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Thirsty For Progress on Conservation? Good News.
11/5/09 @2:33 by Dave Freeman, Temporary Head of the DWP
I take my hat off to the State Legislature for their historic achievement in passing an $11.14 billion water bond proposal that will help California and the City of Los Angeles through our current water crisis .
This bond funding, if passed by California voters, will provide for key programs to help us reduce our reliance on imported water. Now, projects critical to L.A. are within reach.
The proposal includes $1 billion for groundwater cleanup, $1 billion for recycled water projects, $250 million for water conservation and money for river watershed management – all are key concerns to our customers. The proposal is especially great news for the San Fernando Valley, where we have a major need to cleanup the huge groundwater basin – essentially an underground lake - that lies under the Valley.
Speaker Karen Bass, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and the entire Los Angeles delegation deserve tremendous credit for getting this comprehensive package through the legislature – their leadership on this issue was nothing short of heroic.
Voters will now have the opportunity to cast a ballot for what could amount to hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars for Los Angeles. I plan on putting in my best effort to help get it passed.
11/3/09 @ 4:40p by Deputy Chief Beck
Never did I think when I joined the LAPD 32 years ago that one day I would be chief.
I am humbled by this honor and grateful to the Mayor for this opportunity.
I am honored to have been selected from such a distinguished and accomplished group of candidates and I pledge that I will not let this city down.
This is not just a job to me. This is who I am. It's in my blood: My father was a deputy chief. He joined after World War II and rose through the ranks of the department before retiring with distinction.
My wife Cindy, who has stood by me throughout my career, is a constant source of strength and understanding. She understands so well because she is a cop too.
My sister is a retired detective. She is one of the best who have ever worked in the LAPD. My daughter Brandi is a patrol officer in Hollywood. And my son Martin is the future of the department. He will graduate from the Police Academy on December 4.
That is why I do this job. That is why I met with the Mayor and explained my desire to lead this organization.
You see, I know this department in my bones. I've seen the ghosts and the failures of the LAPD's past, but I also know the glory of this department and see the promise of an incredible future.
I know how far we have come, especially in the last 7 years. The progressive reforms we've made have transformed the LAPD into the world-class law enforcement agency you see today, and kept LA safer than it's been since the fifties.
There's a phrase that I often use - 'Cops count. Character counts. Do the right thing and you can be the difference.' That is how I plan to lead this proud organization.
If you have any questions for me, I want to hear them. Use the form on this page to contact me and I will do my best to respond to as many folks as possible.
11/3/09 @ 2:12p by Antonio Villaraigosa
Today it was my distinct honor to nominate Deputy Chief Charlie Beck to be the next Chief of Police of the Los Angeles Police Department.
The decision was not an easy one. I spent countless hours with each of the outstanding candidates; consulted with the members of the Police Commission and members of the Los Angeles community.
One wise person told me to “Choose the man who could have reached you when you were 17.”
Charlie Beck is that man.
A 32-year veteran of the LAPD, Beck is a progressive police reformer who has served in almost every area of our vast and diverse City.
He is tough when it comes to criminals, and progressive when it comes to policing.
He’s a man who understands police work, police officers, and the honor that comes with the LAPD uniform. In fact, you could say law enforcement is in his genes:
His father was a deputy chief of the LAPD, his wife Cindy is a retired Sheriff’s deputy, his sister is a retired LAPD detective, his daughter Brandi is a patrol officer in Hollywood, and next month his son Martin will graduate from the Police Academy. Charlie Beck’s blood is LAPD blue.
And so today, we begin a new chapter in the story of reform at the LAPD. Charlie Beck is a man who understands the past, who is an important part of the present, and who will shape this department in the future. Under his leadership, I’m confident the LAPD will continue the great progress of the last few years, and that Los Angeles will be the safest big city in America.
