Cynthia Lezama

LOS ANGELES, CA – As the voter-approved Measure ER temporary ½-cent sales tax takes effect October 1, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell issued the following statement in response to the Libertarian Party’s meritless lawsuit challenging the measure, which was approved by LA County voters in June.

“This meritless lawsuit is a deeply offensive attempt to stop funding that is urgently needed to deliver lifesaving health care services across the largest county in the nation and to our most vulnerable residents.

The County of Los Angeles will defend Measure ER. We will defend the will of the voters who approved it, and we will fight to protect the health and well-being of Los Angeles County residents.

It says a lot that our most financially vulnerable communities with families struggling to make ends meet, overwhelmingly supported this ½-cent temporary sales tax, which was designed to help protect their access to health care and our overall healthcare system.

Just as those residents who had the most to lose said yes to this ½ cent tax, we will say yes to giving it all we got to protect the care that every resident deserves access to.

We will not be distracted because the conditions caused by the Trump administration’s H.R.1 law – which have enacted the largest cuts to healthcare funding in U.S. history – have not gone away.

The harm posed by H.R. 1 is real and already being felt. Nearly 380,000 Los Angeles County residents and counting have lost full-scope Medi-Cal and nearly one in five people losing coverage are children.

Beginning next year, County departments project that 700,000 more residents will lose Medi-Cal coverage.

Measure ER was always meant to provide a temporary life raft for the storm we’re in as we fight to protect the health care infrastructure our residents rely on.

We do not have time to waste. The voters have spoken, and their decision must be respected and upheld.

As the ½-cent tax takes effect on October 1, I want to be clear: I proudly stand alongside the vast coalition that put Measure ER on the ballot and got it to pass and will fight alongside LA County in doing everything in our power to defend the will of the voters.” 

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LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance led by Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell requiring closed captioning to be turned on for caption-capable televisions in public spaces in unincorporated Los Angeles County beginning January 1, 2027.

“A simple step like turning on closed captions goes a long way in expanding access to information for everyone. It’s a small switch that can make a big difference for our Deaf and hard-of-hearing neighbors, English learners, neurodivergent residents, and any person who could use a little extra support with taking in what’s on the screen. LA County is helping our small businesses and community partners in our unincorporated communities get ready now for the January 1, 2027, start date. Join us in making our public spaces more welcoming and inclusive for everyone,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.

Closed captions have been available on televisions sold in the United States since 1993. With more than 800,000 people in LA County experiencing some level of hearing loss, closed captioning is an important accessibility tool. Research has also shown that captions can improve comprehension, attention, and memory for viewers of all ages and abilities. Since nearly all televisions already have built-in closed captioning, activating the feature does not require purchasing new equipment.

The ordinance does not include penalties for noncompliance. To help small businesses and public spaces – including restaurants and bars, gyms and fitness centers, waiting rooms and reception areas, medical offices and clinics, community centers and senior centers, and government buildings open to the public – prepare for the ordinance, the County’s Department of Aging and Disabilities, in partnership with the Department of Economic Opportunity, is launching a “Turn On Captions” public awareness and outreach campaign.

“This ordinance is an important step toward making public spaces more accessible for people who are D/deaf and hard of hearing,” said Maral V. Karaccusian, Director of the Aging & Disabilities Department. “We are grateful to Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell for spearheading this effort and to the Board of Supervisors for approving this important measure. I also recognize Commissioner Michael Agyin and the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities (LACCOD) for bringing this issue forward and helping the County address a barrier that impacts people’s everyday experiences in public spaces. We look forward to continuing this work with our county partners and the community as the ordinance takes effect.”

To learn more about the Turn On Captions campaign, visit ad.lacounty.gov/turn-on-captions

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LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to bifurcate Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell’s motion addressing deputy gangs within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD). The Board then voted 4-1 to approve one directive for a report back in 30 days that clarified which anti-deputy-gang reforms are subject to meet-and-confer requirements with Sheriff’s Department unions and how they could legally be prevented from moving forward. The Board also voted 4-1 to continue the vote on the remaining 12 directives in Supervisor Mitchell’s motion for 45 days until the November 10 Board meeting.

