Memo to Bratton: The People Have Spoken
Crocodile tears a-plenty were flowing in downtown LA as Chief Bratton and Sheriff Baca cried over beignets and cafe du monde at the failure of Proposition A.
Maybe Baca should have got a clue when he failed to get enough signatures to place the item on the ballot and had to go hat in hand to the Axis of Liberal Evil on the County Board of Supes. Does he think the people think they are not taxed enough?
Baca's nearly $3 million campaign was funded what by many alleged to be a shakedown of vendors doing or wanting to do business with the Sheriff's Department as well as backers of the also unsuccesful pro-casino gambling Proposition 68. As card club money flowed into the Prop A coffers, Baca was one of only two sheriffs statewide who backed 68.
Now Bratton is talking about a City of LA only version of Prop A. He ought to think twice, given that people don't want their taxes increased. The Chief would be well informed to study a proposal by Councilwoman Wendy Greuel and Council President Alex Padilla that would - imagine this - look at ways to cut wasteful city spending and put those dollars back into policing.
If we had done that to begin with, we wouldn't be in this mess.
Maybe Baca should have got a clue when he failed to get enough signatures to place the item on the ballot and had to go hat in hand to the Axis of Liberal Evil on the County Board of Supes. Does he think the people think they are not taxed enough?
Baca and Bratton had raised more than $2.8 million for the campaign, with major contributions coming from the union that represents Los Angeles police officers, companies that contract with the sheriff's or police departments and wealthy local businessmen.
Baca's nearly $3 million campaign was funded what by many alleged to be a shakedown of vendors doing or wanting to do business with the Sheriff's Department as well as backers of the also unsuccesful pro-casino gambling Proposition 68. As card club money flowed into the Prop A coffers, Baca was one of only two sheriffs statewide who backed 68.
Now Bratton is talking about a City of LA only version of Prop A. He ought to think twice, given that people don't want their taxes increased. The Chief would be well informed to study a proposal by Councilwoman Wendy Greuel and Council President Alex Padilla that would - imagine this - look at ways to cut wasteful city spending and put those dollars back into policing.
If we had done that to begin with, we wouldn't be in this mess.
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 11/03/2004 07:04:00 PM
24 Comments:
Mayor Sam you consistently show your ignorance. IF you would have read the papers this morning you would have learned that 64% of Los Angeles voted to support when all the numbers were broken down. Do your homework. Read LA TMES.
The people who didn't support were the rich, affluent folks.
Amazing you bash law enforcement and yet I"m sure if something happened to you, you'd go crying that police didn't come fast enough.
Why don't you just post articles and LEAVE YOUR STUPID COMMENTARY OUT OF IT....
Contrary to Mayor Sam's interpretation, the fact is that the majority of voters supported the additional tax for more police and sheriffs.
Ok Mayor Sam it's obvious you don't like this Chief or Baca. Most people in LA like this Chief compared to Parks.
I would bet $100 a ballot of city tax increase will be on March election.
Far too long these politicans haven't cared about law enforcement and LA has less police officers than any other big city and it's about time that change.
Moron:
The great unwashed may fall for Baca's lies, but the truth is the tax did not get the required vote.
You liberals want to tax the people to death instead of being fiscally prudent. I am all for law enforcement so don't play games with me. We need an amendment to the City Charter that make public safety the first priority and should get a set percentage of the budget.
And as far as me or the other contributors or readers not posting comments and just posting links to articles - this ain't the freakin' Drudge Report! Mayor Sam is no mere linker.........
Now go gargle with razor blades!
Actually Parks was good and he would make a fine mayor. At least he gets it - he's willing to stand up to the sacred cows like the PPL.
Bratton is okay, but he is getting polluted by the LA tax and spend mindset.
We can - and should have been - making law enforcement a number one priority - and without raising taxes. Stop funding crap like cultural affairs, big constulting contracts, outsourcing attorneys and other corrupt payoffs. Stop turning over non-blighted areas of the city to the CRA so that those tax dollars go to the men and women in blue and not to well heeled campaign contributors.
And yes, I don't doubt you will succeed in scaring the great unwashed into your sales tax scheme - which dispoportionately hurts the poor.
FROM: CITYWATCHER
READ TODAY'S LA WEEKLY ON PARKS.They give all type of reasons why he doesn't have a chance. Same reason he wasn't appointed Chief again.
Mayor Sam I love the way you and so many others always say "public safety #1 priority" yet none of you ever speak up when the officers need the support.
Cities like Philly, Chicago, NY, Boston all have politicans who "GET IT" We're stuck with a bunch of losers who talk a good game put don't put actions forward.
Making public safety the number one budget priority and supporting the officers does not require giving consent to cockeyed tax raising schemes. Most of the Prop A money wouldn't even gone to more officers, it would have gone to consultants, balancing the budget and various pet projects.
If you want to really support the officers, stop making things like redevelopment, cultural affairs, useless studies, consultants, golden parachutes, stealing golf courses (wait until we get to that one) your priority. Make public safety the number one budget priority - and then and ONLY THEN if there is money left over for goofball stuff, then allocate it elsewhere.
