Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
By Christina Villacorte, Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 05/31/14, 9:53 PM PDT | Updated: 46 secs ago
Tuesday’s primary election for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is expected to be among the most competitive in recent history.
Abby Sewell
May 28, 2014
Los Angeles County supervisors voted Tuesday to require candidates to file their campaign finance reports electronically, allowing the public to see them quicker.
By Abby Sewell
May 6, 2014
After years of debate about how to best modernize the county’s aging and troubled jail system, Los Angeles County supervisors voted Tuesday for a $2-billion plan to replace the deteriorating downtown Men’s Central Jail and create a new women’s jail.
By Christina Villacorte, Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 04/14/14, 11:15 AM PDT | Updated: 8 hrs ago
Los Angeles County’s budget officials on Monday unveiled a proposed $26.1 billion spending plan for fiscal year 2013-2014 that calls for hiring about 1,300 new employees — mostly nurses and social workers — as well as funding for reforms in the troubled jail and child welfare systems.
By Catherine Saillant and Abby Sewell
April 13, 2014, 5:15 p.m.
Bobby Shriver, the first Los Angeles County supervisorial contender in 18 years to opt out of voluntary campaign spending limits, is calling for a major overhaul of county election laws, including lifting fundraising restrictions on candidates who use personal wealth to help pay for their campaigns.
By Abby Sewell
February 25, 2014, 6:12 p.m.
Los Angeles County supervisors voted Tuesday to ask the newly appointed inspector general of the Sheriff’s Department to work with interim Sheriff John L. Scott to study setting up a civilian commission that would oversee the department.
By Catherine Saillant
February 22, 2014, 7:35 p.m.
NBC correspondent Maria Shriver said she sees no need to step down from her news job while campaigning for her brother, Bobby Shriver, a candidate for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
By Christina Villacorte, Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 02/20/14, 8:13 PM PST | Updated: 9 hrs ago
Realizing they both have a lot to lose if public employee retirement costs continue spiraling out of control, Los Angeles County and its labor unions have agreed to what they called “sweeping reforms” that could save as much as $840 million over the next 30 years.
By Paul Pringle and Jack Leonard
February 11, 2014, 10:30 p.m.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office is looking into whether thousands of dollars in taxpayer money was misspent on improvements to Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas’ home last year, an office spokeswoman said Tuesday.
By Catherine Saillant
February 3, 2014, 8:23 p.m.
Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and former state Sen. Sheila Kuehl have a considerable fundraising jump over their rivals for two open seats on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, new campaign reports show.
By Jack Leonard and Paul Pringle
January 31, 2014, 8:09 p.m.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas obtained a building permit Friday to renovate what appears to be an improperly converted garage at his Leimert Park home by adding a carport and removing a section of the detached building.
By Abby Sewell and Robert Faturechi
January 28, 2014, 6:07 p.m.
The newly named interim sheriff of Los Angeles County, current Orange County Undersheriff John L. Scott, said Tuesday that he would continue the momentum of reform in the department.
By Paul Pringle and Jack Leonard
January 22, 2014
Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas acknowledged Tuesday that a taxpayer-funded project to install a security system in a converted garage at his home involved improvements “over and above” that job, but said he reimbursed the county for the upgrades.
By Jack Leonard and Paul Pringle
January 19, 2014, 8:50 p.m.
A taxpayer-funded project to provide a home security system for Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas included improvements to his converted garage that involved a week of work and upgrades to the building’s electrical service, according to interviews and records.
By Paul Pringle and Jack Leonard
January 16, 2014, 8:13 p.m.
Los Angeles city building inspectors launched an investigation Thursday into whether county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas has an illegally converted garage at his Leimert Park home, where government employees recently performed thousands of dollars worth of work.
By Beatriz Valenzuela, Press-Telegram,
Greg Yee, Press-Telegram and Sandy Mazza, Daily Breeze
Posted: 01/07/14, 8:05 PM PST |
Those who decide to run to be head of the nation’s largest sheriff’s department will face a series of issues that will test their leadership.
