Pasadena shoppers help generate 6.2% of the sales tax revenue flowing into Los Angeles County's new Measure ER health fund, but the city's public health department is set to receive a fraction of that back.

Mayor Victor Gordo sent a letter to the LA County Board of Supervisors on July 20 challenging the funding formula, which allocates just 1% of Measure ER revenue to Pasadena and Long Beach combined. The two cities are the only municipalities in the county that run their own independent health departments.

"Given these factors, the 1% allocation does not reasonably align with the proportional revenue contribution or required public health obligations carried by both jurisdictions," Gordo wrote in the letter, first reported by Pasadena Now.

Measure ER, a half-cent sales tax increase approved by county voters on June 2, 2026, with 50.64% support, raises the sales tax rate from 9.75% to 10.25% for five years and is projected to generate roughly $1 billion annually. The Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to place it on the ballot, with Supervisor Kathryn Barger dissenting. Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis led the effort in response to projected federal Medi-Cal cuts.

Under the allocation plan, up to 45% goes to the county Department of Health Services, 10% to the county Department of Public Health and about 1% to Pasadena and Long Beach. That 1% of $1 billion amounts to roughly $10 million split between two cities that together represent 6% of the county's population.

Gordo did not specify what percentage the two cities should receive. He asked supervisors to review the methodology behind the allocation and reconsider the amount.

The stakes are direct. The Pasadena Public Health Department, led by director Manuel Carmona, handles infectious disease control, food safety inspections, immunizations and emergency preparedness. The department has already been absorbing cuts: nine expiring grants reduced its budget by approximately $2.9 million, according to Pasadena Now, straining disease response and homelessness outreach programs.

Gordo acknowledged the supervisors' leadership on Measure ER but argued that Pasadena and Long Beach's status as independent health jurisdictions should be reflected in how the money is divided.

The county Board of Supervisors has not publicly responded to the letter. A county spokesperson could not be reached for comment. No hearing date on the allocation methodology has been scheduled. Residents can contact the mayor's office at (626) 744-4111.