Fighting Loan Modification Scams
10/26/09 @ 4:41p by Antonio Villaraigosa
In Los Angeles, two thirds of the families facing foreclosure who walk through the doors of our HUD approved housing counseling agencies have been scammed by so-called mortgage modification consultants. These consultants promise the world to vulnerable homeowners desperate to stay in their homes, charge advanced fees as high as $5,000 and then take the money and run.
Today, I took a big step in increasing the resources that homeowners need in order to combat loan scams and foreclosure fraud. I announced the start of NeighborWorks America’s national campaign against loan modification scams. I stood with Eileen Fitzgerald, Chief Operating Officer of NeighborWorks America, to deliver this simple message to Angelenos and the rest of country:
1. You don’t need to pay for a loan modification.
2. If you are facing foreclosure, there are HUD-approved housing counseling agencies ready and able to assist you FOR FREE.
3. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it is!
I was honored that NeighborWorks America chose Los Angeles to launch this valuable campaign. Over the past two and a half years, more than 28,000 Angelenos have fallen victim to foreclosure. That's 28,000 friends and neighbors who lost their homes and their stake in the American dream.
Over the past year, we have worked tirelessly to get the message out about the dangers of loan scams to our residents. In fact, in this crisis, we were the first city in the country to ban mortgage modification consultants from charging advanced fees.
It’s high time that elected officials, non-profit organizations, and banks work together to shut the door on loan scams and foreclosure fraud once and for all.
As they say, forewarned is forearmed. By giving our homeowners credible information and directing them to reliable resources, we can beat these scammers! To report a scam or to spot a scam, homeowners should go to the NeighborWorks campaign website: http://www.loanscamalert.org/ or call 1-888-995-HOPE.
What You Need to Know About H1N1 Vaccinations
10/23/09 @ 2:21p by Antonio Villaraigosa
We’re all in it together this flu season, and by taking the appropriate steps to get vaccinated and practice good hygiene, I know we can minimize the impact of H1N1 on our communities. Today, I attended the opening of the first free H1N1 vaccination clinic in Los Angeles with Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and Dr. Jonathon Fielding, Director of the Los Angeles Department of Public Health. This clinic at the Balboa Sports Complex is part of a larger, unprecedented national effort to encourage priority groups to receive the vaccination as soon as possible.
Priority groups for the H1N1 vaccine are:
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Pregnant women
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People living with or caring for infants under six months of age
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Emergency medical services personnel and health care workers
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People living with or caring for infants under six months of age
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People aged 25 through 64 years with chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease, asthma, diabetes or weakened immune systems.
- Though the flu many not be considered by some to be a serious illness, the groups listed above are at higher risk for complications. They especially should
get vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones. In many of these cases, this vaccination could be life-saving.
If you're like me, and do not fall into one of these categories, you can obtain the vaccine from the usual sources of health care, as vaccines become more widely available over the next several weeks.
At the beginning of the month, the H1N1 vaccine will be available at certain chain pharmacies such as Walgreens, CVS or Ralphs.
I’d also like to encourage everyone, not just those in the priority groups but Angelenos around the City, to do their part to help stop the spread of the flu.
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Wash your hands
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Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
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Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
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And stay home if you get sick.
This flu season, we all have to do our part to stay healthy and fight the spread of H1N1. Here's the full list of free clinics we're setting up in Los Angeles [please check http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/ or call 2-1-1 or 3-1-1 to confirm a date]:
Friday, October 23, 2009:
Balboa Sports Complex - 17015 Burbank Blvd, Encino 91316
Saturday and Sunday, October 24 - 25, 2009:
Balboa Sports Complex - 17015 Burbank Boulevard, Encino 91316
Chevy Chase Recreation Center - 4165 Chevy Chase Drive, Los Angeles 90039
Granada Hills Recreation Center - 16730 Chatsworth Street, Granada Hills 91344
Jackie Tatum/Harvard Recreation Center - 1535 W 62nd Street, Los Angeles 90047
Lincoln Park Recreation Center - 3501 Valley Boulevard, Los Angeles 90031
Oakwood Recreation Center - 767 California Avenue, Venice 90291
Wilmington Recreation Center - 325 Neptune Avenue, Wilmington 90744
Woodland Hills Recreation Center - 5858 Shoup Avenue, Woodland Hills 91367
More dates and locations will be coming in November and December. New schedules are released every two weeks at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/.
