Cleaning out the Friday Stables
It's Friday and below are the e-mails i've received in the last 24 hours. 1 from the Hahn campaign, 1 from the concerned citizen bashing MEAT and another one from the Villaraigosa Campaign.
read away!
From the Hahn campaign:
To: Interested Parties
From: Julie Wong
Re: What's the Deal?
What deal did Antonio Villaraigosa make with Bernard Parks to securehis endorsement? It's no secret that Bernard Parks has waged acampaign against Mayor Hahn since he brought new leadership to theLAPD.Still, prior to endorsing Antonio Villaraigosa this week, BernardParks presented Mayor Hahn and Antonio Villaraigosa with a "MayoralEndorsement Checklist," asking both candidates to commit toimplementing several policies as mayor to win his endorsement.Mayor Hahn would not make a deal to score political points and ignoredthe checklist. The question is: what deal did Antonio Villaraigosamake?Antonio Villaraigosa told voters in Granada Hills that Bernard Parkswas not the "right person for the job" of LAPD chief and then toldvoters in South Los Angeles that he supported Chief Parks. What didAntonio Villaraigosa tell Bernard Parks he would do as mayor? And howdoes this compare to what he's been telling others?Did Antonio Villaraigosa, who has said he is 100 percent behindinclusionary zoning, agree to Bernard Parks' demand that he opposeinclusionary zoning?Did Antonio Villaraigosa, who says he's a friend of labor, agree tonot appoint labor representatives to city commissions?Bernard Parks' said that "specific answers are essential ...."What specific answers did Antonio Villaraigosa give to Bernard Parks?
From a Concerned Citizen:
Dear Mayor Sam,
I have been forwarded several emails regarding several posts on the blog, (latest one from MEAT) that denounce Neighborhood Councils, and the system as a whole.
I wish to address this, although I haven't been able to find the original posts your site is quite extensive. Anyone, and I mean anyone, who needs to know what Neighborhood Councils can do need to look no further than their DWP bill which is considerably lower because 42 Neighborhood Councils stood up and opposed the 18% rate increase last year. An increase the Mayor, and most City Council members believed was justified, but we showed them it was not. Neighborhood Councils then stood up and demanded that the DWP be audited prior to any future rate actions, that motion passed city Council, but wait... there is more. Then we began a negotiation with the DWP on a Memorandum of Understanding that was just approved by the DWP Commissioners this past Tuesday, between Neighborhood Councils and the DWP. That document reigns in and opens up the historically secretive department and holds them accountable to their owners, the people of Los Angeles. Sure, you can find examples of Neighborhood Councils being dysfunctional, but more and more Neighborhood Councils are beginning to live up to their promise. From Granada Hills North, where they are doing more than just opposing the Sunshine Canyon Landfill but also coming up with solutions to land-filling, to Westchester where they are working on a solution to the LAX issues, to South Centrals fight against the influx of liquor stores to Northridge where they are working to prevent a second Wal Mart in 5 miles fro m being built while simultaneously looking for an alternative development. Neighborhood Councils are in the City Charter for a reason, to give the power back to the people. This threatens many people in the current power structure. From City Councilmembers who attempt to "shake down" developers prior to approving a project, to the behind the scenes people who aren't used to the people of this city having the final say. It may be a slow process, but this city is slowly being returned to the people, lessening the relevance of the elected leaders to a degree, while forcing them to work with the people... who after all are the ultimate "special interest group". Does that make Neighborhood Council members "amateurs"? Well, if by that you mean we represent the people over big powerful interest groups then sure. Are they perfect? Of course not... democracy isn't always pretty... or perfect. But for a country that absolutely loves to wrap itself in the flag in order to achieve some higher moral ground, let's remember that the flag stand for a government of the people, by the people and for the people... and last time I checked Neighborhood Councils are a group of people, chosen by their communities, to represent them and that, should never be ridiculed for to do so is to ridicule all that this country holds up to the rest of the world as sacred... Democracy.
From the Villaraigosa campaign
Will Hahn Support a Review of No-Bid Airport Contracts?
LOS ANGELES – According to campaign finance reports filed yesterday afternoon, Mayor Jim Hahn accepted contributions from lobbyists representing airport contractors, including a lobbyist subpoenaed to testify in ongoing corruption investigations.
Earlier this week, the Airport Commission voted to extend no-bid contracts with concessionaires without formal debate.
City Hall lobbyists also made a big showing. Those who contributed $1,000 to Hahn include: Butterfield Communications, Darlene Kuba, Rudy Svorinich Jr. and Ek & Ek.
The last firm was co-host at a fundraiser for Hahn last week. The Airport Commission, whose members are appointed by the mayor, voted Monday to extend a contract for McDonald's restaurants at LAX. Lobbyist John Ek represents McDonald's outlets at the airport.
Hahn fundraiser Annette Castro and her husband, lobbyist Julio Ramirez Jr., each contributed $1,000. Ramirez represents the Hudson Group, whose contract to run bookstores and newsstands at LAX was also extended Monday by the Airport Commission.
(Los Angeles Times, April 8, 2005)
On Tuesday, Councilmember Jack Weiss introduced a motion to reconsider the airport contracts before the City Council.
Will Mayor Hahn support the motion to reevaluate no-bid, no-discussion airport contracts?
If this is just an “appearance problem,” will he do something about it?
Did he know that lobbyists contributing to his campaign had business before the Airport Commission?
