MAGV
Vote Yes on Proposition A
Our goal is to end gang violence in Los Angeles and keep our young people out of gangs by providing them with positive alternatives.
How will it work?
$30 million annually will be raised through a parcel tax of $36 a year for every parcel of land in the City of Los Angeles. That is about $3 per month or about 10 cents per day. The measure includes an exemption for low-income seniors.
This money will ONLY fund organizations and programs that provide gang prevention, intervention, job training and after school programs; such as LA’s Best, Boys & Girls Clubs, L.A. Conservation Corp, LAPD’s Explorer and Jeopardy programs. Only programs that successfully provide at-risk kids with alternatives to gang involvement will be eligible for funding.
How will we ensure accountability?
All of the spending will be overseen by a Citizens Advisory Committee, made up of members that have expertise in child development, education, public health, gang prevention and intervention, juvenile justice and public safety. The Committee will be made up of:
- Four members appointed by the Mayor;
- Three members appointed by the President of the City Council;
- One member appointed by the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Gang Violence;
- One member will be the Chair of the Commission for Children Youth and Their Families;
- One member will be the County of Los Angeles Chief Probation Officer
The City Controller will complete an annual audit of programs receiving funding to determine the effectiveness of each. The City Council and the Mayor will approve the programs annually. Only programs which have been deemed successful in providing real alternatives to gang involvement will be eligible for future funding.
How will programs be selected?
Only programs that have demonstrated success in keeping kids out of gangs will be funded. This will be determined through a process of evaluation currently being developed for the City Council by academic experts, as well as service providers that have hands-on experience working with at-risk youth and gang members.
How will the funds be distributed?
Funds will be distributed based on data factors in a community such as:
school attendance, truancy and drop-out rates; school performance, levels of gang violence and other violent crime, poverty levels, unemployment rates and numbers of youth on parole or probation.
How can we ensure that the City’s efforts will be coordinated with the County and other local agencies?
The measure will ensure a collaborative, community-based process to avoid duplicate services being provided by various municipalities. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s proposed Emergency Gang Operations Center will help to ensure coordinated efforts. Community groups, neighborhood councils, faith-based groups, non-profit organizations and other governmental agencies, including the County Departments of Children and Family Services, and the Los Angeles Unified School District will be consulted and included in how to best spend this money.