For more information on H1N1 and how to prevent it, visit www.flushotla.com or www.findaflushot.com
Now's the Time for Our Long Range Transportation Plan
10/21/09 @ 4:35 by Antonio Villaraigosa
If you want to let the MTA board know it's time to pass the Long Range Plan you can
email the board at
jacksonm@metro.net
Tomorrow is a big day for Los Angeles. Tomorrow, we can clear the way for jobs and sustainable growth, and set our region on a course to getting the transportation network it deserves.
At their meeting tomorrow, the Board of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) can and should pass the Long Range Transportation Plan, paving the way for $300 billion in investment over the next 30 years. We can't afford to delay any longer.
So many good projects are included in this plan -- the Regional Connector, the Foothill Extension of the Gold Line in the San Gabriel Valley, the Crenshaw Line, and the Westside Extension of the Subway. Can you just imagine what these projects will do for the Los Angeles area?
Our region has some of the worst air pollution in the country. This plan would mean lower emissions. Our region has too much traffic. This plan would mean less congestion. And most importantly, our region has a 12% unemployment rate. This plan would mean JOBS.
This plan has been a long time coming. We've been delayed for years because even though we had a lot of good projects, we didn't have the money to build them. But last year, thanks to the voters, we passed Measure R and now have the half-cent sales tax for transportation.
Just last month, the Board unanimously voted for two projects to be our federal funding priorities -- the Westside Subway and the downtown Regional Connector. Both of these run through extremely populated employment centers and will make rail travel faster, more feasible, and greener for hundreds of thousands of people from all over the region.
Now is the time to unite around this Plan. Let's show Washington that Los Angeles is ready to break ground and is deserving of federal funding to get all our Measure R projects built faster.
Let the board know you're on board with the Long Range Plan by emailing them at jacksonm@metro.net.
Standing up for Small Business
10/20/2009 @2:15 by Marshall Lester, CEO of Powerline Control Systems, recipient of 1st Citywide Small Business Loan
Last week, I was extremely thankful to have Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa visit my company Powerline Control Systems out in Northridge. Everyone here at Powerline is grateful to Mayor Villaraigosa, the Los Angeles Community Development Department, the Valley Economic Development Center and all those responsible for the Small Business Loan Program.
While a $220,000 loan may seem like a small amount for larger businesses, for us at Powerline and for small businesses all over LA, small loans such as the one we received really do make a world of difference. Small businesses in LA have been shut out of access to credit because of the weak economy. This citywide funding program is crucial to small businesses that have not been able to secure credit from private banks and other lenders.
Starting immediately, we will be turning our loan into more business for us, more business for our customers and vendors, and more jobs in Los Angeles! Over the next year, we will be able to employ over 100 new workers. Not only that, but this money will increase the efficiency of electricity used for commercial and industrial lighting through a product line we call GreenWorx that will save millions of kilowatt-hours in the LADWP area by the end of 2010.
Thank you again Mayor Villaraigosa, Councilman Smith, Councilman Alarcon, the VEDC and CDD for lending out a much needed hand to small businesses throughout Los Angeles!
A Tradition of Leading the Way
10/07/09 @3:46p by Alberto B. Mendoza, President and CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air, www.coalitionforcleanair.org
Like our fellow environmentalists who have already posted today, the Coalition for Clean Air (CCA) is impressed with President Obama's announcement and applauds the administration for adopting a federal plan that echoes that of the Green LA initiative.
