Hold onto your wallets!!! ANOTHER fraudulent tax...to support the GANGS! We have already spend hundreds of millions for gang prevention and the problem is 10x worse! JUST SAY NO IN NOVEMBER!!! VOTE ...HELL NO!!!!!

Parcel tax to halt gangs moves ahead
By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 07/02/2008 12:32:32 AM PDT


A Los Angeles city effort to raise $30 million a year to pay for gang prevention and intervention programs moved ahead Tuesday as the City Council asked legal language be drafted for a ballot measure that would impose a parcel tax on every piece of property in the city.

"We need to show that we are serious when it comes to anti-gang programs," said Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who has been pushing for the tax for more than a year.

While the council voted 10-0 to have the ballot language drafted, some council members said they are concerned by the lack of specifics in the program.

The parcel tax was developed as a way to provide a large pool of money for intervention and prevention programs.

The City Council this year authorized a transfer of those programs to the office of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as a way to try to provide more accountability in the programs.

The council has until July 16 to place the measure on the Nov. 4 ballot.

If adopted by two-thirds of the voters, it would impose an annual fee of $36 to $40 a year on all properties.

But Councilman Dennis Zine said he is concerned that no programs talked cited his west San Fernando Valley district - which has several gangs.

"I want to make sure that the voters of my district aren't asked to pay for something that doesn't bring the programs we need," Zine said.

"I am all for anti-gang programs, but we have to make sure that all areas
of the city are covered."
Hahn said she would work with Zine and others to make sure problem areas are addressed.

"We don't want to just have a divide-by-15 program," Hahn said, referring to the practice of dividing money equally among all of the council districts.

"We want to make sure the money goes where it is most needed. At the same time, I recognize that each council district has needs."






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