Councilman Bob Blumenfield accompanied L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and City Council President Paul Krekorian, along with four other councilmembers, to Washington D.C. this past week. The intent was to cement unprecedented partnerships with federal officials in order to “amplify the voice of Angelenos on the national scale,” as Bass said.
“These were substantive meetings about how formulas can be changed to benefit Los Angeles,” Blumenfield told Valley News Group. “It was about both sides discussing their needs. Getting them to understand our position is a start. On the federal side they’ve sent money to Los Angeles and want to know how it was used. It’s about how we can work better with all government agencies to make a difference for Los Angeles.”
The goals were to meet with members of the House and Senate to work to bring more unhoused Angelenos inside, make L.A. safer, get more resources for veterans and increase access to federal funding.
Blumenfield explained that it was a strong show of Los Angeles to have the mayor “lock arms” with six councilmembers to talk about issues here. “We were all on the same page and a lot more powerful together than me coming myself,” he said.
Though the trip was not necessarily about securing more funding, the group did secure a $48 million grant from the Department of Energy to support the city’s renewable energy grid. “The money is essential for use to get 100% renewable by 2025,” Blumenfield stated.
The head of Veterans’ Affairs also promised to support the annual San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade, started by Blumenfield.
