The Thorn West is a state and local news roundup compiled by volunteer 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. Writers and copy editors wanted! Email [email protected] if interested!

Issue No. 232 - May 16, 2025

State Politics

• Governor Newsom has released his draft of the state budget for the year. With the newest projections forecasting a $12 billion deficit (which Newsom attributed to the Trump administration’s tariff program), this budget makes significant cuts to Medi-Cal, particularly by rolling back access to health care the state has recently made available to undocumented immigrants. The budget now heads to the state legislature; Los Angeles Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez introduced a resolution urging the legislature to reject this rollback, seconded by Councilmembers Adrin Nazarian, Imelda Padilla, Curren Price, and Ysabel Jurado.

City Politics

• While answering press questions about the state budget, Newsom said the state is unlikely to grant Mayor Bass’ request for help in making up Los Angeles’ own budget shortfall, beyond wildfire recovery funds the state has already granted. Today, the city council’s Budget Committee will finalize its revisions to the mayor’s proposed budget. The budget will then head to the council for final approval on May 22nd, following a final opportunity for public comment.

• After a lengthy wait, the mayor has made the necessary appointments to the Los Angeles City Charter Reform Commission that will allow it to meet quorum and begin conducting meetings.

• Students at many Southern California universities have joined in a nationwide student hunger-strike in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is blockading humanitarian aid despite the threat of widespread famine.

Housing

• Governor Newsom called for California cities to adopt a model ordinance, written by his office, which criminalizes unhoused encampments that last more than three days. Numerous studies have demonstrated the ineffectiveness of criminalization as a solution to houselessness.

• Whistleblowers have alleged misconduct under the former head of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, including the withholding of unfavorable performance data. A court-ordered audit has been unable to verify the city’s claims of creating 1,400 available beds for unhoused people.

Labor

• The Los Angeles City Council has approved an ordinance that will raise in the minimum wage to $30 an hour for tourism workers at large hotels and at LAX businesses.

• Following a six-month strike, mental health care workers at Kaiser Permanente have ratified a new contract. Statement from the National Union of Healthcare Workers here.

Transportation

• Last year, a coalition of unions and transit advocates protested a Metro decision to award its bikeshare contract to Lyft, taking it away from a company with a unionized workforce. But while the coalition had appeared to pressure Metro into reversing its decision, this year, the Metro Operations Committee has once again recommended the bikeshare contract be awarded to Lyft.

• Metro has appointed San Francisco Police Chief William Scott to head its newly created in-house police department. StreetsblogLA examines his track record.

• The Metro Board has voted to approve a $9.4 billion budget. The board requested that the state help make up some of the shortfall that many public transit agencies statewide are projecting over the next several years, but the currently proposed state budget does not fulfill this request.

Environmental Justice

• The California state insurance board has granted approval to State Farm for an unprecedented 17% temporary rate hike in homeowner insurance, which was proposed in response to damages caused by the Los Angeles County wildfires.

• Soil testing conducted by the Los Angeles County Board of Health has uncovered high levels of lead at the sites of several homes destroyed by the Eaton fire. FEMA, which would normally provide comprehensive soil testing in the aftermath of a disaster, has refused to do so in this case. Researchers are calling on Governor Newsom for state funding to complete testing.