SUPERVISORS ORDER CITY OF LOS ANGELES TO STOP ILLEGALLY TAXING UNINCORPORATED AREA BUSINESSES

 

 

 

 

       

 

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:  Tony Bell, Communications Deputy Office:     (213) 974-5555  Cell: (213) 215-5176 E-mail:     tbell@bos.lacounty.gov

       September 29, 2009                                                                         For Immediate Release

 

ANTONOVICH & MOLINA ORDER CITY OF LOS ANGELES TO STOP ILLEGALLY TAXING UNINCORPORATED AREA BUSINESSES

 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisors Michael D. Antonovich and Gloria Molina to send a 5-signature letter to the City’s Mayor, City Council and the Controller ordering the City to stop taxing businesses located in unincorporated County communities and reimburse those businesses for all revenues previously collected.

 

Investigators with the County’s Treasurer and Tax Collector and Auditor-Controller conducting field inspections and interviews at sample businesses in East Los Angeles found that 15% of the businesses surveyed, all of which are sited wholly outside the City’s jurisdiction, had current City of Los Angeles business tax licenses or other permits.  This practice has also occurred in various unincorporated communities, including Universal City, Sunland/Tujunga, Charter Oak, East Los Angeles, Hacienda Heights, and Quartz Hill which are subject to County zoning and business license requirements.

 

In addition to sending a 5-signature letter to the city, the motion also calls for the CEO to report back in 30 days on actions taken to protect businesses that are not subject to the City’s licensure, taxation or enforcement action.

 

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