Measure H takes action

Measure H is the “Los Angeles County Plan to Prevent and Combat Homelessness” that will appear on the March 7 ballot in Los Angeles County. It proposes to end homelessness for at least 45,000 people and prevent it for another 30,000 within five years. To do this, the city would invest $355 million every year for ten years in programs that have proven to be effective in combating homelessness. This money will be obtained by enacting a one-fourth cent sales tax within LA County, which would effectively raise the sales tax to 9 percent. Currently, there is no organized opposition to this measure. However, critics who have spoken out against it are of the opinion that enough money is already being invested into the homelessness problem, and it is not being handled efficiently. Some students at Samo, such as Levi Berge-Wells (’18), are conflicted about the Measure. “I think that it is important that this measure is passed because homelessness is an important issue in our society and it affects everyone in LA county.” Berge-Wells said. “I hope that the non-profits that the collected tax money is being invested in are actually effective. Not only should the city board release their budget but every organization given a piece of that budget should release theirs as well.”The measure requires a two-thirds majority to pass.