By Abby Sewell and Seema Mehta
January 7, 2014, 9:17 p.m.
A divided Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to add a cross back to the county’s official seal, despite warnings the decision would invite legal challenges.
By Ben Poston and Robert Faturechi
December 29, 2013
Dozens of police officers rejected for jobs at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after investigators found evidence of dishonesty or past misconduct were given positions elsewhere in county government, according to interviews and internal hiring records reviewed by The Times.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Dec. 30, 2013 – 12:00 am
A seat in Congress is one of the nation’s most sought-after political prizes, and once elected, a member rarely gives it up voluntarily.
By Christina Villacorte, Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 12/18/13, 5:50 PM PST |
It was not only the Sheriff’s Department that absorbed troublesome officers from Los Angeles County’s now defunct police force despite knowing about their previous misconduct – several other county agencies did the same, including those charged with public safety.
By Bob Pool and Robert Faturechi
December 4, 2013, 2:39 p.m.
Under fire for hiring dozens of officers with histories of serious misconduct, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca acknowledged Wednesday shortcomings in the way his agency handled the process.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Nov. 4, 2013 – 12:00 am
Los Angeles County is home to more than a quarter of California’s population, and nearly 60 percent of its residents are Latino.
However, just one of the county’s five supervisors is Latino, and Gloria Molina was elected to the board 22 years ago only because the U.S. Justice Department interceded in redistricting and declared that not creating a Latino seat would violate the Voting Rights Act.
By Abby Sewell
October 31, 2013, 6:05 p.m.
A local resident and the American Civil Liberties Union are suing Los Angeles County for refusing to disclose how much it has spent defending lawsuits against the county sheriff’s department.
By Rick Orlov, Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 10/18/13, 7:42 PM PDT | Updated: 22 mins ago
The decades of problems within the Los Angeles County jail system took a new turn this week when a federal-court jury decided Sheriff Lee Baca should be held personally liable for the injuries suffered by an inmate in 2009.
By Christina Villacorte, Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 09/17/13, 6:53 PM PDT | Updated: 5 hrs ago
Saying the troubled Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department should be placed under greater scrutiny, the county Board of Supervisors stepped up its search for an inspector general Tuesday but stopped short of creating a proposed citizens oversight commission.
By Abby Sewell
July 23, 2013, 10:30 p.m.
With Los Angeles County government’s revenue on the mend, the Board of Supervisors approved the first pay hike in five years for sheriff’s deputies and probation officers.
Liset Marquez, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/30/2013 11:37:47 AM PDT
Updated: 04/30/2013 07:36:59 PM PDT
Related: Two Los Angeles County supervisors push for local control of ONT | ONT special section
View: Agenda item | Agenda amendment | Ontario letter | ARSAC letter
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has joined more than 100 government entities and officials calling into question the management of L.A./Ontario International Airport and advocating it would be better under local control.
Liset Marquez, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/29/2013 11:10:55 AM PDT
Updated: 04/29/2013 07:05:51 PM PDT
View: Agenda item
Special Section: Ontario airport Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Don Knabe and Mike Antonovich are recommending that the agency that oversees LA/Ontario International Airport return it to local control.
Liset Marquez, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/11/2013 12:43:00 PM PST
Updated: 02/11/2013 11:16:50 PM PST
Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe plans to introduce a motion today that would force Los Angeles World Airports to comply with a 2006 settlement that required the agency to redistribute air traffic throughout the region.
By Jason Song, Los Angeles Times
April 10, 2012
Los Angeles County could receive almost $50 million less than expected in property taxes next year, according to the latest estimates, which could lead to cuts in law enforcement, education and other services.
Last year, Assessor John Noguez estimated that the county property tax base would grow by almost $18.7 billion for the next fiscal year. But he revised that figure to $5.1 billion last week.
