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Los Angeles County And Union Leaders Reach Major Agreement

Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, announced a major agreement today regarding several months of negotiations with the labor unions that represent County employees.

Under the agreement, every single County union and bargaining unit has agreed to a two-year, no change extension of their current contracts. The extensions include no cost-of-living increases or salary increases. The County’s union partners represent nearly 90-percent of the approximately 101,000 County employees.

"Our union partners stepped up and recognized the shared sacrifice we are all in right now," said Supervisor Knabe. "Los Angeles County is in difficult financial times, between diminishing tax revenue from the local economy and round after round of funding hits from the State of California. We are all in this together as we weather this economic storm."

Newborn Safely Surrendered At Pomona Hospital

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is pleased to announce the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success again recently with the report of another safely surrendered newborn. This most recent report of a safe surrender occurred at a hospital in the City of Pomona.

The newborn Caucasian male was surrendered on Friday, September 25 at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center. The newborn is reported to be in good health. As is standard practice, the baby boy is in protective custody and will be placed with a family approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.

This case could have ended in tragedy, but because of the Safe Surrender program, this baby boy has a long life ahead of him, said Supervisor Knabe. I am happy this mother made the right choice for her baby.

This is the sixth Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2009, and the 75th since the program began eight years ago. The program was initiated by Supervisor Knabe and approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors in 2001. It allows someone to surrender an infant that is no more than three days old, as long as the infant shows no signs of abuse.

Reforming Welfare: Better Services And Taxpayer Savings

When I am asked what our mission and purpose is in Los Angeles County, I have often described it as being the "ultimate safety net." Our welfare offices, emergency rooms and community clinics serve the most vulnerable in our communities: those suffering from mental illness, medical problems, homelessness, unemployment or just plain hard times. In fact, if you were to call our 211 hotline or check the County’s website, you would be amazed at the scope and breadth of the services we make available to the 10 million people that call Los Angeles County home. But of all the health and human service programs the County oversees, our role as the provider of last resort is most prevalent – and most costly I might add – in the General Relief program.

Since 1901, Los Angeles County has administered this program – commonly known as "GR" – to provide temporary cash aid to indigent adults. All 58 counties across California are legally mandated by the State to provide assistance of this kind, but with no funding from the State of course. In Los Angeles County, over 85,000 individuals receive cash assistance through this program each month: up from 71,000 last year. I don’t exaggerate when I say that the price tag is staggering.

Direct costs currently are looming near the $200 million mark in local taxpayer dollars: up from $161 million last year. Over half of the caseload is homeless, and a number of them have been on this program for over 20 years. In addition, we estimate that the County spends almost 4 times the cost above and beyond providing GR cash assistance or other services to this population, mostly related to repeated incarcerations in County Jail and recurring visits to our emergency rooms and clinics. Technically, that would push our costs closer to $1 billion per year!

There has to be a better way to meet the needs of these individuals that are both humane and cost-effective, and not result in the endless cycle of indigence many of them face. That’s why I directed the County to develop a plan to restructure the GR program in such a way that looks beyond just doling out a monthly stipend, but instead is more focused on reducing overall long term costs and also on improving outcomes for those on the caseload. Basically, we are making the "ultimate safety net" stronger, more relevant and more responsive to the urgent needs of this population, and reducing the costs to the County in tandem.

We are confident we can achieve both of these goals, here’s how: it starts with first providing housing. In the past two years, the County’s Homeless Prevention Initiative has successfully supported housing for tens of thousands of people, through rental subsidies, eviction prevention assistance and other services. Expansion of such strategies combined with strong up-front screenings, employment and supportive services would enable many on our GR caseload to transition off the streets into housing and stabilize their lives. This in turn reduces incarceration and repeated visits to the hospital.

We also believe that the significant percentage of the GR caseload suffering from mental or physical illness would be better served by Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Conservative estimates put that number at approximately one-third of the overall caseload. If we can assist them in qualifying for SSI, that alone would represent a significant and entirely appropriate cost shift from the County to the federal government. But this doesn’t mean we would be walking away from our mandated responsibilities to serve the population. A portion of the resulting savings we achieve could be redirected into enhancing our services and providing additional housing subsidies.

