CommentsRANTZ AND RAVEZ-When the elected officials and pundits from the City of Los Angeles proposed tax increases to address the growing homeless population, I was skeptical and warned you about my concerns.
Knowing how the city has a long history of spending money and establishing layers of bureaucracy to address any and all situations, I believed that history would repeat itself and the same old thing would happen: another tax increase with little if any improvement.
Well, like I said, “I told you so.” When we examine measures H and HHH, both tax increases were designed to create solutions for LA’s homeless people, but we find again that the tax increases are not addressing the exploding homeless population in Los Angeles City and County. The most recent reports reflect that homeless numbers are growing, not declining. We are close to an estimated 60,000 homeless individuals in our region of Southern California. In fact, this population has continued to expand throughout LA from the San Fernando Valley to San Pedro, from the Westside to East Los Angeles.
While I have the greatest concern for those who live on the streets in our diverse communities, I also believe that the failure of government officials needs to be addressed and called to task. I have heard from them, more times than I can count, that we have a local EMERGENCY with the increasing homeless population in Los Angeles. What is being done to address the situation? Little, as far as I can tell. What I do see is beautiful multi-story condos and apartments going up throughout LA but few if any being built for seniors or to house the homeless. It is time to press Los Angeles officials for action, not another TAX INCREASE to address the out of control, expanding Los Angeles City and County homeless population. With the current LA sales tax at 9.5%, how much more taxation are we willing to accept with little to no improvement to the quality of life in the Los Angeles region?
I have contributed to many homeless organizations over the years and most recently served on the Board of Directors of Hope of the Valley, a San Fernando Valley homeless shelter. While the private organizations struggle for funds to operate and care for people, where are our tax dollars going? For more bureaucracy or city reports and analysis? We need to know.
(Dennis P. Zine is a former and retired LAPD Supervisor, former and retired 12-year Los Angeles City Councilman and current General Manager at Bell Canyon in Ventura County. He is a candidate for the upcoming Assembly District 45 election.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.