John Ek, a prominent airport lobbyist whose clients include McDonald's, said after the vote that he had co-hosted a $1,000-per-person fundraiser for Hahn last Wednesday in San Pedro and that he helped raise money for the mayor last year.
Ek confirmed that he had appeared a year ago before a grand jury investigating pay-to-play allegations that campaign contributions may have influenced decisions on city contracts.
Julio Ramirez, another lobbyist and Hahn contributor, represents the Hudson Group, which operates bookstores and newsstands at LAX.
Ramirez is the husband of Annette Castro, one of Hahn's chief fundraisers. The Hahn campaign paid Castro more than $200,000 for her fundraising and campaign consulting activities in recent years, according to Hahn's campaign finance statements.
The New Jersey-based Hudson Group acquired the North American airport retail business of W.H. Smith in December 2003. Atlanta-area executives of W.H. Smith contributed $22,000 to Hahn's mayoral campaign in 2000. The company's LAX concession contract was extended without competitive bidding after Hahn was elected.
W.H. Smith also gave $50,000 to Hahn's L.A. United campaign to defeat the secession of the San Fernando Valley.
The Hudson Group contract was extended to May 31, 2006, with the option for another one-year extension.
The contract with DFS Group to operate the airport's Duty Free Shops was extended until Nov. 30, 2007. DFS executive Joseph Lyons and two lobbyists, Richard Lichtenstein and attorney Ellen Berkowitz, were at the commission meeting.
On the same 6-0 vote, the commission extended the concession contract of attorney Andy M. Camacho, who operates two Mexican restaurants at the airport. Camacho has contributed to both of Hahn's mayoral campaigns. He also gave $1,000 to the mayor's legal defense fund last month.
(Los Angeles Times, April 5, 2005)
Posted by Anonymous @ 4/08/2005 03:31:00 PM
55 Comments:
Re: Parks endorsement letter... loved the picture painted by the barber shop customers in Lopez's Times column, something like "Parks endorsement means nothing, Black people known Parks would have endorsed a Klansman if he was running against Hahn, after being fired from LAPD."
Specific answers, from ADV?
R U SEE-rious? HA!!! This guy couldn't be specific if you answer re: boxers or briefs.
"Well, that depends on which side of the room you're sitting in when you ask me the question."
CP wrote" "From the Vallariaogsa campaign..."
Vallariaogsa? Chief Praker, has this guy changed his last name - again: Is this his way of pandering to the Valley vote even more (which he can't get enough of to matter?) Do we prononouce this Valley-ray-gosa?
According to Daniel Wiseman, neighborhood council gadfly and rabid ADV supporter, (posting on the LANCissues Yahoo list), if you don't pronounce his name correctly, you're RACIST.
What must it mean, Chief Prakre that you, Chief Parrkre, can't even SPELL his name correctly?
Who deep, dark sinister past thoughts and stereotypical views of ADV are you still harboring, even after your flaccid (ABD) endorsement of past weeks, Chief Pkrera. (Or should we call you, Massa Parker?)
(P.S. Is it true ADV told Valley Vote that if elected, he would secede the two main parts of his last name from each other -- in exchange for their endorsement and in solidarity with them?)
Thank you Chief Parker for finally posting the other side. Dan Weisman is a flip flopper just like AV. He 1st supported the city sales tax hike to get more cops. Then he goes to an Alliance meeting and passes out propaganda about 3-12 LAPD schedule and quotes the whole story from Parks. Anyone dumb enough to support the team of AV/Parks have to be morons.
Somone want to list all the nefarious, hand-out-for-deals big money people giving Antonio money for the past several months, too. Does anybody ACTUALLY think these millionaires are popping pep pills into HIS campaign out of the goodness of their fat cat pocketbooks?
Will Villaraigosa promise no pay-for-play for any of these? (When he's already known to do it for far smaller sums in his district?) Nope, already been asked, and dodged the question.
Why did Tony V. and others not approve the new guidelines on this kind of campaign giving? (Because Hahn got "his," and now we want ours, too!).
Oh yeah, this is going to be a MUCH better administration, based primarily on the "he hit me first" mentality they run campaigns on.
Take tallies of anything you "think" Hahn has been shady on in the past four years, because that stuff is going to look like bush-league" Amateur Hour" graft if we get stuck with the slicker form of con-man that Villaraigosa is -- for the next 4.
Let's ask Councilmember Parks to show us a copy of Antonio's answers to his very specific questions? Will you that that for us, Bernard?
Yeah, and we also know the only questions Parks wanted "specific" answers to during his meeting with Hahn was -- "will you send Bratton packing, reinstate me, and publicly apologize for saying he's a better C of P?
"NO? Well then, I guess I'm going with Villaraigosa. He's gonna let me hold his coat, while he ROLLS UP HIS SLEEVES, again" (Symbolically, of course).
WHERE'S THE HETZBERG endorsement... it was coming ANY DAY?
Locked away with the "high-level indictments" in a safe ADV forgot the combo to?
Well, Parker, you "sorta" fixed the spelling of ADV's name... after someone poked fun at you - sorta!?
It's toughie -- but then it is fake, like his record of public service accomplishments and the 80 NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES.
FROM MEAT:
Thanks for blasting me Chief Parker, you know right when i become a fan of yours you gots to go and single me out and post this dribble.
"Concerned Citizen" who the heck is that?
This "concerned citizen" wrote "Neighborhood Councils are in the City Charter for a reason, to give the power back to the people."
