Serving Bread

LA Voters will be faced with three propositions tomorrow:

Proposition H: The City of LA will issue a bond of $1 Billion to provide safe, clean affordable housing for the homeless and those in danger of becoming homeless. The bond will be repaid by imposing a tax on homeowners (which will be about $75/year for 30 years).

Thoughts on Proposition H: Housing in LA is not easy. The rental vacancy rate is very low, rents are high, and buying a house is nearly impossible. Something needs to change to aid the less-fortunate. Unfortunately, most of the money in this bond will not go to help people buy their houses, but to increase rental units. Homeownership is an excellent way of combatting crime and encouraging upward mobility for the poor because people will take better care of their homes than of ones they rent. As a homeowner, I am very willing to take an increase in my property taxes to make housing more affordable for the less fortunate. Because only 25% of the proceeds are going to assist people to buy their first homes, this proposition seems to promise more than it will deliver.
Proposition J: This initiative will amend Proposition F to allow regional fire stations be built on one or more sites totally less than 2 acres instead of requiring a single 2-acre site.

Thoughts on Proposition J: This initiative basically allows more freedom for city planners on how and where they build their fire stations. Sounds good to me!
Proposition R: This proposition will impose term limits on councilmembers and puts restrictions on lobbyists and lobbying.

Thoughts on Proposition R: Term limits in certain cases is a good thing. For the City of LA, it’s a very good thing (in my opinion). Lobbying needs to be restricted and a transition in councilmember seats could allow for people to be more effective during their years of service.

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