Measure I Passes by Wide Margin

By Brian Hews

With 100% of the precincts reporting in, La Mirada’s Measure I passed by a 69%-31% vote. The controversial Measure, which was opposed by many as a robbing Peter to pay Paul scheme, will help to maintain city infrastructure and services.

Measure I will raise the sales tax in La Mirada from 8.75 percent to 9.75. The tax will go into effect April 1st of next year, and will last for a period of five years.
Councilmember Steve Jones, a supporter of Measure I said, “Measure I will maintain City services by assuring La Mirada has the money needed for infrastructure repairs without taking funds from other vital services.”
The aging La Mirada infrastructure repairs that are needed-roughly $67 million worth according to a city study-includes traffic lights, streets and curbs, and the sewer system, among other things.
“Money raised by Measure I will go directly into the ground for repairs throughout La Mirada,” says Mayor Gabe Garcia. “Both a twenty-nine member Citizen Task Force and the entire La Mirada City Council strongly supported Measure I,” Garcia added. “The City Council is committed to making sure every dollar is spent as intended to repair roads, sewers and other infrastructure in La Mirada.”
City Manager Tom Robinson agreed with Mayor Garcia and Councilmember Jones, “The reality is that La Mirada needed additional funding in the coming years to make necessary infrastructure repairs. If the City did not have funding to make repairs in a planned and orderly manner, we were going to face more costly, emergency repairs that would have taken resources from other services.”