Tony Goes To The Dogs
Antonio Villaraigosa is getting thumbs down from a Venice animal owner. While Wacko Walter Moore presents himself as the pro-animal choice, the owner of a dog who voted in the Venice Neighborhood Council is going all out on an "Anyone but Antonio" campaign.Marta Evry is the owner of Raku the voting dog. She was later disallowed, but at one point she was able to vote in Venice Neighborhood Council elections. Evry voted for Antonio in 2001, but is no longer supporting him, despite the fact that Antonio makes her "lefty heart go pitter-patter."
"In a nutshell, vote for anybody but Villaraigosa." Evry has come to her conclusions from appearing before Villaraigosa, Janice Hahn and Dennis Zine before the City Council's Neighborhood and Education Committee. That is, when Tony actually showed up. Tony didn't seem to be too interested in what was going on in the committee, according to Evry.
In every case, I found Mr. Zine and Ms. Hahn engaging, curious and involved. Mr Villaraigosa, however, was largely absent. Literally not there. And the few times he was there, he usually stared off into space, clearly impatient, just itching to be gone. Only once did I hear him comment on the proceedings at hand; A stakeholder, expressing concerns about how their case was being handled by their neighborhood council and the city employees involved in the issue, was making an impassioned plea for the council members to intervene. While Hahn and Zine took notes and asked probing questions, Mr. Villaraigosa just stated he believed the City's union members should be insulated from stakeholder complaints. Then he got up and left. And that was it.""On paper," Every says "Mr. Villaraigosa looks like a progressive Democrat's best friend. But for me what was once exciting and charismatic, comes across as pandering." She fears if elected, he may run for Dianne Feinstein's Senate seat, much as he broke his promise "...to the constitutents of CD 14 that he would not run for Mayor..."
And apparently Raku agrees.
Bow-wow!
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 3/01/2005 07:48:00 PM
34 Comments:
FROM MEAT:
Mayor Sam -- whats up brother man -- One little random animal activists rags on Antonio and this deserves precious web space?
Its your site and you can do what you want -- but honestly, Using a picture of Antonio with those two hot chicks -- what are you trying to say?
Using a picture on a day when the line to take pictures was over 150 strong and you use that one? Interesting that the picture right after was of an elderly couple, the wife who cried when she met Antonio because of how proud she was of him, but i suppose that picture doesn't get your late night web gazers excited does it?
How about the fact that Chip Murray a man that was with Hahn 4 years ago, who is (was) the leader of a huge congregation in South LA is now with Antonio?
it's cool i suppose -- Antonio's going to be mayor no matter what you post, or anyone on this blog writes.
blog away
Whew... thank goodness this isn't an anti-Villaraigosa blog!
This is the reaction of anyone who's ever stood before ADV in committee of council (although that's not a lot of people, since he's seldom there). Even if he's present, he's not there. He's planning his next "crappy little speech" as the city's shadow-mayor.
"it's cool i suppose -- Antonio's going to be mayor no matter what you post..."
MOVE quick people, MEAT's planning a coup for when Tony V. loses the general.
Don't start ragging on Mayor Sam, meat - if ADV end up in a two-way with Hertzberg, you're gonna need more love from him than if he's up against Hahn.
Not just ANY animal activist, Raku is a legend on the Westside. Made Hahn's GM for neighborhood councils look pretty silly for awhile there, got the commission working overtime to come up with some guidelines for NC elections A couple years late, but...)
Don't sweat the cheescake photo with the jailbaits, dude. There's pictures just like that with Tony V. every other week-in the Eastside Sun, the Northeast Wave, The Comet, all the local throwaways. You name it.
It's not news that Tony doesn't like being a councilmember.
He only ran for Council to set up his run for Mayor.
Voting dog? Is this the best you can do Mayor Sam? At least ADV did get Animal Reg to accept donations over the max that they set several decades ago so that they can actually use the food and donations they have been sitting in storage for years because of the ridiculous out dated rule. A mayor of nearly 4 years never figured that simple thing out.
Oh for God's sake, if you're going to quote me, please do so completely! Here's the entire text of the letter I sent out to my Venice list. Enjoy!