These concepts for restructuring GR will be coming before the Board of Supervisors this month. It would require an initial one-time investment of $7 million dollars. This is money well spent, because doing so would enable us to restructure the program in such as way as to generate savings across the County system and reduce that $1 billion price tag. We would also draw down far more federal funding then we do now, to help pay for housing subsidies and additional employment services, as well as increased reimbursement for GR participants eligible for SSI. Studies indicate that currently the County spends $4.34 for services for GR participants for every one dollar spent on GR grants. Restructuring the program as proposed would enable us to actually save $3.67 for every one dollar spent.

There is no question that the proposal is a bold one, however I would argue that maintaining the status quo would be far riskier and certainly more expensive. We can certainly continue doing the same thing we have been doing for the past 108 years, and for that we will only see more homelessness, increased caseloads and more resulting costs.

We have a unique, unprecedented opportunity to implement policies that accomplish two very important tasks at once: improving services we are mandated to perform and saving County dollars in tandem. Re-engineering the General Relief program is the right thing to do now.

Long Beach Community Breaks Ground On Long-Anticipated Storm Drain Project

The mood this week was one of elation and relief as residents and local elected officials marked the arrival of a $22.6 million storm drain project in Long Beach. After years of planning and numerous public meetings, the flood relief that had been just a pipe dream for East Anaheim Business Corridor residents and business owners is finally materializing in the form of 12,190 linear feet of underground storm drain pipe.

This is a landmark project for the City of Long Beach and one of the Flood Control District’s largest storm drain projects in recent memory, said Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. Getting this project over numerous hurdles was a monumental task and a true testament to the hard work of the men and women of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works in partnership with the City of Long Beach and the community.

During severe winter storms, city streets have acted as swollen tributaries carrying vast amounts of storm water into this busy southeast Long Beach neighborhood. The existing storm drain system could not keep up, and the resulting flood-like conditions engulfed cars and caused severe damage to local homes and businesses.

Today we celebrate the construction of an underground storm drain system that will accommodate a 50-year rain event and help alleviate flooding in the surrounding neighborhood, said City of Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster. The Termino Avenue Storm Drain also will clean our oceanfront through the system’s filters and sponges to keep trash and pollutants such as grease and oil out of our City’s beaches and waterways.

Flooding in this neighborhood has gone on for far too long and caused far too much damage, Long Beach City Councilmember Gary DeLong said. Today is a safety milestone for residents and businesses in this community and a turning point for improved water quality for the City of Long Beach.

In addition to the mainline drain and six lateral drains servicing adjacent streets, the project includes water quality improvements that will protect Long Beach’s surface waters from harmful pollutants. These project elements include a low-flow diversion structure that will redirect flows away from coastal waters and into the septic sewer system for treatment and retractable screens to keep trash from entering catch basins.

Project construction will begin in mid-October near Marine Stadium and is slated for completion by November 2011. During construction, Appian Way, Nieto Avenue, Colorado Street, Park Avenue, 8th Street, Mayfield Street, and 11th Street, near the storm drain alignment, may be closed to through traffic. Sixth Street may be closed to through traffic during construction hours from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Local access will be permitted at all times.

A Most Wanted Delinquent Parent Is Arrested

Supervisor Don Knabe announced today that District Attorney Investigators assigned to the Child Support Arrest Warrant Project recently apprehended Los Angeles County Most Wanted Delinquent Parent, Sautele Jones. Jones was added to the Most Wanted list in May of 2008, and has long been a target of investigators. He was arrested on a bench warrant issued in 2000.

In June, 1999, Jones pleaded no contest to a charge of failing to pay court ordered support for his then 7 year old daughter. He was placed on probation, but was later found in violation of the terms of probation. The court issued a warrant for his arrest when he failed to appear at a hearing on May 24, 2000. Jones owes more than $119,000 in unpaid support and interest.

Investigators had believed that Jones was living at an apartment building on Vinton Avenue in Los Angeles. During the course of a recent visit to the apartment, one of the investigators observed a male matching Jones’ description in the parking lot of the building. Shortly thereafter, the investigator and his partner detained the male. At first, the suspect provided the investigators with a false name. After further questioning, however, he admitted that he was Sautele Jones. He was immediately taken into custody and was later booked at the downtown County Jail.

The Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department maintains the Most Wanted Delinquent Parent List. It was developed as a result of an appropriation by the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors on the initiative of Supervisor Don Knabe.