Wrong! They are in the charter because Riordan was looking for some cool stuff to look like a "reformer" on, so he polled various items. Neighborhood Councils being one them, and you know what the poll didn't even describe the function of them, it was just a name. The words "Neighborhood Councils" polled the best. They are in there because Riordan wanted them in there and they sound cool.
As for the other "reason" neighborhood councils exist is because of the two seperate charter reform commissions that were created. An elected one that had the likes of Janice Hahn and Nick Pacheco on it, and the appointed one with characters like George Kieffer on it who (Hahn lawyer, and Scwarzenegger's personal attorney) watered down the original concept of Neighborhood Councils to the chearleading squad they now are.
If Nick and Janice had actually wanted real power to be given to them, they would not have compromised on putting the entire Charter Commission on one single ballot and would've fought tooth and nail to preserve "real powers" for neighborhood councils. Powers people like "MEAT" support.
Instead Nick seeing a politcal future in his eyes grasped the compromised along with janice Hahn. Killing the very instrument that was truly intended to give "power to the people." You can thank the tandem of Pacheco and Hahn for giving us this choatic broken system we have today.
blog away.
p.s. whoever concerned citizen is, nice post, i respectfully disagree though.
Todays
Steve Lopez has some quotable quotes, Like Hanh wipped Antonino in the first runoff debate, as well as a take on the black community vote.
Todays
Steve Lopez has some quotable quotes, Like Hanh wipped Antonino in the first runoff debate, as well as a take on the black community vote.
Meat, you really have no idea what you are talking about. You don't seem to have much knowledge of the discussions (and arguments) on the elected charter reform commission and the positions of either Janice or Nick Pacheco.
And why suddenly all this crap about Nick? All this concern and you don't live in CD14, if I remember correctly.
Something is obviously troubling you and Antonio at the moment?
14 th Distrct CRIME UPDATE
SO Bad that
cnn is doing a special on it.
Titled
HOLLENBECK HOMICIDE
Sun-CNN 8:00
That is what the people live with, as Valley-ra-gosa raves about how wonderful of a job he is doing.
Thank you Chief Parker for putting that immature crybaby MEAT in his place. He thinks he knows it all and everyone else is wrong. The fact that he disrespects NC's is despicable. NC's are comprised of thousands of volunteer residents citywide who care about their communities to do something about it. I can guarantee that MEAT doesn't do anything for his or anyone else's community. No wonder he's an AV supporter. Stop ranting and raving and grow up MEAT. I'll debate issues with you anytime. You try and slander and discredit others who don't agree with you. That's AV mentality as well no wonder you're two peas in a pod.
Everybody knows that Pacheco has been seen around the district more lately and now MEAT (Antonio's puppet) wants to begin the attacks. If Nick is smart he will learn how to play victim like Antonio.
I wish one credible would ask Antonio so it can go on the record if he will keep 3-12 schedule if he wins. Blacks are saying that AV told Parks to get his endorsement he would get rid of it and Bratton to. Bratton is a Hahn appointment and loved by those police commissioners who dogged him. Anyone who knows Parks knows he's the most vindictive, revengeful man and can't let it go. He's out for payback. Antonio, Parks and all those racist Waters, Burke and black Rev.s will paint Hahn as a racist for getting rid of the worst police chief. Forget the fact that Bratton has crime down, officers are coming back, academy classes are full, morale is up. Let's get back those pissed off, stressed out, angry officers we had with Parks.
Someone out there HAS to have a copy of Park's endorsement checklist. I think we would all love to see it regardless of our Hahn/ Villaraigosa preference. Who tells him to do these things?
OK, everyone admits that Bratton has done a great job at LAPD. Morale is up, crime is down.
But, there is no reason to believe that Antonio will change that, as he has echoed these sentiments.
Hahn gets one point for this decision; but, as the saying goes, "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then" (or, if you prefer) "Even a broken clock is right twice a day".
Jimmy has just made so many other poor decisions affecting LA that it is just time for him to go.
All the stuff about Ted Stein, Leland Wong, Doug Dowie, Troy Edwards, James Acevedo, Chris Hammond must have some validity, because even Hahn, after trying to hardball the issues, had to admit they were bad for the City and get rid of them. The indictment of John Stodder, Dowie's number 2, doesn't prove anything, arguably, but seriously, Fleishman has admitted to overbilling the City, they are just arguing about how much.
So, JImmy cannot have it both ways. He can't fire these guys and then claim "Nothing has been proven; there are no facts". If that's true, then why fire them?
Antonio is not perfect, no one says that he is, least of all, Antonio. But he has the charisma and willingness to work, combined with the skills to bring concensus from most (I except the CD 14 folks who clearly miss the Pacheco days and who never seem to get over some slight, real or imagined).
HIs skills worked in Sacramento, and he brought civility back to an Assembly that was out of control. I was there and saw it myself. There were no allegations of corruption, double dealing, staffers being pressured by appointed commissioners, etc. He ran a clean administration, which just cannot be said for Hahn.
Further, Hahn has no desire to lead. He turned down the Chair of the MTA when it was his turn. Why? That Chair belonged to L.A. City, and the Chair has the power to help the City.
Why? Because he doesn't like to get in and work hard. If he'd release his calendar, we could all see what most of us around the City Hall already know. He is an absentee Mayor.
If he would have gotten into the effort to bring back an NFL team, he'd have done so by now. I know that once elected, Antonio will use every ounce of his fiber to take the bid for an NFL team to the NFL and use the bully pulpit to get the effort moving in a meaningful way. Where is Hahn? A.W.O.L.
