100 Days and Counting
Today our Mayor hosts a presser regarding his first 100 days in office.Promises? A lot were made. Some were met, some weren't.
Accomplishments? Many were had, others were missed opportunities.
Here's your forum to address your thoughts.
What are your priorities which still are awaiting his attention?
Let me get you kick started from his website...My Vision for LA
Plan for the Valley: "Taking Notice With a Valley Deputy Mayor: Taking notice means working tirelessly to protect, preserve and enhance the unique quality of life in the neighborhoods of the San Fernando Valley. I will appoint a Valley Deputy Mayor who will work out of Van Nuys City Hall to address Valley concerns on a daily basis and be a powerful voice for the Valley inside my administration."Hmmmm.... who is that again?
Posted by Anonymous @ 10/06/2005 12:10:00 AM
70 Comments:
Dear Mr. Mayor,
1) Please clean house at the Port & get in a new management team;
2) Focus on Wilmington first & put San Pedro's waterfront on hold for now;
3) To make LA "green", clean up the Port's truck pollution and build more wetlands & open space on the Port's waterfront.
Isn't Hertzberg the Valley's mayor?
Everything Antonio does ends up being a stupid photo op. Isn't it his job to WORK? The only accomplishments for 100 days is getting residents to pick up brooms and sweep. He's an embarrassement as Mayor of LA. Can you AV lovers list the things he's done since July 1st?
One thing I realized from all the critics of Villaraigosa. I do not recall any other Mayor who had to endure such scrutiny and under the radar propaganda as some of you critics have shown to be.
He has done a fine job, exceeded my expectations and is an excellent role model for all kids.
Agree with 2:33. M.V. should focus on reducing pollution emanating from the Port, especially the ships that cause 73% of the pollution. The last mayor and harbor commission failed miserably at this. Companies must not be allowed to continue to profit by abusing surrounding communities. And as we know from (yet another) report, this crud impacts more than just the S.P. and Wilmington areas.
Also agree much more open space is needed for both waterfronts. Most of all, implement better security for all the container ships entering the harbor.
Accomplishments:
Picture taken on horseback.
Picture taken on subway, singing "Happy Birthday" to little girl.
Picture taken with shovel at construction site.
Picture on cover of national magazines.
Two trips to D.C.
Trip to Sacramento.
One-week Hawaiin vacation.
Rushed to airport before Jet Blue landed.
Hundreds of millions of tax dollars given to rich downtown developers, in lieu of hiring enough cops.
Torpedoed legislative effort to improve schools.
Murders continuing at same pace as before.
So, all in all, Tony's 2006 campaign to become governor is going fine. The City is no better off, but his campaign is proceeding apace.
Walter Moore
www.MooreIsBetter.com
Walter,
Sounds like the typicial routine of every mayor before Villaraigosa which you just described.
Villaraigosa works with the people and that is what makes goals become reality. Working together to get something accomplished. It will take a bit more than the fantasy 100 days you and others judge him by. So far he has done a good job and your criticism and examples can be applied to any breathing politician in existence. Photo ops are routine for any politician, what do you want a hermet mayor?
Walter you forgot caving in to DWP pay raise. No other mayor has been out in front of the cameras like Antonio. What about Antonio going to BURBANK for a photo op with the guys building houses. He can't even stay in the city limits. Poster tell us what Antonio has done in 100 days. He hasn't fulfilled ONE of his promises. He was all talk. Working with people is a joke. Just look how badly his budget meetings with the Neighborhood Councils went. They were too smart to fall for his b.s.
I'm not ready to critique Mr. V.'s administration and accomplishments thus far. Let's see what fans out in a year, rather than 100 days. Although
From The LA Daily News
Antonio bowing down Re: "A new day at LAX" (Editorial, Sept. 28):
Saying that Mayor Villaraigosa is standing up to the contractors and unions is flat-out misleading. In fact, it's the opposite: He's generously bowing down to these guys, more so then the former mayor.
When the DWP workers demanded a 16 percent to 30 percent pay raise this past week, or with opportunities such as BFI and the Valley landfill, or Sen. Romero's bill giving him the power to improve schools, what was our mayor's response? Nothing. All you heard was crickets chirping. He's done and said absolutely nothing on issues of "pay-to-play." In fact, he's giving those unions a generous "thank you" for giving him the contributions needed to beat Hahn in a landslide.
- Derrick Harris
Los Angeles
9:01 OUCH!!!! That post hurts Archie. You judge harshily and too quick. This is the start of a new administration, give it time, there are hundreds of requests for changes, it all happens in due time and it has to be beneficial to the city. Why does the mayor have to agree to every request, and a good leader knows to look at both sides before making a decision. He is a good Mayor.