Public Feedback Sought On Crenshaw Corridor Plan

The public will have an opportunity to help plan the future of the Crenshaw-South Bay Transit Corridor at upcoming meetings scheduled over the next several weeks.

Metro is currently looking at two options for the project: light-rail Transit (LRT) and bus rapid transit (BRT).

The LRT alternative calls for building an 8.5-mile line featuring seven stations plus an option for one more. The base cost is estimated at $1.3 billion; various design options would add between $11 million to $255 million to the cost. The BRT alternative calls for establishing a 12-mile system with eight stations estimated to cost between $500 million to $600 million. Funding for either project would come from Measure R, California’s half-cent sales tax measure approved by voters last year.

Click here for the public meeting schedule.

Marina del Rey Waterbus Ends Summer With Record-Breaking Season

The Department of Beaches and Harbors announced recently that the Marina del Rey WaterBus wrapped up the summer season with its most successful year ever. Overall ridership for the weekend service was 40,365 – the highest passenger number in WaterBus history.

The 2009 season increased approximately sixty-five percent over the same period last year. The service, provided by Hornblower Cruises & Events, utilized four new pontoon boats and the vessel Cabaret to shuttle riders to seven boarding locations around the Marina. The water-based transportation alternative offered WaterBus passengers a scenic and relaxing trip to their destinations and has become part of a summer commuting experience for thousands of residents, boaters and tourists.

This past summer its value as a public transportation option was made very clear when the WaterBus shuttled more than 2,100 commuters during the extremely busy and popular Fourth of July holiday, proving its worth as an important transportation alternative for all.

Since its inception in 2002, the WaterBus has delivered more than 145,000 riders to their destinations throughout Marina del Rey.

Public Health Encourages Healthcare Providers To Register To Receive H1N1 Vaccine

In preparation for the coming flu season, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has launched a campaign to promote vaccine distribution to healthcare providers in the county. Public Health encourages health care providers to vaccinate their patients who are members of groups that are at risk for serious flu complications and order sufficient pandemic H1N1 flu vaccine to vaccinate all at-risk patients.

Private physicians, community health centers, hospitals, and student health centers at colleges and universities can all do their part to protect their patients and Los Angeles County communities by ordering their vaccination today, said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH; Director of Public Health and Health Officer. Because healthcare providers can spread pandemic H1N1 to their patients, it is also important that they get vaccinated and urge all staff who come into contact with patients to do so as well.

Pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine can be ordered at no charge from the federal government through a statewide web-based ordering system, along with supplies required for vaccine administration, such as safety syringes, alcohol swabs, and sharps disposal containers. Participating providers will be eligible to receive a vaccine administration fee from public and private health plans when they vaccinate eligible members. Private and non-profit health care providers throughout Los Angeles County are encouraged to participate in this program. This is the only way for health care providers to order this vaccine. Initial delivery of vaccine will be around October 15th

To order the no-charge vaccine and supplies, providers may complete the simple online vaccine ordering process at
www.CalPanFlu.org. For more information on pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine, providers may
click here.

Healthcare providers – especially those who treat patients who are most at risk for serious H1N1 complications – should plan now to vaccinate throughout the influenza season, said Dr. Fielding. Pediatricians, obstetricians/gynecologists, internists, family practitioners, and physicians who treat individuals with underlying chronic illnesses should order vaccine now and develop systems for vaccinating their patients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, has released pandemic H1N1 vaccination recommendations that prioritize groups that are at greatest risk for contracting the flu, spreading it, and suffering from serious complications. Priority for receiving the H1N1 vaccine should be given to:

Pregnant women

People living with or caring for infants under six months of age

Emergency medical services personnel

Health care workers

Children and young adults from six months through 24 years

People aged 25 through 64 years with chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease, asthma, diabetes, or weakened immune systems

Residents seeking the H1N1 vaccine are encouraged to do so from their regular healthcare provider or local pharmacy. Individuals in Los Angeles County who are uninsured and do not have a regular healthcare provider may be able to receive low- or no-cost immunizations at a community health center, public health center or community vaccination event. Residents are encouraged to
click here or call the county’s info line after October 5th at 2-1-1 to locate such providers.

