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.
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Issue No. 10 - May 15, 2020
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- A federal court judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s plans to pump more water into the Central Valley, after the California Natural Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency and half a dozen environmental groups filed two lawsuits against the administration, arguing that the plan would cause irreparable harm to species protected by state and federal law.
- Democrats in the California State Senate introduced a series of proposals to address the economic impact of COVID-19. The proposals include a plan to allow qualified renters 10 years to repay missed rent payments directly to the state, while the state would compensate landlords through tax credits that could be sold for cash. A second bill focuses on allowing debt forbearance and postponement, allowing homeowners to request forbearance on mortgage payments for a year and allowing borrowers of auto loans, payday loans and other forms of debt options to postpone payment with increased consumer protections. Senate Democrats are also developing an economic stabilization plan in which individual and corporate taxpayers could prepay a decade’s worth of income taxes at a slight discount in order to provide the state with immediate funding for short-term economic relief programs.
- Governor Newsom announced the state is facing a projected $54.3 billion deficit, has called for cuts to public school spending and government services and has requested federal assistance to prevent billions in further budget cuts. The deficit is attributable to a collapse in state tax revenue, the costs of COVID-19 response and the growing numbers of residents signing up for health and social services due to economic hardship. Newsom is proposing a 10% pay cut to state employees as part of a plan to reduce spending, and union leaders from SEIU Local 1000 are planning to offer and negotiate an alternative plan. The deadline for legislators to pass an operating budget is June 15.
- California is struggling to drive down its coronavirus cases and has not seen a sustained decline in deaths over the past month even as it takes steps toward reopening. This may be the result of two factors: 1) Essential workers are being put at increased risk — a study in the San Francisco area found that 90% of cases are coming from those who must leave their homes to work; and 2) People are experiencing stay-at-home fatigue, with some flouting social distancing to return to beaches and other crowded places.
- An ICE employee working at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, which is privately owned and operated by GEO Group, has tested positive for COVID-19. This comes as reports that 943 of the 1,788 detainees tested nationally for coronavirus have returned positive results. The first death of an ICE detainee from COVID-19 occured at San Diego’s Otay Mesa Detention Center last week.
- Activists from the LEAP coalition, a citywide coalition of environmental justice and frontline health and housing groups, are calling on Mayor Garcetti to restore $800,000 in funding, and to guarantee full funding, for the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office and the Climate Emergency Commission in the 2020-21 budget. In 2019, the coalition partnered with the Mayor and the City Council to approve these structures to facilitate a just transition toward a fossil-free economy, however the funds were not included in Mayor Garcetti’s latest budget, released in April. The City Council has until June 30 to approve the budget.
- Pressure is mounting in the probe into corruption at Los Angeles City Hall, with a real estate consultant pleading guilty to a racketeering charge and agreeing to cooperate with federal prosecutors. Documents make clear that the investigation is into City Councilman Jose Huizar, who is alleged to have accepted cash bribes and other enticements in exchange for helping secure approval for a major development project.
- This week the LAPD released body-camera footage of one of its officers, Frank Hernandez, violently beating a homeless Boyle Heights man. The release, which occurred after a third-party cell phone video had gone public, led to an outcry. Hernandez’s lawyer claimed that the man had punched Hernandez in the chest, but the bodycam footage does not support this. Hernandez has been involved in three prior on-duty shootings in his career.
- Los Angeles public schools will start classes on August 18 regardless of whether their campuses reopen. Many details remain to be worked out for reopening, such as class sizing and scheduling to meet social distancing guidelines, as well as the issue of whether masks would need to be worn by students and teachers — which the district does not have the resources to provide. This planning is taking place as Governor Gavin Newsom just announced major funding cuts that could lead to teacher and staff layoffs.
- Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that all Angelenos will be required to wear masks when outside, with the exception of small children and those with certain disabilities. This announcement came as Los Angeles began to open up some businesses for curbside pickup and beaches for active recreation. Officials continued to caution that reopening will be a slow process and extended the stay-at-home order indefinitely on Tuesday.
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- Democrat Christy Smith conceded defeat to Republican Mike Garcia in the race to fill the seat vacated by Katie Hill in California’s 25th congressional district. Hill had picked up the seat as part of 2018's “Blue Wave” of Democrats; it will now flip back to red. Donald Trump was an active booster of Garcia's campaign, making characteristically unfounded charges of electioneering after the Democrats succeeded in opening an extra voter station to serve the city of Lancaster. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton endorsed Smith. Smith and Garcia will face each other again in November, when they will be running for a full congressional term.
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