CaliforniaCityNews.org

L.A. living wage law is upheld

The ruling means hotels near LAX will have to pay salary and benefits of at least $10.64 an hour to their workers.

By Steve Hymon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 28, 2007

A controversial law that requires hotels near Los Angeles International Airport to pay a so-called living wage was upheld by a state appeals court panel Thursday, providing a significant victory for elected officials and the labor interests that have long sought the ordinance.

The 3-0 ruling by a panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles means that the city can now implement a law that would provide salary and benefits equal to $10.64 an hour to workers at a dozen LAX-area hotels. The law had been struck down in May by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge David P. Yaffe, who sided with business interests and ruled that the city had not made sufficient changes from an earlier version of the ordinance.

Click here for the link to the Los Angeles Times Story

Should California raise taxes to close the budget gap?

A new Field Poll sheds some light on how California voters feel about raising taxes to close the growing budget shortfall. Bottom line is by a narrow margin 48% - 43% of voters believe that taxes will have to be raised to close the shortfall. By historical standards thats actually a figure slightly lower than in the past.

Other interesting data that can be discerned:

• A shocking (or maybe not) 7% of voters believe that the legislature can be trusted with a great deal of confidence to do the right thing regarding the budget deficit - thats not a typo - a paltry 7%
• Governor Schwarzenegger continues to enjoy significantly higher job performance numbers than his legislative counter parts.
• Nine in ten voters believe the budget situation is serious - 58% believe it is seriously so.

Of more interest to local officials is this important tidbit. While the Filed Poll has been gauging voter opinion for over thirty years, it has traditionally asked a question to survey respondents that California City News believes is no longer useful....that is, it asks the question:

"In general, are state and local taxes much too high, somewhat too high, just about right or too little?"

The biggest problem with this question is that it lumps city (local) governments into the same pot as the state government. While state governments ratings have been declining for years - local governments have remained relatively steady...in many cases improving.

CCN would suggest that if the Field Poll were to split the question and ask about tax levels at the local level and then again at the state level, the responses would be widely dissimilar. In fact, taxes at the local level have recently passed at a significantly higher level than at the state level. This trend is no strange coincidence - it makes perfect sense. Residents feel much better about their local govenrment than their state governemnt. They trust them more and have a higher degree of confidence.

While the question may have made sense thirty years ago - it doesnt make any sense today.

The City Of Half Moon Bay Faces Disincorporation After Land Use Judgment

This article in The San Francisco Chronicle is an absolute must read for anyone following land use decisions in California. The City of Half Moon Bay is facing disincorporation as it tries to find ways to pay a multi-million dollar judgement handed out as a result of a disagreement with a developer.

The case has been called a harbinger of things to come as the developer railed against the city for years and alleges the city sought to block development of his land by claiming the property is on a wetland. The problem is the wetland only became one after a city pipeline ruptured and created an artificial basin for the water run-off. No city surveying records or government documents record the land being wetlands prior to the pipeline break and resulting runoff.

Developers, often feeling they find themselves on the wrong side of court decisions - especially as they regard environmentally sensitive areas -  are hailing this as a sign that the courts are finally recognizing that cities have "taken things too far". For its part, the city of Half Moon Bay has been slapped with a $38 million fine.

Ouch.

SF Mayor Gavin Newsom plans to make city greener with carbon offset fund

-The San Francisco Chronicle Reports

Mayor Gavin Newsom is moving to put San Francisco into the business of helping industry and consumers balance their impact on global warming by creating a fund to bankroll initiatives to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The move would begin with city government departments being required to contribute "carbon offset" fees into the fund for each airline trip taken by a departmental official and eventually for road travel, too.

Cities And Counties Brace For Property Tax Drop Off

San Joaquin County is one of the hardest hit counties in the country affected by the sub-prime mortgage meltdown. Governor Schwarzenegger the Secretary of the Treasury and federal officials visitied the city of Stockton earlier this week to tout government efforts to stem the flow of red ink and the downward spiral of housing prices and vacancies in foreclosed homes.

Propery tax revenue is sure to be reduced among cities throughout California. Budget predictions and finance officers are sharpening pencils and examining budget scenarioes to determine how hard their budgets will be hit. In this article San Joaquin County and the city of Stockton are profiled for the measures they're taking to withstand the financial hit. Is your city taking the necessary precautions?

Potrero Says No Thanks, Blackwater

The increasignly maligned Blackwater Security firm, which has made headlines for its questionable operations in Iraq, had planned to put its worldwide training headquarters in the California town of Potrero, which sits about a 5 mile drive from Tecate and the Mexican border.  That is, until the town recalled five members of the advisory committee overseeing the project, replacing them with less Blackwater friendly panelists.  With a warm fuzzy name like "Blackwater" you'd wonder they're not viewed as a more community friendly entity, but we digress.

Read the story from United Press International.

California Local Officials Speak at Bali Climate Summit

A pair of Sonoma local officials attended the widely publicized International Climate Change forum in bali last week, a meeting that could produce the largest worldwide environmental agreement since Kyoto.  The Sonoma Index-Tribune has the full story.  Though the two designates were from the county and a special district, respectively, it is encouraging to hear that locals were included in the discussions and appropriately valued for their input. 

Quoted in the Index-Tribune, Sonoma Supervisor Paul Kelly said "The most interesting thing I learned in the context of 160 nations talking about future agreements on greenhouse gas emissions is that right now local governments are the ones doing something about it. We can see why the state of California was interested in having local government representatives come and share their information."

Proposed Bill Seeks To Help Cities Make Problem Liquor Stores A Thing Of The Past

Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley) and Oakland City Attorney John Russo announced efforts yesterday to move legislation in Sacramento to provide city governments with the tools to rid themselves of problem liquor stores.

The proposal, covered in an San Francisco Chronicle story would allow cities to buy back the liquor licenses of stores deemed to be problems or nuisances and magnets for criminal activity.

Dr. Pepper Tax?

From the city that brought you the plastic bag tax, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is considering a "soda tax" that would fund programs to address childhood obesity.  The SF Chron has the full story.  According to the Chron, the notion of taxing sugary drinks has been floating around doctor's circles for some time, and has the support of the American Medical Association.

The move has also made national headlines getting mention in The New York Times as the Mayor looks to trim his residents waistline. One notable quote in the article: "As for levies on other child-friendly delicacies, Mr. Ballard added, “The mayor has no intention of imposing a fee on pizza.”

Solana Beach Added To List Of Cities Banning Plastic Bags

Add another variation to the growing list of cities working to strip their city limits of plastic bags - the city of Soalana Beach has banned plastic bags from advertising uses. No longer can a business stuff plastic sacks full of coupons and distribute them in this city. The San Diego Union Tribune covers the story.

Plastic bags for newspapers are apprarently exempt from the ban. Its a good thing your California City News is only distributed in environmentally friendly packaging.