Get ready to reach a little deeper into your pockets come July 1, as several Southern California communities will be seeing a hike in sales tax. The increases are the result of voter and California Board of Equalization approval, explains abc7, although some local areas will actually see a drop, like Orange County's Laguna Beach, where the "city council discontinued a temporary tax increase." Here's where you'll be paying a half-percentage point more in sales tax starting next month: Los Angeles County (9.75 percent); Avalon (10.25 percent); El Monte (10.25 percent); Inglewood (10.25 percent); Pico Rivera (10.75 percent); South Gate (10.75 percent). What do you think? Are sales tax increases the way to go to help us through the economic hard times? Will this affect your spending habits? more ›