Election fliers arriving in mailboxes around Los Angeles County tout a ballot measure that would mandate “a new approach to expanding programs proven to prevent homelessness and improve housing affordability.”

The measure, which will be on the November ballot, would “repeal the existing approach.”

Nothing in the bill states that the measure is a tax, doubling the 25-cent sales tax that funds the existing initiative.

Measure A, which requires a simple majority to pass, would repeal the 25-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2017, two years before it was set to expire in 2027, and replace it with a half-cent sales tax that would remain in effect indefinitely unless repealed by voters.

The tax is estimated to bring in more than $1 billion a year to fund homelessness prevention programs, including mental health, affordable housing, rental assistance and services.

Sixty percent of the funds would go to counties for homelessness assistance and homelessness prevention, including subsidized housing and shelters, mental health care, case management, employment services and acquisition of existing housing.

The remaining 35.75% will go to the newly established Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Authority to build new housing, preserve affordable housing, and protect tenants.

The flier states that Los Angeles County officials estimate homelessness would increase by at least 25 percent if the previous tax plan were repealed without a replacement, and yet the previous measure “does not adequately fund either homelessness prevention or affordable housing, a key lesson reflected in Measure A.”

Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics and accountability program manager for the watchdog group California Common Cause, said as long as there is proper disclosure of who is behind the mailings, there is no need to provide all the relevant information, although the sample ballots mailed to all voters are required to include that explanation.

“This is a classic political strategy: avoid the negative and focus on the positive and the least controversial topics that will be most appealing to the public,” McMorris said. “If it means not mentioning that this is an actual tax, then voters can research it for themselves, read the instructions on the ballot or the news media will let them know.”

A flyer noted the event was sponsored by United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles and PATH (People Assisting the Homeless).

Tommy Newman, United Way's vice president of communications and engagement, said the groups sent the letter independently of the Measure A campaign.

“This is not a campaign mailing,” Newman said. “It's not telling you to vote yes. It's just giving you the facts about the bill. There's only so much space in these mailings. We will communicate what this measure entails.”

Newman said this is one of several mailings that will be sent out as the campaign gets into high gear, and that others will also include information about tax sources.

The flyer, which was distributed to one million households, read: United Way website The report goes into more detail, including a cost analysis. It estimates that the sales tax would cost the average household $5 a month and a high-income household $13 a month. It also gives the example of a $100 tennis racket or necklace costing an additional 25 cents.

If Measure A is adopted, most cities and unincorporated areas would see a sales tax increase of 0.25 cents. However, six cities would see a 0.5 cent increase because they had the highest sales tax rate when the previous measure went into effect. Recent changes in state law have resulted in these cities seeing their tax rates increase.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which wrote a statement of opposition that will appear on the ballot, believes the measure is a special interests tax that was put on the ballot by interest groups, said Susan Shelley, vice president of communications.

The measure qualified for the ballot through a signature campaign, but because of a court ruling, it only needs a simple majority to pass. Voter Approval Requirement The two-thirds majority requirement for government tax increases does not apply to proposals made by citizens.

“To raise the sales tax, to make a temporary tax permanent and to do it on a citizen initiative, I think that's outrageous,” Shelley said.

Shelley said the Jarvis Society had not decided how much money it would put into the opposition.

Newman said the pro-life campaign is focusing on Measure A's key new elements, such as increased funding for housing, homelessness prevention and accountability, rather than the cost.

“The surveys my campaign has done show that voters' main concern is not a sales tax increase,” Newman said. “Their main concern is how this money will be spent, what will be different from how it has been done before, and what the consequences will be.”

This measure includes: Leadership Tableis made up of city and county officials and local representatives. Prior to the election, the group will draft specific metrics for each of five goals: increasing the number of people moving out of encampments, reducing the number of homeless people with mental illness or substance use disorders, increasing the number of people permanently exiting homelessness, preventing people from becoming homeless and increasing the number of affordable housing units.

Funding will be shifted away from programs that do not meet their targets.

Campaign Finance Records Filed with the Los Angeles County Registrar of Deeds The two committees behind the bill raised just under $4 million, with the United Way contributing $1.58 million.