OK, this is long enough. No junk about sex lives, personal stuff is necessary. The recond speaks for itself. No one can say that Jimmy has been a world class Mayor, nor can they argue he'll be better in the next four years.
I say we need to do something here, because it IS broke, so we need to fix it.
A Moderate Republican who cares about LA City (call me ModRep)
Of the three "new" letters--the last is the most desperate attempt to link campaign contributions with "votes." The same companies that won contracts for their clients at the Airport, etc. not only contriubite to Hahn but also to Villariagosa!! Berkowitz is with Mannet--so is Lisa Specht who heavily supported Hertzberg and is now gushing all over Antonio. So if things were reversed, the same exact BS connection could be made that Villariagosa was taking money from lobbyists like lisa in exhange for airport concessions.
Gee, I wonder if the second comment on Friday's Stables could have been written by Council wantabe Jim Alger. I'm on a neighborhood council but would be embarassed to take credit for stopping the DWP rate increase. You dummies. It's coming one way or the other. the only thing the Councils did was to slow is way down-----NOT make it go away! Which will likely cost us all more in the end. You've had you 15-minutes of fame. Now go back home.
Anonymous 9:38 AM - I think maybe you have missed the operative point on the LAWA contracts.
There is no reason in the world why they had to be extended NOW. The time to do an RFP or extend is nowhere near elapsing, and the rush to extend was motivated solely by the Hahn Administration's need to befriend the lobbyists and their clients.
A dime'll get you a dollar that if someone looks close enough, there will be some donations made, already and in the near future, by those benefiting from this early action.
So, you ask, why now? Well, perhaps the Hahn people figure that if they wait much longer, there may be other members on the Commission and in Room 300 of the City Hall.
Think maybe they've got something there?
Boy, first the CD14 ADV-haters go after each other on who's community is poorer (on another thread), and now ADV-lovers Parker and Meat go mango-a-mango.
This runoff better end pretty soon, or we'll be partying like it's 1992, all over again in the streets.
Only makes sense, if you're gonna clean out the Friday "stables" someone expose MEAT's shit.
Yeah, Chief Parker's pissed at MEAT... OR, since more than one blogger thinks they're the same person -- it's an attempt to cover tracks and blow smoke up someone's nether regions. Plus, is MEAT is pretend "banned" he's off the hook to come up with any of the still-missing answers or facts promised repeatedly to support his wimpy arguments and blind support of Villaraigosa.
SOmebody please wake people up!!!.
MAyor HAhn did do his best to get the NFL here, but when the City did not want to build the football stadium from nothing but taxpayer dollars , they went away. GEt your facts straight people. HAhn has been working on NFL , but MArk Ridley Thomas who is now in the state assembly , made the efforts to bring the NFL to the coliseum. But because the coliseum is in the wrong neighborhood , the nFL doesn't want to come , plus they want the city to pay for the expensive boxes of whoever owns the stadium adn the team. LA won't do it.
3rd time's the charm, Chief Parker -- FINALLY spelled Villaraigosa right.
Good thing you'll never have to type "Mayor Villaraigosa" all at once. Good thing for us all.
Sorry to disappoint you, but I was part of those negotiations.
Jimmy is AWOL. The NFL hates the Coliseum for other reasons that are not readily apparent, including the fact that the Commission sued successfully when the Raiders first came from Oakland and won $15 Million. The losing lawyer was Tagliabue. But these reasons do not control, and the Coliseum is still the best site in LA and for LA.
The Coliseum pencils out for a private deal without public money; the NFL needs public money to make a point to other cities and is afraid of a precedent. That can be overcome with some leadership.
That is the point. An aggressive Mayor, like Antonio, could have taken the case directly to the League and been a major part of the team to make it happen. He could have gotten the Governor to participate alongside and waged a campaign to make it happen, enlisting the leadership of the business commmunity and labor as well.
Jimmy did nothing of the sort, and is incapable of these kinds of actions due to his laid back, let it happen, let someone else do it nature.
The same reasons are behind his refusal of the Chair of MTA. Say what you will, that refusal cost the city lots of perks, including priority for projects that provide jobs, that instead went to Lancaster, for instance.
Sorry, the Mayoralty is a bully pulpit and we need someones there who knows how to use it, not a nice guy who is too shy to even know what his administration is doing.
Look, Los Angeles is on the cusp of being a world class city, but Jimmy is not going to take us there. The scandals and corruption alone disqualify him from a second term, and the people know it. The writing is on the wall for anyone to see.
The last poster regarding the NFL is an idiot. THe truth can be found in a recent Daily News article. It shows the real status of the N.F.L. and exactly who's behind it:
"The Coliseum Commission, which is entering its 10th month of negotiations with the league on terms, is close to settling the four major issues it still has with the NFL."
"One of the outstanding issues at the Coliseum remains how much the NFL would pay the Coliseum Commission for use of the facility. Commissioner Bernard Parks said the NFL won't agree to pay rent, but will pay for common area maintenance, which could amount to the same thing."
Antonio can't even do shit in his own district how the hell could he possibly do anything else? I just saw him on TV playing the race card. When you have hard core activists in your own district supporting HAHN that doesn't make AV look good. The word is geting out. TIMING TIMING TIMING.
I agree with anon 1:24. It's a ruse being perpetuated by Meat and Chief Parker.
Just re-read the article again.
Bernard Parks is leading the negotiations, not the Mayor, which is my point, exactly. Before it was Mark Ridley Thomas and Zev. It is NEVER Jimmy.
