Supporters of Los Angeles County’s Measure ER declared victory Tuesday as more ballots were counted, with the “yes” camp edging ahead by a slim margin and just over 50% of the vote. The half-cent sales tax would fund local hospitals and clinics, taking effect
For days, the outcome of Los Angeles County’s proposed health care sales tax hung in the balance—then Tuesday brought a shift that campaign leaders were quick to seize.
Supporters of a half-cent sales tax proposed to help fund health services in Los Angeles County declared victory after steadily gaining ground as more ballots were counted. The latest results showed the “yes” camp ahead by a slim margin, with just more than 50% of the vote. The measure needs a simple majority to win.
“Today, Angelenos sent a clear message: we take care of each other,” Jim Mangia, chief executive of St. John’s Community Health and a spokesperson for the campaign, said in a statement. “For months. we watched Washington make decisions that stripped healthcare away from hundreds of thousands of our neighbors — and today. Los Angeles County answered.”.
The campaign said it would be organizing a news conference Wednesday to celebrate the “historic win.”
Measure ER. on the ballot as the half-cent sales tax proposal. had gained traction since election night. when results showed the tax had failed to gain a majority among early voters. Voters have not rejected a sales tax hike in L.A. County since 2012, when a transportation measure fell just short of the needed two-thirds majority with 66.1% support.
If approved. Measure ER would impose a new sales tax of half a penny of every dollar spent in the county. The proceeds would go to local hospitals and clinics that say they’re bleeding funding after federal cuts. Officials anticipate it will bring in $1 billion annually to patch the holes in the health services network.
The measure, championed by a coalition of healthcare advocates, is set to take effect Oct. 1 and last for five years.
Los Angeles County Measure ER healthcare sales tax St. John's Community Health Jim Mangia hospitals and clinics federal cuts election results ballot counting