NEWS
By Megan O'Neil, megan.oneil@latimes.com | May 20, 2012
Glendale and Burbank school districts are facing structural deficits of $19.5 million and $6 million, respectively, in 2012-13 officials said this week, even if California voters pass a November tax initiative meant to bolster state coffers. The district projections came on the heels of Gov. Jerry Brown's May revision to the state budget, which now includes a $16-billion deficit. The governor's plan to balance the budget depends in part on a tax initiative that will go before voters in November and is expected to generate more than $6 billion in revenue.
NEWS
By Brittany Levine, brittany.levine@latimes.com | May 13, 2012
With pressure mounting on city resources in the wake of redevelopment's demise, several Glendale City Council members this week expressed second thoughts about several major downtown area projects that were approved more than a year ago. The Museum of Neon Art planned for the 200 block of South Brand Boulevard across from the Americana at Brand, and the Laemmle Lofts, a five-screen movie theater below 42 residential units at the corner of Wilson...
NEWS
By Veronica Rocha and Jason Wells, Times Community News | May 9, 2012
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Wednesday granted the release of former City Councilman John Drayman from jail after his supporters agreed to pay a $16,000 bond. All that remained Wednesday afternoon was for a bondsman to provide the $200,000 bail to the court, and hammer out details to secure Drayman's release. Prosecutors allege Drayman used his position with the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. and the Harvest Market on Sunday to embezzle between $304,000 and $880,000 over the course of roughly seven years.
NEWS
By Brittany Levine, brittany.levine@latimes.com | May 2, 2012
It came down to a battle among senior services, Armenian nonprofits and a family counseling center as the City Council divvied up a smaller pool of federal grants Tuesday. In the end, senior services won. Every year, the city gets funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help pay for community social services that address the underserved. For fiscal year 2012-13, funding was cut 35%, leaving the city with just $296,000 despite having received nearly two dozen requests totaling about $1 million.
NEWS
By Brittany Levine, brittany.levine@latimes.com | April 25, 2012
The far-reaching impact of the state's decision to dissolve local redevelopment agencies could end up walloping Glendale, inflating the city's budget deficit to $15 million and forcing widespread layoffs. In a two-page letter sent to city staff this week, City Manager Scott Ochoa mapped out the dire situation that includes the probability of layoffs in June before the start of the next fiscal year. About half of the budget shortfall comes from the loss of redevelopment - a steady stream of incrementally higher property taxes that helped bring in the Americana at Brand and affordable housing.
THE818NOW
April 19, 2012
The plan to build a bullet train has so many funding uncertainties and so many other details that remain unclear that the state should delay any decision this year to commit billions of dollars to the project, the nonpartisan research branch of the Legislature recommended Tuesday. The tough advice came on the day before two key legislative committees are to examine the plan and an accompanying request by Gov. Jerry Brown for funding to start a $6-billion construction segment in the Central Valley.
NEWS
By Brittany Levine, brittany.levine@latimes.com | April 8, 2012
A mental health agency that services clients throughout the Southland has experienced a deluge of clients in Glendale since opening here last summer, far outpacing its 10 other locations in Los Angeles and Orange counties. “We realized there was a need, because there is not a comparable agency providing mental health facilities for children and adults, but we had no idea how pent up the need was,” said Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services President Kita Curry. Since opening in May 2011, the nonprofit has seen about 50% more people in Glendale than Didi Hirsch's next largest site in Inglewood.
NEWS
By Brittany Levine, brittany.levine@latimes.com | April 4, 2012
The Glendale City Council this week unanimously approved spending $800,000 on two bridges, one of which will connect the Glendale Narrows Riverwalk to the other side of the Los Angeles River and an expanse of parkland there. The riverwalk has been discussed for more than a decade and is part of a larger effort to beautify and restore the Los Angeles River for recreational use. Its components range from equestrian amenities to bike and pedestrian paths. About $1.7 million in construction work for the first phase of the project, from Bette Davis Park on Paula Avenue to the edge of DreamWorks Animation near Flower Street, is already underway.
NEWS
By Brittany Levine, brittany.levine@latimes.com | March 29, 2012
Eighteen people got a collective $11,470 back from the city at the last minute Tuesday before about $157,000 in unclaimed checks got shuffled into the city's General Fund, which pays for public services. The City Council unanimously approved moving the balance to city coffers on Tuesday after Glendale held on to the unclaimed checks for years. The city had issued several calls leading up to the meeting to give the public one last chance. “We got several calls from people [Tuesday]
NEWS
By Brittany Levine, brittany.levine@latimes.com | March 28, 2012
Facing possible federal cuts to an affordable housing program known as Section 8, Glendale officials have approved a new policy that could be used to start terminating the program's rental subsidies. The policy, approved Tuesday by the City Council in its dual role as the Housing Authority, will only be put into action if funding shortfalls occur. For now, officials said, it's unlikely any rental terminations will be needed. But while the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has increased Glendale's share of funding for 2012 by $1.1 million, or 8%, federal housing officials have warned Glendale to have a policy in place in preparation for future cutbacks.