More officials across OC are asking voters to pay more in taxes warning that if they don’t they’ll have to cut public services as they struggle to generate revenue and face deficits.
Author Archives: Hosam Elattar
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC/ Report For America reporter covering Anaheim & North Orange County, food insecurity, housing & homelessness, the Arab & Muslim American community and education.
Elattar started at Voice of OC as an intern in January, 2020 and has covered local food banks’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, School board debates on how to teach history, the decades long push by Arab American business owners to recognize Little Arabia and a corruption scandal at Anaheim City Hall.
He has won several awards from the OC Press Club including Best News Story, Best Political Story and Best Religion Story.
Elattar is Egyptian American and has lived in Botswana, Nepal, Uganda, The Dominican Republic and India.
Posted inFullerton
How Can Fullerton Prevent a Projected $20 Million Spending Deficit in Three Years?
After wrestling with years of budget turmoil, Fullerton leaders are enlisting the help of residents to come up with ways to make and keep the city financially stable.
Posted inCosta Mesa
Should Costa Mesa Float The City’s Business Promotion Group to the Tune of $123K?
Around four years after the start of the pandemic, Costa Mesa Chamber executives are asking for over $120,000 in tax dollars to support staffing. Officials question if leaders have addressed their financial issues.
Posted inSanta Ana
Santa Ana Officials Hire New City Manager After Settling Controversial Legal Threat
Months after paying out the former city manager over $600,000 to settle a legal claim alleging the police union runs city hall, Santa Ana officials are appointing Alvaro Nuñez to fill the role.
Posted inLa Habra
La Habra Voters to Decide on Sales Tax Increase in November
Officials in La Habra are the latest in Orange County to ask voters to consider a sales tax increase in November amid a dire financial outlook and rising public safety costs.
Posted inGovernment
Some OC Cities Privatize Parking Enforcement For Higher Ticket Revenue
Facing budget woes and difficulties enforcing parking rules on their own, some OC cities are looking for help from a private company to write more tickets and in turn generate more revenue.
Posted inEconomy
Comparing Disneyland Labor Battles; Did Unions Cut a Good Deal in Anaheim?
This week a coalition of unions representing 14,000 Disney workers approved a new three-year contract. Did they cut a good deal compared to other Disney theme parks across the globe?
Posted inOrange
Will Orange Slash Over $1.4 Million More in Budget Spending to Help Shrink Deficit?
Orange officials are looking to make more cuts to their budget, months before voters decide if they want to raise taxes to bail out their city from a deficit millions of dollars deep.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Gov. Newsom Calls on Local Leaders to Clean Up Encampments – Will They?
Following a Supreme Court ruling last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom is urging local leaders to crackdown on homeless encampments across the state.
Posted inEconomy
Disneyland Workers Reach Tentative Agreement, Avert Strike For Now
Less than a week after overwhelmingly authorizing a strike, Disney workers and the entertainment juggernaut have reached a tentative agreement for a three-year contract.
