3 Big Things to Watch in 2026
- Charter Reform
Voters will likely see Charter Reform measures on the ballot this November, but we still don’t know exactly what will be on the ballot.
Timeline
Now - The Charter Reform Commission is holding meetings to formulate their recommendations for what to put on the ballot.
April - The Charter Reform Commission must deliver recommendations to City Council.
June - City Council must finalize issues & language for the ballot
November - Angelenos vote on reforms to charter. They have to deliver their recommendations to City Council by April, and Council will finalize what makes the ballot in June.
Click here to learn more about what this process is and how you can plug in
- LA’s City Budget
We’re entering another year of financial uncertainty — and tough decisions are ahead. That makes it even more important that every dollar is spent where it makes the biggest difference for residents.
Timeline
April 20 - Deadline for the Mayor to release her budget proposal.
May - Budget hearings
June 1 - Deadline for City Council to approve budget.
- Election to Increase Streetlight Funding
If we organize as a community, 2026 could be the year LA finally gets our streetlights working again.
After delays, the Bureau of Street Lighting is expected to hold a property-owner vote to increase the annual streetlight fee — which hasn’t been adjusted for inflation since 1996. The proposal would raise the fee from about $55 to about $95 per year, allowing the City to repair and maintain streetlights across LA.
We’ll send more information about the timeline of this vote as soon as we hear more!
4 Pieces of Priority Legislation to Watch
- Wage Theft Enforcement
Our priority motion to crack down on wage theft passed the Economic Development & Jobs Committee (3–1) and is now advancing to full Council.
Right now, violations like unpaid overtime and missed meal or rest breaks can only be enforced at the state level — leaving workers without justice for the majority of wage theft cases. This law would empower the City to investigate and enforce these laws directly.
- Fast Food, Fair Work
The fast-food industry is one of the most abusive and unstable workplaces in Los Angeles, and we’re committed to changing that.
Council is now awaiting a set of recommendations that will guide new protections for workers, from fair scheduling to basic safety standards. We plan to codify strong protections into law this year.
- Living Wage for Construction Workers
If you build homes in LA, you should be able to afford to live in LA.
We are awaiting an independent report exploring a living wage standard for residential construction workers — a critical step to ensuring a strong workforce capable of building the housing LA needs most.
- “Graded Response” Protest Model
Our motion to bring LA in line with cities like NYC and Boston — where heavily armed officers are staged away from peaceful protests and only deployed if necessary — is expected to come to the full City Council for a vote early this year.