No 7:17am, Hertzberg isn't the Valley's mayor, that honor would go to Assemblyman Keith Richman.
9:07
Am I judging too quickly?
I don't think so given the fact that these were issues in his campaign AND that he had opportunities to come up with a rationale of his own as to why or why not to support them, He has done Neither! All he's done is smile for the cameras and pass the blame to someone else.
Another issue is that many of these folks in this adminstration were the same folks who created the BS in the first place, wouldn't you think that gives any person of sound logic and understanding a reason to think and forecast things will go wrong.
9:07
The truth hurts don't it.
Funny Archie, this is your perception of the mayor. Others do not agree with you, like myself. Nonetheless, it is fun to blog and have healthy debates.
The Ouch! comment was made in response to the editorial post having misleading comments and harsh attacks.
Is there room in the democrat party for a Republican who hates his party.
I'm fed up with the Republican ideals, I need a change.
The L.A. Mayor will visit Israel. This is good.
Commissioner Gordon was chatting with Perry White, chief of the Daily Planet, when Bruce Wayne came up behind them.
"Gentlemen," he said, sipping from his glass of wine. "Glad you could make it."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Mr. Wayne," Gordon replied. "Lord knows I need some distractions from my work."
"Oh, please, call me Bruce," the host said. He turned to Perry. "And how are things in the newspaper business?"
"Interesting, to say the least," Perry answered. "But I am intrigued by the increasing number of stories relating to these 'superheroes.'"
"Indeed," Bruce said. "I believe that all of the front page stories were about them only yesterday morning."
9:22
"The Ouch! comment was made in response to the editorial post having misleading comments and harsh attacks."
Actually all of hat the commenter has said is very acurate.
With the DWP issue what was his response: "I'll let Council decide" Not 'I think we should hold back and work out a deal.' A leader would have used this situation for the betterment of the city rather than sweep it under the rug.
With BFI the same issue occured and a leader would have made on his promise and worked with Councilman Smith who has the Valley together to work out solutions for recycling and waste management.
With the Sen. Romero's bill, I agree the bill was flawed but again this was a key issue in his campaign that would have opened up a dialogue to work out better solutions or begin a test solution.
Again the facts are there it's just how objectively or Subjectively we look at them.
I have not seen a Deputy Mayor for the Valley yet? He did promise to appoint a Deputy Mayor. Is the Valley going to get more representation? I guess we shall see
Thank you 2:33 AM and 8:27 AM. Amen.
Also MAV, please heed "Harbor Headlines", posted by Mayor Frank at 5:17 AM (!), 10/05/05.
Our good friend Andy Mardesich said, many years ago, that San Pedro and Wilmington are throw away communities - that we are 27 miles away and the the City of Los Angeles doesn't give a damn what happens to us as long as it is able to reap its supposed benefits from the Port.
I was pretty shocked at that at the time, but everything I have seen since has just proven him right.
He also said that the culture of the Port is "We know best and the end justifies the means." Also clearly true.
This has to change.
8:26 a.m.
You have VERY low expectations, and must want L.A.'s kids doomed to failure.
Is your name Jose Huizar?
Does anyone know who the Eastside Area Director from the Mayor's office is? Again, no communication from the moron reps of CD14. They don't even attend community meetings anymore. Give me a break poster. You can't tell us that Antonio couldn't do one thing in 100 days??? If he spent more time in his office maybe he could have.
Moore may be bitter, but (this time), Moore is right. Lots of pretty pictures, no change in the direction of the tide of cronyism and pandering.
It's been 100 days, but I'm not "counting" on the current (outgoing) mayor to DO anything. I learned that lesson from two years as his "constituent" in CD14.
"Nothing" is pro forma; it's AV's M.O.
During a long, nasty mayor's race, not even his staunchest supporters on this blog could explain what he had been doing to improve 1/15th of the city in 24 months.
100 days, or 100 months (2 terms, give or take), it doesn't matter. The results will be the same. Photo albums and clipping books packed with exposure, commissions packed with family members and contributors, and the freeways packed with people going nowhere -- just like the city (and let's no EVEN get into the schools; what a crock that was).
New Orleans had Katrina; L.A. has Antonio. Both fill the streets with bilge and lots of opportunities to take photographs.
