I hope our newsletter finds you well and that you are having a wonderful Earth Day. On Sunday, we wrapped up elections in the Valley and are heading over the hill. Many thanks to our Valley Neighborhood Councils, election poll workers and volunteers! We always learn so much from the Valley elections to improve our processes for the rest of the City. Online voting is now open for Regions 5 and 6 and will open for Region 7 tomorrow so if your Neighborhood Council is piloting online voting, you can register here.
Mayor Eric Garcetti released his proposed City of Los Angeles 2016-17 Budget and Summary yesterday. I am so very appreciative of Mayor Garcetti and CAO Miguel Santana and their budget teams on finding ways to grow the support for the Neighborhood Council system by adding three more staff (2 Project Coordinators and 1 Project Assistant) for EmpowerLA to implement the Neighborhood Council Subdivision Policy next year. Another proposed change provides more support to the Neighborhood Council Funding Program by moving it to the Office of the City Clerk along with 5 Funding Team members. City Clerk will also get additional staffing to more than double the personnel working on the Funding Program now. The proposed budget now goes to the Budget and Finance Committee who will be starting hearings on Wednesday next week in a series of special meetings. Please make sure your Neighborhood Council weighs in on the City budget!
Many thanks to LA Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Committee Co-Chairs Councilmember David Ryu and Board of Public Works Commissioner Joel Jacinto for leading a great kick off to May’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in City Council today. They honored important figures in the Asian and Pacific Islander communities, including our wonderful Department of Building & Safety General Manager Raymond Chan. 
The Department of Cultural Affairs will be releasing a beautiful calendar of events next week celebrating Asian and Pacific Islanders all month. Save May 21st for a closing concert on the City Hall steps!
I’ll be at the Harbor Alliance of Neighborhood Council’s retreat tomorrow with Councilmember Joe Buscaino. A reminder that the Neighborhood Council Emergency Preparedness Alliance is not meeting tomorrow. Also, the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocate radio show was changed from last Saturday to tomorrow night at 8 pm on 870AM so you still have time to tune in. Have a great weekend!
