Voters in Los Angeles County and the city of Los Angeles will face multiple ballot measures in November, including county ethics charter amendments, binding arbitration for public safety unions, a sales tax increase for the fire department, and city charter reforms.
Local ballot measures for the November election are being finalized across Los Angeles County and the city of Los Angeles, with several key proposals set to appear before voters.
County officials have until August 7 to finalize these measures, according to the L.A. County Registrar's Office. At least two countywide measures are expected: one to enshrine the county's ethics commission into the charter, and another to mandate binding arbitration for certain labor disputes involving public safety unions. The ethics commission measure aims to correct a mistake discovered after voters approved Measure G in 2025, which created the commission but left its status in the charter ambiguous.
The new proposal would add the ethics commission, a compliance office, and governing procedures to the county charter, ensuring permanent autonomy. The commission would consist of seven members, with three appointed by elected officials and the remaining four selected through a public application process. Its duties would include enforcing ethics laws, conducting investigations, and levying penalties for violations. On the city level, Angelenos will face multiple measures, including a proposed sales tax increase to fund the fire department.
If approved by a simple majority, the city's sales tax would rise to 10.25 percent, generating an estimated $345 million in its first year. Revenue would be earmarked for hiring new firefighters, building stations, and brush clearance. The United Firefighters union argues that the department is understaffed relative to the city's population of 4 million, with the same number of firefighters as in the 1960s, six fewer stations, and five times the call load.
The tax would remain in effect until repealed. Additionally, several charter reform measures are in the works, stemming from the 2022 City Hall leaked-tapes scandal. While the City Council opted not to include major changes like LAPD oversight or expanding the council, voters can expect proposals to move the city to a two-year budget cycle and require a capital infrastructure plan. The exact language of these measures is still being finalized, according to the City Clerk's Office.
The county's binding arbitration measure would cover unions representing firefighters, deputy sheriffs, sworn law enforcement supervisors, and lifeguards, among others. Currently, when disputes between the county and these unions cannot be resolved, the county can impose its best and final offer, even if the union disagrees. This has created a challenging dynamic, according to Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. Under the new proposal, a three-member arbitrator panel would decide disputes over working conditions like wages and hours.
Each party would appoint one arbitrator, and the third would be mutually selected. The costs would be shared between the county and the union.
Meanwhile, the ethics measure seeks to safeguard the commission's independence, as recommended by a task force guiding Measure G's implementation. With the August deadline looming, these measures represent significant decisions for voters, shaping governance and public safety in the region
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