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Archive for May, 2017

Urgent support needed for parks!

Action alert!
There are three upcoming ways in which you can take action to support parks and open space in Los Angeles and around the country.

  • Attend next Tuesday’s LA County Board of Supervisors’ Meeting to support stormwater project (parks!) implementation and water resiliency
  • Urge your representative’s support for a State Park Bond (SB 5)
  • Support our National Monuments by providing public comment for the Department of the Interior’s White House directed review

LA County Board of Supervisors’ Meeting
Water Resilience and Stormwater Capture Planning and Implementation
Next Tuesday, 1:00 p.m.

The LA County Board of Supervisors will be considering a motion brought by Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis to conduct engagement around water issues in the County and the Water Resilience Plan being developed by the Department of Public Works and to develop an expenditure plan for a potential tax to fund stormwater projects and programs in the County.

Come show your support for County-wide investments in stormwater infrastructure and urge that parks be prioritized as multiple benefit water capture amenities.

Link to agenda (item number 10)
Link to Kuehl/Solis motion

Tuesday, May 30, 2017, 1:00 p.m.
Board Hearing room 381B
Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

State Park Bond (SB 5)

Two California state park bond bills are currently being considered, one in the Senate (SB 5) and one in the Assembly (AB 18). We expect a Senate floor vote on SB 5 in the next few weeks and need your help to get the needed 2/3s votes to get the bill out of the Senate. Once that happens, AB 18 will be taken up in the Senate and SB 5 will be taken up in the Assembly. We still have some work to do to get the best possible final package for parks and water infrastructure, but this is a critical next step in the process.

Please reach out to your Senator or regional delegation to ask for their support for SB 5. You can do this through email, calls, or social media. A few draft social media posts are provided below, as well as the Twitter handles for those we especially need to urge support from.

@_______ [Senator handle] please support #SB5 to protect #OurParks #OurWater #OurJobs #OurHealth! Vote #YesOnSB5!

We need your help @_______[Senator handle] to ensure #Parks #Water & #Health 4 all! Vote yes on #SB5!

TY @kdeleon for working to protect #OurParks #OurWater #OurHealth #OurJobs! #YesOnSB5 #PreserveCA

@CASenateDems we need your support for #OurParks #OurWater #OurHealth #OurJobs! Vote #YesOnSB5!

@Steve_Glazer
@SenatorGalgiani
@AnthonyCannella
@JanetNguyenCA
@ScottWilkCA
@SenAndyVidak
@CASenatorJim

National Monuments
Deadline: July 10

As many of you may have heard, President Trump’s recent Executive Order directed Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to conduct a review of 27 national monuments. Six monuments in California are under review: Berryessa Snow Mountain (2015), Carrizo Plain (2001), Giant Sequoia (2000), Mojave Trails (2016), Sand to Snow (2016), and our very own San Gabriel Mountains (2014).

The public comment period for this executive order is open now and ends June 10.

This is a critical moment to protect our public lands – please share this information with your networks and comment as a private citizen or, if appropriate, as an organization. As of today, over 100,000 comments have been submitted.

Please submit a comment using the link below:

  • Follow this link to the Monuments for All website
  • Input your contact information and personalize the comment section (personalized comments are critical for the final comment tally)
  • Monuments for All is a non-partisan organization that plans to deliver public comments in bulk to provide outside accountability to the public comment process and count

LA budget cuts to parks – update and thank you!

Thank you!
Due to your help and support, the Los Angeles City Council Budget Committee is considering restoring the maintenance positions that were proposed to be cut next year. While the department still faces funding challenges in the long term, this is a good sign of support for Los Angeles parks.

Help us keep this momentum going by tweeting at, emailing, or calling to thank the Budget Committee members for their continued support of the safe, clean parks so essential to all Angelenos, and to urge the Mayor to sign a budget that fully funds the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.

This is part of a longer conversation on how we make sure parks have the funding they really need to thrive – we’ll continue to send updates on progress and opportunities to take action.

City Council Budget & Finance Committee:

Councilmember Paul Krekorian (Chair)

Councilmember Mitch Englander

Councilmember Nury Martinez

Councilmember Bob Blumenfield

Councilmember Mike Bonin

Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti:

LA budget cuts to parks – your support still needed!

Call to Action!
Let the LA City Council and Mayor know that parks are a priority for Los Angeles. We need your help today! It only takes a few minutes to make your voice heard. Once you’ve taken action, spread the word and share with others.

Contact the City Council Budget & Finance Committee:

Councilmember Paul Krekorian (Chair)

Councilmember Mitch Englander

Councilmember Nury Martinez

Councilmember Bob Blumenfield

Councilmember Mike Bonin

Contact Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti:

Contact your LA City Council representative:

TALKING POINTS

The recently released Mayor’s 2017-2018 proposed budget contains significant reductions to the Department of Recreation and Parks’ budget.

These cuts would result in the elimination of critical maintenance positions across the city that keep our parks safe and clean.

As demonstrated by a stunning 75% yes vote for parks this past November, parks are a priority for our communities, and need full funding and support from the City.

The proposed budget:

  • Makes deep cuts to the Department’s ability to maintain our park system.
  • Eliminates 53 critical positions that make sure parks are clean and safe.
  • Does not do enough to make sure bathrooms are clean, parks are safe, and that the homeless that currently live in the City’s parks are treated with dignity and care.
  • Will increase the City’s long term exposure to liability and risk by not funding important preventative maintenance activities.

We ask that at a minimum the following changes are made to the proposed budget:

  • Restore the 53 critical maintenance positions and direct staff to investigate the true, necessary cost of adequate staffing to maintain and operate the park system
  • Fully fund LA Recreation and Parks’ efforts to help people experiencing homelessness, including funding of programs that refer people into other City programs that assist with identifying long-term housing
  • Increase LA Recreation and Parks’ General Fund Appropriation commensurate with its mandated General Fund Reimbursements and skyrocketing utility expenses
  • Invest in LA Recreation and Parks in order to provide safe, clean, and well-programmed parks to every Los Angeles resident regardless of race, income, or zip code

Additional links and information:
City of Los Angeles Public Meeting Calendar
Proposed Budget information