New Property Tax to Save Public Hospitals

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With LA County already closing one hospital and 11 clinics due to a lack of money, property owners will be asked to pay about $ 50 a year to shore up a dangerously dilapidated healthcare system. Though it won-t solve the crisis, supporters claim it-s the only way to keep emergency rooms and trauma centers open. The proposed property tax, which will require a two-thirds approval by voters, would raise $ 175 million a year and cover preparedness for bio-terrorism as well. We hear more from Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who authored the measure, and Larry McCarthy, of the California Taxpayers- Association, who poses some serious questions about waste and fraud. Newsmaker: Advocacy Groups Form New Anti-Secession Coalition While LA County supervisors moved closer to putting secession on the November ballot, a new anti-secession group has announced its formation. The Civic Coalition for a United Los Angeles is made up of religious and civil rights groups. Sharon Bernstein, lead secession reporter for the Los Angeles Times, looks at the supervisors- most recent action as well as the coalition-s reasons for coming out against the breakaway movement. Reporter-s Notebook: California Burning Tobacco Money After decades of spending millions of dollars to get people to stop smoking, the state is turning to tobacco revenues to help eliminate a $ 24 billion deficit. But Diana Bonta, Director of the Department of Health Services, is resolute that Governor Davis- move to raise the cigarette tax and cash out California-s share of the massive settlement with tobacco companies, won-t curb the state-s efforts to discourage smoking.
With LA County already closing one hospital and 11 clinics due to a lack of money, property owners will be asked to pay about $ 50 a year to shore up a dangerously dilapidated healthcare system. Though it won-t solve the crisis, supporters claim it-s the only way to keep emergency rooms and trauma centers open. The proposed property tax, which will require a two-thirds approval by voters, would raise $ 175 million a year and cover preparedness for bio-terrorism as well. We hear more from Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who authored the measure, and Larry McCarthy, of the California Taxpayers- Association, who poses some serious questions about waste and fraud.
  • Newsmaker: Advocacy Groups Form New Anti-Secession Coalition
    While LA County supervisors moved closer to putting secession on the November ballot, a new anti-secession group has announced its formation. The Civic Coalition for a United Los Angeles is made up of religious and civil rights groups. Sharon Bernstein, lead secession reporter for the Los Angeles Times, looks at the supervisors- most recent action as well as the coalition-s reasons for coming out against the breakaway movement.
  • Reporter-s Notebook: California Burning Tobacco Money
    After decades of spending millions of dollars to get people to stop smoking, the state is turning to tobacco revenues to help eliminate a $ 24 billion deficit. But Diana Bonta, Director of the Department of Health Services, is resolute that Governor Davis- move to raise the cigarette tax and cash out California-s share of the massive settlement with tobacco companies, won-t curb the state-s efforts to discourage smoking.

LA County Board of Supervisors

Los Angeles Times

California Taxpayers Association

LA County Department of Health Services

California Department of Health Services

Smokeless Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton