The Latest on the City’s Climate Action Plan
Back in 2021, the Irvine City Council ordered the preparation of a Climate Action & Adaptation...
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Year: 2024
Council Reviews Cost Analysis Report for Veterans Cemetery
The Veterans Cemetery proposed for Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim is estimated to cost some $100 million more than the previously proposed site in Irvine’s Great Park, according to a City review of available public reports on the plans.
In January, Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva and State Senator Tom Umberg released a report from the California Department of General Services estimating the direct costs of the Gypsum Canyon plan at $126 million. In an accompanying press release, Quirk-Silva invited public analysis of the report.
As part of the public analysis, Irvine Vice Mayor Larry Agran asked City staff to review the report and compare it with projected costs for development of the Great Park site, which was approved by the City’s voters in an election in 2018 and again in 2020 by the City Council when the Council adopted a citizen initiative that had garnered some 20,000 Irvine resident signatures.
Enjoy Independence Day … But Don’t Forget What This Holiday Commemorates!
Independence Day, also called Fourth of July, is America’s annual celebration of nationhood. The holiday commemorates the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It’s a time to come together as Americans to honor our revolutionary history — and our military — through parades, concerts filled with patriotic music, and awe-inspiring fireworks.
The holiday has also become a tradition for gathering with family, friends and neighbors to enjoy backyard barbecues and summer celebrations.
Regardless of how you plan to spend the day, we urge our readers to take some time to reflect on the many sacrifices our brave men and women — both those in uniform as well as civilians — have made these past 248 years to keep our nation free.
Vice Mayor Larry Agran Proposes a “Living Wage” for the City’s Lowest Paid Workers
During the June 11th City Council meeting, Vice Mayor Larry Agran proposed a pay increase for the City’s lowest-wage workers.
Many of the City’s workers who perform critical services — including childcare workers, maintenance workers, and seasonal park & recreation workers — currently earn about $16.50 an hour. Under Agran’s proposal, those workers would earn a “living wage” of $20 per hour.
Agran estimated the cost to the City for the pay raise to be between $200,000 and $300,000. That money would come from the City’s reserve fund, which currently stands at nearly $70 million — which is a very healthy 24% above the City’s annual operating budget.
Agran — who established the City’s reserve fund when he was previously Mayor — wants the fund to be drawn down to 21% or 22%, allowing for those dollars to be “invested in our workers and city services.”
Does Your Child Need a Sports Physical?
Does my child really need a sports physical? That’s a question that parents often ask. For...
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