10:10
Eagle Rock
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Jim¹s Burgers
2009 Colorado Blvd.
Contact: Michael Cathey
Highland Park
8:30 a.m. to 12 Noon
Hathaway Family Resource Center
840 N. Avenue 66
Contact: Miguel Espinoza
El Sereno
10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
El Sereno Elementary School
3838 Rosemead Avenue
Contact: Jennie Carreon
Boyle Heights
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Euclid Elementary School
806 S. Euclid Avenue
Contact: Paul Hernandez
AV's flacks tried to lower expectations about his first 100 days, a few weeks ago, saying he "didn't plan" for so many distractions -- like a police shooting of a child, threatened strikes, a natural disaster (in New Orleans... huh?), etc. etc.
Yeah, better put "life" and "reality" in the next plan, boys and girls.
What major city (or world for that matter) have these bozos been living in? Dealing with, and preparing for, the "unexpected" IS the job.
The poster at 10:18 has the list wrong.
Go to this link to get correct information
www.lacity.org/council/cd14/
Mayor
Please investigate Michael Trujillo.
Investigate Huggie bear. Is Hertzberg stabbing you in the back?
Audit Laura Chicks department.
What is wrong with the Mayor's comment. Absolutely nothing. He did the right thing.
All you jealous posters get a life. Read on
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Mayor asks councils for help
By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
Outlining a broad agenda for Los Angeles even while it faces a $345 million budget shortfall, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called on Neighborhood Council leaders Saturday to join in his effort to reshape the city.
"In the end, this budget will come from me and my office," Villaraigosa told a group of more than 400 citizen activists gathered at City Hall for a community budget meeting. "But I want to hear from you on your priorities.
"Your participation is not perfunctory. I really do want you to get a better sense of what you feel are the priorities we have for the city."
At the same time he cautioned, however, that the city - which has a budget of $5.4 billion this year - is facing a projected shortfall.
"Just like you budget for your home or your business, we can't spend more than we have," Villaraigosa said.
Here's the problem, The budget shortfall is just an excuse to raise taxes so that they create nice giveaways to Unions.
The last 5 years there have been a BUDGET SURPLUS. All throughout the mayoral campaign Antonio even siad there was been surpluses that Hahn hasn't taken advantage of.
From Day one he's said a Budget surplus beginning from $235 Million to up $345 Million dollars now. Doesn't that sound fishy?, considering that the media doesn't even give a small sentence stating the increase.
I'm sorry a Budget deficit of $235 to $345.
Jealous?
Of a highly paid, heavily touted elected official who STILL has not ONE accomplishment on the books in THREE YEARS on the city payroll.
Not me. I WORK for a living (my employers would NEVER settle for this level of mediocre, spun and undone performance). And neither would I.
Too bad you do. You'll catch on, eventually, though.
For the non-math majors, Archie, that's an increase in the deficit of 47 percent.
Remember the comment AV's crony - Jackie Goldberg - made at the state level when she didn't think the micophones were still on, back before the recall... something about "maybe if we let things really go to hell budgetwise, they'll have to come running to us to fix it" (i.e., they won't kick so much about a tax increase).
Remember?
AV does. Bet the farm on that. . .
11:05
I'm not surprised a bunch of tax-and-waste liberals. The reason why the once proud blue-collar Democratic party, I was in, is turning to shit.
PART ONE
In a meeting they thought was private but was actually broadcasted around the Capitol on Monday, 11 Assembly Democrats debated delaying tactics for California's budget crisis to further their political agenda.
Members of the “Democratic Study Group”, were unaware that a microphone in a Capitol committee room was left on as they discussed tactics to slow the budget process in an attempt to increase pressure on Republicans to accept tax increases as part of a deal to resolve the state's $38-billion+ budget deficit or eliminating them all together by removing the Constitutionally protected 2/3rds vote requirement to pass a budget. The Democrats who attended the caucus session included Patti Berg (Eureka); Judy Chu (Monterey Park); Mervyn Dymally (Compton); Jackie Goldberg (Los Angeles); Loni Hancock (Berkeley); Hannah-Beth Jackson (Santa Barbara); John Laird (Santa Cruz); John Longville (Rialto); Alan Lowenthal (Long Beach); Fabian Nuneuz (Los Angeles); and Patricia Wiggins (Santa Rosa).
The conversation was transmitted to roughly 500 "squawk boxes" around Sacramento that political staff, lobbyists and reporters use to listen in on legislative proceedings.
PART TWO
Unidentified Assemblymember [possibly Nunez]: Hannah-Beth, are you saying that if we don’t take it to the point if we don’t get more revenues, we do not support a budget that has an additional $1.5 billion worth of cuts. … At least to start it off at the point of discussion
Assemblymember Jackson: …the question is how are they going to formulate the budget they are going to send over to us. Where’s the next $1.5 billion in cuts going to come from?
