12/11/24 City Council Mtg - Tourism Minimum Wage

In this clip, Traci Park argues against raising the minimum wage for hotel workers, claiming that the economic study showing major benefits with minimal costs is flawed because it doesn’t differentiate between different types of hotels and motels.

​But here’s the catch—Park is criticizing the study for lacking variation while her own campaign contributors, powerful hotel industry players, were the very ones who refused to provide that data. The expert witness in the clip explains that the study’s authors requested more detailed information from LA hotels, but the industry refused to turn it over. Instead of holding these corporate interests accountable, Park is using their obstruction as an excuse to oppose higher wages for workers. 

Meanwhile, her campaign is backed by major hotel and business lobbyists who have a direct stake in keeping wages low:  

• CA Hotel & Lodging Association: $1,600 + CA Hotel & Lodging Association PAC – $900  
• Carl Lambert (Venice V Hotel & Venice Chamber of Commerce) – $2,700  
• Stefan Ashkenazy (Valadan Hotel) – $900  
• California Hotel & Lodging Association – $900  
• BizFed PAC – $3,200  
• Mark Beccaria (Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board) – $2,250  
• Mark Louchheim (Board Chair, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce) – $5,100 (including contributions to Tim McOsker & Monica Rodriguez)  
• George Francisco (Venice Chamber of Commerce) – $3,400  
• Hollie Stenson (Venice Chamber of Commerce) – $1,600  
• Karin Wallerstein (Venice Chamber of Commerce) – $105.03  
• Hollywood Chamber of Commerce PAC – $3,200
  
• Los Angeles Food & Beverage PAC, which is funded by the California Restaurant Association - $2,400
    

Park’s argument mirrors the real estate industry’s familiar tactic against tenant protections—pretending to stand up for small businesses ("mom 'n' pop landlords") while actually defending the deep-pocketed interests funding her campaign.