I would also like to congratulate Mayor Villaraigosa for enabling Los Angeles to be used as a platform for the real change that is possible all across this nation. Such occurrences allow Los Angeles to continue the proud tradition of precedent-setting reforms such as these.
In the 1970s, Los Angeles led the nation in getting the Clean Air Act passed by taking control of its own destiny. We did not wait for the federal government to step in, but rather instituted the reforms necessary to clean our air, and the White House took notice.
Thirty years later, we've done it again. We will continue to work with the City of Los Angeles to create regulations and reforms that improve air quality and public health. It has been an honor partnering with the City of Los Angeles on initiatives such as the landmark Clean Trucks Program at the Port of Los Angeles. It is our hope that this program too will be emulated elsewhere.
As Los Angeles goes, so goes the nation.
Collaborating Towards a Green Future
10/07/09 @1:36p by Martha Matsuoka, Assistant Professor, Urban and Environmental Policy, Occidental College
When we first endeavored to help Mayor Villaraigosa devise a broad plan of action for transforming LA into the greenest big city in America, we--the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College along with the Green LA Coalition--worked to bring people together and establish consensus on the big issues. Once all the stakeholders agreed on the big-picture goals of fighting climate change and achieving sustainability, we knew that there was no limit to our ability to green the city and achieve environmental justice.
With environmental leaders, environmental justice advocates, community representatives, neighborhood activists, labor unions, and elected officials working hand-in-hand, we developed and put into action the Green LA plan--a program of ambitious goals and remarkable progress that has now set the national standard on green practices.
The Obama Administration's adoption of our Green LA program boldly raises our agenda to a national scale, elevating our philosophy of working closely with local and state government to find the best solutions to our biggest challenges.
Leadership by Mayor Villaraigosa and former-Deputy Mayor Nancy Sutley who now advices President Obama as the director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality shows that when there's political will, and the funding to support it, big change is possible. In Los Angeles it's already underway.
10/07/09 @10:58a by Patricia Castellanos, Project Director at LAANE and Chair, Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports
In our quest to become the cleanest, greenest big City in America, the Obama Administration has looked west to Los Angeles for a model of sustainability, conservation, and reduced energy costs.
As the LA Times reported yesterday, President Obama has ordered all federal agencies to comply with strict environmental standards, based on the proven success already achieved under Mayor Villaraigosa's Green LA program.
It's a strong endorsement of our work to make buildings more energy-efficient, create good green jobs of the future, go coal-free by 2020, and replace the fleet of City vehicles with electric and hybrid cars.
With Los Angeles as a model at the federal level, we hope other cities take a look at our approach to green transformation especially at our Port, the nation's largest.
Independent economists, academics, and over 40 environmental, public health, labor and community groups enthusiastically endorsed Mayor Villaraigosa's fleet turnover plan because it helps industry ready to grow and compete in the 21st century to do its part to reduce deadly pollution - and it sustains clean-up for our communities in the long term.
And we were all right. Twelve months later, the LA Clean Truck Program has reduced diesel emissions by 70 percent -- way ahead of schedule -- by replacing toxic-spewing dirty trucks with thousands of clean-burning cargo vehicles. It's generated $500 million in private investment and boosted a lagging truck manufacturing market. Now, green organizations across the country are seeking to replicate this new business model at ports nationwide - and vowing to help us protect it.
We need to continue our work on these fronts, which prove that environmental stewardship and economic growth are compatible. We are ready to show the rest of the country that real results are possible when we work together on sustainable solutions to our most pressing challenges.
10/06/09 @ 3:25p by Antonio Villaraigosa
Last week, I joined our community partners to launch the “ya es hora, ¡HÁGASE CONTAR!” (It’s time, make yourself count!) national Census campaign, to ensure that all Latino residents are counted in next year’s Census.
Latinos as a group have been historically undercounted, and thus under-represented, by the Census. This time, we're trying to correct the problem by informing and empowering the community to participate.
