Voters opt for sales tax increases in La Palma

  • 2017-04-30
La Palma residents, along with those in Westminster and Fountain Valley, are now paying the highest sales tax in Orange County.

La Palma voters passed a levy, Measure JJ, with 60.3% of the voters in favor of the increase. It will remain in effect until they decide to do away with it, and should bring in about $1.5 million each year. Steve Hwangbo, a La Palma councilman, said the extra money will make it possible for the city to make long-range plans, rather than rushing to cover yearly shortfalls.

All three aforementioned cities passed measures to increase the tax last November, in order to generate revenue to continue operating. All have been running on deficits and dipping into their reserves to balance their budgets. The increase was one percent, which brings the tax rate to 8.75% in all the communities.

Laurie Murray, the city manager of La Palma, discussed raising the tax in 2016, saying that if expenditures continued to increase and revenue did not, it would be more and more difficult for the city to meet residents' needs, and to continue providing core city services, such as police and fire.

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