Frank C. Girardot, Staff Writer
Created: 09/30/2011 05:03:08 PM PDT
Local officials are bracing for a radical realignment of the state penal system that will place thousands of low-level felons in county jail rather than prison.
Christina Villacorte, Staff Writer
Created: 09/26/2011 09:25:30 PM PDT
An overflow crowd is expected today as the Board of Supervisors tackles the once-a-decade task of redrawing Los Angeles County’s voting boundaries and decides whether to give Latinos more political clout.
Back to drawing board
Staff Reports
Created: 08/20/2011 08:28:05 PM PDT
Los Angeles County supervisors are confronted with numerous options for redrawing district boundaries, but they are increasingly unlikely to have the final say on the fate of the lines.
By Garrett Therolf and Sam Allen, Los Angeles Times
August 17, 2011
Los Angeles County supervisors voted Tuesday to order an investigation of Vernon’s finances amid worries that an effort to dissolve the city might unfairly burden county coffers.
Interim leader’s last day Sept. 16
Christina Villacorte, Staff Writer
Created: 08/02/2011 08:33:04 PM PDT
The county’s troubled Department of Children and Family Services will undergo yet another leadership change, after the resignation this week of acting director Jackie Contreras.
She is the agency’s third chief in eight months to step down; her last day is Sept. 16.
Mike Antonovich
Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich
Created: 06/29/2011 08:30:33 PM PDT
Democrat and Republican governors across the country are working to cut costs and lower taxes, but Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to level California’s $26 billion deficit – the result of several years of out-of-control government spending – is a “realignment” proposal that not only extends the previous administration’s ineffective tax hikes, but also irresponsibly shrugs the state’s financial burden onto the shoulders of cash-strapped county and municipal governments, creating a real threat to California’s economic recovery and public safety.
Delgado
San Bernardino City Unified
Delgado to take job with L.A. County
Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/07/2011 10:53:00 PM PDT
Arturo Delgado, the superintendent of San Bernardino City Unified School District, is leaving to become the Los Angeles County superintendent of schools.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 – 11:54 a.m.
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors needs some pointers from a neighbor.
They really do!
Supervisors to oversee 2 departments directly
Christina Villacorte, Staff Writer
Created: 05/17/2011 09:34:50 PM PDT
A month after one of his deputies sparked the anger of Los Angeles County supervisors by defying a direct order, the board voted Tuesday to seize authority over two troubled departments from county CEO Bill Fujioka.
L.A. County pays millions to homeless
Christina Villacorte, Staff Writer
Created: 04/20/2011 09:06:26 PM PDT
Faced with the prospect of further budget cutbacks, two Los Angeles County supervisors who represent Inland Valley cities proposed a new plan this week to control the rapid growth of welfare payments to the poor.
L.A. County’s CEO unveils $23.3B plan
Christina Villacorte, Staff Writer
Created: 04/18/2011 09:00:40 PM PDT
Los Angeles County’s chief executive officer unveiled a $23.3 billion proposed budget Monday that closes a $221 million gap mostly through one-time solutions, while avoiding new furloughs or laying off county workers.
Tracy Garcia, Staff Writer
Created: 03/07/2011 10:04:28 PM PST
In response to Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to shift certain state programs to local governments, Los Angeles County supervisors have voted to seek a state constitutional amendment to ensure a steady funding source for programs moved to local control.
Earlier this year, Brown proposed a series of “realignments” to cut costs, including making local governments responsible for state programs such as:
10:00 PM PST on Tuesday, January 18, 2011
By DUANE W. GANG
The Press-Enterprise
Riverside County joined a growing list of agencies Tuesday that are scrambling to counteract Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to eliminate redevelopment in California.
During a special meeting, the Board of Supervisors unanimously authorized up to $155 million in bonds to fund a host of projects throughout the county’s unincorporated areas. Redevelopment was the meeting’s sole topic.
