L.A. council members were told a vote could violate public meeting law. They voted anyway

Los Angeles Times ^ | May 16, 2025 4:15 PM PT | David Zahniser

[E. Pluribus Unum]

When Los Angeles City Council members took up a plan to hike the wages of tourism workers this week, they received some carefully worded advice from city lawyers: Don’t vote on this yet.

Senior Assistant City Atty. Michael J. Dundas advised them on Wednesday — deep into their meeting — that his office had not yet conducted a final legal review of the flurry of last-minute changes they requested earlier in the day.

Dundas recommended that the council delay its vote for two days to comply with the Ralph M. Brown Act, the state’s open meeting law.

“We advise that the posted agenda for today’s meeting provides insufficient notice under the Brown Act for first consideration and adoption of an ordinance to increase the wages and health benefits for hotel and airport workers,” Dundas wrote.

The council pressed ahead anyway, voting 12-3 to increase the minimum wage of those workers to $30 per hour by 2028, despite objections from business groups, hotel owners and airport businesses.

Then, on Friday, the council conducted a do-over vote, taking up the rewritten wage measure at a special noon meeting — one called only the day before. The result was the same, with the measure passing again, 12-3.

Some in the hotel industry questioned why Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who runs the meetings, insisted on moving forward Wednesday, even after the lawyers’ warning.

Jackie Filla, president and chief executive of the Hotel Assn. of Los Angeles, said the decision to proceed Wednesday gave a political boost to Unite Here Local 11, which represents hotel workers. The union had already scheduled an election for Thursday for its members to vote on whether to increase their dues.

By approving the $30 per hour minimum wage on Wednesday, the council gave the union...

[E. Pluribus Unum]

"Nobody is above the law except us."

[hanamizu]

Marqueece Harris-Dawson

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Now there is a name!

[whitney69]

L.A. is doing what Florida did and raised the wages on tourist employees to not have to raise property taxes. They figure that since L.A.’s tourist trade is high enough then within the increased taxing of employee wages they can offset the property tax increase enough to make it smaller to cover their budget having the tourists pay for their shortfalls.

wy69

[Libloather]

Commies don’t need no open meeting laws.

[Delta 21]

“Do Over! Do Over!”

You always heard it on the play ground and you knew it was probably that new kid Karen.

Not wanting to follow the established rules and insert their own as a replacement?

Uh, NO.

[alternatives?]

I am not seeing LA. I am not seeing Rachel Zegler.

[SaxxonWoods]

Just more of liberals getting what they voted for, ho hum.

[Mr. K]

“Who cares, we’re democrats!”

[lastchance]

Sadly, it is not uncommon for city council members to be totally ignorant of statutes governing public meetings and what must be considered as such.

[No name given]

Exactly, they have only themselves to blame.

[minnesota_bound]

The last time they voted a pay hike more then 10,000 workers in the fast food restaurants lost their jobs in 2024.
I do not see where the city or state has the authority to raise pay.