Betts Yorty’s Coffee Talk
This post is in response to a personal request from a very special person.I’m going to provide a topic and you all can discuss. Say whatever comes to mind.
Today’s topic: Tom LaBonge
Discuss!
Posted by Anonymous @ 7/20/2005 06:05:00 PM
25 Comments:
Is that Tom LaBonge feeding his famous bread to Godzilla? Give it up Tom!
I heard that not so long ago Tommy brought his bread in to the Daily News to make peace with Ron Kaye, the managing editor.
LaBonge is a politician's politician. All show, no go. All bark, no bite. All style, no substance.
If all the members of the City Council were like that, LA would be in big trouble.
Oh, wait...
Some time ago, we ran a poll as to who was the dumbest member on council. Thanks to the CD14 trolls, they stuffed the ballot box in favor of Antonio. But when you eliminate the votes from the Antonio-haters, Tom LaBonge was well ahead in the votes.
Tom LaBonge is a throwback to the days when Mayor Yorty was Mayor - hard drinking, corrupt, sexist, etc. Only his cocaine use makes him modern.
Tom La Bonge is a very decent man who works hard for his constituents and the City of L.A.. Very "Old School" Pol who believes in what he's doing and doesn't need a consultant to put words in his mouth. No wonder Mayor Sam doesn't like him!
C'mon, the idea that a) Tom makes up his mind by himself (without Mayor Sam's brother, John Shalman telling him where to poop); or b) that he ever makes up his mind is an insult to anyone who follows city politics!
La Bonge is an idiot.
I have talked to the guy, and he is not all there.
Shows that you don't need brains to win public office.
But, all you Hahn people already knew that.
Give Tom a break. He's a good guy and its nice to have a veteran on the council. He loves LA and gives a lot back to it.
Tom loves LA. I'll give him that. But I admit I voted for him in the poll because he is without a doubt the city councilman who is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But he's so darn happy all the time!
Hence the lack of substance. He's too busy running around chambers with his big smile and empty head.
And that "old school" definition is simply code for "good ole boy" who does not want to change his ways.
Therefore, that isn't old school as much as it is stubborn, close minded and not willing to explore new concepts.
Tom is as dumb as dirt. He actually moves his mouth and nothing comes out- He asks everyone what high school they went to...What an idiot! Was he touched by one of his gym teachers or something?
He started his career as a street sweeper- have you ever heard of the Peter Principle (he's Peter). Someone needs to drop some lithium in this goofy overgrown Sasquatch’s DWP water and tell him to Shut-The-F*$!-Up!
LaBonge Still Fighting War Against Gridlock
By MARY FRANCES GURTON, Staff Writer 20.JUL.05
Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge has stepped up his fight against gridlock and become a self-styled, point man in the increasing mass transit fight.
LaBonge appeared before last week’s Culver City Council meeting to continue pressing mass transit as the long-range solution to the Westside’s worsening traffic congestion.
“Mobility will not be improved by simply widening railways and building new freeways,” LaBonge told the neighboring council. “It will be improved if people get out of their cars and into transit.”
LaBonge was recently replaced on the MTA board by one of new Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s appointees. The Hollywood-area councilman had been an appointee of former Mayor Jim Hahn.
But LaBonge is still making a concerted effort to raise awareness and gain support of surrounding cities on heavy rail construction.
“It takes years to break ground on a mass transit project,” he said. “We must start talking about tunneling today if we want to see the subway expanded in our lifetime. I seek your support in my effort to overturn the restrictions to tunnel for heavy rail in Los Angeles County.”
Transit advocates are currently thwarted by a federal ban on tunneling in Los Angeles County in place since 1985 due to potentially explosive underground methane gas pockets.
The ban was initiated by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, the Westside congressman who endorsed Villaraigosa.
Although the ban is still in place, Waxman has said he agrees with an expansion of heavy rail if studies show safety obstacles could be overcome.
The significance of the LaBonge’s MTA measure is that it reopens the door to exploration of options for and costs of tunneling.
After months of lobbying, the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s board in late February approved a measure introduced by then chairman LaBonge to study cases in which underground tunnels might be a better alternative to building above ground.
Since then, the MTA and the City of Los Angeles have worked with the American Public Transit Association, an international organization for the bus, rapid transit and commuter rail systems industry based in Washington, D.C., to convene a peer review panel to assess the safety impacts of tunneling in Los Angeles.