Marta Evry,
Venice
Over the last few weeks, I've been repeatedly asked who I plan to vote for in the CD 11 race and for Mayor. Evidently, being the Mom of Raku, The Voting Dog of Venice, makes me a political expert in some people's eyes.....;-)
Well, not to disappoint, Raku and I have pored over the various pieces of campaign literature now arriving on our doorstep daily, perused the LA blogs, read the papers and checked to see which way the wind was blowing. Eventually we came to a few conclusions.
Raku asked me to save the CD 11 race for another day. Today she just wanted me to talk about the BIG DOG - The LA race for Mayor.
So here goes nothing.................
In a nutshell, vote for anybody but Villaraigosa.
First, let me say this. I voted for Villaraigosa in 2001. (Raku still lived with my mom in Maryland, so she didn't vote)
Anyway, I voted for him for all the right reasons. Reasons that made my Lefty heart go pitter-patter. He was new, exciting, charismatic and handsome. He had vision. He was progressive. He was a coalition builder. He promised to look out for the least amongst us in society - the poor, the homeless, the sick - without heaping the burden onto the backs of the middle class. He would end traffic gridlock in LA by encouraging public transportation and light rail. He would reform LA's moribund school system. He supported strong labor unions. He would be the first Latino Mayor in Los Angeles in over a hundred years.
What a difference four years make.
In the last couple of years, because of my involvement in the Venice Neighborhood Council, I've had the opportunity ( or great misfortune depending on the traffic) to tramp down to City Hall every few months to make my case for one issue or the other. More times than not, I found myself testifying in front of the City Council's Neighborhood and Education Committee, on which sits Council Members Janice Hahn, Dennis Zine, and Antonio Villaraigosa.
In every case, I found Mr. Zine and Ms. Hahn engaging, curious and involved. Mr Villaraigosa, however, was largely absent. Literally not there. And the few times he was there, he usually stared off into space, clearly impatient, just itching to be gone. Only once did I hear him comment on the proceedings at hand; A stakeholder, expressing concerns about how their case was being handled by their neighborhood council and the city employees involved in the issue, was making an impassioned plea for the council members to intervene. While Hahn and Zine took notes and asked probing questions, Mr. Villaraigosa just stated he believed the City's union members should be insulated from stakeholder complaints. Then he got up and left. And that was it.
Then in January, he showed a spectacular degree of ignorance and blatant political pandering by writing a letter in support of restoring our Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council's quorum and funding. The letter was very short on specifics, suggesting Mr. Villaraigosa had no understanding of the issues beyond what one of his campaign supporters and Progressive Slate GRVNC Board members told him. Neither he nor anyone from his staff made any attempt to research the situation or get input from anyone else in the community. Is this the kind of in depth understanding and hands-on neighborhood empowerment we can expect from him as Mayor?
In my mind this raises a number of concerns. On paper, Mr. Villaraigosa looks like a Progressive Democrat's best friend. But for me, what was once exciting and charismatic, comes across now as pandering. Sure he voted against Playa Vista II and the LAX plan D, but only when it was clear his vote wouldn't make any difference in the end result, and would not cost him politically. And his vision doesn't seem to extend beyond the next targeted political office up the ladder of power. He leaves behind a trail of broken promises - not the least of which was his promise to the constituents of CD 14 that he would not run for mayor if they elected him as their council member. What will happen if he becomes Mayor? Can he already be eyeing Dianne Feinstein's Senate seat for 2006?
In the two years of being on the City Council, he seems to be one of the most ineffective - talking the big picture - but doing very little actual work to push forth his ideas. And I've read repeatedly he's taken credit for work others have done, such as ending the MTA bus strike in 2003. Worse, many of the same people, unions and political organizations that endorsed Villaraigosa in 2001 have abandoned him, endorsing either Hahn or Bob Hertzberg (see below)
But folks, please, please don't take my word for it. Check out the following links at the bottom of this email to read for yourself...or better yet, do a web search of your own.....read up and become educated. You may not come to the same conclusions as I did, but you certainly will know more than when you started.
______________________________________________
And by the way, have you considered Bob Hertzberg?
OK, by now, unless you live in the valley, you're probably saying, "Bob Who?"
Hertzberg. Bob Hertzberg. He's the big, giant 75-foot guy in the TV ads.
