Public Works, Poopy and More
One of our readers asked us to take a look at the Board of Public Works in light of the controversial removal of Commissioner Cynthia Ruiz and replacement by Yolanda Fuentes, a longtime aide to Councilman Anthony Cardenas. Several City Council Members and even the Daily News noted the blatant political motive behind Ruiz's ouster. The reader particularly wanted to know how much money the commissioners and their spouses have donated to local elected officials and how long the commissioners have served.
So we are presenting some highlights here and may detail more as time goes on.
Los Angeles Board of Public Works
Valerie Lynne Shaw, President, has served since 2000. Her contributions include $500 to Poopy's election campaign, $500 to Laura Chick's controller campaign and $150 to Bitter Bernie's council campaign. For more details click here.
Ellen Stein, Vice President has served since 1994. She is far more generous than Valerie having donated $18,000 over the years. At least a grand each to Mayor Poopy, Alex Padilla and Laura Chick, $500 to Denny Zine, amongst some now retired pols such as Hal Bernson. Add in her legendary developer and politically connected husband, Ted Stein and you get nearly another $22,000. Man, that's a lot of mother's milk! To see it all click here and here. (Also - you can buy an official Mayor Sam "Pay to Play" Stein HERE!)
Janice Wood has served since 2001. Her background has been years in organized labor, so she probably doesn't have a lot of money, having donated $500 to Woody Fleming (remember him?) and $100 to Tony Cardenas (so she will probably get along with Yolanda). I'll link to her contributions, but I just gave them all to you.
Ronald Low has served since 2001. He's an attorney who's only coughed up $2100 in donations, but again could get along with Yolanda as he's given nearly half of that to Cardenas. What there is, is all here.
Cynthia Ruiz's photo and bio are still up on the Commission website so look now while you can (but knowing how ITA works it could be a while before Yolanda gets on there). She was appointed by Poopster in 2003. To be fair, she has forked over about $900, most of it to Tony V. Read it here. And one of tipsters asks me to point out she too is hotter than Yolanda.
Yolanda Fuentes comes on board after serving stints with Tony Cardenas while he was in the Assembly and now that he is on the Council. She was Tony's hand picked successor, but was trounced by Cindy Montanez, (it wasn't even close) the impressive, young former Mayor of San Fernando. Before even joining the Commission, she has made $1200 in contributions, most of it to boss Cardenas and ally Alex Padilla.
Well there you go. We've only scratched the surface. For some of you, this is old hat, inconsequential and not a problem. What do the citizens of this city think?
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 12/10/2004 07:32:00 PM
14 Comments:
Regardless of how good she may or may not be, if your looking for fairness and opportunity for others to serve, how can you possibly permit a ten year appointee to remain on a commission that pays well over 100,000.00 per year plus car and other perks to remain as a commissioner, while kicking an east side, NOT WEALTHY, minority commissioner who had done a good job and only been on the commission a year or so.
WHY AREN'T THERE TERM LIMITS ON COMMISSIONERS ? ! ?
Pay to Play you say ?
There goes Jackal Jim's BS exuse about giving other residents the ability to serve and shifting commissioners around as the reason for the latest removal ! ! !
Thank you for this fascinating analysis. NOW, put the pressure on the Mayor.
Additionally, please let us know how much Mr. Stein has raised for Mayor Poopy, not just donated himself. There are articles that put it in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for just the last election, I think. Isn't there another member of the immediate family who is also being paid to work for the City/Mayor. How much do they get and what do they do for Mayor Poopy?
Everyone should relax. Cynthia only got the job because of politics. Pacheco's former chief of staff Rubalcava was removed because Villaraigosa wanted his person there.
Politics got her in and politics got her out.
Same thing happened to Pacheco's appointee.
