In a letter to the County Board of Supervisors, Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo called for a review of how Measure ER funding is distributed, arguing Pasadena and Long Beach are receiving a disproportionately small share of the revenue despite operating their own public health departments.
Pasadena and Long Beach generate more than 6% of the sales tax revenue collected under Measure ER.
In a July 20 letter to the Board of Supervisors, Gordo requested a review of the 1% combined allocation designated for the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) and Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services. Pasadena and Long Beach are the only cities in Los Angeles County that operate their own local health departments.
The city and Long Beach together generate about 6.2% of the sales tax revenue collected under Measure ER, substantially higher than the 1% allocation proposed for both cities.
The letter does not specify what percentage Gordo believes Pasadena and Long Beach should receive, but argues the current 1% combined allocation fails to account for either their share of Measure ER revenue or the scope of services their health departments provide.
Pasadena and Long Beach represent 6% of Los Angeles County’s population.
“PPHD continues to provide essential services, such as infectious disease control, food safety, immunizations, and emergency preparedness, despite significant funding cuts and workforce challenges,” Gordo said. “Given these factors, the 1% allocation does not reasonably align with the proportional revenue contribution or required public health obligations carried by both jurisdictions.”
Gordo argued the proposed allocation does not reflect the two cities’ contributions to Measure ER or the public health responsibilities they carry.
Gordo asked supervisors to conduct a focused review of the methodology used to determine the allocation and reconsider the amount provided to the two cities.
The mayor’s request comes as Los Angeles County moves forward with implementation of Measure ER, a sales tax measure intended to provide funding for public health services throughout the county.
Gordo thanked supervisors for their leadership on the measure but said Pasadena and Long Beach’s unusual status as independent local health jurisdictions should be reflected in the distribution of the revenue.
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