David Wagner
Business & Economy Reporter (he/him)I cover the economic reality of life in Los Angeles, a place where vast wealth coexists with millions struggling to make ends meet.
I grew up in Anaheim, where my parents had the car radio constantly tuned to 89.3 KPCC. With that upbringing, it’s probably no surprise I went on to work for California public radio stations. Before coming to this newsroom (which is also home to KPCC), I was a reporter for the NPR affiliate in San Diego, KPBS.
I’ve reported on housing affordability, minimum wage laws and the state’s unemployment system. As someone who briefly lived in New York, my hottest food take is that California has plenty of pizza that rivals the East Coast slice.
What questions do you have about business and the economy in Southern California?
David Wagner focuses on Southern Californians getting left behind in an economy beset by soaring unemployment, pandemic-related business closures and high housing costs.
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Housing and Homelessness
Our analysis found unpermitted housing citations plummeted by more than two-thirds in 2020. Here’s what that meant for tenants in bootleg apartments. -
Housing and Homelessness
The saga of tenants at one dilapidated Mid-City housing complex is emblematic of a citywide problem that got worse during the pandemic.
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Food
Parent company Kroger blames its closure of a Ralphs and a Food 4 Less on the city's decision to pass a temporary $4-per-hour pay bump for grocery workers.
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News
A Ralphs and a Food 4 Less are set to close permanently, with parent company Kroger blaming the city’s elected leaders for passing a temporary $4-per-hour pay bump.
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News
If you lost work and collected California unemployment benefits last year, here are some tips to help you survive tax season.
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News
Paying your taxes is one ritual the pandemic hasn't disrupted. If you lost work and collected unemployment benefits last year, here's how to file.
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News
The grocery giant said the city’s temporary $5 per hour hazard pay mandate makes it 'financially unsustainable' to keep the stores open.
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News
Economists predict that the high-income tech industry will lead the state's rebound but low-wage workers in tourism, hotels and food service could take the longest to recover.
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News
The $5 per hour pay bump for grocery workers passed by L.A.’s city council will take effect once the mayor signs it into law.
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News
L.A. County has nearly 150,000 fast food workers. Most of them don't earn much more than minimum wage and they live in households with five or more people.
