Earned Income Tax Credit Report

Originally published Feb. 7, 2012

Mayor Villaraigosa near downtown L.A., Photo by JournoJames

LOS ANGELES, CA – Free tax preparation services will be offered to low-income working families as an incentive to join an underutilized program that provides refunds which could help boost the local economy, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced Monday.

“In tough economic times like these, we need to make sure hard-working Angelenos are getting all the help they need,” Villaraigosa said. “Our message is simple: get the free help that you deserve.” (more…)

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E-Bicycles in Los Angeles

On a breezy April afternoon in downtown Los Angeles, Calvin Phuong, a 32-year-old Marina del Rey resident who recently purchased an electric bicycle kit, was riding his new bike around a parking lot, demonstrating its speed and handling.

“One day my wife and I stopped by an Izip store in Venice and rented a couple electric bikes for the day. We had so much fun, we didn’t want to return them,” Phuong said with a smile.

In the last couple of years, electric bicycle shops such as Izip, Hollywood Electrics, and Pedego have popped up around Southern California trying to tap into the alternative transportation market. Popular consumer stores such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Costco have also begun selling e-bikes nationwide. (more…)

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