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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. 78 - September 24, 2021
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- Rumors have intensified that US Representative Karen Bass is going to run for mayor of Los Angeles. Meanwhile, LA City Council President Nury Martinez announced this week that she won’t run, while newly elected councilmember Kevin De Leon officially launched his campaign.
- The effort to recall Councilmember Nithya Raman has failed. Again, it is alarming that this process received so much media coverage. It appears that any group of five people can use the petition mechanism to get an automatic Los Angeles Times article humoring their intentions and competency.
- With the period for public input ending in a week, interest has quickly ramped up in the city’s decennial redistricting process. The Los Angeles Redistricting Commission held two public meetings this week to discuss four proposed district maps. District maps are being redrawn at every level of government.
- This weekend, DSA-LA members will vote on whether or not to endorse Hugo Soto-Martinez, who is running for the council seat in Council District 13. A candidate forum and membership discussion will be held this Saturday at 3pm. DSA-LA Members in good standing can RSVP here.
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- IATSE has officially authorized a strike vote and leadership is calling on its membership to authorize a strike. The vote would take place October 1–4. The significance of this vote is covered in Jacobin. Petition to support IATSE here. DSA-LA is hosting a discussion on how members can support the union this Tuesday, September 28, at 7pm: RSVP here.
- Governor Newsom has disappointingly vetoed AB 616, which would allow farm workers to vote by mail in union elections. He did sign AB 701, which protects workers in fulfillment centers. (He also signed SB9 and SB10.)
- Columbia Journalism Investigations, KPCC, and LAist investigated the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and found a culture of overwork that endangers firefighters’ health.
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- This week the Metro board approved a program that would make bus and trains free for all K–14 students, as well as a program to increase membership in a program that offers discounted fares to low-income riders. This is the (scaled-back) first phase of a program intended to result in free ridership for all. Though bus fares have not been collected throughout the pandemic, collection is scheduled to resume on January 10, 2022. Additional coverage in Knock LA.
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Housing and Gentrification
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- An injunction from Judge David Carter that mandated sweeping changes to Los Angeles’ homelessness policy was vacated by a three-judge panel with the 9th Circuit Court. Carter’s ruling would have forced the city to spend millions on temporary shelters (as opposed to permanent housing solutions) with the goal of displacing the unhoused in Skid Row as quickly as possible. The ruling also questions whether most members of LA Alliance — the collection of downtown business owners, landlords and residents who are the plaintiffs in the relevant lawsuit — even have legal standing to sue.
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Police Violence and Community Resisance
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- Deputy gangs, ignored subpoenas, lawsuits for phantom charges, and a secret task force to intimidate critics: Sheriff Alex Villanueva was in the news a lot this week. Witness LA has a roundup.
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- On Tuesday, California’s Department of Water Resources put the devastating scope of the drought into perspective, as reported by CalMatters:
- 90% of the state is gripped by extreme or exceptional drought.
- Californians reduced their home water use by just 1.8% in July compared to the same time last year — despite a plea from Newsom to cut consumption by 15%.
- 40% of water suppliers in the South Coast region — which includes Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Ventura counties — actually used more water than they did last year.
- Water systems serving 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland could receive 0% of their allocation from the State Water Project next year.
- 80% of endangered winter-run Chinook salmon in the Sacramento River could die this year.
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