LA voters pass another tax thatll impact almost all shopping trips

Los Angeles County has voted to jack up the prices they pay for everyday items by approving a sales-tax increase — in a move critics say will backfire by sending residents across county lines for shopping trips.Measure ER, which passed by more than 25,000 votes, is set to increase sales taxes by half a cent to raise $1 billion annually for hospitals, local health departments and low-income residents needing insurance.The Los Angeles County Registrar’s Office certified the June 2 primary results on Friday, with the LA County Board of Supervisors scheduled to declare the election officially over during its meeting on Tuesday.The tax hike — which raises the current 9.75% rate to 10.25% — increases prices on items ranging from furniture and electronics at a time when LA residents are already drowning in rising costs — as inflation on gas and groceries have drained people’s wallets. California already has the highest sales tax in the nation, and with county and local taxes included, consumers will pay close to 12% sales tax in some areas of Los Angeles that have adopted higher municipal taxes.“People are going to travel across county lines to purchase items, when you’re sitting at 12% sales tax up in Lancaster, 11.75% up in Lancaster and Palmdale … you’re going to jump across the border to Orange County and buy and save 3%,” said Aidan Chao of the Los Angeles County Taxpayers Association. Angelenos buying a $40,000 car, for example, would pay $200 in additional tax under Measure ER.

A $3,000 living room set would come with a $20 additional tee and a $1,000 iPhone would cost more than $5 extra. It adds up — especially for working people crushed by sky-high home and gas prices, Chao added. “While you may say ‘a few dollars here and there is not much,’ sometimes a few dollars is a lot to those who are living paycheck to paycheck and need those few dollars to pay their rent,” Chao added.“It seems like a lot when people can’t even pa...