L.A. Sued for ‘Ignoring’ Proposition

An anti-tax group Monday filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and the city for alleged violation of a state measure that requires local tax increases to be approved by voters.

Representatives of California Tax Reduction Movement said at a press conference that the city had “ignored” Proposition 62, a state ballot measure passed last November. The measure, which was approved by 58% of the voters, requires a two-thirds vote of local governing bodies and a majority popular vote before new or increased general taxes, such as business or utility-user taxes, can be imposed.

Though aimed only at Los Angeles, the lawsuit challenges an interpretation of Proposition 62 by the state legislative analyst last year. The analyst’s office said that the initiative applies only to the state’s less-populated “general law” cities and not to larger cities with their own charters. Because the measure qualified for the ballot with enough signatures to make it a statute, but not enough to make it a state constitutional amendment, it does not affect cities with their own charters because those cities receive their taxing powers from the Constitution, the analyst said. Assistant City Atty. Richard Dawson said the city agrees with that position.