The Trump administration is seeking to reopen some of the most sensitive and sought-after public lands in the state not just for timber production, but also for potential solar, wind, broadband infrastructure, mining, off-road vehicle and grazing uses. When it comes to timber, the justification is fire prevention. Environmental groups have long argued that the […]
Leading gig-economy companies including Uber and Lyft are quietly lobbying California’s top Democrats to override or undermine a court ruling that could turn many of their contract workers into employees. In April, the California Supreme Court issued a far-reaching ruling that could make it much harder for companies to claim their workforces of independent contractors […]
California gained a meager 800 net jobs in June, while the unemployment rate held steady at a record low of 4.2%, according to data released Friday by the state’s Employment Development Department. The June numbers represent a pullback from May, when the Golden State added 7,200 jobs. And the gains in May were much smaller […]
Californians dutifully load up their recycling bins and feel good about themselves. They’re helping the environment and being good citizens. But their glow might turn to gloom if they realized that much of the stuff is headed to a landfill. That’s because there’s no longer a recycling market for a lot of the paper, cardboard, […]
Prices on solar panels did rise last summer as the Trump administration publicly considered the tariffs, mostly on imports from China and other Asian countries. That caused U.S. companies to scramble to purchase as many foreign panels as they could to beat the looming duties. The higher prices led two U.S. manufacturers to say they’d […]
The general manager of a small public agency under fire for delivering brown, smelly water to parts of Compton and Willowbrook has been placed on administrative leave effective immediately, the water district board’s attorney announced Thursday night. Maria Rachelle Garza’s suspension comes days after The Times reported allegations that the embattled Sativa Los Angeles County […]
Los Angeles has spent soaring amounts in recent years to end legal disputes over dangerous roads, police misconduct and other alleged wrongdoing, depriving the city of money that could fund other pressing needs. Last budget year, the city paid out more than $200 million in legal settlements and court judgments — a record amount that […]
Given Elon Musk’s dubious track record for hitting his goals, it may be a roll of the dice whether the Tesla CEO delivers a profit later this year. Fittingly, his success will depend partly on money from Nevada casinos. Since 2015, Tesla has boosted its bottom line by selling tax credits to casinos such as […]
In a major win for the local movie and TV production industries, California has extended the state’s film tax incentive program to 2025, adding five years to the program that has helped stem the tide of runaway productions to states including Georgia, Louisiana and New York. The measure, which was part of Gov. Jerry Brown’s […]
California voters will decide in November whether to give cities and counties new freedom to expand the use of rent control after an initiative backed by tenant groups earned a spot Friday on this fall’s ballot. The initiative would repeal a decades-old state law that prevents local governments from passing most new rent control laws. […]
Two landlords filed a lawsuit Thursday against the city of Los Angeles, saying a key element of its new commercial trash pickup system is an illegal tax under state law. Malcolm Bennett and Frederick Leeds, both owners of rental properties, contend in a lawsuit that the city’s RecycLA program violates Proposition 218, which prohibits local […]
The California economy cooled a bit in May as employers added just 5,500 net jobs. The unemployment rate held steady at a record low of 4.2%, according to data released Friday by the state’s Employment Development Department. The numbers reflect a slowdown from April, when the state added 25,600 jobs, according to Friday’s downward revision. […]
Garcetti called for the city to more than double the amount of money it spends on repairs to D- and F-ranked streets, where pavement is so damaged that it frequently needs to be rebuilt — typically at a cost of $1 million or more per lane mile. Yet a major portion of that work cannot […]
One, Brown kept Democratic spending in check, but he also raised income taxes astronomically on the wealthy. Maybe all those taxes weren’t necessary in the rebounding economy. Two, state spending under Brown — despite his skinflint image — has risen from roughly $131 billion to $200 billion, 53% in eight years. Why does spending keep […]
The Los Angeles school district is out of step with similar school systems, spending more on teachers’ pay and health benefits and less on activities that could enhance student learning, according to a new report by an outside task force. The L.A. Unified School District Advisory Task Force did not make specific recommendations, but instead […]