Troy Anderson, Staff Writer
Created: 10/19/2010 08:26:00 PM PDT
Despite learning Tuesday that Los Angeles County faces a $26 billion tab over coming decades to cover pension and retiree health care costs, the Board of Supervisors delayed pursuing reforms to the retirement system after unions threatened legal action.
The supervisors were preparing to consider a series of reforms that included raising the county’s minimum retirement age and asking employees to contribute more to their plans.
Supervisors may seek talks to reduce benefits
Troy Anderson and Liset Marquez, Staff Writers
Created: 10/18/2010 08:46:56 PM PDT
Pension reform proponents are skeptical about the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ proposed changes to the county pension system – a move some contend would save the county $200 million per year.
The board is expected to vote today on whether to direct Chief Executive Officer Bill Fujioka to begin negotiations with county unions to modify the pension system.
L.A. NOW
Southern California — this just in
September 3, 2010 | 2:47 pm
Welfare payments to children of illegal immigrants in Los Angeles County increased in July to $52 million, prompting renewed calls from one county supervisor to rein in public benefits to such families.
The payments, made to illegal immigrants for their U.S. citizen children, included $30 million in food stamps and $22 million from the CalWORKS welfare program, according to Los Angeles County figures released Friday by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.
L.A. County sees $200M shortfall
Troy Anderson, Staff Writer
Created: 06/28/2010 08:28:10 PM PDT
Stung by an $8 billion pension fund loss last year, Los Angeles County supervisors will be asked today to spend an additional $200 million to shore up its wilting retirement system.
If the money is approved, the taxpayer tab for county employees’ pensions would soar in the fiscal year beginning Thursday from $787 million to $987 million.
$1.2B shortfall could up layoffs
Troy Anderson, Staff Writer
Created: 05/18/2010 10:06:15 PM PDT
Facing an additional loss of $1.2 billion in revenue based on the state’s latest budget forecast, Los Angeles County might have to lay off more workers than it had originally expected, two supervisors warned Tuesday.
Following a Board of Supervisors’ discussion Tuesday about the impact of the state’s revised $83.4 billion budget, Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Michael Antonovich said layoffs might be unavoidable.
Troy Anderson, Staff Writer
Created: 04/19/2010 07:01:34 PM PDT
Los Angeles County’s $22.7 billion spending plan for next year will require up to 130 layoffs and additional cuts in public services to cover an anticipated $511 million shortfall, officials said Monday.
This includes reduced hours at public libraries, consolidation of services at health clinics, the closure of a jail at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, reducing sheriff’s overtime costs and Assessor’s Office cuts, which could delay home appraisals.
By Garrett Therolf
April 19, 2010 | 1:52 p.m.
Los Angeles County Chief Executive William T Fujioka said Monday he was grappling with a $510.5-million budget shortfall that could lead to the layoffs of about 100 workers, even with negotiations underway with labor leaders that could yield compromises.
“This will be the worst year,” Fujioka said at a news conference Monday, predicting that the economic downturn would continue to ease and that pressure on the county would ease greatly in coming years.
Prosecutors say they did not break the law even though there was no public vote on the use of millions in taxpayer dollars. A complaint was filed after The Times disclosed the expenditures.
By Garrett Therolf
April 7, 2010
Los Angeles County prosecutors said Tuesday that county supervisors did not break the law when they spent millions of taxpayer dollars on pet projects without a public vote or discussion.
The district attorney’s inquiry began in response to a complaint received last month after The Times detailed some of the $3.4 million per year that each of the five supervisors receives to spend at his or her discretion.
From chauffeurs to charities to parties, the five-member board hands out money from its discretionary accounts with little oversight.
By Garrett Therolf
March 10, 2010 | 5:40 p.m.
As Los Angeles County supervisors prepare to carve deeply into everything from public safety to social services, they also are spending millions in taxpayer dollars to burnish their public images, pay for chauffeurs, hold parties for friends and lobbyists and support pet projects.
Each supervisor receives $3.4 million a year to spend as he or she sees fit, without any public vote or scrutiny.