LAPD Union To Spend Millions Fighting LA Fire Department Tax Measure

LOS ANGELES, CA — The union representing Los Angeles Police Department officers will oppose Measure FD, the half-cent sales tax measure aimed at supporting the city's fire department, it was announced Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents officers ranked lieutenant and below, said they will spend millions of dollars on advertisements to convince voters not to approve Measure FD. Members of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112, representing rank-and-file firefighters, were able to get enough support to place the measure on November ballot in the wake of the January 2025 wildfires.

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Firefighters have said the measure would raise hundreds of millions of dollars annually to build new stations, increase hiring and upgrade equipment to address fires and other public safety issues.

"Anytime there's a permanency of a tax, it raises concern, especially if that half a percent brings our tax base in the city of Los Angeles to 10.75%," LAPPL President Richard Mendoza said in a telephone interview with City News Service. "If there's ever some sort of fiscal emergency, then the city couldn't even propose a measure to raise taxes. They would have to go to Sacramento raise the cap, so that's problematic."

Mendoza emphasized the issue is about affordability. He says everyday Angelenos are going to be hit in their pocket. The LAPPL president further argued that the department would see an increase of about $347 million a year, so in three years the fire department would have an additional billion dollars on top of their budget allocation.

"There's no spending plan in place on how that money is going to be used. All we know is that it's going directly to firefighters. So it's definitely problematic for every union because there's only one chunk of money," Mendoza said. "It definitely isn't fair because there's other groups that definitely have needs."

He believes the City Council can find money in their nearly $15 billion budget to provide funding increases to the fire department.

"Once you run for City Council, part of their responsibilities and jobs are to be accountable for their spending. I think it's a City Council's job to go line-by-line through the budget to identify what they feel is wasteful spending," Mendoza said.

"Only they would know what that is, and figure out a way to reallocate funds while prioritizing public safety and hiring more firefighters," he added.

Doug Coates, UFLAC president, told the Los Angeles Times that they respected the PPL, but thought opposing the measure was a bad idea.

"They are choosing to keep the public at risk — especially in our most vulnerable communities," Coates told the Times. "Measure FD is the most important public safety decision this city has faced in a generation. We urge everyone to vote yes."

According to the Times, PPL's opposition prompted a UFLAC to call a special meeting on Oct. 16. The firefighters union's executive board requested an additional $3 million from their members to support their campaign for the measure. UFLAC has already spent $2 million, the Times reported.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayer's Association has previously criticized and opposed the tax measure. The organization says the tax hike would bring the city's sales tax to 10.75% from 10.25%.

Fire union officials have said they need more money to fund the department. LAFD has about 3,400 firefighters across 106 fire stations, which has not changed since the 1960s, according to the union.

If approved, the measure would also establish a five-member citizens' oversight advisory committee to monitor spending. The mayor, fire chief, city controller, city administrative officer, and the chair of the City Council's Public Safety Committee would be authorized to appoint a member.

With a simple majority of LA voters, the proposed sales tax increase could take effect as early as April 1, 2027. It would remain until repealed by voters. It has no sunset date.

City News Service