LA County Places 6 Cent Parcel Tax for Fire Department For The 2020 March Ballot

LA County Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to place a parcel tax on the 2020 March ballot. It would provide funding for more staffing and upgraded equipment for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 

The department’s 911 software, for example, dates to the 1980s, with outdated tools for mapping cellphone calls. New fire stations have opened in recent years, but others need repairs. And its fleet of fire engines is aging, officials say. 

The parcel tax would collect 6 cents per square foot in most places where the department offers service. The 4,600-person department currently has 174 stations throughout the county and lifeguard posts along 70 miles of shoreline, covering dozens of cities and more than 4 million residents.