In an effort to reduce homelessness, LA officials are looking to increase sales taxes or place new taxes on medical marijuana or the income of millionaires. Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority surveys stated that, “The city and county adopted parallel plans last month to address the growing homelessness problem. The number of people sleeping in shelters, on the streets, in cars and in makeshift encampments increased 12% countywide from 2013 to 2015, to more than 44,000.”

The city is making further attempts to reduce homelessness. For example, the county set aside about $150 million to pay for its plan over the next two years, and is devoting about $30 million this year to homelessness programs. After learning so much about homelessness, it’s great to see that the LA county is finally enforcing plans to do something about it. However, fixing this problem is not going to be cheap. City analysts projected that it would cost at least $1.85 billion over the next decade to create the needed housing, not including the the price of providing services. The city is asking voters to decide on two separate funding initiatives.

The county created 5 funding options that they reported last Wednesday. This includes, “a parcel tax; redirection of some money from Measure B, a countywide tax for trauma care; a new tax on medical — and perhaps in the future, recreational — marijuana; an increase in the countywide transaction and use tax; and a new “millionaire’s tax” on personal income over $1 million, like the one that currently funds mental health services around the state.”

The county has laid out it’s plan and now it is up to the voters to decide how to tackle this problem. There’s no doubt that the problem must be addressed and I believe is the responsibility of everyone to take action on this.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-county-homeless-funding-20160309-story.html