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Missive from Margo
By Margo Reeg, LWVLAC President
October is Voter Service month. Leagues throughout the county have scheduled dozens of Candidate forums for city council, Assembly, Senate, school board and community college board races. The County League board members fill in when local Leagues are overbooked and in cities that do not have a League. This year the County Board is conducting Candidate forums for La Canada School Board. Pro and Con presentations include Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and Omega Psi Phi (fraternal organizations in Cerritos area) Community Social Action Symposium, “Election 2024 – What’s at Stake?”, La Luz Del Mundo Church Voter Education night, South Pasadena Kiwanis, Cerritos La Palma AAUW and Tri-City Mental Health in Pomona.
We have been working with LWVGLA and LWV Beach Cities to get candidates and local ballot measures posted on VOTE411.
ELECTION INFO, our printed LA County Voter Education Tool in English and Spanish, has been distributed to all Leagues, all branches of the Los Angeles County Library, and many municipal libraries, local service groups and schools. The Whittier Union High School District purchases them for use in all senior government and economics classes. We printed 20,000 English and 10,000 Spanish.
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Ballot Processing Center Tours
Counting the millions of ballots cast in Los Angeles County in a Presidential Election is a gargantuan project with layers of security and accountability procedures and multiple fail-safe processes to make sure every eligible ballot is counted.
The Ballot Processing Center at 13401 Crossroads Pkwy N, City of Industry, is open to visiting groups throughout the month after an election. So that we can see the entire process, except for the Manual 1% cross check, I have scheduled several tours.
Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 2p
Signature verification of Vote by Mail envelopes. Checking of ballots for extraneous marks or tears. Counting of ballots.
Friday, Nov. 8 at 10a
Signature verification of Vote by Mail envelopes. Checking of ballots for extraneous marks or tears. Notification of voters whose signature didn’t match, or no signature.
Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 2p
Repeat of Wednesday and Friday tours with ballot counting. May start 1% Manual Count for crosscheck on computer tally.
Please RSVP for a specific tour by contacting Margo Reeg at margolwv@gmail.com or 562-947-5818
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County Ballot Measure Positions
The LWV-LA County Board decided to remain neutral on each County ballot Measure. In each case, we have League positions that support parts of a measure and other positions that do not support goals or aspects of the measure. Here are the League Action statements for Measures A Housing, E Fire and Emergency Services, and G County Government Reform.
Neutral Position on Measure A
The League of Women Voters of Los Angeles County has adopted a neutral stance on Measure A. This measure proposes a permanent ½ cent sales tax generating $1.1 billion annually for homelessness services and affordable housing.
The League recognizes the critical need for these services, but concerns related to fiscal responsibility and government accountability arise due to the lack of a sunset clause. Without an expiration, voters are denied the opportunity to re-evaluate the measure in the future, which conflicts with the League's position on ensuring ongoing public involvement in fiscal matters.
Additionally, Measure A introduces a regressive tax, which the League opposes, as it disproportionately affects low-income households. While Measure A aims to fund essential services, the burden of the sales tax would fall more heavily on those least able to afford it, which conflicts with the League's focus on equity and economic justice.
Although Measure A includes audits and oversight, the indefinite nature of the tax and the mixed results of previous initiatives, like Measure H, lead the League to recommend a neutral stance. This neutrality encourages voters to carefully consider both the benefits and drawbacks.
Neutral Position on Measure E
The League of Women Voters of Los Angeles County has adopted a neutral position on Measure E, which proposes a permanent parcel tax to fund emergency services and fire department infrastructure for the Los Angeles County Fire District. Measure E would introduce a tax of 6 cents per square foot of improvements on parcels in the district, which is expected to generate significant revenue to improve fire protection, 911 response, and emergency services.
Concerns About Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability:
While we recognize the importance of well-funded emergency services, Measure E raises concerns about fiscal responsibility and government accountability. The lack of a sunset clause means that this tax would be permanent, denying voters the opportunity to reassess the measure in the future. This conflicts with the League’s positions on ensuring ongoing public involvement in fiscal decisions and providing opportunities for periodic evaluation of long-term tax measures to ensure that they continue to meet the community’s needs effectively.
Impact on Taxpayers and the Fire District:
Measure E would tax properties based on the size of improvements (buildings or structures) on parcels, affecting homeowners and businesses alike. The lack of clarity regarding the equitable use of funds, especially for areas already served by other fire departments, raises concerns about fairness. Additionally, the potential for annual increases in the tax rate (up to 2%) could further burden property owners over time. While exemptions exist for low-income seniors, the overall impact on other homeowners and business owners could be significant.
Potential Benefits if Implemented Effectively:
Proponents of Measure E argue that the tax would fund crucial improvements to emergency services, including upgrades to 911 systems, purchasing new fire trucks and helicopters, and hiring and training more firefighters and paramedics. These enhancements could improve emergency response times and better equip the fire department to handle natural disasters, such as wildfires. If these improvements are successfully implemented, they could significantly strengthen public safety, which aligns with the League’s commitment to supporting essential public services.
Why a Neutral Position?
Our neutral stance reflects a balance of these considerations. While Measure E addresses important needs for public safety, the lack of a sunset clause, concerns about fiscal responsibility, and the potential tax burden on property owners prevent us from fully endorsing the measure. At the same time, the measure’s potential to enhance emergency services and fire response is significant enough to refrain from opposing it outright.
