TimesOC: Judge rules against Disneyland workers in living-wage lawsuit
Good morning and welcome to the TimesOC newsletter.
It’s Friday, Nov. 5. I’m Ben Brazil, bringing you the latest roundup of Orange County news and events.
A few years ago, Disneyland employees filed a lawsuit claiming that they do not earn a living wage and the massive entertainment company is legally required to pay them more.
The lawsuit alleged that the Walt Disney Co. violated Measure L, which requires resort businesses that receive a city subsidy to pay their workers at least $15 an hour. Under the ordinance, the minimum rises by $1 an hour each year until 2022, when it reaches $18. Raises will then be based on the cost of living index.
In the lawsuit, the Disney workers contend that Anaheim is using tax dollars to pay off construction bonds for the Mickey and Friends parking garage. Most of the taxes come from Disney, while the rest comes from hotel bed taxes. The lawsuit asserts that Disney keeps revenue from the parking garage and will own it once construction costs are paid back.
Disney and Anaheim have argued that the parking garage agreement does not constitute a subsidy under Measure L.
A judge ruled against the workers this week, siding with Disney.
My colleague Gabriel San Román wrote that Orange County Superior Court Judge William D. Claster concluded that an expansion of the Disneyland Resort that was approved by the city in 1996 didn’t meet the legal definition of a tax rebate subsidy under the living-wage law.
“The court is confronted with a narrow question: whether any of the agreements identified by the parties gives the Disney Defendants a right to a rebate of their taxes,” read Claster’s tentative ruling. “Whether the city of Anaheim ‘subsidized’ the Disney Defendants in a colloquial sense is not an issue.”
Randy Renick, an attorney representing the workers in the lawsuit, was disappointed with the judge’s ruling.
“We disagree with the court’s narrow reading of Measure L and believe Monday’s ruling eviscerates the 2018 vote to adopt a living wage in Anaheim,” Renick said. “The plaintiffs are considering all their options, including appeal. It’s disappointing that Disney can take hundreds of millions of dollars from the city of Anaheim and yet refuse to pay over 25,000 workers a living wage.”
MORE NEWS
Advocates held a rally this week in Santa Ana against efforts by some to overturn rent control and just-case eviction ordinances that were recently approved by the City Council. A few days after the vote, the California Apartment Assn. announced that it would be leading an effort to overturn the new laws. “Instead of celebrating the victory of City Council passing rent control, we continue fighting,” Idalia Rios, an activist with Vecindario Lacy en Accion, said at the rally. “We know that people power matters more. This years-long fight won’t be in vain.”
Huntington Beach City Manager Oliver Chi is expected to become Irvine’s new city manager. After two years at the helm in Huntington Beach, Chi is leaving the city with a budget surplus. The Irvine City Council is expected to approve the hire next week.
One of the slowest and longest car chases in recent memory ended in Orange County on Thursday morning. Police pursued a stolen 18-wheeler through the night from Los Angeles to Santa Ana, using multiple spike strips to stop the vehicle. It was a tough morning for commuters, as the chase backed up traffic for more than five hours.
The Heroes Landing community in Santa Ana provides needed support to veterans struggling with housing insecurity. My colleague Sarah Mosqueda wrote that the community has been providing “a sanctuary of stability and a hub of hope” for veterans since last year.
In response to complaints from residents about noise and house parties, Costa Mesa has extended a ban on short-term rentals for another year while the city figures out how to regulate them. Reporter Sara Cardine wrote that the city also agreed to allow two urgency ordinances to continue through 2022 that allow outdoor dining and retail.
Laguna Beach is making headway in more than a dozen environmental programs the city committed to in March. The programs include trash collection, a ban on single-use plastic and beach safety.
Newly released body camera footage released by Tustin police sheds new light on the fatal police shooting of a homeless man who reportedly was suffering from mental health issues. The time from when the officers first made contact with Garcia to when the fatal gunshots were fired lasted one minute and 17 seconds.
LIFE AND LEISURE
Did you ever wish that the entire original Star Wars trilogy could be played by one actor and condensed into an hour? Then “One-Man Star Wars Trilogy” may be something you want to see. The Irvine Barclay Theatre will feature the performance next week. Canadian actor Charles Ross will play every character in the original trilogy, including the Millennium Falcon.
Most people enjoy sandwiches and music. One Costa Mesa deli decided to combine the two. Everything on the menu at Good Eats With Laura is music-related. The sandwiches are named after famous tunes. Even the potato chips are called “groupies.”
RH, previously known as Restoration Hardware, will open a massive store in Fashion Island in a few years. The furniture gallery will also include a rooftop restaurant and wine bar. Construction is expected to begin mid-2022 for the first RH locations in Orange County. My colleague Lilly Nguyen has the story.
SPORTS
A judge has delayed the trial of former Angels communications director Eric Kay, who was charged in the overdose death of Tyler Skaggs. The judge moved the trial to January in response to a motion from Kay’s attorneys. Skaggs was found dead in a Texas hotel in 2019 from choking on his vomit. A mixture of ethanol, fentanyl and oxycodone was in his system.
Here’s a roundup of high school sports from Orange County’s coastal cities, including Sage Hill boys’ water polo defeating Katella in a CIF divisional round. Also, the Ocean View boys’ water polo team claimed a blowout win to advance in the playoffs.
Stay in Touch
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