Council asks staff to study county sales‑tax proposal, schedule return for April 13

The Pasadena City Council directed staff to analyze a county ballot proposal that would add a half‑cent sales tax across Los Angeles County intended to offset federal funding reductions to public health.

Councilmember Margaret Madison moved the direction and Councilmember Rick Cole seconded; the council asked staff to return with a thorough analysis on April 13 that covers resident impacts, estimated Pasadena revenue, the proposed distribution formula (including the 1% allocation for cities with their own public health departments), potential guardrails if federal funding returns, and Huntington Hospital implications.

Madison and other council members expressed caution. Madison said staff estimates Pasadena’s share could be roughly $22 million annually under one scenario, but she cautioned that the county’s distribution rules and Long Beach’s much larger health department budget make precise local returns uncertain. She called the tax “regressive” and urged more study of who bears the burden.

Councilmember Jones stressed the immediate health consequences for local residents, noting that nearly one in five Pasadena residents (about 27,000 people) rely on public health programs and said, “If there is not a measure or alternative that fills the gap, those residents would lose access to affordable care.”

City staff told council they will consult county staff and other partners to quantify probable revenue flows and provide a clearer picture of who would benefit locally. The council also asked staff to investigate Pasadena’s remaining quarter‑percent sales‑tax capacity and to track pending state legislation that could affect local options.

The council did not take a formal position on the county measure; it asked staff for analysis and scheduled a return visit on April 13 so councilmembers and the public could weigh in before ballots are finalized.