So why Bob Hertzberg? Well, I first became aware of Mr. Hertzberg through Sandy Kievman, the Chief Field Deputy of our current Council Member Cindy Miscikowski. When I asked her why she liked him so much, she simply said "He's a hard worker." I guess Sandy should know, since she lives in that part of town, and until 2 years ago, her boss's council district served part of the valley.
Theoretically, Mr. Hertzberg should not make my Lefty heart go pitty-patter. He's about as close to a Republican as a Democrat can get. In fact, he seems to be the favored son of a lot of LA's GOP intelligencia (real Republican candidate Walter Moore seems to have left them cold).
But there are two things that got my attention:
One:
Bob Hertzberg co-founded a company called Solar Integrated Technologies (SIT). The company manufactures a photovoltaic roofing material, sealing it in to a wafer-thin photovoltaic cell that is nine times lighter than the big glass panels used for electricity generation now. So what's the big deal? The technology barely existed and was not commercially viable before his company set up shop in LA and began aggressively seeking government contracts for mass manufacturing. This enabled SIT to develop techniques to make their product more affordable and thus a more viable energy alternative for the general public ( a real problem, since most solar technology is prohibitively expensive for the average consumer). He was determined to develop a viable business in Los Angleses, creating jobs locally, using eco-friendly sustainable green technology, and succeeded. And in the process he managed to be two things at once - pro-business and pro-environment (he left the company just as it became profitable to run for mayor).
Two:
City Controller Laura Chick is a big supporter of Bob Hertzberg. She has yet to come out with an official endorsement for mayor (she withdrew her support from James Hahn), but I predict she will endorse Hertzberg if he makes it past the March 8th election for the runoff in May. But more importantly, Hertzberg is a big supporter of Laura Chick. He's already taken to heart many of her recommendations to eliminate waste and fraud in LA City government and is likely to advocate for an even bigger role for her and her office should he become Mayor of LA - a move that could potentially save millions of dollars in taxpayer funds, freeing up the money for much needed police and other public safety services.
In other words, he seems willing to roll up his sleeves and do the hard work to make LA City government more responsive and accountable - and he's willing to support other "worker bees" to do the same.
So no, Mr. Hertzberg's street cred doesn't make my Lefty heart go pitter-patter. But hey, he's willing to show up and DO THE WORK. Which, as I've discovered with Mr. Villaraigosa, is half the battle.
But, again, don't take my word for it. Check out the following websites, read up, get educated, and most important, go out and vote!
___________________________________
BOB HERTZBERG LINKS:
Daily News Hertzberg Endorsement: http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%7E20951%7E2707947,00.html
LA City Beat Article on Hertzberg: http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=1692&IssueNum=89
LA Times Endorsement: http://www.veniceforum.org/?q=node/view/286
Bob Hertzberg website: http://www.changela.com/
LA Business Journal Article: http://www.labusinessjournal.com/article.asp?aID=67939878.7771975.1104376.6334153.8347204.358&aID2=84943
Daily Breeze Article: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/1283222.html
Riordon Endorses Hertzberg (you may need to register with the LA Times to see this one) http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-mayor11feb11,1,3411411.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
Wooing Laura Chick: http://www.laobserved.com/archive/003107.html
_____________________________________________________
ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA LINKS:
Can Villaraigosa actually accomplish anything? http://lavoice.org/article554.html?POSTNUKESID=e6b9fbbbac5a754a94a979e71250fd9e
Last fall, some of his own constituents launched an effort to recall him from his council seat, saying they were outraged that he had reneged on his promise to serve four full years: http://www.recallvillaraigosa.com/index.htm
Villaraigosa's Broken Promises: http://www.recallvillaraigosa.com/sent1.htm
Antonio moves for Mayor: http://www.laweekly.com/ink/printme.php?eid=55751
Requiem for a Candidate: http://www.lavoice.org/article553.html?POSTNUKESID=5650a555ffac5a707652997867a463ea
Playing It Safe is a Blood Sport (you may need to register with the LA Times to see this one) http://www.latimes.com/news/local/state/la-me-lopez13feb13,1,6321503.column?coll=la-news-state
A Second Chance (you may need to register with the LA Times to see this one) http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-villaprofile8feb08,1,2291703.story?coll=la-headlines-california
Los Angeles Business Journal: Distractions finally set aside, Villaraigosa gears up for race: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_46_26/ai_n8553136
Now that, MEAT, is how to post a blog rant, you piker.
