Initial Measure CL vote count shows approval is likely

Culver City's special sales tax measure is on a path towards approval following the release of the initial vote count to the public.

Of the 5,290 votes that were tallied as of 8:06 p.m. Tuesday night, more than 67%(3,974 votes) are in favor of Measure CL. Should this result hold, the sales tax in Culver City will be increased to 10.75%, which is the maximum allowable cap under current state law. The sales tax in Culver City could only be increased through legislation from the state, similar to how LA County's Measure A was implemented through a state exception.

Measure CL was proposed as a means to keep much needed money in Culver City, with it projected to generate between $5 million and $6 million in revenue. If LA Metro or Los Angeles County attempts to pass a sales tax in the 2026 or future elections, residents of Culver City would see the measure on their ballots, but it would not impact sales tax charged in Culver City.

The city is projected to face a budget deficit with a grim 10-year outlook, even before the $16 million allocation to Jubilo Village or the commitment to contribute $2.5 million to the Culver City Unified School District. Measure CL is colloquially titled the "Culver City Neighborhood Services and Community Safety Measure" whose stated purpose is to support police, fire, parks, and homelessness services throughout the city.

Pundits have been openly critical of the push to increase sales tax and the level of expenditures approved by the city council. Critics expressed their displeasure about the message it sends to the city about the tolerance of irresponsible spending, referencing past decisions like the purchase of the Redding Gun Store and the MOVE Culver City project.

"Culver City wastes $6 million of our tax dollars on an empty building purely for virtue signaling purposes, and then asks us for more money…and we say yes??" one comment on the Facebook post announcing the results reads.

"When Culver City blows the money, they can always ask for more," another commenter wrote.

Others pointed out that while the sales tax remains at the current limit, increases to taxes overall could still be around the corner with a parcel tax from CCUSD likely to appear on a 2026 ballot.

"[The] City council recommended the CCUSD tax homeowners going forward to pay for their mismanagement," Anthony Rizzo, who ran for city council in 2020, wrote.

However, many of Culver City's most prominent groups and organizations showed public support for the Measure as a means to keep potential Culver City dollars from being taken by Los Angeles and to maintain essential city services. Mayor Dan O'Brien thanked the community for its support of Measure CL and for taking on the burden of additional taxes.

"While no one enjoys paying more taxes, if Measure CL passes, it ensures that this new revenue will stay in Culver City and and allows the city to maintain the level of services we expect." O'Brien told Culver Crescent.

While the initial prognosis shows that Measure CL is likely to pass, it will take some time before results are finalized as the 5,920 votes represents just over 20% of the total number of registered voters in the city.

Vote counting will continue through most of next week, with the final results to be next revealed Thursday, September 4. A live stream of the results will be hosted on the city's YouTube channel starting at 11 a.m. that day.

Election results will be certified September 8.