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Council directs staff to analyze city revenue by census tract; debate centers on LAX and regional facilities
Summary
Council voted 12-1 to direct a revenue analysis by census tract to aid planning and discussions around service levels and possible reorganization; one member opposed, arguing it could pit neighborhoods against each other.
The Los Angeles City Council on Friday directed staff to prepare an analysis of revenue generation by census tract across the city, a measure proponents said will give planners and elected officials better, more precise information about where city revenues are produced and how they relate to local services.
Councilmember Richard Hernandez requested the analysis and argued for using census tracts rather than zip codes or planning areas, saying census-tract mapping would better align with existing city GIS, Census and reapportionment data. The Budget & Finance report was amended to require the analysis by census tract and passed 12-1; Councilmember Joel Holden cast the lone no vote.
Hernandez told the council the approach would also help identify when a large regional economic engine (for example, Los Angeles International Airport or harbor facilities) produces revenue in ways that do not necessarily lift immediately adjacent low-income census tracts.
Holden opposed the motion, saying a regular citywide breakdown by revenue could fuel competition between communities: "You then one community will say, look what we've done and we're not getting out of services... This is not very bright move... Let LAFCO do it," he said, referring to the Local Agency Formation Commission.
Council staff agreed to perform the analysis by census tract. The council recorded the vote as 12 ayes and 1 no. The action does not itself reallocate funds; it directs staff to produce the data for future policy and planning work.
Councilmembers and staff said they expect the analysis to inform future budget and service discussions and to give staff information to respond to outside inquiries about revenue distribution.