To be fair, you should run the full item about Villaraigosa and the Animal Services donation limits being raised, too. . .
BOW-WOW! - ANIMAL SERVICES CODE CHANGED TO ALLOW LARGER DONATIONS FROM COMMUNITY
FIDO, FIFI AND FRIENDS TO BENEFIT FROM POLICY CHANGE
LOS ANGELES (February 23, 2005) - The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously approved an ordinance increasing the donation limits to the Animal Welfare and Animal Sterilization Trust Funds from $5,000 per donation to $25,000. The change was proposed by Councilmember Antonio Villaraigosa and will become effective in approximately 30 days.
"The original limits were set decades ago," said Villaraigosa. "They needed to be adjusted for inflation and for pragmatic
reasons. Donated pet food worth more than $5,000 was sitting in storerooms spoiling while Animal Services awaited Council approval to accept the over-the-limit donation. That was only penalizing the animals. It was pointless."
After the effective date of the ordinance, donors can give cash or in-kind contributions of goods or services to the Trust Funds care of the Department of Animal Services up to the new $25,000 limit for each donation without the Department having to seek City Council approval. The change will expedite the use of donations and, Villaraigosa hopes will encourage more contributions to the Trust Funds.
"I'm determined to see Animal Services become more animal-friendly and user-friendly for the people of L.A.," he said. "I think that the increased participation and support of the public via these Trust Funds will help make that happen sooner."
The idea was brought to Villaraigosa by his constituent, humane activist Irene Ponce of El Sereno, who had met with Officer Wendell Bowers, manager of L.A.'s North Central shelter and learned of the problem. The Councilmember took the issue to then-interim Animal Services G.M. Sharon Morris and asked for guidance from the Animal Services Commission. He took their suggestion of a new $25,000 limit to the Council last fall, and the rest is history.
I don't recall meat complaining about one animal activist holding a campaign fundraiser for Antonio and getting to rip off a community's identity as the door prize.
Just 6-7 weeks and no one on this blog will care anymore what ADV is up to back in CD14. They'll all start ganging up on Hahn, or Hertzberg -- whichever one is the mayor then.
Hell, with just one animal rights activist and a $100,000 or so in payola campaign contributions, Tony V. could run the whole damn world.
Marta and Raku:
An interesting letter, but it includes some erronous information.
For example, you claim that AV takes credit for solving the MTA strike which is not due him. Here's an LA Times head and subhead from a couple days after the strike was resolved:
Villaraigosa Is Praised for Getting MTA Talks on Track
Both sides agree that the former labor organizer played an important role in ending the strike.
Los Angeles Times
November 28, 2003
Also you chide Villaraigosa for not having the support of labor in this election, but belittle his opposition to LAX expansion and Playa Vista. Those two votes were among the strongest reasons that AV lost the COPE endorsement. You can't have it both ways.
AV has consistenly worked with the community to mitigate Playa Vista, including securing tens of millions of dollars to preserve large portions of the site as open space. That's why the Sierra Club and LCV endorse Villaraigosa.
And as for Bob's effectiveness, I would ask you to look at both of their Speakerships. Villaraigosa receive extensive bi-partisan praise for bringing people together and forging important compromises that moved our state forward.
Bob's speakership was a mess. The closing session where much of the years work gets done, collapsed into complete chaos as Bob manuevered with utility industry lobbyists to secure a multi-billion taxpayer and ratepayer bailout of Edison.
Consumer advocates still call him "Bail Out Bob."
Not surprising, Bob founded the Business Dem Caucus in the legislature, dedicated to working with corporate interests to kill and forstall pro-consumer legislation.
And Laura Chick did not withdraw her endorsement of Hahn when Hertzberg entered the race. She did it when Antonio entered the race.
Mayor Sam I'm surprised you wou;d cave in to MEAT taking down the photos. Here you go MEAT today's LAT....Antonio Villaraigosa and Bob Hertzberg, rivals running for mayor of Los Angeles, roomed together when they were in the Assembly and tapped many of the same moneyed interests as they raised $28 million for Democratic campaigns.
