Supervisors approve $20 million in one‑time Measure B funds after debate over MLK Community Hospital

Los Angeles County supervisors voted 5‑0 July 15 to allocate $20 million in unallocated, one‑time Measure B funds for emergency, trauma and related county and noncounty purposes after several hours of debate over which facilities to prioritize. The board approved language directing the Department of Health Services to work with each supervisorial district and the CEO to identify projects that meet Measure B requirements and to execute agreements to disperse funds.

The vote followed an intense discussion about the capacity and financial strain at Martin Luther King Community Hospital (MLKCH) in Willowbrook. MLK leaders, employees and community advocates told the board the hospital’s emergency department now treats about 125,000 patients a year—roughly five times the volume the rebuilt ER was designed for—and faces an annual operating shortfall they said exceeds $25 million.

The debate mattered because Measure B is a voter‑approved parcel tax intended to support the countywide trauma and emergency system. Supporters of directing a large share to MLK argued the hospital serves a medically underserved area with a very high Medi‑Cal patient share and that cutting its services would create a health‑care desert in South Los Angeles. Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who proposed a $9 million direct allocation to MLK, said the hospital “continues to provide stellar services” and that “this community has experienced decades of systemic disinvestment.” Mitchell’s amendment to earmark $9 million failed, 2‑1‑2 (two aye, one no, two abstentions). After that, the board approved a revised motion by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis that would allocate the $20 million through DHS in consultation with each district; the board later adopted a technical amendment clarifying contracting authority. The final motion passed on a 5‑0 roll call.

Supporters of the broader, district‑guided approach argued it preserves an equity review and allows each supervisorial office to identify urgent local needs. Supervisor Hahn said the additional Measure B revenue “will help retain emergency and trauma care” across the county and called the decision difficult but necessary amid federal and state funding cuts. Opponents of a strict “divide‑by‑five” approach argued the county must apply an equity lens and invest more where need is greatest—MLK’s proponents repeatedly emphasized the hospital’s high share of Medi‑Cal patients and its role as a safety‑net emergency center.

MLK representatives who testified included Dr. Elaine Bachelor, MLKCH chief executive officer, and Manny Abascal, chair of the hospital board. Dr. Bachelor told the board the hospital will be cash‑flow negative “by the end of this calendar year” without additional support and described high ED volumes and rising demand for behavioral‑health services adjacent to the campus. Community members including longtime activists and hospital staff urged supervisors to act quickly; several recounted personal stories of the hospital saving lives.

The board did not adopt the $9 million earmark proposed by Mitchell, but the final language removes a per‑district cap on identifying projects from the $20 million pool, allowing districts to direct their share to specific local priorities—including MLK—if they choose. The board also directed DHS to work with the CEO and the Measure B advisory process to identify projects and to bring agreements back for execution subject to County Counsel review.

What happens next: DHS was tasked to coordinate with each district and the CEO to identify qualifying Measure B projects and to return with contracts and implementation steps; board members also asked the CEO’s office to review the formula used to allocate ongoing Measure B funds and report back in 90 days. Supporters and opponents alike said they expect follow‑up discussions about systemwide trauma funding, priorities for unallocated pools, and longer‑term impacts of federal and state Medi‑Cal policies.

A note on process: The MLK funding debate exposed divisions over whether a simple geographic split or a needs‑based equity approach should determine one‑time allocations. Supervisor Mitchell framed her amendment as an equity corrective for a community with historic disinvestment; other supervisors said the adopted language balances county‑wide stability with district discretion. The board’s final action preserves the Measure B advisory review process while giving DHS and supervisorial offices flexibility to place funding where they find qualified need.

Ending note: The board’s action provides immediate one‑time funding authority and directs further reporting on allocation rules and county impacts; supervisors and community advocates said they will press departments for rapid execution because MLK and other safety‑net providers described urgent financial pressure.