Neutral Position on Measure G
Measure G proposes several changes to LA County government, including creating an Elected CEO, expanding the Board of Supervisors from five to nine members, and establishing an Independent Ethics Commission. These changes aim to improve governance, representation, and accountability across the county.
LWV-LAC’s Positions: Why Neutral?
The League of Women Voters of Los Angeles County advocates for increased representation, governance reforms, and accountability, which Measure G partially addresses. However, our neutral stance arises from balancing several factors, as outlined in our previous advocacy to the Board of Supervisors.
Support for Expanding the Board of Supervisors:
The League supports expanding the Board from five to nine members. This would improve representation for LA County’s diverse population and allow for more localized governance, giving communities greater access to their elected officials.
Opposition to an Elected CEO:
While the League supports the concept of a County Executive, we do not support making this an elected position. We believe that a professional, appointed CEO would ensure efficient and effective management free from political influence. An appointed CEO aligns with our position on promoting professional, nonpartisan management in local government.
Support for an Ethics Commission:
We support the establishment of an independent Ethics Commission, which aligns with our stance on transparency and accountability in government. This body would help combat corruption, promote transparency, and uphold ethical standards in county governance.
Concerns and Considerations:
Despite the positives, we also have concerns regarding Measure G, particularly around fiscal responsibility. It's essential that the expanded governance structure does not result in excessive operational costs. While the measure does not call for new taxes, we remain cautious about the potential financial strain on the county's budget, especially with the addition of four new Supervisors and several new managerial roles.
Why Neutral?
Ultimately, the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles County finds that Measure G contains elements we support—such as increased representation and ethical oversight—but also includes provisions, such as the election of a CEO, that we oppose. These mixed positions are why we have chosen to take a neutral stance on Measure G.
For Measures A, E, and G, we encourage voters to carefully weigh the benefits and concerns before making their decision.
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WIG Art and Science Tour
By Grace Peng, Water and Infrastructure Group (WIG)
Water & Infrastructure Group took October and November off due to our members being preoccupied with Voter Education/Service and recovering from it. However, we have another fun and topical field trip planned for December.
Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2p, we are meeting at the CSU Dominguez Hills’ University Art Gallery for a co-curator tour of their brackish water Los Angeles show, a part of PST Art 2024. If there is interest, we can meet for lunch nearby at noon before heading over to CSUDH. The gallery is open 12-5p on Saturdays.
PST Art began as a Getty Foundation-sponsored event called Pacific Standard Time. SoCal participants received grants to do original curation research on their collections and put on shows on a common theme. The theme for 2024 is Art & Science Collide.
PST ART: Art & Science Collide will create opportunities for civic dialogue around some of the most urgent problems of our time by exploring past and present connections between art and science in a series of exhibitions, public programs, and other resources. Project topics range from climate change and environmental justice to the future of artificial intelligence and alternative medicine.
brack·ish wa·ter - The space where salt and fresh waters meet.
Brackish Water Los Angeles examines the ecosystems, infrastructures, and politics surrounding brackish water, which refers to the space where salt and fresh waters meet. The project considers the larger implications of in-betweenness, including issues of access, inclusion, ecological racism, and cultural/class system interchanges along Los Angeles’ waterways.
In Jan. 2024, WIG presented “Meet the Watermaster” with Esther Valle Rojas, the Watermaster for Los Angeles’ Central Basin and West Coast Basin, which includes the CSU Dominguez Hills area. She mentioned operational brackish water desalination facilities and one under construction (in my neighborhood!). In case you missed it, you can view the slides and video here. Scroll down to Jan. 2024.
In November 2021, Kathy Kunysz explained “Who Fills Your Taps” and briefly touched upon why coastal aquifers are brackish and what we have to do to keep the main coastal aquifer fresh water. The video and slide deck are available at the same link above.
In 2025, we hope to bring in a speaker for a more in-depth look at brackish water desalination.
RSVP to Grace Peng at gspeng.lwv@gmail.com and also include whether you would like to join me for lunch nearby in either Gardena or Carson. Perhaps dim sum.
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Mental Health 101
By Teri Neustaedter, LWV Beach Cities
One in five American adults experience mental illness each year and nearly 5.6 million Californians have a mental health condition. We often struggle to get the help we need due to cost, lack of insurance coverage and clinicians.
We need more conversations and awareness—for our own well-being, for our family and friends, for our neighbors and coworkers, as well as to understand what’s happening in our communities. Educating ourselves allows us to become an example of compassion, understanding, and care.
Wonder what LWVC’s position is on mental health care? Click here
On Jan. 25, LWV LA County ILO will present Mental Health 101, featuring several wonderful speakers from LA County. Traute Winters, executive director of National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) of Greater LA County will lay out the mental health landscape, from general trends they're seeing to how the county is addressing them. Lisa Boyd, LCSW, and Dr. Jessica Roberts, Supervising Psychologist, from LA County's Dept. of Mental Health (DMH) will discuss the new CARE Court, what it does and how it works. Join us Jan. 25, 9:30a-12p for Mental Health 101!
Article links:
https://www.nami.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CaliforniaStateFactSheet.pdf
https://lwvc.org/position/mental-health-care/
https://namiglac.org/what-is-mental-illness/
https://dmh.lacounty.gov/court-programs/care-court/
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