Oh and you gotta read the Daily News cause Hahn has found money for more cops...
Does anyone have a PROZAC FOR MEAT? I'm sure after reading these articles he's going to need it.
Thanks for pointing out that Laura Chick took away her endorsement from Hahn when Villaraigosa stepped into the race. Many people think it's been a Chick-Villaraigosa conspiracy that has tried to bring down Hahn for a long time. Some even say that Villaraigosa got that Chick memo first and Chick only gave it to the other candidates in case it later got out that Villaraigosa was the only recipient of Chick's handiwork.
To 8:08 AM
Bob's energy bail-out? I guess had Antonio done a better job as Speaker and created the energy plants we needed even during his tenure then we wouldn't have needed to bail-out or bargain with anyone.
You also imply that democrats can't work on business interests too. Do you expect everyone to work for the government? Where will new living wage jobs come from? How will our economy grow enough so that we can reinvest in our infrastructure, give the real money needed to improve education or provide medical care to those in need.
You're miopic vision of what democrats should promote is the problem the party now faces.
That's "dyslexic," moron.
To 8:08 AM
I'm sorry, but I don't see it that way about the Labor endorsements. I believe Villaraigosa knew they were likely to go to incumbent Hahn, so he took a calcualted risk, hoping for a big payoff with environmental groups and LAX opponents.
It worked.
Marta,
Venice
AND YOU PEOPLE CALL THIS A FAIR AND BALANCED BLOG?? PLEASEEEEEE!!!!
Who called it that? Reality check... there is NO SUCH THING AS FAIR AND BALANCED MEDIA, blogs, print, broadcast, anything.
Grow up, take your best shots, stop whining. The "power of the press" belongs to them what owns it. Get your own blog and bash as you see fit.
FROM MEAT:
Unfortunately Marta you are misinformed. While i truly respect you for using your name, if you attended COPE you would note that every Labor Leader there cited his votes at Playa Vista and LAX. Outside all of the tea leaf reading all we can do is take those men and women by their word. It was because Antonio had the guts to do the right thing, while i am sorry you feel like he was inattentive to you in chambers i think his record in council speaks volumes to the priority he places on animals.
Thanks for posting.
May we then truly disrespect you for NOT using your real name?
Of course...
FROM MEAT:
You can disrespect me only slightly less than we may disrespect you Mr. Complete Absolute 100% ANONYMOUS.
blog away dum-dum
MEAT now you have to give us Antonio's great record in council please.
MEAT now you have to give us Antonio's great record in council please.
From 95% Anonymous
MEAT, is it true Antonio is making all these new doggy ordinances because of the influence of a major fund raiser and host of Antonio's birthday fund raiser who happens to be a dog lover. Isn't Antonio changing the name of a dog park to please her too? Maybe he'll propose a new ordinance to allow dogs to vote? Should he, Marta?
From 81 PERCENT ANONYMOUS
I heard that on the street, too. The same fundraiser that got preferential treatment on priority street paving in her neighborhood, while her immediate neighbors (not at the B-Day party) were told to go sit in potholes.
(and, someone at the Times has been nosing around about the same situation this week...)
By "ground zero" you mean his field offices, right? Zero progress!
You are right on the money Sacramento. I get those stupid e-mails from that dog lover in El Sereno. They're laughable. Saying ADV should be mayor cause he's a dog lover. (I won't go there). Yeah, MEAT pretty sad when ADV's tv ads only have 2 accomplishments in 2 years in CD14. One is an out right lie on the neighborhood watches. He hasn't done a damn thing while in council. ADV has spent more time out of his district. How many days did he miss last year something like 80?
Those are 80 working days missed, right? I see the looks on Padilla's face and the faces of the council staff on the City station when they televise the CC meetings each week. They go through the motions, and no one says anything, (but you can tell what they're thinking as they mouth the words again, and again)
"Mr. Villaraigosa is excused for the next two council sessions and that meets with council policy" (RIGHT, why bother even mentioning the obvious!!!)
Padilla may excuse Villaraigosa, the people of CD14 won't. Viva the Recall!
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