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This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

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One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

Despite the City's latest controversy, we are impressed with the results when reporting graffiti to 311. In fact, they are so efficient, they woke us up at 7:30 a.m. with a follow-up call on some graffiti tags we reported yesterday morning. That said, here is something that really works within our behemoth local government: if you see gang tagging in your neighborhood, pick up your phone and punch 311. It takes a few minutes of your time and results will follow within a couple days.

However, not everything gets taken care of when speaking of other agencies. We have no first hand experience with Caltrans, but we did report a fifteen-foot long tag to Los Angeles County over a month ago and it still sits there today. So much for our room with a view of the L.A. River.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

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