June Archives

June 2003

Yaroslavsky Hosts Topanga Canyon Emergency Management Community Planning Meeting – On Saturday, June 14, 2003 Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky hosted a community planning meeting at Topanga Elementary School to launch an effort to develop a comprehensive Emergency Management Plan for Topanga Canyon residents, emergency responders, and other key service providers. Yaroslavsky said that the plan was intended to augment, not duplicate, ongoing programs already underway involving Topanga residents and emergency responders. He added that this initial project in the Third District would be the first of its kind in L.A. County to assemble such a broad coalition of community, public- and private-sector stakeholders to address emergency preparedness, and could serve as a pilot for similar projects elsewhere in the County.

Health Crisis Update – On Tuesday, June 3, 2003, faced with a potential funding deficit topping $700 million within several years, the Board of Supervisors reaffirmed its longstanding plans to save money by converting the County’s High Desert Hospital in the Antelope Valley into an outpatient-only clinic. Click High Desert conversion for additional details. In a further effort to preserve critical health services for the neediest County residents, the Board also voted the same day to adopt new Health Department policies limiting indigent in-patient transfers from area private hospitals to County hospital facilities, and limiting non-emergency care to residents of Los Angeles County. Click healthcare reductions for full policy details. To regain control of the County’s fiscal decision-making, the County will be appealing recent rulings by U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper enjoining the Health Department from proceeding with previous Board-ordered health service reductions, which include the closure of Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center and transfer of its patients to other facilities, and the elimination of 100 available inpatient beds at County-USC Medical Center.

Yaroslavsky Calls on Federal Government to Expand Healthy Kids Program in California – On Friday, May 30, 2003, Supervisor Yaroslavsky joined Rep. Adam Schiff, State Sen. Jack Scott and Assemblymembers Judy Chu and Carol Liu for a press conference at Pasadena’s Huntington Memorial Hospital to call on federal officials to approve California’s plan to expand health, dental and vision coverage for an estimated 33,000 uninsured children in California. Yaroslavsky explained that current law caps family eligibility for the federal Title XXI State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) at 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), or $46,000 for a family of four. California has recently submitted a new Medi-Cal spending plan amendment to the federal government that would expand that eligibility to include households earning up to 300% of the FPL, or $55,200. Yaroslavsky said the proposed expansion would cost $36 million in local funds to leverage an additional $66 million in federal SCHIP funds. The local share will be derived from tobacco monies, including the Prop. 10 state cigarette tax and the national tobacco lawsuit settlement.

Yaroslavsky Challenges UCLA Graduates to Exercise Moral Courage, "Be Guided by Your Own Humanity" - On Friday, June 13, 2003, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky was the featured commencement speaker at the graduation ceremonies for UCLA’s College of Letters & Sciences. In his commencement address, Yaroslavsky reminded students as they set off into the world that "learning from one’s mistakes is the principal building block of the wisdom that guides sage and prudent decision-making. Having the wisdom to know when you’ve made a bad call, and the confidence and courage to act on it, is often the noblest achievement of people in power." Yaroslavsky told his audience that "summoning moral courage will, in the short run, be the harder choice," cautioning them that "it can come at considerable risk to you professionally and often personally." He called on graduates to "trust your gut, and act accordingly. In doing so, you will add meaning and satisfaction to your own life as well as make a positive difference in the lives of others."

Yaroslavsky Announces Board Approval for West Hollywood Affordable-Housing Project – Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky announced approval on June 3, 2003 of a $2.9 million revenue bond issue by the County’s Housing Authority to assist the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation in purchasing property and constructing the Havenhurst Apartments, a 24-unit affordable apartment complex to be located at 1433 Havenhurst Dr. in West Hollywood. Click release and WeHohousing bond resolution for further details.

Yaroslavsky Opposes Newhall Ranch Development – Also on Tuesday, May 27, 2003, the Board of Supervisors approved the proposed Newhall Ranch project on a 4-1 vote, with Supervisor Yaroslavsky opposed. Citing his concerns about environmental and traffic impacts from the project’s nearly 21,000 homes, Yaroslavsky said, “We are on a course that is demonstrably wrong.” He noted that with upcoming consideration of the 23,000-home Tejon Ranch “Centennial” project, the problem of urban sprawl and commuter congestion had to be confronted, calling it “one of the biggest, if not the biggest, environmental issues we face as a region.” Opponents of the Newhall project are expected to challenge the approval in court. For additional details, click Final Newhall action; CUP findings; and Newhall project staff analysis. Further information on the proposed Centennial project may be found on the Tejon Ranch website at Centennial California; click Stop Tejon Ranch to learn more about opposition to the project.

Board Takes Up Yaroslavsky Call for Governor to Restore Proposed Cut in Open-Meeting Law Enforcement – On Tuesday, May 27, 2003, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky to oppose Gov. Davis’ proposed repeal of a key provision in the state’s open-meeting law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, that funds local government requirements to post notice of meetings and provide descriptive agendas in advance of matters calendared for discussion or action. In his motion, Yaroslavsky called such postings “the keys to meaningful public participation in democratic decision-making;” without them, he said, “the public will be locked out and denied a voice in the debate.” Click May Budget Revise and see pp. 82-83 for further details about the Governor’s proposals to suspend or repeal the Brown Act notice provisions and other funded mandates.