A LA Superior Court judge pulled the Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) measure off the June ballot.
Last year, the AHF collected signatures and qualified a measure for the June LA City ballot. It would have created a new Department of Health within the City of Los Angeles. If passed, this would have resulted in millions of funds taken away from the LA County Department of Public Health, essentially gutting it of most of its resources. While at the same time, it would have cost the City of Los Angeles funds and resources to establish a public health department. This would have resulted in the loss of many 721 members’ jobs, not to mention damaging public health throughout LA County.
In response to the threat, Local 721, in coalition with other organizations, pushed the City and County to file a lawsuit to remove the measure from the ballot. Courts are usually reluctant to remove a measure; they like to let the voters have an opportunity to vote on the measure- first then deal with the constitutionality if it is passed. But in this case, the court ruled that the measure was significantly flawed and would interfere with an essential function of government.
AHF is not expected to appeal the decision.
For more information:
LA Times full article
Daily News full article