Yaroslavsky Notes Voter Rejection for Board Expansion Proposal - On Tuesday, November 7, County voters overwhelmingly rejected - for the sixth time this century - a proposal to expand the Board of Supervisors. Commenting on the result, Yaroslavsky said, "By a 2-1 margin, the people of Los Angeles County have reaffirmed their belief that the solution to their problems cannot be found by creating more politicians." Yaroslavsky said that voters recognized that simply expanding Board membership would nearly double the staff size, double the expense, and double the time required to get things done. "Half the efficiency at twice the cost," he quipped. Yaroslavsky has long favored County government reform that would create a separation of powers between an elected County Executive and an expanded Board, noting that only such a system would provide the appropriate checks and balances found at the federal, state and city level. Yaroslavsky explained that a Countywide elected executive would best represent the public interest of the entire region, offsetting the more parochial concerns of individual district representatives. But after the latest vote, he said, "The people have spoken loudly and clearly - again - and I think we need to take a step back and respect their wishes."
Board Moves Ahead on Seismic Retrofit of Affordable Housing Units for Seniors, Disabled - On Tuesday, 11/14, the Board of Supervisors moved ahead with seismic retrofitting plans for the 124-unit Palm Apartments and the 136-unit West Knoll Apartments in the City of West Hollywood, which provide public housing for low-income seniors and disabled residents. The Board approved a contract with Jewish Family Services to provide case management and supportive services for the 267 residents who are currently being relocated while housing officials seek out a contractor to complete the seismic work. Along with the seismic work itself, the social services are being federally funded at no cost to County taxpayers. Click here for additional details. County Fire Department Gets OK to Purchase New Firefighting Helicopters - On Tuesday, October 31, the Board approved County Fire Department plans to purchase two new Sikorsky S-70A Firehawk helicopters for its aerial firefighting arsenal. The Sikorskys will replace three aging Bell 205 helicopters with limited mission capabilities, and will complement the Department's existing fleet of four Bell 412s, a Bell 206 command ship, and two fixed-wing Superscooper aircraft leased annually during the fall fire season. Fire officials said they plan to have the new choppers in place before the onset of the 2001 brush fire season. Click here for additional details. Yaroslavsky Hosts Grants and Grant-Writing Conference - On Monday, November 13, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky hosted a grant and grant-writing conference aimed at service providers in the fields of training and employment, health care, housing, youth counseling, violence prevention, and family support, among others. Topics covered included how to find out what grants and bidding opportunities are available from Los Angeles County, and how to write a winning application. Yaroslavsky urged those interested in pursuing such opportunities to learn more by contacting the Los Angeles County Office of Small Business, and clicking here. Yaroslavsky Announces Board Action to Improve Access to County Health Care - Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky announced Board approval for a plan to improve access to the County's health-care system by streamlining the process by which patients apply for enrollment and financial assistance. Yaroslavsky said that the new form, the Outpatient Reduced-Cost Simplified Application (ORSA), is designed to reduce barriers to health care, improve patient satisfaction with the financial screening process, and boost enrollment in the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs. Yaroslavsky noted that the effort to assist patients would advance the County's compliance with the terms of the federal Medicaid Sec. 1115 Waiver Extension. The waiver was first granted in September 1995 as an innovative way to assist Los Angeles County in transitioning from expensive in-patient hospital-based care to more cost-effective outpatient care, and was recently renewed for a second and final five-year period. Click here for further details about the ORSA program. Yaroslavsky Welcomes Coro Fellow to his Staff - Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky welcomes Fernando Cazares, a member of the prestigious Coro Fellows program, to his staff for a four-week internship beginning November 15. Fernando was assigned to Yaroslavsky's office to deepen his understanding of how public policy is made in the health and environmental fields. Born in Mexico 23 years ago, Fernando and his family emigrated to the United States and Los Angeles in 1990. In May 2000, he became the first family member to graduate from college, earning a degree in Public Policy from Occidental College. As a student, he was active in several political organizations and campaigns. He has also tutored elementary schoolchildren and interned with the AFL-CIO in Washington, D.C. He plans to pursue a Master's in Public Administration from Princeton University, and is committed to applying his education and experience toward improving political and educational conditions of low-income immigrant and minority communities in Los Angeles. Welcome, Fernando! Yaroslavsky Announces State Transit Grants to Los Angeles County - Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky has announced that the State of California has awarded four transportation grants to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works for projects to enhance pedestrian and motorist safety. Yaroslavsky noted that three grants are aimed at protecting school-age children - a Teen Pedestrian Education Program, a Suggested Pedestrian Routes to School Program, and a Crosswalk improvements. The fourth grant will help create a Geographic Information System to facilitate investigation of areas with high rates of traffic accidents. Click here for further information.
