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. 97 - February 18, 2022
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- California’s mask mandate for vaccinated people was lifted on Wednesday, though it remains in effect for the time being in LA County. On Thursday Governor Newsom announced S.M.A.R.T.E.R., the “next phase” of California’s COVID response strategy. His repeated reference to an “endemic” era suggests that the plan is to raise the threshold that would trigger any state action while accepting some level of infection and death as inevitable. The state of emergency does remain in effect.
- The first of many attempts at billionaire-funded recall petitions has succeeded in San Francisco, where three members of the school board were just recalled. A ballot measure this June will allow that city to vote to restrict the window of recalls, prohibiting them in the first 12 months of a term or when there are less than 12 months until the next election.
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- Early polls in the mayoral race show a lot of undecided voters, but US Representative Karen Bass nevertheless has a commanding lead.
- The filing deadline for the 2022 elections has closed. Activist Gina Viola announced her mayoral candidacy at the wire. With Karen Bass promising to increase police budgets as mayor, Viola is one of only a few candidates committed to decreasing the role of armed police in public safety.
- CD 10 has been without representation on the Los Angeles City Council since Mark Ridley-Thomas was suspended in October of last year. This week, Council President Nury Martinez introduced a motion to appoint former councilmember Herb Wesson, a political ally, to fill the seat on an interim basis.
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- After record-setting storms in October and then December, the past six weeks — usually among the wettest months in California — have seen precipitation totals plateau.
- California’s emissions reduction targets are slipping out of reach, due to overreliance on marketplace solutions that allow companies to pay to emit greenhouse gases. A recent report notes the unsustainable amount of carbon credits that have already been banked.
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