In 2000, 76,800 Los Angeles residents went uncounted, causing the City to lose more than $200 million in state and federal funding.
By having an accurate Census, the City will receive its fair share of federal and state funds, have full representation in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, and affect important policy decisions at all levels of government. Data gathered during the Census will be used by governmental and non-governmental agencies for years to come in a manner that will have a direct, lasting, and substantive impact on Angelenos of all stripes.
Visit http://hagasecontar.yaeshora.info/ for more information on how to make yourself count.
Metrolink Inward Cameras Will Make Us Safer
10/05/09 @4:36p by Antonio Villaraigosa
On September 12, 2008, in the Chatsworth crash of Metrolink Train 111, I saw firsthand the devastation that can result from ignoring safety rules.
In the days following, we all agreed that we must do everything in our power to stop it from ever happening again.
Safety must be the number one focus for every mile of our commuter rail system, from Riverside to Ventura, from San Bernadino to Orange County.
While nothing can restore the lives lost or undo the injuries suffered, Metrolink has seen the need for change and learned from that terrible day.
The accident spurred a series of reforms that will make the commuter rail system in Southern California safer in the future.
Many of the safety improvements made by Metrolink and other rail agencies are essential but invisible, including operational improvements and other behind the scenes safety upgrades. Most go unnoticed while making a big difference for safety.
But not this one: Metrolink’s board of directors has begun installing and activating inward facing security cameras in all its locomotives, a first for any commuter railroad system in America.
The inward facing cameras will be our eyes and ears to improve passenger safety and ensure the highest standards of professionalism by train operators.
Engineers should not be texting or using cell phones. They should not be sleeping. And Engineers should not have unauthorized persons in the cab.
It’s important to remember that the vast majority of Metrolink’s engineers have impeccable safety records and unfailingly exhibit professionalism equal to the enormous responsibility they are charged with. Now, with the cameras keeping an eye on things, we will be able to find those few unsafe operators, and remove, discipline, or retrain them.
Inward facing cameras will increase operator accountability and compliance with safety rules. In short, they will safe lives and make our commuter rail system safer.
Read more about the new cameras here: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Metrolink-1054928.html
10/02/09 @12:28 by Lisa Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
Yesterday, I visited with Mayor Villaraigosa to deliver $27 million in Recovery Act funding, including nearly $2 million for clean diesel projects at the Port of Los Angeles.
Upgrading outdated and inefficient equipment to clean diesel will create jobs and significantly reduce health risks for workers and local residents. I also had the chance to help the Mayor mark the first anniversary of Port of Los Angeles’ Clean Truck Program.
The day before my visit to the Port, I announced an historic proposed rule that would -- for the first time -- allow us to use the Clean Air Act to begin reducing emissions from the nation’s largest greenhouse gas emitting facilities. The rule is strategically targeted to the nation's 10,000 or so largest emitters, and would accelerate the deployment of efficient, innovative clean technologies across the entire economy. It would reduce emissions, drive technology innovation, and protect the environment, all without placing an undue burden on the vast majority of businesses in our economy.
Both the Recovery Act grants and the new proposed rule are focused on protecting our health and our environment at the same time we strengthen our economy.
Los Angeles has led the way in the sustainable, green economy, and the Clean Truck Program is a great model for how we move forward. The port now has 5,500 emissions-free clean trucks in operation. In one year, they’ve delivered an estimated 70 percent reduction in air emissions compared to 2007 average air emissions data. That’s the equivalent of removing 200,000 cars from our streets. The program has also been responsible for injecting $500 million of private investment into the America’s new clean tech sector.
EPA and the Obama administration are working to support local programs that curb emissions and create green jobs. As we continue to work with local partners to grow America's green economy, we’ll be looking to the example Los Angeles has set with their innovative Clean Truck Program.
10/01/09 @4:05p by Rita Robinson, GM Department of Transportation
Clean and green – that’s what we want for our air and our neighborhoods. To help Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa reach his goal of making Los Angeles the greenest big city in America, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) is converting more of our bus fleet to clean fuel.
