Measure EE: Voters will decide Tuesday whether to raise property taxes to help LAUSD

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Voters in parts of Los Angeles County will decide on Tuesday whether to raise property taxes to help provide more funding for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Measure EE would raise property taxes by 16 cents per square foot. So the owner of a 1,500 square foot property, for example, would pay about $240 more in taxes per year.

The district says the measure would raise about $500 million a year.

Putting the measure on the ballot was part of the deal reached earlier this year with the teachers union to help end the strike.

Opponents attack the measure over its cost, and note that even renters would likely pay more because property owners would pass along the costs in higher rents.

But supporters say LAUSD needs to increase funding, noting that California ranks 44th in the nation in per-pupil spending.

"I hope people come out on Tuesday and vote on Measure EE," Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "That will help us reduce class sizes, hire counselors, make sure there are nurses more than one day a week in all our public schools."

The vote is on the ballot Tuesday in communities served by LAUSD.