LA County Wants to Raise Sales Tax by 0.5% for Healthcare. Here's What It Means for Hermosa Beach.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on whether to place a half-cent sales tax increase on the June 2 ballot — a measure that would raise Hermosa Beach's combined sales tax rate to 10.25%.

The proposal, called the Essential Services Restoration Act, comes from Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis. It would impose a 0.5% general sales tax across all of LA County to supposedly fund a local coverage program for residents who have lost or will lose their Medi-Cal insurance as a result of H.R. 1, the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' signed by President Trump last year.

If the Board of Supervisors approves placing the measure on the ballot — a vote expected as early as Tuesday, with a final deadline of March 6 — it would need only a simple majority of county voters to pass. (UPDATED : Tuesday's vote was indeed in favor of placing the measure onto June's ballot.)

What Does It Mean For Hermosa Shoppers?

Hermosa Beach's current combined sales tax rate is 9.75%, which already includes the countywide Measure A homelessness tax that took effect in April 2025. The healthcare tax would push the rate to 10.25%.

On a $100 restaurant tab, that's an additional 50 cents. On a $50,000 vehicle, it's $250. On the roughly $36 million in annual taxable sales generated in Hermosa Beach, it represents a significant new revenue stream — but one that flows to the county, not the city.

The tax increase lands in a politically loaded spot for Hermosa Beach.