent federal and state policy changes that officials say will cut more than $2 billion from local health funding.
- Supporters warned that money was needed to prevent clinic closures, emergency department reductions and thousands of layoffs, while opponents said a sales tax is regressive, burdens low‑income residents, and lacks strict spending protections.
- The proposal included a nine‑member citizens’ oversight committee and a supervisor-drawn spending plan prioritizing care for uninsured patients, and the vote outcome could force the county to consider further service cuts or alternate revenue steps.