As citizens of Los Alamitos face a critical decision on November 3, we believe this brief explanation will better explain why a single item on this year’s ballot will make a major difference in our community development, and quality of life, for the foreseeable future.
Without question, residents enjoy living, working, and playing in Los Alamitos because of the exceptional quality of life offered by our city.
Maintaining this quality of life requires foresight, both on the part of city leaders as well as residents themselves. For sure, we have missed opportunities that could have changed our financial future.
First, Los Alamitos had an opportunity to purchase what is now the Rossmoor Center, which would have ensured quality shopping and a broad source of sales tax revenue with which to support the things that make a city like Los Alamitos so enjoyable.
Later, Los Alamitos had an opportunity (at incorporation) to ensure the inclusion of the Los Alamitos racetrack into the city by paying for certain infrastructure as part of a deal to get the racetrack but did not.
Los Alamitos failed to take advantage of these opportunities, which were long ago, but other nearby cities wisely decided to do what was necessary to ensure these valuable properties were within their borders, generating the funds necessary to fund their local essential services.
Yet, even so, our citizens have created for themselves a proud, safe, and happy community that is widely recognized across the state.
However, to maintain what we have built and maintain our unique quality of family life, we must understand how critical it becomes for EACH one of us to say goodbye to the past and welcome the future by supporting Measure Y.
The future of Los Alamitos is exceptionally bright, but only if built around Measure Y. With it, our city begins to rebuild for the next generation, properly funded for the future.
• What is it? Measure Y is a 1.5 cent sales tax on certain retail transactions purchased in Los Alamitos. A tax that will NOT apply to groceries, rent, mortgages, utilities, prescription medicine, or personal services, such as medical services.
• Is this necessary? Absolutely. No one, not even those who have written in opposition of the measure, disagree that this is necessary. Los Alamitos is projected to run out of working capital in the 2021/2022 fiscal year and by 2024 will have depleted its reserves (“rainy day fund”).
• What does this mean? In frank terms, Los Alamitos will not have sufficient funding to pay its bills and operate effectively offering current levels of service. Without Measure Y, the city will have no choice but to make significant cuts to services.
• What will be cut? Sadly, these cuts will include community programs, much needed maintenance of streets and parks, programs to assist seniors and children, and, most significantly, it will require further cuts in funding to our police department, which makes up more than 50% of the city budget.
• Will only Los Alamitos residents pay for this? No, a sales tax is considered a fair tax because it will be paid by both residents and visitors to the City. This option is in contrast to others (which were rejected) that would have resulted in a tax burden only to Los Alamitos property owners and renters.
• Is this situation unique to Los Alamitos? No. Los Alamitos has held off on adding a sales tax measure much longer than other local cities. In fact, Seal Beach, Garden Grove, Long Beach, and most other surrounding cities have already raised their sales taxes and are thus higher than Los Alamitos’ current 7.75% rate.
• Are other cities affected? Yes, all cities are in the same situation; the need for drastic measures has resulted primarily because of the state of California’s unfunded mandates and takeaways from local jurisdictions including approximately $12 million the state has taken from Los Alamitos over the last 8 years.
Most of us have, understandably, taken for granted the fact that our streets, parks and neighborhoods are safe, that we have a wonderful and extremely responsive police department, that we have great programs and opportunities for all who seek them, and that we have a thriving business community despite challenges from California regulations and this year’s pandemic.
In fact, these are the reasons people choose to live in Los Alamitos. This high quality of life exists despite substantial cuts made in Los Alamitos over the years. Unfortunately, there is nothing left to cut without our residents noticing a significant, precipitous, and likely irreversible decrease in the quality of life in Los Alamitos. We simply cannot allow this to happen.
Measure Y was placed on the ballot by unanimous vote of the city council so that you, as residents, can decide what you want for the future of our city. We believe Measure Y is necessary to maintain Los Alamitos’ high quality of life, and we wholeheartedly encourage a Yes vote on November 3rd.
Join us and choose a vote for the future of Los Alamitos with a Yes on Measure Y.
For more information on Measure Y, please visit https://cityoflosalamitos.org/measurey/
Richard Murphy is the Mayor of Los Alamitos and Mark Chirco is Mayor Pro-tem