Los Angeles Voters Favor Sales Tax Hike for Fire Department

Los Angeles voters appeared to be leaning toward approving Measure FD, a ballot initiative that would implement a half-cent sales tax increase to fund the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). Early vote tallies released Tuesday evening showed the measure with 54% support.

If Measure FD passes with a simple majority, it would raise the city's sales tax from 10.25% to 10.75%. This increase is projected to generate approximately $345 million annually for the LAFD. The department currently receives the majority of its nearly $1 billion budget from the city's general fund, which is shared among various municipal services.

The measure includes a provision requiring the city to maintain its average funding share for the LAFD from the general fund over the decade preceding the ballot measure's qualification. This aims to ensure that the new revenue supplements, rather than replaces, existing funding.

The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112 sponsored the measure. Supporters argue the funds are necessary to hire more firefighters and paramedics, build and modernize fire stations, acquire new equipment, and expand wildfire prevention efforts. The union projects that by 2050, the measure could fund at least 30 new stations and add approximately 1,400 personnel.

Advocates for Measure FD pointed to the January 2025 Palisades Fire, which resulted in significant destruction and loss of life. An after-action report on that fire indicated that insufficient staffing and a shortage of operational vehicles hampered the response.

Opposition to Measure FD emerged from groups concerned about affordability and the tax's permanent nature. The Los Angeles Police Protective League and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association voiced their opposition. The police union stated that while they support hiring firefighters, they object to a tax with no expiration date, citing it as a burden on residents. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association estimated the tax would cost an average individual $86 annually. Opponents have suggested the city should find the necessary funds through budget efficiencies or reallocations, noting that Measure FD would be the third sales tax increase in Los Angeles within two years.