L.A. VOTERS DELIVER MANDATE TO THE CITY – STAND UP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

More than 140,000 petition signers tell the city to send disastrous wage ordinance to the June 2026 ballot to save small businesses and save thousands of jobs

June 27, 2025 – LOS ANGELES, CA – The L.A. Alliance for Tourism, Jobs and Progress today delivered more than 140,000 signatures from Angelenos who have collectively voiced their opposition to the recent catastrophic tourism wage ordinance. The effort, a pivotal moment for airlines, hotels and concession businesses who support thousands of local workers and small businesses, will allow constituents to vote to repeal the measure on the June 2026 ballot.

The Alliance, a coalition of local hospitality and tourism groups, is asking officials to pursue a fair, transparent, and expeditious count of all signatures.

The Los Angeles tourism industry already pays some of the highest wages in the country, and economic analyses suggest the ordinance would cause nearly 15,000 job losses. This ordinance, coupled with decreased travel demand, puts the tourism industry on the brink of collapse. The Alliance is proud to stand up for all the small businesses in L.A. that are fueled by tourism.  

“The Olympic Wage ordinance threatens the very existence of small businesses like ours. This isn’t just a challenge for employers—it’s a risk to the jobs of the very workers this ordinance is meant to help,” stated Gregory Plummer, CEO and Managing Partner Concord Collective.

“Hotels don’t just fuel tourism. They support local workers and their families. These new regulations will force so many of us to fight to keep our businesses alive, putting thousands of those jobs and our livelihoods in jeopardy,” said Mark Beccaria, Partner of Hotel Angeleno in West Los Angeles. “My hotel is a family-owned business. We have been an important local economic driver for the community. Our hope is we can keep our doors open and survive this new challenge for the next generation.”

“Despite repeated efforts, the city ignored the voices of small businesses who shared over and over again, their continued struggles to survive in a post-pandemic economy,” stated Maria S. Salinas, President & CEO Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. “I am proud to join small businesses united in protecting jobs and the tourism economy that supports more than half a million jobs throughout the city.”

“Los Angeles residents have spoken, and they want a chance to weigh in on this crippling wage ordinance themselves,” said American Hotel & Lodging Association President and CEO Rosanna Maietta. “The travel and hospitality industry in Los Angeles is still recovering after being decimated from countless challenges and emergencies. We call on the county to respect the democratic process and swiftly and transparently count our signatures and certify the referendum.”

“Thousands of Angelenos have warned that this sweeping wage hike will force small businesses to shut down, cost the city up to 15,000 jobs, and deal a $169 million blow to critical tax revenue — yet those concerns have been ignored,” said Alec Mesropian, Advocacy Manager for Bizfed.  “We’re not against fair pay, but pushing a nearly 60% increase without a sustainable plan puts livelihoods, local businesses, and L.A.’s tourism economy at serious risk. That’s why we’re standing up for the workers, employers, and millions of guests who depend on a strong, stable tourism industry.”

“Angelenos deserve a say on policies that could jeopardize jobs, the economy, and the city’s ability to deliver basic services. Amid a growing budget crisis and declining hotel and sales tax collections, now is not the time to weaken critical revenue sources or an industry that employs tens of thousands,” stated Nella McOsker, President & CEO, Central City Association.

“The tourism wage is economic self-destruction – closing small businesses, killing 15,000 jobs, and robbing Los Angeles of $169 million in tax revenue, at a time when the City is struggling to keep streetlights on,” stated Stuart Waldman, President of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association. “If the City wants to cause a financial meltdown, the least it can do is let taxpayers vote.”

Paid for by LA Alliance for Tourism, Jobs and Progress, sponsored by airlines, hoteliers, their trade associations and impacted small businesses, 520 S. Grand Ave Suite 370, Los Angeles, CA 90071. Additional information is available at ethics.lacity.org