Unidentified Assemblymember [possibly Nunez]: I understand that, Hannah-Beth. My point is, given that we know we are not going to get new revenues the, is what we’re saying that we just want to have input as to where those cuts are going to be or are we saying we don’t support cuts that deeply into this budget….
Assemblymember Jackson: …The question is, I think we’re looking at $1.5 billion worth of cuts
Unidentified Assemblymember [possibly Dymally]: Hannah-Beth, …what are we asking, what are we saying to the Senate folks?
Assemblymember Jackson: …We want to know what your plan is…what are you proposing?…the reality is that when the Senate sends it over to us, it is going … it is going to be a problem in 04-05. We want them to respect our input so that we can go out when we do get a budget….
PART THREE
Assemblymember Nunez: No. But, you know, there’s a very responsible perspective to that, in that precipitating the crisis does not necessarily mean that -- if you’re thinking about this is, the strategy for the 55 percent, all the polls, all the polls suggest that if you don’t have a budget, that it lent itself to help support the effort for the 55 percent. That’s what the proponents say - CTA and the others - are saying about that. In addition, in terms of the recall, the extent to which the Governor can do a good job of making a connection between having no budget and the Republican [inaud] on the recall -- I don’t know if any of you have heard the Darrell Issa commercials on the radio, but they’re all about the budget. It’s all about what’s going on right now. That’s why he wants to be governor. And he’s saying “we don’t have a budget because of Gray Davis.” The folks that are heading up the anti-recall effort think if you don’t have the budget, it helps Democrats in the recall effort. If you don’t have a budget, it helps Democrats on the 55 percent. So if you’re looking strictly at outcomes in terms of how we’re preparing and gearing ourselves to win the war on the 55 percent, there are, [inaud] I mean, there’s…
PART FOUR
Assemblymember Goldberg: The question that I have, is that - and I go back to both ‘92 and to ‘78 - when people never saw what, they never got to see really up front and close what Prop 13 really did. Because what we did in education was is that teachers started subsidizing their classrooms, and we cut out art and we cut out music and we cut out drama and we cut out sports in some areas and, cut out tutoring and [inaud] teachers and we raised class size. And people thought: look, schools are all still open, this didn’t hurt anyone. Some of us are thinking that maybe people should see the pain up close and personal, right now.
Assemblymember Goldberg: …they are 10, 10, and 5 over there. Ten want to hold out for [inaud], ten want to [inaud], and five [inaud]. We’re going to try and find out tomorrow where we are.“
Assemblymember Goldberg: But we have to figure out what we do think. And I do think it has to be in line with two things, and that’s one of the reasons that I asked Mr. Dymally to get us together. One is how it impacts the 55 percent proposition. And secondly whether or not - if there’s going to be a crisis to happen - if there’s going to be a crisis, whether it should be this year or next year, in terms of members of our House who want to get re-elected, in terms of members of our House who [inaud]. Personally, I think the crisis is better off this year than next year. But that’s a discussion that I just want to make sure you have, and that’s happens, and that’s why [inaud]…
Assemblymember Goldberg: That won’t happen. I think it’s very unlikely that a Democrat will get a pass on any of these budgets. I just don’t think that’s going to happen. If I might just say, I think Allan and Patty both worked on that budget didn’t you? I think it would be wonderful if we could find out in Canciamilla and Richman.
Unidentified Staffer: Excuse me, guys, you can be heard outside.
Assemblymember Goldberg: Oh [expletive], [expletive].
Unidentified Staffer: The squawk box is on – you need to turn it off right there.
Assemblymember Goldberg: How could that happen?
Fabian Nunez, also of Los Angeles, agreed. "If you don't have a budget, it helps Democrats," he said.
While a delay might serve the tactical advantage of Democrats, its consequences are already being felt by students, vendors and the poor: Since the new fiscal year began July 1 without a budget, the state has already begun to cut off money to some programs.
Republicans noted that many caucus members have charged the GOP with holding the budget process hostage. Yet, those same Democrats are now caught on tape discussing ways to hold things up.
It was Assemblyman Fabian Nunez who was caught by an open conference room microphone strategizing with Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg and others on how a delay in passing the budget could help the public employee union-sponsored Proposition 56. The union's measure would have made it easier to raise taxes by eliminating the two-thirds vote.
