Posts Tagged: Los Angeles

Podcast

A Cataclysmic Election for Los Angeles

Los Angeles, photo from Wikimedia commons

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: While most political junkies have their eyes on DC in the wake of Donald Trump’s successful bid to return to the White House, we’re looking south, where Los Angeles voters delivered a seismic shift to the region’s politics, passing Measure G, which expands the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from five members to nine, and Charter Amendment DD, which creates an independent redistricting commission for the city.

Opinion

Enough is enough: one Democrat’s take on homeless encampments

West Hollywood Homelessness Wild Tents Camp. Image by welcomia

OPINION – The problem of homeless encampments is completely out of control, and so I applaud Gov. Gavin Newson’s recent strong executive action, seeking to compel local governments to deal with the intractable issue, particularly now that the U.S. Supreme Court has given the legal green light to do so.

Opinion

Public schools: a lost opportunity for stormwater capture

Stormwater. Image by Toa55

OPINION – Warm fall temperatures might be pleasant if you work in an air-conditioned office and can enjoy early morning walks with your dog. But if you’re a student in the Los Angeles Unified School District, chances are those hot days are harming your ability to learn.

Opinion

Is the $12,000-a-month apartment on its way?

Real estate growth chart. Image by Mohammed Haneefa Nizamudeen

OPINION – It sounds crazy: The $12,000-a-month apartment. How can an average American afford to pay $12,000 per month for an apartment? But it’s really not as far-fetched as you may think. 

News

Rising Stars: Loyal Terry, Assembly Fellow, office of Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry

Loyal Terry, photo by Scott Duncan, Capitol Weekly

The newest Capitol Weekly Rising Star, Loyal Terry, Assembly Fellow for Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), takes inspiration from the lived experiences of his late father, his aunts and uncles, and himself. Terry approaches policy from a holistic perspective, having experienced how housing, transportation, health, and more intersect to impact working-class people.

Micheli Files

Are certain special statute statements sufficient?

Image by Ritu Manoj Jethani

In the California Legislature, there are “special statute” bills that are used when legislators believe a bill’s provisions are unique and should apply in only a specified circumstance or to a specified entity or jurisdiction. Not any bill can be given a special statute designation.

Opinion

Clarity around meningitis vaccines critical to LatinX community

Image by SamaraHeisz5

OPINION – The COVID-19 pandemic exposed long-standing gaps in health care access and education among communities of color and low-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles and existing health disparities continue to leave Los Angeles’ large LatinX community at a higher risk for significant health threats.

Opinion

Sharing debarment info protects taxpayers

Image by Blue Planet Studio

OPINION – When it comes to expenditures of public funds, taxpayers of every political stripe deserve accountability. Above all, they want to know that their hard-earned dollars are not padding the pockets of unscrupulous actors who fail to honor the public’s trust. California’s most recent legislative session delivered real protections on this metric, though you may not have heard about it yet.

Opinion

Dispelling myths about affordable housing

Housing image by zimmytws

OPINION: Los Angeles now exempts all affordable housing developments of more than 49 units from undergoing a site plan review – reducing development costs and speeding up the final approval of critical housing projects, but there is still resistance to new construction affordable housing due to pre-existing beliefs about its impact on neighborhoods and communities.

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