Its really quite simple, jackass.
From: SCV Rascal
Right on MayorSam!! It's a good thing was a County wide vote 'cause you dumbasses in the City always fall for the "new tax" lie. And you just did it again- Prop O. Why don't you wise up & make the politicans manage their money like us working folks. Stop approving new taxes, I'm tired of paying for your stupidity! Remember the "temporary" earthquake tax, I guess temporary means I don't have to pay it after I die. By the way a bond is just another word for tax, only our kids will be paying for some of it.
Is it just me or does Mayor Sam loose credibility when he says that Parks was a good police chief and would make a fine mayor? Hmmmm. Maybe he's working too hard to be the antagonist and stir discussion.
You should all read Daily Breeze.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/1162456.html
64% of city voted YES for Measure A. Just under the 2/3rds needed. I guarantee city council will put it on the ballot. It will pass because people are tired of gangbangers causing so much violence in the city.
As for Jack Weiss saying it's too soon, he's already showed his bad judgement endorsing Antonio so soon.
From: SCV Rascal
Any politician who supports raisng taxes should cut his own budget first. Set an example for efficiency, who knows maybe we won't need all those tax increases after all.
For more news about L.A. see- http://civilactionpress.blogspot.com/. Some interesting stuff.
An objective analysis and post mortum of Measure A, will show the simple reasons that it didn't pass:
1. People believe, rightfully so, that is government's first responsiblity to proved public safety to the people.
2. People believe, rightfully so, that it has provided billions and billions of dollars to government and it's elected official, sufficient to provide public safet in our community.
3. People believe, rightfully so, that our elected officials and goverment have misplaced priorities, in some instances unethically used, or just misused funds provided to government for public safety priorities.
Bottom line is that the reason Measure A didn't pass is NOT because people don't like or believe that Chief Bratton and Sheriff Baca haven't done everything possible to make our streets safe. The Reason is much more simple than that. It is simply that people DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT AND BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE SUFFICIENT FUNDS REMAINING IN GOVERNMENT TO PROPERLY PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PAY FOR IT.....ALREADY IN THE POT.
FROM: CITYWATCHER
All city council has to do is stop abusing the special event waivers. Daily News, Rick Orlov did a study last year stating that millions of dollars is wasted on these special event waivers for corporate sponsors who profit from the city.
We pay enough taxes so the money is there. Can't they be smart enough to FIND it and put it towards public safety?
The city council should start cutting their own budgets, beginning with vehicles for city staffers. People in the private sector use their own cars to drive to work and get reimbursed for work related driving. Why should tax payers pay for vehicles for city staffers?
AGREE WITH CITYWATCHER. A big waste of taxdollar money is the special event waivers. All anyone has to do is look at the city council agendas every week. Corporations are not being asked to pay high fees as much as $10,000.
The next couple of months is campaign election time. I'm sure you will be surprised to see the all the special event waivers approved. Taxpayers should be very leary of this.
From: SCV Rascal
Ok Angelenos now pay attention- there will be another L.A. City vote on raising taxes for law enforcement on the ballot. Whichever politicians endorse the new tax should be voted out of office or votes witheld. Simple enough for you? If not you pay- they play.
Do you think Bratton will plug into the card club money if he runs an LA version of Prop A?
Another thought - interesting how SCV Rascal is in favor of raising the LA city sales tax - that makes an SUV a few hundred bucks cheaper in Valenica for example.
Sounds like Rascal is against city tax. There is revenue sitting right under these city councilm members noses. Sadly, we the people have to get them to find it. Go after those damn vendors, cite them, take away their equipment. There's money to be made. Great idea on the card clubs. Where do we have them in the city???? Get rid of special event waivers that are being abused. There's been a CLA report review to change the system and great recommendations. It's been sitting in Budget & Finance for over a year....PUSH THAT SUCKER THROUGH TO COUNCIL...IDIOTS!!!
FROM: CITYWATCHER
All of a sudden they're FINDING THE MONEY. A motion was passed by Greuel to consolidate 144 toll-free numbers into one, freeing up about $540,000 a year to go toward a recently created fund for hiring more police.
Now you know damn well there's more money like this WAITING
Wow! That should cover another 4 cops. Now if we can just do that 400 more times!
An SUV won't just be cheaper in Valencia, but Culver City, Santa Monica, El Segundo, Beverly Hills, Inglewood, Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando and any other peripheral cities. And don't stop there . . . get your refrigerators, stoves and household appliances in those cities too.
People aleady do that. If anyone thinks the city tax hike will be a negative thing then go move to those cities. It will bring big business here because everyone wants to be part of LA but not with this damn violence all over the news. It will bring in more tourists who spend millions here.
For the first time in decades at least everyone is in agreement that WE NEED MORE POLICE OFFICERS. It's great to know that finally they are getting support.
The only problem is where to get the money. Let's see which of our so called leaders figures that out. Some of us may disagree with a city tax hike but let's face it, no one will want to come to LA with all the gang bangers running the show. The affluent parts of town don't think it's their problem. One day they will be in your backyard and you'll be screaming for more cops.
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