“The City of La Puente Public Safety, Vital Services and Neighborhood Protection Measure,” (“Measure LP”) is an initiative measure placed on the ballot by a petition signed by the requisite number of City voters.
Measure LP asks voters to approve an ordinance that imposes an additional one-half of one percent (0.5%) tax on each dollar of taxable sales of goods in the City of La Puente, and on the taxable storage, use or consumption in La Puente of goods purchased from a retailer. Legally, this is known as a “transactions and use tax,” or, as it is commonly called, a “sales tax.”
The 0.5% sales tax increase is in addition to the current sales tax and would be collected in the same manner as existing sales taxes. For La Puente, the current sales tax rate is 9%. If approved, Measure LP increases the tax rate in La Puente to 9.5%.
Because Measure LP does not limit the use of tax revenue, the tax is a “general tax”, not a “special tax” that would restrict the use of the 0.5% of the tax revenue to specific purposes. Therefore, the tax revenues are deposited into the City’s general fund, and may be used for general governmental purposes, including: public safety services; street and sidewalk repairs; park improvements; after school programs; senior services; graffiti removal; and other general municipal services. As a general tax, Measure LP would be approved if it receives a simple majority vote.
The proposed sales tax increase does not have a sunset date, and would stay in effect unless it is repealed by the voters.
The proposed sales tax increase is subject to an annual independent financial audit that reviews whether the tax is collected, managed and expended in accordance with the law.
A “YES” vote on this measure approves the sales tax ordinance, increasing the sales tax rate in La Puente to 9.5%.
A “NO” vote on this measure rejects the sales tax ordinance, and sales tax would remain the same.
