Funding community safety and security around our religious institutions
I hope you and your loved ones are enjoying the Fourth of July weekend, and had an opportunity to spend time together at a barbecue or watch some fireworks this past Thursday. Ahead of the holiday, this past Tuesday the City Council held its final meeting before our Summer recess.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the Council took up a motion that Councilmember Blumenfield and I co-authored to allocate $1 million for increased security around Jewish institutions. This motion came in response to the unacceptable violence that erupted at a protest in front of the Adas Torah synagogue on June 23, 2024.
However, due to legal concerns raised by the City Attorney’s office and feedback from colleagues and the Mayor, we revised our original motion to make funding available to all faith groups, and doubled the amount of funding to $2 million. Because the substance of the original motion changed, it was continued to a future council meeting in order to comply with Brown Act posting requirements.
This was not the outcome we originally hoped for, but the substitute motion is necessary in order to get funding approved and out the door as quickly as possible. The new motion will create a program, to be administered by the City’s Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department, that mirrors Governor Newsom’s $80 million Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Modeling the City's program off of the State's program allows the City to accelerate the disbursement of those funds while also increasing our ability to secure state reimbursement once the State program money starts flowing this Fall. Because we doubled the amount of funding included in our original motion, I am confident that there will be enough resources to address the urgent need for increased security around all our faith institutions.
If you have questions about this motion, or how your group might be able to apply for funding should the motion pass at the next Council meeting in late July, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.
All my best,
Katy
In the District
EVENTS AND MEETINGS
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LAAAWPAC Sheroes Event
Last weekend, I joined the Los Angeles African American Women Political Action Committee for an event celebrating African American women leaders. For nearly 35 years, this group has worked to support and lift up Black women in Los Angeles, and it was an honor to join them.
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Magen Am Graduation
On Sunday, I attended the Magen Am graduation ceremony, where 40 community members officially became Community Team Members! Magen Am has been a great partner to our law enforcement community, and I look forward to continuing to work together to keep our communities safe. Magen Am was on the ground at the June 23rd protest, pulling apart fights and administering first aid to anyone in need. Their training in de-escalation and peacekeeping is more important now than ever.
Council Updates
THIS WEEK ON THE L.A. CITY COUNCIL
Olympics Flag Displayed in City Hall
At the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games, the City of Paris will officially pass the official Olympic flags to Los Angeles in anticipation of the 2028 Olympic games. This week, the Council approved a motion authorizing the display of the official 2028 Olympic flags on the third floor of City Hall, in the hallway immediately adjacent to the Mayor's offices, and/or in the Tom Bradley Room of City Hall. Additionally, another set of flags will be displayed in the John Ferraro City Council Chambers. As the Paris Olympics kickoff in just a couple of weeks, we’re ramping up our efforts here in LA.
Downtown Convention Center Moves Forward
The City Council advanced a $54 million proposal this week to begin the initial phases of modernizing and expanding the downtown Convention Center which is long overdue. The renovation will enhance the Convention Center's infrastructure, making it a state-of-the-art facility that will allow Los Angeles to compete for major conventions, bringing vitality and economic activity to our City.