For the last eight years, I have used my commute from the South Bay to downtown to explore the neighborhoods of Los Angeles. The more I drive, the more I notice what I call L.A.’s “lost space,” mysterious plots of land that sit abandoned or underused throughout the city. On…
Op-Eds
Don’t Increase Taxes on Californians – San Francisco Business Times Op-Ed
How are Republican lawmakers hoping to pay for the multi-trillion-dollar federal tax cut they are trying to rush through Congress without hearing or careful scrutiny? In part by double-taxing Californians, New Yorkers and millions of residents of other high-tax, high-services states. This partisan and punitive move is an assault on…
The GOP’s Tax Attack on Blue States – The Los Angeles Times
Since the U.S. income tax was established in 1913, Americans have been able to avoid paying federal taxes on money they already paid out in state and local tax. But the Trump administration and congressional Republicans are looking to change that. Among their proposed tax reforms is an end to…
Speeding in Wrong Direction
After massive flood damage and a near catastrophe at Oroville Dam in February, and in light of the future risk of drought and flooding, this much is clear: California’s critical water infrastructure is badly in need of repair. In fact, the state has almost $50 billion in unmet flood management…
Building A More Sustainable Economy One Neighborhood at a Time
Next year will mark the 25th anniversary of the L.A. riots. Though many of the issues that helped fan the flames of the unrest – poverty, unemployment and crime – still persist in the neighborhoods of South L.A. (and other parts of the region), there is a growing sense that change is coming. The question is – to whose benefit.
Fast Lane to Future – Los Angeles Business Journal Op-Ed
The future is happening in Los Angeles today. From cutting-edge engineering and technical innovation (rockets, cars, and medical research) to complex public-policy issues (affordable housing, congestion, and inequality). These opportunities and challenges are as broad and diverse as the region’s population, placing Los Angeles at the forefront of a global economy that must find ways to generate economic growth, quality jobs, and a sustainable planet.
Now is California’s Watershed Moment
It is now safe to say that El Niño will not solve California’s drought. Though this should have been obvious from the start, there is a silver lining – it has bought the state more time to put better policies in place to create a sustainable water supply for years to come for all Californians.
Channeling the Spirit of Dorothy Buffum Chandler to Catalyze Change in Los Angeles
Philanthropist and arts activist Dorothy Buffum Chandler graced Time’s cover in December 1964. The article stated that she embodied “perhaps the most impressive display of virtuoso money-raising and civic citizenship in the history of U.S. womanhood.”
What Los Angeles Can Learn From the Warner Bros.
In 1917, Jack Warner was summoned to Los Angeles by one of his older brothers, Sam, to create a foothold in the fledgling movie-making business. The Warner brothers – Albert, Harry, Sam, and Jack – were already well established in the movie exhibition business but saw the real opportunity in producing movies.
Op-Ed: Would Howard Hughes Invest in Los Angeles Today?
Howard Hughes, Jr. moved to Los Angeles from Texas in 1925 to leverage his diverse talents and knack for invention. That he did and more. By September 1945, the end of WWII, Hughes Aircraft Company employed 80,000 workers designing and building planes, making Hughes the largest employer in the region.