Look, the NFL are Starfuckers. If the Mayor and the Governor came in and pushed the issue, it would have been done long ago. They never even see the Mayor, because he is so afraid of failure that he won't take a risk.
Bloomberg wouldn't have stayed out, Guiliani wouldn't have stayed out, Hell, even Curt Pringle of Anaheim is leading the fight about the name of the Angels.
But, you never see Mayor Poopie in the fray, do you?
I rest my case.
Read Chief Parker's "slap" at MEAT a little more carefully, and you'll see the threat is that he'll be asked not the post AS MEAT anymore. (No wonder Parker is an ADV-phile, vague double-speak rules in that camp).
But you gotta read the text folks, it just means we'll just be getting visitations from an equally obnoxious "LosFelizBoi" or "WetBehindEars29" or "NotUlysses14" or even "81percentStoopid" screennames with the same misinformation.
Funny to have CP bashing MEAT for his bad spelling, however, right poster at 4:08 p.m. (Fri.)?
Stupid, angry people. Keep on posting in this microscopic, limited universe. Its funny. Its sad. Especially because so many of you seem to have nothing else to do.
I read to enjoy your pathetic situation. Rage all you need...it must be cathartic for many of you who never leave the comfortable confines of your home and computer. If you truly ever want to make a difference, get out and do something like mentor a youth or volunteer in schools. I do, do you? Probably not since many of you post during the times youth are the most vulnerable to bad influences.
Whether the incumbent or the challenger is the new mayor, I truly encourage all you regular posters, identified or anonymous, to actually do something positive in your neighborhood. Not just say what you're against, rather truly do something.
An anonymous poster is always ranting about the number of homocides in Villaraigosa's district. Has that poster decided to take a true stand and personally involved him or her self in the fight to reclaim neighborhoods from gangs?
I personally don't care who wins. But the level of rhetoric on both sides through the past months has disturbed me. If people are truly worried and disturbed...get involved. And don't come back saying that the elected in your area wouldn't let you help out. All it takes is one kid...yep, one kid. Mentor one kid and you have done more than any elected ever. You have changed a life.
Those who look for government to make their lives better are somewhat naive. Government is there to help create a better environment through legislation (ie. living wage, domestic partnership etc etc). But it is up to the individual to personally make the commitment to making a neighborhood better. Mentor, create neighborhood watches, volunteer at your child's school, volunteer at any organization that serves those in need.
It is you, the complainer, who is the one who can really change how this city works. Stop working the computer and start working your neighborhoods and community. Stop blaming City Hall and start blaming yourself and others like you. Get involved. Its not hard and your time you give gives more than you'll ever know to the ones who benefit.
Hopefully then you'll be too busy actually making a positive impact than spending your time on a silly blog arguing nothing and achieving even less.
Sign me, community volunteer
Amen.
Yes, idiot many of us are doers and are part of the solution not the problem like Antonio. Many of us have done more in the community then his little butt. MEAT discredits neighborhood councils. They work with the community and are volunteers who truly care. But MEAT wouldn't know that cause he and his boss Antonio don't even attend NC's. Maybe if Antonio had done something to help the 57 residents displaced illegally they wouldn't have to go to the Boyle Heights NC to get help. Jimmy Blackman that bullshit e-mail you sent to CD14 e-mail groups was a joke. You insult the intelligence of those who know better. Its now being sent citywide with a preface stating that your explanation for Antonio's incompetence is why he won't get elected. Funny how no one could ever get a hole of Jimmy for 2 yrs and all of a sudden he decides to send a group e-mail to explain the actions of his loser boss.
Community volunteer - you pop in and blast away for several hundred words to tell people they're wasting time on the blog.
Huh? Boy do you look foolish.
Amen, hallelujah!
so-called "communtiy volunteer" is just pissed because Tony V. didn't get the kind of media-worthy blast of volunteers at his latest El Sereno workday, and (as one of his field staffers, his own head's probably gonna roll on Monday).
Sorry you didn't have enough help, CD14 staffer. People who have REAL work to do in the community are getting tired of being props and "extras" for the camera for Villaraigosa's drive-by activism workdays - most of which have been schedule SINCE he announced he's running for mayor, just for show.
No coincidence. Next time he send his field staffers around trying to rally the activists, someone ask how many are on his "community leader" andorsement list for his campaign (none?)
I'll go next time -- but since it's all just really a media event for Tony's campaign, I want the SAG extra day rate for showing up.
Villaraigosa's campaign people really are the Kings of Denial (or maybe of "comedy"), but they really don't get this business about staying away from certain "code" words and phrases that help to betray Tony's own weaknesses.
Their latest e-mail blast-for-cash uses the e-mail header:
"We're on the move"
Even a fence-sitter could have fun with that one -- Tony V. who carpetbagged into CD14 from his decade-long home in CD1 to run for council, who's already got campaigns funds collecting to run for a state seat next year, and they use "we're on the MOVE."
How come they just don't see how foolish and fly-by-night this makes them look (even after Hahn made hay with it in the last debate).
Good campaign people are realistic enough about their own candidate's Achilles' heels not to keep pulling his socks down and putting a spotlight on them. GOOD campaign people, that is.
Anybody got the text of Jimmy Blackman's email? Can you post it here?
Dear Friends,
This is Jimmy Blackman, Councilmember Villaraigosa’s Chief of Staff.