LADOT is purchasing 17 new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Commuter Express buses to replace aging, dirty-diesel engine buses.
Funding for the new CNG buses is provided by Federal grants (80%) and Proposition A local sales tax returns (20%). The first 17 buses will cost approximately $7.5 million or $440,000 per bus, and they will be made in the United States by DesignLine, a New Zealand company with a new manufacturing facility in North Carolina.
The new CNG buses will reduce pollution, provide a quieter ride and enable the City of Los Angeles to continue providing first-class transportation services. We expect to have these new CNG buses on the road in January 2011.
A total of 102 Commuter Express buses operate 16 routes, serving approximately 2 million passengers every year throughout the greater Los Angeles region.
Drivers, bus riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians can visit LADOT’s web site at: www.ladot.lacity.org for information about DASH, Commuter Express, bicycling, and other transportation services.
10/01/09 @12:38p by Antonio Villaraigosa
As Congress and world leaders continue to grapple with solutions to address climate change, cities across the United States are endeavoring to find workable solutions to address their specific air pollution challenges.
Los Angeles has long been a leader in this area, and today marks the first anniversary of the launch of one of the most successful emissions reductions programs in our country’s history – the Port of Los Angeles’ Clean Truck Program.
Partnering local government with businesses, we launched the Clean Truck Program to replace all of the 16,800 trucks entering the Los Angeles port each year with “clean trucks”—trucks that either meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s most recent clean emissions standards or run on alternative fuel. We instituted a Day-One ban on all pre-1989 trucks and infused $44 million in incentive funding into our local port trucking sector to bring thousands of EPA-compliant trucks to our port. These incentives have helped generate over $500 million in private investment in almost 2,500 clean trucks, which account for nearly half of an emerging fleet of more than 5,500 clean trucks currently serving our two local ports.
Our program has been so successful in accelerating the replacement of old, diesel-powered trucks that in May our Harbor Commission approved $23 million in additional incentives for companies purchasing alternative-fuelled trucks, specifically, natural gas (LNG and CNG) and a new category of electric-powered, zero-tailpipe emissions big rigs.
One of the hundreds of new, clean trucks making LA's air cleaner.
This type of cooperation required the support of a broad group of stakeholders ranging from the motor carriers and cargo owners who invested in clean fleets, to the environmental, labor and faith-based communities who shared the common goal of finding a workable solution to air pollution. In other words, all parties involved wanted to find a way to effectively address truck pollution while keeping the cargo moving across our docks.
No seaport had ever attempted such an ambitious program with such an audacious goal of replacing an entire drayage fleet with a clean fleet within five years. With the Clean Truck Program, not only have we achieved most of this fleet replacement within one year, but we have created a system to monitor and ensure truck ownership accountability for thousands of big rigs that move the goods through the Port of Los Angeles.
Today, approximately 66 percent of the trucks that haul cargo containers in and out of our cargo terminals are model-year 2007 or newer. This dramatic fleet turnover has delivered an estimated 70-percent reduction for a program that set its target as an 80-percent emissions reduction by 2012. This emissions reduction is equivalent to removing 200,000 automobiles from our freeways in just ten months time.
Just as importantly, we’ve shown that taking dramatic action to curb carbon emissions can be good for economic growth. While new truck sales are down 60 percent nationwide, business at truck dealers near the Port of Los Angeles is up by one-third versus last year thanks to the Clean Truck Program. By any standard, this is a truly remarkable accomplishment.
The emissions reductions made possible by the CTP are also helping the San Pedro Bay Ports move forward on massive “green growth” cargo terminal modernization projects that were paralyzed the first half of this decade due to air quality concerns and related legal threats. As a result, thousands of construction jobs are being generated at a time when our regional economy badly needs them. These projects will pave the way for tens of thousands of permanent jobs at the Port and throughout our regional economy in the decades ahead.
