By Los Angeles County Politics (LACP)
Bass on Palisades Fire anniversary
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will today recognize the anniversary of the devastating Palisades Fire and honor the 12 lives tragically lost and the thousands of families that lost their homes at private vigils with residents and City leaders.
“One year ago, Los Angeles faced the most destructive wildfire in our history. Twelve lives were tragically lost, thousands of homes were destroyed, and too many families remain displaced,” Bass said in a statement.
“We remember all that was lost – the twelve lives, the childhood homes, the irreplaceable family photos and heirlooms, the community spaces that connected generations of Palisades residents. We remember the brave firefighters and first responders who fought tirelessly for weeks on end away from their families. We are also clear-eyed about the lessons learned in those early days,” said Bass.
“There are no words to articulate the unimaginable trauma, grief, and exhaustion felt by the Palisades community – exacerbated by constant headlines along with delays, underpayments, and denials from insurance providers.
“This anniversary forces us to face the trauma head-on. As we collectively mourn, the pain remains palpable. But so does something else now: hope and resolve.
“Over the past year, Palisades residents have demonstrated a level of resilience and collective strength that has shown the entire country who Los Angeles is at its core. We don’t turn away from our neighbors in their most challenging moments. We come together to support one another, to forge the path forward. To rebuild even stronger than before.
“Full recovery is a long-term, multi-year effort that must leverage innovative solutions to protect the community for the future in the face of more frequent and severe climate threats. We must continue working together alongside the Palisades community and across every level of government, philanthropy, the insurance industry, and the business sector to build on the progress we’ve made and to advocate for what needs to change, including insurance and mortgage forbearance policies and other reforms necessary to support long-term recovery.
“I remain committed to continuing to use the full force of my mayoral power to restore the Palisades community and return families home as quickly and safely as possible.”
Mitchell strengthens accountability in juvenile justice system
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell (D-Inglewood, Compton, Carson, Hawthorne, Culver City, portions of South LA) yesterday saw the full County Board of Supervisors unanimously approve her motion to advance data transparency in the County’s juvenile justice system by calling for the creation of a public-facing juvenile justice data dashboard.
The Probation Department, in coordination with the County’s Chief Information Officer, will report back to the Board in 60 days with a plan for launching this initiative.
Mitchell, whose district includes the highest rate of young people in the County’s juvenile justice system, said the data tracking is tied to real lives—to the lives of the young people in the County’s care and for whom the County is responsible.
“This information needs to be accessible and readily available to all. Instead of navigating a cumbersome process of searching across multiple webpages or contacting departments directly, there will be a centralized location where this data can live. This is about building on the efforts of the Probation Department and our County teams to transparently track outcomes for young people in our halls so we can strengthen solutions for reunification, safe depopulation through community partnerships, and prevention,” said Mitchell.
The dashboard will be updated monthly and provide clear, accessible insights for families of youth involved in the County’s juvenile justice system, advocates, County departments, and the public.
The motion also instructs the Probation Department to provide regular progress reports to the Board and the Probation Oversight Commission to ensure continued accountability in the development the platform.
Barger lauds approval of Fed partnership with LASD in North County
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger (R-Northern LA County including Palmdale, Lancaster, Santa Clarita, San Marino, Pasadena, La Cañada-Flintridge, portions of the San Gabriel Valley) yesterday lauded the full County Board of Supervisors’ unanimous approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) supporting the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s participation in the Los Angeles County–North County Safe Streets Task Force (NCSSTF).
The NCSSTF focuses on enhancing coordination among local and federal law enforcement agencies to address violent crime and improve public safety throughout North County communities.
The MOU ensures that Los Angeles County can continue its active role in the task force without additional cost to local taxpayers, while benefiting from shared intelligence, coordinated operations, and increased enforcement resources. The approved MOU also allows for reimbursement of overtime salary costs associated with Sheriff’s Department personnel participating in the task force, which is funded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“This partnership brings critical federal support to our local law enforcement efforts. By working hand-in-hand with our federal partners, we are expanding our capacity to respond to crime and ensuring that public safety remains a top priority. The residents and businesses I represent in North County deserve safe communities. I will continue consistently supporting collaborative approaches that leverage regional, state, and federal partnerships to enhance public safety and deliver effective results,” said Barger.
Valladares calls for budget prioritizing core services, lower costs
Ahead of Governor Newsom’s State of the State address to the Legislature this Thursday, Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Lancaster, Palmdale, Santa Clarita, portions of the Antelope Valley) announced her 2026 budget priorities, focusing on lowering the cost of living, strengthening public safety, and expanding economic and educational opportunities.
“We’re likely going to hear a glowing speech from the governor about how great the state is, but the truth is families in California are hurting,” said Valladares. “An $18 billion deficit, combined with our soaring cost of living, fleeing businesses, and struggling students demonstrates a clear failure of the majority party’s priorities.”
Last month, Valladares and California Senate Republicans unveiled their budget priorities, calling for greater government oversight and accountability to deliver real results for Californians, including:
- Lowering housing costs for renters and helping more Californians buy homes
- Keeping Californians safe from crime and wildfires
- Supporting hospitals and access to care for rural Californians
- Eliminating fraud in Medi-Cal and other assistance programs
- Investing in water and emergency services for disasters and droughts
- Funding for UC and CSU so students can afford to stay and learn in California
- Supporting job creators by reducing the Unemployment Insurance debt burden placed on them
“California government doesn’t have a money problem, but it does have a spending problem. Families deserve a budget that puts their daily needs first, not more wasteful spending that leaves them paying more and getting less,” Valladares concluded.
