Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist A local state assemblyman has proposed a bill that could end up adding a fee to driver registrations or gas at the pumps in Los Angeles County. The West Hollywood based Mike Feuer, who sits on the state's Transportation committee, has put in AB2558 that would either add $90 to annual registrations or 9-cents per gallon of gas. It would raise $400 million a year for public transit projects. It's......

For the last ten years, state representatives from Los Angeles have dominated the role of Speaker of the Assembly, including Mayor Villaraigosa, LA City Council Herb Wesson and Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle. Today, Karen Bass, the assemblywoman who represents neighborhoods from West LA to Culver City to Baldwin Hills, had enough votes to become Speaker of the Assembly up in Sacramento. The job of speaker is to be the leader of the California State Assembly,......

As it gets closer to Halloween for LAist, a contributer recollects her tale of staring down the serial killer, Richard Ramirez, otherwise known as the Night Stalker. Must think happy thoughts -- okay, free organic chocolate chip cookies for Los Angeles -- now that's a happy thought. Other happy Los Angeles thoughts include an interview with Jack Kehler of The Big Lebowski (he was the Dude's landlord), a beautiful and magical photographic moment in Venice......

Núñez represents downtown Los Angeles, to the south of, and East LA in the state assembly. It is rumored he wants to run for Mayor. It is not like Democrat Fabian Núñez, Speaker of the California State Assembly, is some bogus politician with bad intentions and total self-serving motives. I am not going to argue with him for looking into universal preschool, high speed rail and global warming solutions for California; in fact, I......

Just when you thought the public transportation and traffic situation in Los Angeles couldn't possibly get any worse... it did. Yes, in a true stroke of brilliance, the State Assembly decided to cut close to $1.3 billion in funding from mass transit transportation in this year's budget bill. As Siel over at green LA girl notes, this means we can probably kiss that planned Expo line expansion from Culver City to Santa Monica good-bye.......

Last night I put on a white “I Love WeHo Dykes” t-shirt, merged with the throng of Dyke March 2007 attendees, and paraded down Santa Monica Boulevard, a street coincidentally named in honor of the patron saint of abused, victimized, and neglected women. It may seem strange to some that I would do such a thing given that I am not Dyke, Lesbian, or Queer. But as a woman, a West Hollywood resident, and......

Even though "experts" are saying that Chicago will be the US city that the USOC will choose to represent the USA as host city nominee for the 2016 Summer Games, today the California State Senate approved a quarter-billion dollar guarantee if LA does get the nod. From an excited LA2016 press release: The California State Senate today voted overwhelmingly in favor of AB300, previously approved 65-1 by the State Assembly, which authorizes $250 million as......

The Mayor Who Wasn't Is The Solar Panel Man Los Angeles Mayor challenger in the 2005 election, Robert Hertzberg: “California does have this great image,” said Mr. Hertzberg, a former speaker of the California State Assembly and the co-founder of an investment firm, Renewable Capital. “But Europe still is much greener than anywhere in the United States, by several orders of magnitude.” His thin and flexible solar panels work in overcast and in rain.......

LA County Supervisor Yvonne Braithwaite Burke will retire after 40 years in politics. She was the first African-American woman elected to the California State Assembly. While there will be many heartfelt farewells for the 73-year-old, more interesting will be the race for her seat. The 5-member Board of Supervisors controls the pursestrings for the County and is vastly powerful; so far, Mark Ridley Thomas, Herb Wesson and Bernard Parks are rumored to be possible......

Today, July 1, Los Angeles gets a new mayor. Just in the past, pre-inaugural week, Antonio Villaraigosa has been working, and getting some anticipatory scolding. First he helped broker a compromise between management and striking workers of local hotels, winning praise for being hands-on and helping people reach consensus. Now, on inauguration day, the LA Times and the LA Weekly both point out how much it would cost to keep some of his campaign......

The California State Assembly must have plenty of free time on their hands. Otherwise, how else would Tom Umberg of Garden Grove get to introduce the "Truth in Sports Advertising Act"? The bill was unanimously approved today, by the state assembly's Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media (say that six times fast), and will now come to a vote before the full assembly. The bill would require all California teams named......

There's another Mayoral Candidates' Forum today, Thursday, January 13 at 7:30 PM Temple Beth Am 1039 La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles Scheduled to appear: Richard Alarcon, California State Senator Jim Hahn, Mayor, City of Los Angeles Robert M. Hertzberg, California State Assembly Speaker Emeritus Bernard C. Parks, Los Angeles City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles City Councilman......