City Council approves tax-credit resolution, settles multiple claims and moves wildfire emergency and rebuilding measures forward

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution supporting a statewide expansion of film and television tax credits, adopted a package of recommended settlements, and advanced emergency actions tied to recent wildfires.

The council endorsed a resolution backing a proposed $750 million expansion of the California Film and Television Tax Credit program. Councilmember Raman introduced the measure, saying the incentives aim to bring productions and related jobs back to Los Angeles. The resolution passed by voice/roll call with a 14-0 tally.

The council also read into the record and approved a series of settlement recommendations stemming from closed-session items. The clerk read settlement amounts for cases that included Cindy Witt (recommendation to expend up to $180,000), Juana Yvette Busby Arango (up to $190,000), Joseph John McCann Jr. (up to $300,000), Celeste Haiti Echeverria DeFranco (up to $200,000), and others; a high-profile recommendation listed Jesse Reyes with a proposed settlement of up to $1,500,000. The package of settlements (items 39–47) was approved by the council on the record (14 ayes).

Council business included votes on dozens of consent and noncontroversial items. Multiple grouped items (including items 6–20 and 22–24) were approved earlier in the meeting. Several other agenda items (including items 2–4, 28, 30, 31, and 33–37) were taken and passed later in the session.

One item drew separate handling: item 26 was initially taken separately and failed on the underlying motion by a 7-6 vote. Later in the meeting Councilmember Lee moved to receive and file item 26; that procedural motion passed by roll call (14 ayes). Item 32 was called for a separate vote and recorded 11 ayes and 4 nos on the motion before the council.

Procedural votes included sending item 47 forthwith (approved 14 ayes) and approving item 38 (a city-attorney recommendation in Flying Food Group LLC v. City of Los Angeles) by 15 ayes. The council opened public comment periods several times and addressed recusal notices by members on a set of items.

Why this matters: the tax-credit resolution signals the council’s support for a state-level incentive strategy to retain or attract film and television production and related jobs to Los Angeles. The settlement approvals close a set of pending liability matters that will affect the city’s budget and risk profile going forward. The handling of item 26—an initial failure followed by receiving and filing—illustrates procedural pathways the council can use when a measure lacks a majority for adoption but the body nonetheless moves to document or reclassify a matter.

Votes at a glance - Item 27 (Resolution supporting expansion of the California Film & Television Tax Credit program): Motion introduced by Councilmember Raman; outcome: approved; tally: 14 ayes. - Items 6–20, 22–24 (grouped consent items): outcome: approved; tally (first roll call reported during the meeting): 13 ayes. - Item 21: taken separately; outcome: approved; tally: 13 ayes. - Item 26 (underlying motion): initial vote failed, tally 7 ayes, 6 nos; later motion to receive and file item 26: approved, tally: 14 ayes. - Items 39–47 (closed-session settlement recommendations; individual case amounts read into the record): outcome: approved; tally: 14 ayes. Selected recommended settlement amounts read on the record included up to $180,000; $190,000; $300,000; $200,000; $185,000; $250,000; $200,000; $550,000; and up to $1,500,000 for Jesse Reyes. - Item 32 (called special for separate vote): outcome: recorded 11 ayes, 4 nos. - Item 29: approved; tally: 14 ayes. - Item 38 (Flying Food Group LLC case—city attorney recommendation): approved; tally: 15 ayes.

Meeting procedure notes and recusals - Councilmember Price announced recusals on several items (he cited landlord status and potential conflicts related to item 26 and item 29 and item 21) and was recorded as recused where noted on the dais. - Several agenda items were continued by unanimous or no-objection consent (item 5 continued to April 8, 2025; item 25 continued one week to March 4, 2025).

Source material: roll-call votes, motions, and settlement amounts were read aloud on the council floor and are reflected in the meeting transcript and clerk’s read-in of closed-session recommendations.