Los Angeles firefighters will kick off a signature drive Thursday for a half-cent sales-tax boost they say is the only way to reverse decades of underfunding that has left the city with 1960s staffing levels and crumbling stations.
At a Glance
- Union wants a 0.5% sales-tax hike on the November ballot
- Measure would raise $345 million in year one
- LAFD still uses 1960s staffing despite five-fold call surge
- Why it matters: Higher sales tax or slower 911 response, voters must decide
The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC) and city leaders will rally at Fire Station 58 on Robertson Boulevard to ask voters to sign petitions qualifying the initiative for the midterm election, the union announced Wednesday.
The Crisis
UFLAC says the Los Angeles Fire Department is stretched to the breaking point.
“Due to decades of underinvestment, the LAFD currently operates with the same number of firefighters as in the 1960s, six fewer stations, and five times the call load,” the union said.
More than 50 stations suffer from aging infrastructure, the union added.
Where the Money Would Go
The proposal earmarks every cent from the new tax for LAFD use only:
- Hire more firefighters and civilian staff
- Buy new fire trucks, engines and ambulances
- Build new stations and repair existing ones
- Create a special fund walled off from the general budget
A “maintenance of effort” clause would bar City Hall from cutting current LAFD funds and replacing them with the new tax money.
Annual audits and a citizens oversight committee would track every dollar, according to the measure.
The Price Tag
City sales tax now sits at 9.75%; passage would push it to 10.25%-still below the 10.5% paid in Alhambra, Burbank, Glendale, Long Beach, San Fernando, West Hollywood and Pasadena, and below the 10.75% in Culver City and Santa Monica.
Proponents estimate at least $345 million in the first twelve months.
A History of Neglect
Population vs. Resources Then and Now
| Metric | 1960 | 2023* |
|---|---|---|
| City population | 2.4 million | ~3.9 million |
| LAFD emergency calls | 100,985 | ~500,000+ |
| Authorized firefighters | 3,379 | ~3,400 |
| Fire stations | 112 | 106 |
*2023 figures from union and department statements
The union says the department needs 62 new stations, 4,000 more firefighters, dozens of dispatchers, seven new battalions and emergency-management substations to meet standards set by the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Opposition Voices
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association blasted the plan, arguing the city should fund public safety from its existing budget.
“What is in the city budget that is a higher priority than adequately funding the fire department?” the group asked, blaming Mayor Karen Bass and the City Council for chronic underfunding.
The association also warned that higher sales taxes “hit hardest on people who can least afford to pay more.”
California’s constitution normally requires two-thirds voter approval for special-purpose taxes, but a court loophole since 2017 allows citizen-initiative taxes to pass with a simple majority.
Next Steps
Campaigners have until early May to collect roughly 61,000 valid signatures to place the measure on the November ballot. If they succeed, Los Angeles voters will decide whether a half-cent on every dollar spent in the city is the price of faster 911 response times and upgraded fire protection.