The American Trucking Association has threatened our innovative solutions by getting a court order to temporarily block the City’s ability to directly ban a motor carrier from bringing dirty trucks in our Port. We are vigorously fighting to protect the right of cities like Los Angeles to improve environmental and security conditions on our own land and protect the sustainability of our investment in clean trucks over the long term.
At the same time, while defending our groundbreaking program, we need to clear the path to allow local governments the means to achieve federal clean air measures and more secure transportation hubs, acknowledging the need for different regional approaches.
Here in Los Angeles, we are proud to be making an important contribution to the national goal of cleaner air and “greener” energy. We urge lawmakers in Washington to update federal law and allow a first-of-its-kind emissions reduction initiative like the Clean Truck Program to flourish.
09/30/2009 @5:07p by Antonio Villaraigosa
This morning, I stood on the Gold Line Platform at Union Station and
announced that AnsaldoBreda, the Italian rail car manufacturer, will
build a world-class rail car manufacturing facility near downtown L.A..
In a few short years, rail cars rolling along all the County’s light
rail lines, the Gold Line extension to the San Gabriel Valley, the
Crenshaw Line, and the Expo Line will proudly bear the label “Made in
LA.”
The factory will be the anchor tenant in our pioneering Clean Tech
Corridor, a hub of sustainable manufacturing and cutting edge research.
The Clean Tech Corridor will put Los Angeles at the forefront of one of
the most important emerging sectors of the 21st century economy.
The LAEDC has estimated that when the factory is up and running it will
directly employ over 660 people and support another 1570 indirect jobs.
In other words, when most cities are losing jobs, we’re bringing over
2200 to LA! Altogether, AnsaldoBreda will support $368 million in
economic activity throughout the region.
http://www.laedc.org/reports/consulting/2009_BredaRailEconomicImpact.pdf
That’s a huge win for our economy.
Many people helped make this victory possible, particularly the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board, including Mayor Ara
Najarian of Glendale, Councilmember John Fasana of Duarte, Los Angeles
Councilmember Jose Huizar, and Richard Katz who all joined me this
morning.
I also am grateful to the Community Redevelopment Agency, Maria Elena
Durazo of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, and the many
working people who spoke passionately in support of the agreement.
Amidst all the talk of deal points and legal precedents and contract
clauses, they reminded us what this ultimately was all about: making
sure that Los Angeles delivers on its promise of creating good jobs to
turn around our economy.
09/22/09 @3:18p by Antonio Villaraigosa
Yesterday, I delivered a keynote speech to the Mobility 21 Summit, where I shared my vision for an accessible, sustainable, truly regional transportation system in Southern California.
I asked the crowd of more than 600 transportation experts to imagine a system that is comprehensive enough to make owning a car in the greater Los Angeles area optional, and proceed to outline a list of projects that will help get us there.
At the top of that list is completing a subway line from Downtown LA to the Westside, connecting our two most concentrated job centers, and alleviating traffic region-wide.
This is so important to the people of Los Angeles that they voted to increase their sales tax by one half of one percent because they knew that investing in transportation and infrastructure is investing in our future. This kind of commitment from local government needs to be matched at the federal level if the US is going to develop the infrastructure it needs to continue to lead in the 21st century global marketplace.
One example: Investing in high-speed rail for California, along the guidelines recently outlined by President Obama, and investing in regional connectors that link major metropolitan centers together, will create jobs, cut emissions, and offer a viable alternative to highway and air travel.
I look forward to working closely with Congress and the Obama administration to ensure that every half-cent that we get from the people of Los Angeles is maximized to its fullest potential and that Angelenos have the opportunity to get out of their cars and ride a public transportation system worthy of this world-class city.
http://www.mobility21coalition.com
Partnership Schools' API Scores on the Rise
9/15/09 @ 6:42p by Angela Bass
Earlier today, the State of California released its Academic Performance Index (API) scores and the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools showed healthy progress. Similar to our school's other test scores, there were encouraging results, but we are not yet satisfied and know we have work to do.
