LA Squawk Box for Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Strike averted after labor deal reached for SoFi workers before World Cup, Measure ER county health services sales tax skids into home, a motion to let park rangers carry guns, and more.

What’s happening today?

Park rangers carrying guns, World Cup preparations and a square dedicated in Wakiesha Wilson’s name: The City Council’s Public Safety Committee, which meets at 2:30 p.m., is set to take up a motion asking the City Attorney to draft an ordinance authorizing park rangers to carry firearms. The motion has gotten some support from people writing into the council, and the Encino Neighborhood Council, which includes the Sepulveda Basin, submitted a resolution they adopted to support the motion. You can listen to the meeting here... The LA City Council’s Transportation Committee meets at 8:45 a.m., and among the items is a verbal report on how the city is preparing of the World Cup. You can listen to the meeting here... And the City Council’s Public Works Committee, meeting at 2:30 p.m., is set to take up some street dedications, include one to designate an intersection as “Wakiesha Wilson Square,” who died while in LAPD in-custody, after being detained on a minor offense. It took four days before Wilson’s family were even able to learn of her death, after they had been frantically trying to locate her, exposing an “operational failure” by the department, the motion for this item reads. You can listen to the meeting here.

The Los Angeles City Council is meeting today at 10 a.m., and among the items is a request from the City Attorney to spend $500,000 on outside counsel to defend the city against a lawsuit filed by Kristin Crowley, the former fire chief, who has alleged retaliation from the city after the January 2025 wildfires. (Regular agenda, special agenda).

What just happened?

Half-cent sales tax for healthcare services set to pass: For awhile there, it seemed like Measure ER, the half-cent sales tax to fund LA County healthcare services, was on the ropes, but voters appear to have passed his measure. It had earned 50.59% in yes votes, as of Tuesday, June 10, after first surpassing 50% by a teensy bit less on Monday. FYI, ballot counting continues, but is close to wrapping up. And if you want to know what this might mean at the “point of sale,” that depends. The current sales tax in Los Angeles County varies based on which city or unincorporated area you’re in, but it’s generally around 9.75%, so this measure would increase the sales tax to at least 10.25% in many places, including in the city of Los Angeles. But Palmdale’s sales tax is already at 11.25%, and Pico Rivera’s at 10.75%, for example. So just to make sure, you can find the different sales tax rates around the state and county on California Department of Tax and Administration’s website here. Once fully passed and certified, and after the governor signs a bill allowing it go through, the half-cent sales tax would go into effect Oct. 1 of this year, and it would be in place for five years. This fact sheet from the county includes a breadown of where the tax revenue would go, the oversight panel and independent audits that are required, and some history around why the measure was put on the ballot.

Protections against federal immigration authorities, wage increases, and other terms in deal averting strike by SoFi workers: Union representatives for SoFi Stadium workers have reached a deal with management, averting a strike 96% workers authorized about a week ago. There were no immediate details on the terms, but the union’s co-president Kurt Peterson told the LA Times’s Kevin Baxter that they had gotten some “economic gains” (which should relate to compensation), protections against automation, and some victories around a major sticking point, which was around what happens if federal immigration authorities show up. The deal, according to Peterson, includes protections for workers that ensure their personal information is not shared, and that would allow them to leave work if they feel threatened by a federal immigration official’s presence. You can also see for yourself what the union sent to reporters, thanks to Alissa Walker of Torched LA, who shared on Bluesky a screenshot of the key points of deal. They include wage increases, a workforce housing fund, a 75% reduction in subcontracting, restrictions against automation such as no new self-checkout stations and kiosks, protections against surrendering their personal information like immigration status, and the ability to walk off the job (right to strike), if “the union determines in good faith that federal immigration agency actions threaten safety during a World Cup match.” Walker has been covering this story of how labor has been fighting for workers as “mega-events” such as the World Cup and the Olympics come to town, so you can also check out select past coverage on that via that Bluesky thread.

Mayor Karen Bass visits the LA County Democratic Party to give thanks, celebrate, and fire off some zingers at Spencer Pratt: Jasmyne Cannick, a journalist and advocate, posted a video of Mayor Karen Bass going to the monthly LA County Democratic Party general meeting, to celebrate her first place finish and advancement to a November runoff in the mayor’s race, and to thank the party for their support. The video has Bass talking about Spencer Pratt, the opponent that was eliminated from the runoff after Council member Nithya Raman surged ahead in the standings. “For a minute we thought it was going to be Donald Trump Jr. He sent his nephew. And we’re sending him back, not sure where… I never thought he was serious. I just thought he was running to be famous.” Meanwhile, LA Material has a tidbit about how Bass’s brother joined several thousand other plaintiffs in a “master lawsuit” filed against the city around its handling of the wildfires that struck the Pacific Palisades in January 2025.

Soto-Martinez promotes noncitizen voting charter reform measure, ahead of Friday’s wrap-up Rules meeting on charter reform: There’s been some activity around LA city charter reform, including on Tuesday, when Council member Hugo Soto-Martinez held a news conference to highlight a proposal to make changes in the charter that would allow the city to give noncitizens the ability to vote in local elections. It’s just one of many proposals that the City Council is sifting through, and a committee looking at that list is set to wrap up its work at the end of this week. While the agenda’s not out yet, the committee’s chair, Council member Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who also happens to be the City Council President, is expected to schedule a Rules committee meeting for this Friday, June 12, to take up the whole shebang of charter reform, before sending their recommendations onto the rest of the City Council. You can get an overview of the charter reform process at the city from this podcast episode that I did with Raphe Sonenshein, a former executive director of one of the charter reform commissions back in the 1990s, on his podcast Governance Matters.

More oversized vehicle parking restrictions LAMC 41.18 anti-camping zones, this time in the northwest San Fernando Valley, and some questions for the Housing Department: Motions introduced on Tuesday, June 10, include a resolution to designate 41.18 zones oversized vehicle parking restrictions in the northwest San Fernando Valley from Council member John Lee (with an assist from Council member Monica Rodriguez, who seconded), and a motion from Council member Ysabel Jurado calling for a report on how the Los Angeles Housing Departments responds to problem rental properties, citing the numerous complaints filed by Wyvernwood tenants. And Council member Traci Park has motions to issue TEFRA bonds to finance a 49-unit affordable housing project at 3608 Centinela and a 41-unit affordable housing project at 12442 Pacific — these bonds do not obligate any money from the city, but the city does need to sign off on them. Council member Monica Rodriguez also filed a motion to spend $500,000 to go to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority for use on general operations related to river rangers.