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California voters approved Measure ER, a sales tax increase that will raise prices across Los Angeles, with some areas like Palmdale facing the highest sales tax rate at 11.75% nationally. The measure passed by a narrow margin of just 25,770 votes in June's primary election despite initial indications it might fail. Supporters claim the funds are needed for emergency healthcare services, but critics argue it will disproportionately affect working families who spend a larger portion of their income on consumer goods.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Starting October 1, LA County implemented a new sales tax hike from 9.75% to 10.25%, following voter approval of Measure ER in June. The tax rate is even higher in cities like Santa Monica (reaching up to 11.25%) and Palmdale (11.75%), making it the highest sales tax rate in the nation. This additional half-cent per dollar will result in an estimated $1 billion annually for five years, going into the county’s general fund aimed at bolstering healthcare services. However, a lawsuit filed by the Libertarian Party of LA County is now freezing any distribution of these funds until its resolution. Critics argue that voters were misled about the necessity and purpose of this tax hike, with some expressing concern over the financial burden on working families amidst already high living costs in California.
Written for “LA Sales Tax Hike” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
And some communities will pay even more, due to local taxes.
asserted
communities → pay → taxes
Santa Monica shoppers will pay 11.25%.
asserted
shoppers → pay → %
If you buy anything in Palmdale, your sales tax is 11.75%.
asserted
tax → buy → Palmdale
That’s the highest in the nation.
asserted
That → ’ → nation
It sounds incredible, but it’s true.
asserted
it → sound → ?
And it’s all thanks to Measure ER, which barely passed in the June primary.
asserted
which → ’ → primary
The Board of Supervisors placed the measure on the ballot — with one dissenting vote from Kathryn Barger.
asserted
Board → place → Barger
They said the new tax would only last five years, and would pay for healthcare.
asserted
tax → say → healthcare
“ER” = “emergency room,” which is where you might end up after seeing your grocery bill.)
uncertain
you → = → bill
California voters consistently told pollsters that the high cost of living was the No. 1 issue for them in this year’s elections.
asserted
cost → tell → elections
And yet voters in LA somehow decided to make everything more expensive.
asserted
everything → decide → LA
It was a tax on everyone, and it will hit working families hardest, since consumer spending is a higher percentage of their incomes.
asserted
spending → hit → incomes
The really odd part is that for days after the June 2 primary, Measure ER looked like it was going to fail.
asserted
it → look → primary
Voters in San Francisco and San Diego turned down tax increases in the same election.
asserted
Voters → turn → election
LA looked like it had done the same.
asserted
it → look → same
But then, as late ballots arrived and were counted, the tide began to shift.
asserted
tide → arrive → ?
The same batches of ballots that put Nithya Raman into second place in the race for LA mayor also seemed to put the “yes” vote on Measure ER over the top.
asserted
that → put → top
In the end, Measure ER won by barely 1% of the vote.
asserted
ER → win → vote
To be precise: It won by just 25,770 votes, in the largest county in America.
asserted
It → win → America
The sad part is that politicians constantly swindle voters in California, and especially in LA, into voting for tax increases by telling them the money will go to a good cause.
asserted
money → swindle → cause
That’s what has happened every time a tax increase for homeless funding has been on the ballot.
asserted
increase → ’ → ballot
The money is wasted, and the politicians come back for more.
asserted
politicians → waste → more
It’s time for us to stop this madness.
asserted
us → ’ → madness
Voters need to punish politicians who raise the cost of living.
asserted
who → need → living
And remember: Every vote counts.
asserted
vote → remember → ?
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