Supervisor Mitchell was the sole no vote on the Board’s actions and expressed concern that continuing the remaining directives further delays meaningful action toward establishing a comprehensive County framework to identify, investigate, publicly report and ultimately eradicate deputy gangs within LASD.

Supervisor Mitchell issued the following statement:

“For decades, Los Angeles County has talked about deputy gangs. We have had reports, investigations, hearings and lawsuits, and we have heard directly from community members and deputies about the harm they have experienced. Yet we continue to delay meaningful action.

This motion went through the County’s Cluster process a month before coming before the Board, giving the Sheriff’s Department, Board offices and the other departments identified in the motion ample time to review it and provide feedback. This has always been a collaborative process, and the Sheriff’s Department was invited to provide input. Despite that opportunity, we came to the Board without substantive comments from the Department.

The directives in this motion are fundamentally about gathering information so that we can understand what we know about deputy gangs, cliques and secret subgroups; how we identify them; how allegations are investigated; and what options are available to this Board to hold these groups accountable.

These are information-gathering and accountability measures that are intended to help us determine the best way to move forward. Continuing them again delays the very information we need to make informed decisions and take meaningful action.

I also believe we have a responsibility to respect the public’s time. Community members have been raising concerns about deputy gangs for decades. They should not have to continue waiting for the County to establish a clear process for identifying these groups, investigating allegations and determining how to address them.

We have documented this problem for years. This motion is about creating the infrastructure to meaningfully address it. I look forward to continuing this discussion and taking action by voting yes on the remaining items in the motion, which unfortunately won’t happen until the Tuesday, November 10 Board of Supervisors meeting, as a result of Supervisor Hahn’s motion.”

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LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved, in a 4-0 vote, a motion by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and Supervisor and Board Chair Hilda L. Solis to initiate the process for the County’s first Commercial Rental Property License for landlords in unincorporated Los Angeles County. The motion directs County departments to report back with a commercial licensing and reporting framework that would give the County, for the first time, a clearer picture of commercial rental conditions—including rents, vacancies and lease durations—while creating new tools to connect small businesses with assistance and hold commercial landlords accountable when violations occur. 

“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, creating jobs and adding to the unique character of our neighborhoods, but far too many are being pushed out by predatory practices without any accountability. Creating a Commercial Rental Property License for our unincorporated communities will provide greater transparency on rental rates and allow us to target support where it’s needed most,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Second District. “This motion builds on the Board of Supervisors track record of supporting both small businesses and commercial landlords through grants, rent relief, and technical and legal assistance.” 

“For many families, a small business is more than a livelihood. It is a pathway to economic opportunity, generational wealth and community stability,” said Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “As Los Angeles County invests in strengthening commercial corridors, we have a responsibility to ensure longtime businesses are not displaced by rising costs and redevelopment pressures. This motion will help protect small businesses, preserve neighborhood character and ensure local entrepreneurs can continue contributing to the economic vitality of our communities.” 

The motion also directs County departments to develop additional protections for commercial tenants, including: 

• Relocation assistance for businesses displaced because of landlord violations of the County’s Commercial Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance; 

• A County commercial rent study to establish fair-market commercial rents by region and better understand the causes of small business displacement, 

• And greater transparency in the redevelopment process, including exploring notification requirements for affected commercial tenants.

Commercial property owners, small business owners and advocates helped inform the motion with their lived experiences. The Small Business Alliance for Equitable Communities, a coalition that includes small business owners and advocacy organizations throughout Los Angeles County, like Inclusive Action, Public Counsel, Bet Tzedek, Little Tokyo Service Center and Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), shared: 

“As small business owners and advocates, we hear every day about the harassment and displacement from commercial landlords. Today’s vote is a critical step forward to protect local small businesses from these threats and keep them in our communities. We look forward to continuing to work with Supervisor Mitchell and our County partners to bring these important commercial tenant protections to fruition.” 

Supervisor Mitchell emphasized during today’s Board meeting that the motion does not cap commercial rents, require landlords to provide copies of leases, or block redevelopment projects. Instead, it seeks to close gaps in existing state protections, improve the County’s ability to identify and assist vulnerable businesses, and create accountability when landlords violate existing tenant protections. 

The County’s Commercial Rent Study is expected to be completed by December, this will inform the ordinance for the Commercial Rental Property License which is slated to be voted on by the Board in the beginning of 2027.

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