The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved a temporary increase to the existing penalty for those found guilty of price gouging, raising the maximum civil fine from $10,000 to $50,000 for each violation.

Board Chair Kathryn Barger cited a disturbing trend of price gouging, preying on the most vulnerable communities.

President Trump while on the campaign trail proposed eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits. "Seniors should not pay taxes on Social Security," he commented on social media in July. Importantly, Trump is not the only politician to float that idea, nor is support limited to one political party.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion Tuesday to increase the penalty for price gouging to a maximum of $50,000 per violation. The supervisors voted 5-0 to increase the penalty.

The County Counsel was also authorized to consider initiating or joining existing litigation regarding price gouging and price fixing algorithm software used by housing websites.

County Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Kathryn Barger, who both saw swaths of their districts decimated by fire, asked county lawyers to draft a resolution that would increase the maximum penalty for price gouging across L.

Los Angeles County landlords that attempt to price gouge victims of the recent wildfires could face fines of up to $50,000 if a proposal by county supervisors is finalized, reports Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times.