Compiled by Bill Ruh CVAR Director of Government Affairs CVAR REGION Twelve-million people rode Metrolink in 2018, making this the highest annual ridership ever, the commuter rail agency announced in August. With the expansion of the Gold Line, those numbers are likely to grow. A contract was decided for the design-build part of the Gold […]
Cities Report – February 2019
Compiled by Bill Ruh, CVAR Director of Government Affairs Southern California Gas Co. filed a proposal on Feb. 28 to serve millions of households with renewable natural gas derived from the methane from human waste and dairy farms. If the California Public Utilities Commission approves the plans, SoCal Gas Co. would offer renewable natural gas to […]
Cities Report & Election
Statewide Results: Last Tuesday, about 39% of registered voters in California turned out to vote, 3 points below the last Gubernatorial election in 2014. The big news for the night was the defeat of Proposition 10, with 61.7% of voters rejecting the measure. If approved by the voters, Proposition 10 would have repealed the rent […]
June 2018 – Cities Report
BALDWIN PARK Baldwin Park approved a 20-year development agreement for marijuana distributor Rukli Inc. The agreement was first described in a city staff report as a lifetime agreement for Rukli’s second location at 4150 Puente Ave., but city Community Development Director Gus Romo issued a corrected version that clarified the term for the agreement. The […]
Cities Report – May 2018
Compiled by Bill Ruh, CVAR Government Affairs Director BALDWIN PARK Baldwin Park is set to enter negotiations with a developer looking to build a warehouse on city-owned land that had been tentatively earmarked for affordable housing. The city council voted 3-2 to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement with MG Development Group for the […]
Cities Report – April 2018
Compiled by Bill Ruh, CVAR Government Affairs Director BALDWIN PARK The Baldwin Park City Council panel approved development plans for all 15 of the city’s prospective marijuana businesses. The approval came in a split 3-2 vote, with Councilwomen Cruz Baca and Susan Rubio opposed. Their opposition was primarily because the blanket vote included approving the agreement […]
Cities Report – Jan. 2018
by Bill Ruh CVAR Director of Government Affairs BALDWIN PARK Physical Rehabilitation Network announced their newest physical and hand therapy clinic to open under the California Rehabilitation and Sports Therapy name. The West Covina clinic, as it will be known, is located at 1632 Puente Ave., Baldwin Park, only a half mile away from Baldwin […]
Cities Report – June 2017
New Los Angeles County Tax Los Angeles County residents, shoppers and visitors may have noticed a half-cent sales tax increase beginning July 1, as a result of voter-approved Measure M. The countywide sales and use tax rate is now 9.25%. The increase goes toward major transportation projects including road and transit upkeep. Measure M was […]
Cities Report – May 2017
CALIFORNIA Parcel Tax exemptions: AB1891, which passed unanimously in September 2016 and took effect Jan. 1 2017, says that once an exemption to a school district parcel tax is granted, it will remain in effect until the taxpayer becomes ineligible. An analysis of the bill said it will be up to taxpayers to notify the […]
April 2017 – Cities Report
BALDWIN PARK For the second time in seven months, the Baldwin Park City Council has abruptly fired its chief of police. The council voted 3-2 in closed session to dismiss Police Chief David Salcedo “without cause.” Mayor Manuel Lozano and Councilwoman Monica Garcia voted against the dismissal. Salcedo, who was most recently a police […]