Our client, Nike was recognized by the LA Business Journal recently for their public private partnership with the City of Los Angles Recreation and Parks Department and LA Parks Foundation. The partnership supports the Coach LA and Women Coach LA programs which are committed to addressing inequities in youth sports and recreation.
EKA Managing Partner Kellie Hawkins was recently featured in LA Focus News, offering sharp insight on what it will take for candidates to earn the trust of Black voters in California’s wide-open governor’s race.
In the piece, which examines voter disengagement in communities across South Los Angeles, Kellie made clear that showing up isn’t enough: “It’s not enough to just show up to our events and to our churches. You need to truly reflect the values and issues that are of importance to the community.” She also sounded a timely warning about the stakes of this election, noting that candidates who fail to connect meaningfully with voters risk a very real political consequence.
Read the full article at LA Focus News.
City Manager Tom Modica told the Long Beach City Council on April 8 to prepare for tough decisions this summer, warning that “it’s going to be a difficult year” as the city enters budget season already facing a $61.3 million deficit — on the lower end of the $60 to $80 million projected earlier this year, but potentially the most challenging budget cycle since the Great Recession. Modica said the shortfall will require general fund service reductions — the first budget cuts since the COVID era — though the city will seek to preserve core services. Officials cited tariffs and inflation driving up costs, lower-than-expected sales tax, property tax, and utility tax revenues, and continued federal funding cuts to the Health Department as the main drivers. City employee costs, which make up 77% of the general fund, have also risen as the city’s accelerated hiring efforts narrowed its vacancy rate. The full proposed budget is expected to be unveiled in July, with public hearings and City Council adoption by September before the new fiscal year begins in October.
The City of Los Angeles is in the active preparation phase for its FY 2026-27 budget, with department budget requests published and the Mayor’s proposed budget due to City Council by the April 20 charter deadline. The 2026-27 cycle follows one of the most turbulent fiscal years in recent city history, which saw Mayor Bass and the City Council navigate a nearly $1 billion deficit before closing it through labor agreements, position transfers, and spending adjustments. Heading into FY 2026-27, the city faces continued uncertainty from federal policy changes, ongoing wildfire recovery costs, and liability pressures. City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo has projected structural balance in the new fiscal year and surpluses in subsequent years, but budget watchdogs and candidates in the June mayoral race are closely scrutinizing how the city addresses its $500 million longer-term structural gap. The Budget, Finance and Innovation Committee will hold public hearings on the Mayor’s proposed budget following its April 20 release, with Council required to adopt a final budget by June 1.
Los Angeles City Council committee approves $360M funding allocation for affordable housing
New UCLA Poll Shows Mayor Bass Leading LA Mayoral Race at 25%, But 40% of Voters Still Undecided
LA County Supervisor District 3 Race: Horvath Seeks Second Term Against Three Challengers
Los Angeles City Council commissioned reports to understand impacts of Measure ULA
Board Approves Motion to Counter Federal H.R. 1 Cuts to CalFresh, Medi-Cal, and Safety Net Services
L.A. City Council panel seeks to ban e-bikes from city hiking and equestrian trails
LA City Council wants to put LAPD’s multi-billion dollar budget under financial watchdog
The LA County Chief Executive Office previewed the $48.8 billion FY 2026-27 Recommended Budget on April 13, ahead of its formal presentation to the Board of Supervisors on April 14. The budget avoids the across-the-board cuts the county was forced to make in the prior year, but includes only $63.2 million in new ongoing local funding for programs and services – a figure that is tightly constrained after workforce cost increases and other commitments. The budget’s most significant investment is a proposed $40.1 million to protect more than 1,000 Department of Public Social Services jobs and sustain $194 million in federal and state support for CalFresh in the face of threatened H.R. 1 cuts. Other notable allocations include $12 million to support public defenders, $9.9 million to expand the Office of Emergency Management by 44 positions, and $1.08 billion in Measure A homelessness funding. Supervisor Kathryn Barger praised the budget’s balanced approach while noting more than $2.1 billion in unmet departmental needs.
California 2026 Poll: Swalwell Exit from Governor Race Opens Lane for Democrat Xavier Becerra
Santa Monica Breaks Ground on $56 Million Big Blue Bus Zero-Emission Fleet Project
Port of Long Beach scores top cargo numbers in March
Four Beverly Hills Council Candidates Hold Campaign Kickoff Events
Long Beach City Council Takes First Steps Toward Coastal Ferry ‘Blue Highway’ Partnership
Santa Monica Council Considers Responsible AI Use Policy for City Government
Zev Yaroslavsky Reflects on Declining Quality of Life in Los Angeles Times Report