I am writing this email and sending it to the greater Northeast Los Angeles community in an effort to address the questions and concerns that were recently raised by former Councilmember Nick Pacheco via community posted email.
Specifically, Mr. Pacheco stated that four very important Council District 14 community projects were fully funded when he left office and that he had “no explanation why they are not moving forward at this point.”
These projects include:
1) Garvanza Skateboard Park and Park improvements
2) Hollenbeck Police Station Tenant Relocation Funding
3) Council District 14 Dog Park
4) Moon Canyon Land Acquisition
Since Mr. Pacheco has been out of office for nearly two years, it is understandable that he did not have the up to date information regarding each of these projects. The fact of the matter is that each of these four projects has at least as much funding as there was when we first took office on July 1, 2003. Most of them are moving forward as planned – with the exception of Moon Canyon where there is a funding gap and we still do not have a willing seller.
Here are the details.
1) Garvanza Skateboard Park and general park improvements
When Mr. Pacheco left office on June 30, 2003 there was a balance of $510,000 in secured funding for the Garvanza Skateboard Park and general improvements for Garvanza Park. An additional $193,000 in unsecured Proposition 12 money was pending at that time.
Since Councilmember Villaraigosa took office on July 1, 2003, we worked to successfully secure the aforementioned $193,000 in Proposition 12 money in September of 2003 and added an additional $210,000 in Community Development Block Grant money later that year.
The current secured funding balance for the Garvanza Skateboard Park and general improvements at Garvanza Park is $913,000.
This is $403,000 more than the original secured amount of $510,000 when we first took office.
As to the status of the project, since taking office we have had a number of community meetings regarding the scope of park improvements and design of the Skateboard Park. We also initiated an Environmental Impact Report and Historical Study – both of which were mandated for this project and neither of which had been started before Councilmember Villaraigosa took office.
In June 2003, the cost of constructing a 12,000 square foot modular Skateboard Park with staff office was estimated at $350,000.
In 2004, as part of the public input process, the community overwhelmingly voted in favor of a concrete Skateboard Park as opposed to the modular Skateboard Park that had previously been proposed. Beginning in January of this year we held three consecutive weekly meetings where community members participated in designing the concrete Skateboard Park. Thereafter, plans were posted for public review at several community locations.
Phase One of the Skateboard Park calls for approximately 8,500 square feet of concrete Skateboard Park which includes bowl and street skate features. The current estimated cost of this design is approximately $420,000. The remaining balance of current funding (minus administrative and contingency costs) will go toward other park improvements as requested by members of the surrounding community.
Phase One is scheduled to go out to bid in May 2005, once community comments are reviewed and construction documents are completed.
Phase Two of the Skateboard Park calls for an additional 3,500 square feet which will cost approximately $270,000 in additional funding. Our office is actively working to secure this funding. In the meantime, Phase One will move forward as planned.
To summarize, we are proud of our efforts to secure an additional $403,000 in funding for the Garvanza Skateboard Park and general improvements at Garvanza Park since the time you left office. We are also proud of the fact that Phase One of this project – an 8,500 square foot concrete skateboard park, will become a reality in our community in the very near future.
2) Hollenbeck Police Station Tenant Relocation
Mr. Pacheco stated in his email that “there was not enough money to relocate the tenants” as part of the Hollenbeck Police Station reconstruction.
This claim is simply not true.
The Hollenbeck Station project called for the eminent domain of 57 housing units to rebuild the new and improved replacement Hollenbeck Police Station – a station that is strongly supported by our community.
To date, families from 55 out of the 57 effected housing units have been successfully relocated. The 56th unit was occupied by an elderly renter that caseworkers have just recently located through her daughter and it is anticipated that the city will be able to provide her with assistance. The final family, a family that will remain anonymous, is the last remaining family that has yet to be fully relocated. This family has secured new housing, but some special circumstances apply in this case.
Tenants that are relocated through the eminent domain process are able to obtain relocation assistance in the form of a lump sum payment. Special circumstances apply, however, to tenants that receive Section 8 funding. If these tenants decide to accept the lump sum relocation assistance, per federal guidelines, they forfeit their ability to continue to receive Section 8 assistance. These tenants are able to receive assistance with moving expenses and continue to receive Section 8 assistance, but they cannot receive both lump sum relocation assistance and remain on the Section 8 priority list.
The problem with the final family is that they already received moving expenses, but desire to continue to receive Section 8 assistance AND get one time lump sum relocation assistance. Once again, per federal guidelines, this is not possible. As we understand it, this family has retained private counsel and is exploring their legal options.
Part of the reason why the relocation of tenants has been so successful has been because of the intervention of our office. Within the first few months of our taking office, we worked closely with the Department of General Services and other city departments to make sure that case workers were assigned to each relocated family and required that these case workers be fully bilingual in order to effectively assist this predominantly Spanish speaking community.
The relocation money for these tenants came from Proposition Q funds and, by all accounts, taking into account that eminent domain is never easy, these tenants have been successfully relocated.
We are proud of the work that we have done with the tenant relocation and, quite frankly, have no idea where Mr. Pacheco came up with the claim that there is “not enough money to help relocate the tenants.”
3) Council District 14 Dog Park
When we first took office there was $77,000 set aside for the construction of a Dog Park in Hermon Park in the Arroyo Seco. There were also some initial community meetings, but no actual park designs had been made or environmental studies had been conducted. Thus, any cost estimates were purely preliminary and speculative.