Board Votes to Oppose Prop. 37 on November Ballot - Also on October 24, the Board of Supervisors voted to oppose Prop. 37 on the November 7, 2000 ballot. Prop. 37 is a proposed state constitutional amendment which would make it more difficult for state and local governments to fund programs to mitigate health and environmental impacts from polluting industries and products. Click here for the motion; to learn more about the measure, click ballot summary, official title and summary, analysis and arguments, or proposed text. For a list of the measure's financial support, click Prop. 37 contributions. Unanimous Board Approves North Area Plan - On Tuesday, October 24, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a sweeping new planning document governing housing development, environmental protection and recreational uses for some 21,172 acres, roughly 32 square miles, of unincorporated County area in the Santa Monica Mountains adjoining the Cities of Calabasas, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village. The product of an intensive eight-year effort involving hundreds of hours of staff work and numerous public hearings and community meetings, the new plan cuts by 25% the number of houses that could have been built under the prior interim plan. Urging his colleagues to approve the plan, Yaroslavsky said, "Those mountains are going to be our legacy for future generations. We take them for granted, but hopefully, our grandchildren will look back at the wisdom here in maintaining it as pristine as it can be. " Click here for the release; click here for Yaroslavsky's formal statement in support of the Plan prior to the final vote; click here for Yaroslavsky's motion, and click Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 for amendments to the Plan.
Yaroslavsky Announces Public Works Projects - Yaroslavsky has announced Board approval of the following public works project in the Third District:
Yaroslavsky Praises Labor Settlements - Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky praised the labor agreements recently concluded between public employee unions and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, on whose Board he also serves. Yaroslavsky hailed the resolution of the 32-day bus operators strike on Tuesday, October 17, which resulted in unanimous approval of a new three-year contract by the MTA Board and roughly 92% approval by the striking drivers on the following day. Crediting eleventh-hour mediation by Rev. Jesse Jackson with helping to break the logjam, Yaroslavsky declared, "This was a good deal for the union, a good deal for bus riders, and a good deal for County taxpayers, whose sales taxes help keep this ship afloat." Noting that the MTA will likely exceed its savings goals of $23 million over the three-year contract, Yaroslavsky said the agency succeeded in eliminating some antiquated and wasteful work rules, and won the right to hire some additional part-time drivers to reduce its overreliance on costly overtime payments and excessive work hours for existing drivers. Meanwhile, Yaroslavsky said that as of November 15, the Board of Supervisors and its negotiators had succeeded in concluding new three-year agreements with all but a small handful of bargaining units within Service Employees International Union Local 660. With some 47,000 members, Local 660 is the County's single largest union, representing more than half the total workforce with members serving primarily in the Departments of Health Services, Public Social Services, and Children and Family Services. Yaroslavsky praised the dedication of County workers whose commitment to the public they serve is unwavering. He added that labor actions by both MTA and County employees were unnecessary. "We're all glad it's over," he said, "but we could have settled this thing weeks earlier on virtually the same terms without the strikes and labor actions." He expressed the hope that County negotiators would soon be able to complete the remaining contract talks and submit a total package to the Board of Supervisors for final approval.
11/07/00 Fred S. Samulon+, Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee
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Yaroslavsky Announces Commission Appointments in November (+ designates
reappointments)