What I don't understand is why everyone on this blog questions commission appointments. Don't you work for the same electeds whp pass on their recommendations to the Mayor? As well as who they want off? It is standard practice. Maybe you folks are just not important enough to be in the know...hah hah
Thank you previous blogger. You hit it right on the nose. City council confirms the appointment and if they haven't done their homework then you can't blame Hahn. Let's add another fact that many people are failing to accept. Cynthia is a godmother to Antonio's family. She was out in the community using her position as a commissioner openly campaigning for Antonio. Many residents have a problem with that cause she's getting paid by our tax dollars. She's not as innocent as many of you are making her seem. She knew what she did was wrong.
Question ?
Is Fuentes, the sister of the former deputy mayor, the current chief of staff of Padilla and the former political hack of Acevedo, Cardenas and Padilla too ?
No, she is not the sister of the former deputy mayor. She is his aunt.
Felipes Fuentes, political hack! Aah..how this blog makes me laugh
Can you beleive that the majority of people on the Eastside had no idea who Cynthia Ruiz is. She never went to a community meeting and advised the residents the resources available to them. I hear Yolanda Fuentes is one of the best so we're looking forward to working with her.
They just finished confirming Yolanda Fuentes. Ludlow and Villaraigosa couldn't help themselves in being the biggest phoneys. They know better than anyone that Cynthia Ruiz was appointed to kiss Antonio's butt and now that the Mayor doesn't have to do that, he changed a disloyal commissioner.
I can't believe people are trying to portray Ruiz as a victim. She knew the rules of the game and broke them by being disloyal.
I have never seen so many supporters at a commissioner's confirmation hearing. You're right about Tony Villar. He all of a sudden changed his tune. He knows Yoland Fuentes has so much support not just in the valley but citywide that he wanted to make nice and came off looking like an idiot. When you put the two resumes together of both Cynthia and Yolanda by far Yolanda's experience in the community and with politicans by far outweights Cynthia's. She was the much better choice. I've heard before being selected as commissioner she was doing what Cynthia should have been doing in the community. All I ever saw Cynthia do is ride in parades. She has always been an Antonio supporter and she got caught on city time. Amazine how all the council members all of a sudden changed their tune in council this morning.
Out of all the requests that had been made to the Board of Public Works since Cynthia Ruiz(aka:cry baby)started, more than half have been accomplished by the New and Lovely Commissioner Yolanda Fuentes. I have to disagree that Cynthia Ruiz just rode in parades. I never had the chance to see her ride in the parades, but rather found that her lunch spot was at the Plum Tree in China town. I did however hear that Ms. Ruiz is now organizing for Antonio as she was spotted at the Democratic Club meeting.
Great Job Commissioner Fuentes!
HEY FOLKS WHERE DO I SENT MY MONEY SO THAT CRY BABY ASS KISSER TO ADV TONY CAN GET HER HAIT DONE A COLOR THAT GOES WITH THAT FACE AND SKIN TONE'S. MS RUIZ DO YOU HAVE A MIRROR AT HOME OR WOULD LIKE YOU LIKE ONE CAUSE YOU JUST DON'T GET IT THAT IS NOT A COLOR ON A HAIR CHART WELL AT LESS WHERE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE ADV GO TO. ANYWAY GET IT DONE TO YOUR BIRTH COLOR OR DID FOR GET WHAT COLOR IT WAS??
Let's not forget that when Cindy montañes was a "nobody" it was Yolanda Fuentes, Tony Cardenas and Alex Padilla who helped her get elected in the San Fernando City council but then when she formed her own "machine" with Alarcon and her sister Maribel and all her"significant others" Cindy suddenly forgot who was there for her when she needed the most. Yonada Fuentes was. But then Cindy run against Yolanda. We in the community know that Yolanda was more prepared and knowledgeable regarding the position than "insignificant Cindy". Therefore, It was us, the community who lost in that race by appointing Cindy who has done nothing for our community except to be "friends" with Mr. Nuñes who is supporting Antonio Villaraigosa. So, Dear reader next time you open your mouth to question Yolanda Fuentes make sure you clean it, because she is worth more than any of your friends. Why it does not surprised me that Cindy is friends with Antonio "Del Villar"(what are you hiding)alias Villaraigosa who happens to be friends with Ruiz. They are all ungraceful and untruthful people.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home