When we took office we worked to initiate a Preliminary Design of the Dog Park and also initiated a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
We also initiated a motion requesting the City Attorney’s Office to draft language allowing for an off-leash ordinance at the designated site of the Dog Park.
We have worked closely with the community to ensure that the final Dog Park is sensitive to the environment and the community’s concerns, with features including a decomposed granite surface to absorb polluted runoff and keep it from entering the nearby Arroyo Seco. We have also worked to ensure that the fencing at the Dog Park has special coating that is environmentally sensitive and works to blend in with the surrounding park – another feature requested by the community.
Through working closely with the Department of Recreation and Parks, the Bureau of Engineering and the local community, we are proud of the fact that we expect to break ground on the new Dog Park within the next month.
We have seen this project through and our community will enjoy a new Dog Park that is environmentally friendly in the very near future.
4) Moon Canyon Land Acquisition
In December of 2002 the City received an appraisal of the Moon Canyon property at the request of Councilmember Pacheco.
Nearly six months later, in June of 2003, Mr. Pacheco decided to transfer money that was designated for a CD 14 constituent services center to two different projects in the district – one of those transfers included $550,000 for the acquisition of Moon Canyon. Later in June, a mere five days before he left office, Councilmember Pacheco introduced a motion asking for an eminent domain procedure on the property.
We have never had a willing seller at Moon Canyon. Therefore, over the course of the conversations with the property owner and the Department of General Services, and the various steps that needed to be undertaken in order to prepare the eminent domain paperwork for a court filing, the initial appraisal of the property became too old for submittal to the Superior Court according to the court’s own procedures. A new appraisal was then conducted – at the request of our office - and the value of the land had appreciated significantly, as should have been expected.
The key point here is that, according to the City Attorney, the Superior Court will not accept an appraisal that is more than 9 months old as part of an eminent domain filing. By waiting until the 6 month point to introduce a motion calling for eminent domain, Mr. Pacheco essentially guaranteed that the first appraisal would no longer be applicable by the time the City could complete all its internal preparations and submit the court papers (a process that takes no less than 5 months if everything goes perfectly). Since the appraisal subsequently increased by more than 100%, for any practical purpose there had never been enough money set aside to ensure that the acquisition of Moon Canyon via eminent domain could proceed.
Our office continues to seek the additional funding necessary for the purchase of Moon Canyon, even though we still do not have a willing seller.
The goal for this property in this particular community has always been to maintain it as open space for the benefit of local residents. Nearly two years after taking office, the land remains as open space and the developer is no closer today to any sort of development than he was two years ago.
We will continue to work hard on the Moon Canyon project.
We welcome Mr. Pacheco’s efforts to contact the Controller’s office to confirm all of the figures stated in this email.
These are the responses to some specific concerns raised by Mr. Pacheco. Surely we realize that the purpose of his community-wide posted email was merely to inform others that he will be finding out answers to common questions and not to start a campaign of misinformation. He could have merely picked up the phone and asked anyone in our office to address these issues and we would have been happy to do so. He chose to post a community wide email. That was his prerogative.
I hope that this email has helped to address some of his questions and concerns.
Now, let me take the opportunity to clarify a couple of additional issues that have been circulating in the community.
Council District 14 Constituent Services Center
As previously mentioned, it was Mr. Pacheco’s decision to take $550,000 in dedicated funds for a CD 14 Constituent Services Center and transfer this money to the Moon Canyon acquisition. This was an unfortunate case of transferring money from one part of the district to another – but it was a decision that our former councilmember decided to make.
The truly regrettable decision that Mr. Pacheco decided to make came literally in his final days in office on June 24, 2003 when he authored a motion to transfer an additional $3,000,000 in Municipal Improvement Corporation of Los Angeles (MICLA) funds designated for a CD 14 Constituent Services Center to build a new library in Silver Lake. For your reference, this was Council File Number 03-1354, authored by Pacheco, seconded by Garcetti.
Seven days before leaving office Mr. Pacheco authored a motion to take $3 million dollars out of Council District 14 and put it in Silver Lake. While we support the efforts of our adjacent Council Districts (in this case, Council District 13), this move was truly inexplicable and we are glad that we worked to stop this motion in our first days in office.
Through the retrieval of this $3,000,000 and the aggressive acquisition of additional funds, our office is proud of the fact that we will soon be going out to bid for a brand new, multi-million dollar Constituent Service Center right in the heart of Council District 14 in the community of El Sereno. This Constituent Service Center will truly be the pride of Council District 14 once completed.
Central Los Angeles Recycling and Transfer Station
The Central Los Angeles Recycling and Transfer Station (also knows as CLARTS) has existed in the southern industrial portion of Council District 14 for decades. This transfer station has been fully permitted, owned and operated by a private company.
When we took office we worked with the Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA) and the Bureau of Sanitation to purchase this transfer station in order to realize a long term cost savings to the city and gain control of the day-to-day operations of the site.
As part of the negotiations related to the city purchase of the CLARTS, our office demanded that a $1 per ton “amenity fee” be established in the terms of the contract. Now, Council District 14 will receive additional funds to benefit community-based projects throughout the life of this transfer station.
The terms of this agreement were adopted on April 23, 2004 and all negotiations, from start to finish, were conducted by Councilmember Villaraigosa’s office.
We are proud of the fact that CD 14 will now benefit from additional revenue to support community based projects in perpetuity – long after Councilmember Villaraigosa leaves office.