“What we’ll get out of the recent MTA measure is a good analysis of where in the county it’s most feasible to tunnel,” said County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. “The Wilshire corridor down to the beach may be one of the only areas with the density to warrant the spending the money and the time.”
In line with the mayor, LaBonge’s transit vision includes a commitment first to plan and construct projects identified in the MTA’s long range transportation plan and to work with Culver City in support of completion of Exposition Line.
“New freeways and widening are not options in a built environment,” he reiterated. “The 2003 CalTrans expansion plan for the 101 Freeway that would have destroyed 800 homes and businesses was met with public opposition.
“It is beneficial for the MTA to have maximum flexibility to plans and pursue every alternative, including tunneling for heavy rail.”
Villaraigosa campaigned on a promise to lobby for a lift to the construction ban. A spokesman said the mayor hopes to meet with Waxman on the subway tunneling issue in the near future.
A spokesman said the mayor has had recent discussions with Waxman on the subway tunneling issue and that they share a common position. The mayor works toward collaborating with all who have the same concerns, the spokesman said.
“The expansion fits into local official’s overall plan to address the transportation needs of Los Angeles,” said Waxman via e-mail. “If the safety issues can be resolved, the expansion of the subway should go forward.” - Staff Photo by Gary McCarthy
I really think the least effective/dumbest councilmember is a two way fight between Tom and Ed Reyes.
People tell me Ed is smart, but just has weak staff. My interactions with Tom tell me he's a complete fool.
I never said I don't like Tom, I said our readers voted him one of the dumbest council members.
Tom is a character, but he does care about the city. Too bad he got wrapped up with Hahn though.
Tom does know the high school mascot of every high school in the city for what that's worth.
Also, Tom at least understands politics. He had to force Hahn to walk precincts and when they did Tom did most of the talking, Poopy hid in the shadows and did things like take a lady's groceries into her house and hid in the kitchen while Tom and Gil Cedillo talked to the woman outside.
Tom is a great guy.
The only reason why he asks which high school you go to is just to spark a simple conversation. And when it comes to making the people aware of issues inside and outside the council district Tom is there.
One really good example is getting the Subway Motion approved, it took a lot of balls to even discuss this issue,(Remember AV was an MTA board member from 2003-2004. How many motions did AV write or pass?) but Tom did it and with that he has actually helped AV in getting supprot for Expo Light Rail to Santa Monica because he single handedly brought the Westside Cities together in unison about an issue.
Also he got out motions and has acted on getting Rail through LAX. Hell that lazy bushy mustache asswipe Bernard "Rampart" Parks, didn't even touch getting rail or even better services to his district and LAX until the primaries.
Say what you will about LaBonge, but the man gets shit done.
There are not enough ways to use the words stupid, ignorant, and fool to describle Tom. He should be the honorary mayor of some small burg. Then he could cut ribbons and be a cheerleader, but not hold up the business of this city. We need people with vision, not clowns who love the center stage.
I heard that Tom took his assistant Stacy on a recent trip to Japan. Here's a question, why does your office assistant travel with you? Here's another question, was there one room or two?
Jeez. Mary Gurton missed her calling as a publicist.
To 9:28:
Is that the best example of Tom "getting things done" that you could think of? He got a motion passed regarding the subway?
Okay.
Well, I still think he's dumber than a doorknob but I guess I can agree that subways are THE best transit issue that LA should tackle. It's insane that we have that hurdle of the federal ban on tunneling.
I guess it's possible to agree with dumb people sometimes.
Is Ed, Tom or Janice the least effective Councilmember?
Moron who does coke.
Janice Hahn is also very, very dumb.
Cardenas is no rocket scientist, either.
And let's not forget MAV failed the Bar Exam four times.
Smartest man in City Hall is probably Eric Garcetti.
"I guess it's possible to agree with dumb people sometimes."
Yeah it is. And what would you call getting things done by any other LA City Councilmember? AV? C**ks**ker Ludlow? Parks? Weiss?
Tom is an idiot.
Janice is dumb, and, er, well, lets say that she is very popular with the sailors in San Pedro.
Tom is anything but a no-show. He is the complete councilman IMO, always there to pitch in. This guy dug half of Dante's Trail in Griffith Park himself! He is one of the very best, most service-oriented councilmen who ever served LA.
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