The last few months have been a series of "lasts" for LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, who's 40 years of service are coming to a close with the approach of a June 27 retirement date. As Beck stops in for his final AirTalk visit, we go over recent public safety issues and reminisce on the chief's legacy. We also dive into the new "Amazon tax"; debate Yanny vs. Laurel; and more
After Seattle’s ‘Amazon tax,’ could a ‘Google’ tax succeed in the Bay Area?
On Monday, Seattle’s City Council voted to impose a “head tax,” $275 per employee, for businesses that rake in at least $20 million annually.
The new revenue would largely go to fund low income housing as well as homeless services, and it’s been garnering backlash from Seattle’s heavy hitters, such as Amazon, Starbucks, Boeing and Nordstrom, who would all be affected by the nex tax.
Amazon has been pushing back, putting a pause on construction of a new campus in Seattle, saying they’ll considering growth opportunities elsewhere. They’re still narrowing down locations for their HQ2. Originally the proposal was for a $500 head tax, so this version is a compromise, though it’s still the largest per-head tax in the U.S.
This move is not an outlier, but a microcosm of issues that many cities, including Los Angeles, are struggling with: big tech companies bringing in jobs, but also skyrocketing housing prices that displace people among a backdrop of rising homelessness. Mountain View’s mayor is proposing a “Google tax” on the city’s November ballot, citing these reasons – the mixed blessing of Google as creating employment opportunities but also putting a strain on housing and transportation, especially for the middle class.
Should there be a head tax on big companies, especially tech, to counter their effect on surrounding housing and liveability? How would such a tax impact Los Angeles, if it were adopted here?
Guests:
Karen Weise, reporter with Bloomberg Technology and Bloomberg Businessweek; she tweets
Michael Hiltzik, business columnist at the LA Times who wrote about the so-called “Google tax” proposal in Mountain View
Daniel Castro, vice president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a Washington, DC-based non-profit technology think tank
Chief Beck’s last AirTalk interview: Discusses LAPD chief finalists, the department’s use of ‘predictive policing’ tech and more
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck joins Larry Mantle for his monthly check-in. Topics discussed include:
The diverse group of finalists for the LAPD chief position
Chief Beck’s getting a restraining order against Sheila Brim Hines who threw ashes at him of a woman who died in custody
The findings by the Police Commission that LAPD officers violated department policy in the 2017 Sunland barricade shooting
The LAPD officers who were found liable in the skid row shooting death of Charly 'Africa' Keunang
LAPD Palantir software that predicts and surveils ‘probable offenders’ throughout the city
Guest:
Charlie Beck, chief of police of the Los Angeles Police Department; his last day as chief will be June 27, 2018, his 65th birthday
After yesterday’s 9th Circuit hearing, we’re one step closer to a final decision on the legality of DACA
The Trump administration tried to convince a U.S. appeals court Tuesday that it was justified in ending an Obama-era immigration policy that shielded hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.
From its courthouse right here in Pasadena, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was the first federal appeals court to hear arguments Tuesday about President Donald Trump's decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
Read the full story here.
Guest:
Steve Vladeck, professor of law at the University of Texas at Austin; he tweets
Yanny or Laurel: The internet’s latest viral offering
Following the “blue dress versus white dress” viral phenomenon that divided families and friends in 2015 comes another new perceptual headscratcher.
This time, it’s audio-based.
What do you hear?! Yanny or Laurel pic.twitter.com/jvHhCbMc8I
— Cloe Feldman (@CloeCouture) May 15, 2018
So is it Yanny or Laurel? Or both? Or something else entirely?
Since it’s the internet, a number of hot takes and analyses have been written over this auditory confusion. So why does someone hear Yanny, instead of Laurel?
We’ll dive in.
Guest:
Bharath Chandrasekaran, auditory neuroscientist and associate professor of communications sciences and disorders at the University of Texas at Austin
California attorney general race: Interview with candidate Steven Bailey
There are four candidates running for the position of California Attorney General.
The primary election will be held on June 5, 2018, to determine the top-two candidates who will be appearing on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. Larry sits down with each candidate ahead of the June primary. The candidates are California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, retired Judge of the Superior Court of California Steven Bailey, Los Angeles business and real estate attorney Eric Early and incumbent Xavier Becerra.
Today, retired Judge of the Superior Court of California Steven Bailey joins Larry to discuss his campaign.
Click on the candidate to listen to our interviews with Dave Jones and Eric Early.
Ready for Election Day? Get up to speed on what you need to know with KPCC’s Voter Game Plan. Read up on the candidates and ballot measures, find out about registration deadlines and ask us your questions.
Guest:
Steven Bailey, Republican candidate for California Attorney General; he is a retired Judge of the Superior Court of California; he tweets
Former NBA star Metta World Peace dishes on ups and downs of basketball career, mental health advocacy and life after the game in new book
Few basketball players in NBA history have been quite as polarizing as Metta World Peace.
During his 17 year career, he played the roles of both hero and villain, from his dagger three-pointer in the closing minutes of Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals that helped vault the Lakers to a championship, to serving one of the longest suspensions the NBA has ever handed out after his role in the now infamous “Malice at the Palace” brawl in Detroit. He also cemented himself as one of the league’s best defensive players, earning NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2004, when he also was selected as an All-Star as well as to the All-NBA team.
Off the court, Artest has been an advocate for mental health awareness and has dabbled in reality television and music (he released a rap album in 2006). Now retired as a player and coaching in the NBA’s developmental G-League, World Peace has a new book out in which he opens up about his turbulent upbringing in New York City’s Queensbridge project, his rollercoaster NBA career, his struggles with mental health, and overcoming it all to realize his lifelong dream of being an NBA champion.
Guest:
Metta World Peace, former NBA player for 17 seasons, including six with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2009-2013 and 2015-2017, and co-author of “No Malice: My Life in Basketball or: How a Kid from Queensbridge Survived the Streets, the Brawls and Himself to become an NBA Champion” (Triumph Books, 2018; he tweets