The Thorn West is a state and local news roundup compiled by members of DSA-LA. Our goal is to provide a weekly update on the latest developments in state and local politics, and to track the issues that are most important to our membership.

Issue No. 197 - April 5, 2024

State Politics

• The state legislature will consider a plan to cut approximately $17 billion out of the state budget. Current estimates project that the state is facing $38-$72 billion deficits in the upcoming fiscal year.

City Politics

• Former Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan was found guilty of corruption this week. Along with former Councilmember Jose Huizar, Chan accepted bribes to facilitate real estate development in Downtown Los Angeles.

• LAist notes the lack of movement on the ethics reform that most city council members committed to in the aftermath of the leaked tapes that revealed several city councilmembers colluding to rig the city’s redistricting process.

• The City Administrative Officer has released specifics on the recently proposed plans to cut 2,000 currently unstaffed city positions. The cuts were proposed to solve a projected $400 million deficit in the city’s budget.

Labor

• Days after initiating the unionization process, workers at the Long Beach Post were hit with mass layoffs. Workers accuse management of defaulting to layoffs before meeting with workers to discuss more humane cost-cutting measures, echoing similar adjustments raised when the Los Angeles Times slashed its workforce in January.

• Capital & Main debunks the myths surrounding the recently-passed raise in minimum wage for California fast food workers – specifically noting that they are unlikely to force fast food restaurants to raise prices (though they may do so anyway).

Education

• A new LAUSD policy, backed by UTLA and DSA-LA, limits the ability of charter schools to claim certain district-owned campus spaces for colocation. Now, school privatization proponents have filed a lawsuit attempting to overturn the policy, claiming it violates state law. Response from UTLA here.

Police Violence and Community Resistance

• [Content warning: Police violence] A public records request has brought to light video that the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department  has suppressed for 18 months. The video shows that a 15-year-old who had allegedly been kidnapped by her father was killed by deputies during a shootout. Department spokespeople had claimed to be uncertain over how the girl had been killed, while hiding the video. More at The Guardian.

• City Council voted through another package of LAPD pay raises, as part of a newly approved contract with LAPD high-ranking officers. The contract passed by a vote of 8–3, with Councilmembers Hernandez, Raman, and Soto-Martinez opposing. In March the council voted through a new contract with the Los Angeles Airport Police Association.

Transportation

• Earlier this year, Metro’s decision to accept a bid from Lyft to take over its bikeshare program met with fierce opposition from workers and cyclists. After first delaying consideration of Lyft’s bid, Metro has now announced it has shut down the bidding process outright. The current contract, with the recently unionized Bicycle Transit Systems, expires in June. More at Streetsblog LA.