Measure CL election season set to begin next week

A pivotal Culver City election season is almost underway.

Ballots for Measure CL's upcoming all-mail Special Election on August 26 are expected to be sent to Culver City mailboxes starting Monday. Measure CL is the highly debated quarter-cent sales tax measure proposed in response to the city's structural budget deficit.

The city has an opportunity to pass a sales tax under state law following the sunset of Measure H in April, but that opportunity could disappear if Los Angeles or LA Metro attempts to pass a similar sales tax before or at the same time as Culver City does. If Culver City does pass Measure CL, it would be exempt from future local sales tax increase that exceeds the current 10.75% cap, barring legislature from the state-level.

Losing this potential sales tax revenue to the county is a situation that city council members, including Mayor Dan O'Brien, hope to avoid. The possibility prompted the council to approve a special election on August 26 to avoid potentially competing with the county or LA Metro in next year's regularly scheduled elections.

On Wednesday night, O'Brien hosted a community meeting at the Lindberg Park Stonehouse to raise awareness about the sales tax measure and the city's overall financial well-being.

He told Culver Crescent that he believed the meeting had gone well and was not surprised by any of the concerns expressed by residents there. After explaining the overall situation that has led to Measure CL, O'Brien fielded questions from the audience, many of which were related to recent council decisions with significant financial implications.

Residents expressed concern about spending, including the commitment to the Jubilo Village 100% affordable housing project, the purchase of the Redding Gun Store, and a potential gift of up to $7.5 million this year to the Culver City Unified School District, which the City Council will discuss at their August 11 meeting.

If passed, Measure CL will increase the sales tax charged in Culver City by a quarter cent for every dollar spent, or 25 cents for every $100 spent. Like other local sales taxes, this increase would not apply to essential goods, including most groceries, prescription medications, diapers, breast pumps and related supplies, and utilities.

Its title on the ballot is "Culver City Neighborhood Services and Community Safety Measure." While the money will be deposited into the city's unrestricted General Fund, the expressed primary purpose of the measure on the ballot is to provide funding for the following:

• Retaining firefighters to maintain three fully staffed fire stations
• Retaining paramedics and police officers to sustain consistent 911 emergency response times
• Continued homelessness reduction services and encampment prevention
• Conducting Citywide maintenance work like improving parks and fields, and repairing potholes, streets, and storm drains
• Providing senior and youth services
• Other General Fund uses

O'Brien and Vice Mayor Freddy Puza authored the argument in favor of Measure CL, citing the need to sustain services and the potential impending measures from LA County and LA Metro.

"It's important to act now," the argument reads. "Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority are facing significant budget deficits and could likely seek sales tax increases that would be paid by Culver City residents."

It emphasizes that keeping the $5 to $6 million per year that Measure CL is expected to generate is a crucial and much-needed investment in the community.

"This measure aims to address the city's structural deficit, accommodate the rising cost of living, and ensure the future stability of our budget," the argument reads.

No argument has been filed against Measure CL, but arguments in the community that have surfaced against the measure include the regressive nature of sales tax, concerns over financial management, and the bloated level of sales tax compared to other states in the country. Culver City City Attorney Heather Baker wrote an impartial analysis of Measure CL, which will be included in the Voter Information Guide provided with ballots.

This special election will exclusively use mail-in ballots. These ballots can be submitted by mailing them back or by dropping them off at either City Hall or one of the three drop boxes located throughout the city. These drop boxes are available 24 hours a day and are at the following locations:

• Culver West Alexander Park: 4162 Wade St.
• Fox Hills Parkette: Buckingham Parkway and Hannum Avenue
• Julian Dixon Library: 4975 Overland Ave.

Ballots are due no later than 8 p.m. on election day if dropped off or postmarked on or before election day and received by September 2 if mailed in.

For more on sales tax in Culver City, read Culver Crescent's analysis here.