Mitchell Explains Abstention Vote on County Homeless Department Creation
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell (D—Leimert Park, Carson, Compton, Culver City, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Lawndale, Los Angeles (portions), Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach) said this week that her abstention on the vote to create a new County Homeless Department stemmed from a lack of details on funding and the rollout of a new county agency.
Her statements come after the LA Board of Supervisors this week voted 4-0 with one abstention on the motion to Implement Recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Homelessness Report .
“I abstained from voting on the motion to create a new County Homeless Department, which is expected to cost the County $1 billion in funding and move over 200 positions from LAHSA due to a lack of key details that are critical for distinguishing why this new department will be more effective and not just a reshuffling of resources and people without improved outcomes for our residents experiencing homelessness,” said Mitchell.
“We have a responsibility to continuously evaluate and adjust the strategies we are using to solve the moral and economic crisis that is homelessness. The motion voted on today presented a rushed timeline that didn’t provide clear metrics or deadlines for when the public will be able to track the new department’s progress.
“To help address this, I presented an amendment to include defined benchmarks for success such as tracking and sharing the time it takes for people to be sheltered and permanently housed and extending the start date from July 1 of this year to October 1 to allow three additional months for authentic stakeholder engagement to help inform how the new department will be formed by people directly tied to its success. The amendments were not accepted, leaving no way for me to support the motion without a clear plan for how these sweeping changes will create a visible and lasting impact in keeping our fellow residents off the streets and housed with the supportive services that meet their needs.”
Schiff Blasts Trump’s Latest Tariffs
U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) this week blasted President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs, saying on MSNBC’s Prime with Alicia Menendez that they will hurt hardworking California families and farmers.
“This is going to be really disastrous, a massive, self-inflicted wound on our economy from the president who campaigned on lowering prices but is in fact pushing them through the roof,” Schiff said.
“I may be liberated from anything in a 401k as millions of Americans will feel that impact and will be liberated from any chance of having lower prices for things. This is going to be a disaster for our economy. It will be a disaster for hard-working families that will have to pay more for auto parts or getting their car fixed or buying groceries or anything else. These other countries, many of whom are our closest allies, are going to retaliate against us. It’s just simply going to escalate from here. I talked to farmers out in California who still haven’t recovered the market share they lost during the first Trump administration from the ill-fated tariffs then. ”
Schiavo Demands Action on Chiquita Canyon Landfill
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D- Santa Clarita, Granada Hills, Porter Ranch) recently joined community members from Val Verde, Castaic, and the Santa Clarita Valley on the West Steps of the State Capitol to call attention to the growing public health disaster at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill.
Impacted residents raised the alarm about the worsening underground fire at the landfill, which is now growing from 30 to 90 acres, and urged support for legislative and budget solutions to help community members suffering daily from exposure to toxic gases.
“As Assemblywoman, it is my job to do all I can to keep our community safe, which is why I will never stop fighting for the families impacted by this growing disaster,” said Schiavo. “This landfill is making people sick with cancer, tremors and ER visits just to be able to breathe – and it’s now expected to continue to do so for decades. We need urgent action, real accountability, and resources to help residents who are living through this public health disaster every single day.”
Schiavo has introduced legislation to exempt compensation from either the landfill or government from being taxed or counted against public benefits (AB 27), and to ensure long-term oversight and accountability of the landfill (AB 28). She has also submitted budget proposals to provide $25 million in relocation assistance and long-term support for affected families. These measures aim to bring urgently needed relief to communities who have suffered for far too long.
Perez Lauds Burbank’s Financial Stewardship
Burbank Mayor Nikki Perez (D), this week, lauded the City of Burbank for being honored with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).
Awarded for its Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget, this prestigious award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting and underscores the city’s commitment to budgeting excellence. Additionally, Burbank’s budget received special recognition for its outstanding budget process, scoring the highest possible marks from all three independent reviewers in this category.
Burbank was also recognized by the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO), which awarded the city with two additional honors – one for Operating Budget and another for Capital Budgeting. These two awards highlight the city’s dedication to responsible financial management and long-term fiscal stability.
“These awards reflect our shared commitment to responsible financial stewardship, transparency, and planning for the future of Burbank,” said Perez. “We are proud of the financial services team and the reputation they have earned for maintaining the highest standards of financial excellence.”
The GFOA, founded in 1906, represents public finance officials throughout the United States and Canada. With more than 22,000 members, the Association comprises federal, state/provincial, and local finance officials deeply involved in planning, financing, and implementing thousands of governmental operations in each jurisdiction.