An additional point of clarification, the ONLY funds spent from this account thus far amounted to $50,000 for Para Los Ninos, a Council District 14 based CBO that worked with our office to sponsor the following functions with this funding:
1) The distribution of more than 1,100 turkeys for needy families throughout Council District 14 during Thanksgiving of 2004.
2) The distribution of more than 6,500 new toys for needy families at three separate holiday toy distributions throughout CD 14 during the end of 2004.
3) The special 1st Street Bridge lighting ceremony in December of 2004 where hundreds of local residents enjoyed free food, music, snow, and lights on the historic 1st Street Bridge.
4) A special Thanksgiving meal for the families of Para Los Ninos – the primary services provider for the youth and families of Skid Row.
On behalf of Councilmember Villaraigosa and the entire office, we appreciate Mr. Pacheco’s concern for the status of the projects in Council District 14. I would be happy to address any additional questions or concerns in the future.
Sincerely,
Jimmy Blackman
Chief of Staff
Councilmember Villaraigosa
Is Para Los Ninos the only CBO in CD14?
So Jimmy Blackman does in fact exsist,after 2 years he surfaces.
When I post, I put my name on it and don't hide behind "anonymous". FYI I did write the letter... chief edited my name out but if you think NC's didnt stop the rate hike or change the system... welcome to the planet.
If there are plans to break ground on a dog park in CD14 in the next month, no one but the council office knows it. Rec & Parks is on record as saying the need another $100K to do this project (due to mitigations no one contested or challenged), they don't have the money, and CD14 has not offered to come up with any of it.
Blackman may actually exist, but he is WAY our of touch.
Community activists have given up on the project assuming it won't happen for years if ever.
Will Blackman announce a date for this "mystery" grounbreaking? The organizers who have worked for two+ years -- before ADV even came into office know NOTHING about it.
Typical bob-and-weave. Don't hold your breath.
Blackman's letter is pro forma Villaraigosa:
We're going to...
We will someday...
It'll happen soon...
Keep waiting...
We're getting closer...
We're working HARD on it...
It wasn't as far along as they said it was... yada, yada, yada.
NON-STOP EXCUSES. None of these projects would take more than 1 year, start-to-finish, if they were a priority to them. How much did he raise for HIS OWN CAMPAIGN in just 3-4 weeks? $650,000? That's the priority, obviously.
Any sane person would ask "wouldn't all these things be done by now if most of ADV's time wasn't being spent running for another job for more than a year now (really for two years).
His career comes first, community last!
ADV; "I will take responsibility for my own (good) actions; (I will blame everything else on the people who came before)."
Blackman ONLY resurfaced because stories out there were threatening Villaraigosa's campaign.
If all these "details" are true, why are they unknown to the people of the district until someone (Pacheco) raises the question publicly? He would have never BEEN able to raise to the question if ADV's office hadn't been (intentionally) keeping people in the dark for two years.
OH, HO, now we know what "community" Villaraigosa's staff has been listening to about the dog parke (and why it's been taking so long and costing so much more...). It's the EXACT same "community" that got the name changed to something the host community and surrounding neighborhood council VOTED UNANIMOUSLY AGAINST (his is a "community" of ONE -- the same single ADV fundraiser who paid him off for that favor with personal and friends' contributions).
Only ONE person wanted that ugly, useless, expensive coating on the dog park fencing -- YUP, the same rabid ADV groupie who wanted a different incorrect name.
NOT ANOTHER SINGLE PERSON pushed for or even mentioned the "environmentally sensitive" fence coating (ugly green plastic). Simple lesson here is, if your want to be "THE COMMUNITY" ADVs people listen to (even if you're just ONE PERSON), make a sizeable contribution to his mayoral campaign.
"Requested by the community...?" When was that request made, Blackman? CD14 staff has promised community meetings MULTIPLE times, to allow input on design, etc. But since taking office in 2003, CD14 staff members have ONLY met in PRIVATE with your boss' fundraising groupie. If that one sections contains SO many lies -- how many does the entire e-mail contain?
And because of that "community of one (fundraiser), the project will costs $10,000s more, and probably never happen!
Rec & parks is unaware of any groundbreaking,`and they require these things to be scheduled months in advance.
Got a date for this ADV staffers?
Better yet, got any dates for when those "community meetings" were held where all this valuable input came in that ADV's staff is now holding up a funded project to put in place.
It should appear on the calendar pages he put out to the media, right? Anybody have access to those? Were they squeezed in between the MANY neighborhood council meetings he attended, and the meetings to organize the 80 INVISIBLE neighborhood watches.
Or doe ADV keep a second calendar for MEETINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED?
Jimmy Blackman is getting a little spanking here. And I understand more is on its way.
Jim don't sweat the single fool who seems to pop on here to say something negetive about you every chance he gets, it is pure jealousy. You and many people like you are taking a broken NC system and making it into something good and respectable.
If this guy thinks it is about 15 minutes, then he doesn't have a clue and obviously doesn't know you like I do. You go out of your way to make it abouth people other than yourself, unlike certain unnamed Valey VOTE people.
Jimmy is Antonio's lap boy. He's lying on this letter to the community. Why didn't the letter come from Antonio? Why did Jimmy have to use another e-mail address when he sent it out and not his city e-mail. Could it be they will say "someone sent it out" when its torn apart. Lying about helping the families that were displaced and evicted. There were 3 major meetings with these families who attended Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council. His moronic field staffer didn't say ONE WORD about AV helping. Don't you think they would have told her??? Caught in a bold faced lie. Why didn't AV attend anyone of the meetings himself. This will come back to haunt him very soon.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home