County Kicks-Off Unprecedented Effort To Modernize Its Voting Systems

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office kicked off an unprecedented initiative aimed at creating a road map for the eventual overhaul of the County’s aging voting systems at a gathering of community stakeholders recently.

The Voting Systems Assessment Project was the focus of an all day symposium hosted at the California Institute of Technology titled Technology, Diversity, and Democracy: The Future of Voting Systems in Los Angeles County, with support from the Caltech-MIT Voting Technology Project. The event gathered more than 100 community leaders, election advocates, voters, political party representatives, and election administrators (representing city, county, state, and federal levels) to discuss and identify the current and future needs a new voting system will have to meet in serving the County’s more than four million registered voters.

Addressing participants, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Dean C. Logan noted, Over the past decade, the environment and demands under which elections are administered in Los Angeles County have become increasingly complex; challenged by a growing and diverse electorate, an aging voting system, a fluid regulatory environment that has limited voting systems development, and the recent phenomenon of special vacancy elections. The goal of the Voting Systems Assessment Project is to ensure that as we navigate the complex environment of voting systems and election law that the needs of our voters and the core principles associated with accessible and transparent elections serve as our guide in this process.

For too long the acquisition of voting systems has been about Election Officials’ reaction to the regulatory environment and the voting systems market, rather than the market and regulatory environment reacting to the needs of the voters, added Logan.

Participants also heard from U.S. Election Assistance Commissioner Donetta Davidson, who praised the process and hoped that at the conclusion of LA County’s initiative other jurisdictions will seek to follow a similar model of citizen participation in the design and implementation of new voting systems.

The event featured focus group discussions where participants tackled core voting systems issues such as accessibility, security & accuracy, usability, and flexibility. The goal of the focus groups was to allow the diverse stakeholders to define the needs and principles by which each of these factors can be measured, specifically as it pertains to the unique needs of Los Angeles County.

"Such a process is invaluable," said June Lagmay, Los Angeles City Clerk, who was present at the event. "You can develop the most sophisticated, state-of-the-art voting system, but if it does not meet the needs and expectations of your voters, you will have failed in your obligation as a responsible voting official. A good voting system must facilitate the will of the people through a medium that people accept," concluded Lagmay.

Among the organizations participating in the forum was the League of Women Voters. Commenting about the symposium, Thea Brodkin, Director for the League of Women Voters of California noted, I believe the symposium was a good start for collecting community values/ideas to include in what is a particularly complex process [Elections].

Los Angeles County is one of the nation’s largest counties and includes some of the most diverse election jurisdictions in the country. Its electorate is larger than voting populations in thirty-eight of the fifty states in the union. Additionally, the County provides election information and assistance in six different languages other than English (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese), in compliance with the Voting Rights Act.

Many of these complexities are not unique to Los Angeles County but, they are compounded not only by the size and diversity of the jurisdiction but also by the current state of its voting system. Through this project the Registrar plans to outline a strategic plan for the County Board of Supervisors and Chief Executive Office, which will present a series of recommendations aimed at identifying and implementing a new voting system for Los Angeles County voters.

The first convening served as a starting point to identify the fundamental principles that will drive subsequent roundtables specifically focused on ease of use, technology, legal requirements, and regulatory framework. The meetings to be held October through December of 2009 will draw on a diverse array of experts, from computer scientists, academics, and other voting technology experts to policy makers and regulatory agencies – to contribute to the planning effort. A parallel dialogue with voters, students and community organizations will continue throughout the project. The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk will invite voters to provide input by creating a project page on its website, www.lavote.net.

Knabe Announces His 2010 Arts Education Partnership Program

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, is pleased to announce his 2010 Arts Education Partnership Program. This grant program targets non-profit organizations, community organizations, government agencies and schools across the Fourth Supervisorial District, and provides matching funds to support the various arts education programs.

The objective of the Arts Education Partnership Program is to increase and sustain well-rounded education in dance, music, theatre and the visual arts for K-12 students throughout the Supervisor’s District. All of the grant applications that are received will be judged by experts from the various arts disciplines.

To find out more about the program and to submit an application, please click on the links below to access the Guidelines and Instructions and the Application. Please be sure to read the Guidelines and Instructions first before starting the Application.

As stated in the Guidelines and Instructions, all applications and supplemental materials must be postmarked no later than November 4, 2009.

Click here for the guidelines.
Click here for the application.