Here's a chart comparing last year's API scores for the schools, before the Partnership took over, with the newly released scores.
Some highlights from our API scores:
On average, Partnership schools outscored both the LAUSD and the State in terms of growth.
99th Street Elementary increased by 54 points and is now in the top 2% of all LAUSD elementary schools.
Sunrise Elementary increased by 45 points and sits in the top 6% of all LAUSD elementary schools.
Hollenbeck Middle School grew in all content areas and all grade levels. Their increase 33 point increase places them in the top 5% of all elementary schools.
Roosevelt High School's API score increased by 26 points. This is a particularly impressive number since the school went through a major structural transformation during the 2008-09 school year, including moving from a year-round school calendar to a traditional calendar. This changeover also includes moving the campus from one large school (one of the largest in the state) to 6 small autonomous learning communities where students will get more individualized attention from their teachers.
We are very proud of our students, teachers, and staff. This was our first year and everyone put their heart and soul into the work. We know we have work to do and that we must do even better next year. We are focusing on improving our schools, supporting our teachers and their professional growth, increasing student achievement, and we expect strong growth across all of the Partnership schools this year!
9/9/09 @6:22p by Antonio Villaraigosa
I grew up in Boyle Heights with my mother, who each day instilled in me the value of education. Studying wasn’t an option; it was mandatory. My life could have easily taken a wrong turn, but having my mother as a support system kept me on track - well at least most of the time - helped me get into college, opened countless doors for me, and made me the person I am today.
To kick-off the first day of school for the students of Los Angeles Unified School District - including the Partnership Schools I oversee - I visited some schools, one of which was 99th Street Elementary School in Watts.
Before the Partnership took over, 99th St. was one of the lowest performing schools in the entire LAUSD. But in one short year, the students at 99th St. have exhibited double-digit growth in the percentage of students scoring Proficient and Advanced in English Language Arts and Mathematics. To put this in perspective, their students scored in the top 2% of all LAUSD elementary schools in terms of growth in English Language Arts and Mathematics.
This is the sort of metrics-driven change that all public schools need to strive for - and also be held accountable to achieve.
What was the cause of this improvement? Well, I think it was a combination of Principal Sherri Williams’ vision and the leadership of teachers and staff as well as the dedicated parents who played a very active role in their child's education. They went "beyond the bake sale" and participated in programs like “Donuts with Dad” and “Muffins with Moms," which are designed to ensure that families are informed of their child’s progress, and to show them how to best support their learning at home. Now, not all of our schools saw this sort of improvement.
Some schools didn't have as high test scores, but they made other gains in areas like student safety or attendance. Ultimately, what’s important is that we are committed to increasing student achievement by changing a status quo that has been failing our children.
We are entering a new era of accountability and reform in Los Angeles schools. In addition to the progress of the Partnership Schools, which in just it’s first year saw encouraging test results, we’ve elected a new, reform-minded School Board, and gotten the landmark School Choice Motion passed which will bring reform and accountability to our failing schools and to our new schools. This motion will bring real change to our schools and will finally put students and their education first.
The stakes are too high for us not to hold ourselves accountable.
09-08-09 @5:58 by Guillermo Cespedes, Director of Gang Reduction and Youth Development
Last year, when we launched the Summer Night Lights program, we changed the way our City faces gang prevention. We reclaimed our parks by working with community members, the police department and community leaders. And by the end of the summer we put our parks back in the hands of the families they are supposed to serve.
By proving that cops and communities can work together as teammates in keeping our neighborhoods safe, we were able to restore a sense of hope in neighborhoods where gang violence has been accepted as the norm.
As the new City’s new Director of Gang Reduction & Youth Development, I will continue to work to build on this work and use the progress we have made to build momentum in our broader gang reduction efforts.