Columnist Larry Elder points out this very thing, using as an example, the present Mayoral race in Los Angeles. Antonio Villaraigosa, challenger to incumbent James Hahn, attended UCLA under the Affirmative Action program. Four times he took the California Bar and four times he failed it, and has yet to pass it. Hahn has to date, refused to use this and its relation to Villaraigosa's stance on education, against him in the campaign for fear he be labled a racist. No doubt, Elder says, Villaraigosa would have no qualms using this tidbit were the rolls reversed. After all, who would call Villaraigosa a racist, he is a victimized minority and therefore a protected species.
Look at the comments by Nativo Lopez and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, (D) California. When Gov Schwarzenegger expressed the need to closing and then securing our borders, Nunez remarked: "When comments like that are made, racism once again tries to surface its ugly head up on the people of California" Nativo Lopez also cried "Racism", of the Gov's remarks. This is what a "Protected Class" minority can get away with.
So Gil is in an uphill battle, wanting erasure of the "Minority" designation. Being classified a minority gets these merchants and their flock a first class ticket to "Protected Class" status.
"The speaker has signed a letter sent by the Democratic Latino Caucus to corporate contributors of Jobs PAC complaining about 'anti-immigrant and anti-Latino' campaign tactics against some of its members.
"The caucus is asking JobsPAC contributors to denounce campaign mailers and television ads that members alleged appealed to 'racist' sentiments." (Sacramento Bee, December 21, 2004)
This latest ploy by the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, however, makes us particularly eager for the 2008 election - especially if Hillary Clinton decides to run for President on the Democratic ticket. You see, it turns out that Hillary doesn't take too kindly to illegal immigrants, which could pose a bit of a dilemma for the Dem Latinos.
"I am, you know, adamantly against illegal immigrants. Clearly we have to make some tough decisions as a country, and one of them ought to be coming up with a much better entry-and-exit system so that if we are going to let people in for.work.lets have a system that keeps track of them. People have to stop employing illegal immigrants." (Tony Blankley Column quoting Sen. Hillary Clinton from a WABC radio interview, Washington Times, December 15, 2004)
Hillary Clinton told a Ghandi joke. This is not an excerpt from The Onion, oh no! It is from ABC News, “Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton apologized for joking that Mahatma Gandhi used to run a gas station in St. Louis, saying it was "a lame attempt at humor." Well there’s one thing we agree on, Mrs. Clinton. You’re not funny and lots of things you say are “lame”. However, this is not one of them. Part of being a Republican is the ability to be tolerant of the grossest behaviors and actions of everyone else, while at the same time not being tolerated while just trying to say the grace over our high school cafeteria grub. You see, I would not stand up and demand Mrs. Clinton’s resignation of her senatorial seat over this silly racist
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by the Republican National Committee:
"When he visits New York today, Chairman Dean should repudiate the ugly race baiting by Congressman Rangel and other Democrats. At a time when all Americans need to come together, Rangel's attempt to divide Americans along racial lines for political gain is unacceptable." -Ken Mehlman, RNC Chairman
The following article originally appeared in the New York Sun on September 27, 2005. Click here for the full text: http://www.nysun.com/article/20580.
Guess what Amigos?
Today, I met my first Salvadorean guerrillero.
His personal experience moved me and find that I have bee close minded on the atrocities these people had to face. They fled their country for peace.
11:01 a.m.
Sorry, you're wrong. She never will catch on to that. The kool-aid drinking MW-style, guilt-ridden, limousine liberals will always believe that no matter how many promises AV breaks or how little he gets done, he's always going to keep the very NEXT promise, someday. . . somehow.
They have faith. . .
If religious people had as much faith as the AV-lovers do in their little man, they'd be moving real mountains, daily.
This will show people just how dumb Antonio is. Read the statements in his budget meeting to the NC's.
Expand the police force by 400 officers over 4 years by freezing the level of spending on (ALL) other city services including fire, parks, libraries, streets, and housing at their current service level and funding.
EVERY YEAR LAPD LOSES ABOUT 300 OFFICERS BECAUSE OF RETIREMENT. THIS IS THE BEST AV CAN DO? AV is constantly tranferring money from different funds why can't he be smart enough to find the money for cops? He increased the Cultural Affairs dept.
Maintain the police force at its current size of 9,300 police officers.
(DIDN'T ANTONIO PROMISE MORE OFFICERS DURING CAMPAIGN?)
Wouldn't fire constitute the same need for an increased workforce and at the very least improved conditions. Police Officers and Fireman are the first line of defense for this city.
Reducing this would be very foolish.
On a side note, Hahn reduced most and trimmed from these departments for the last 4 years in order to reduce debt and find ways to increase the police force WITHOUT trying to raise the sales tax and every year teh Arrogant City Council said "NO!!!"
LAObserved today:
If the City Hall gossip is correct (often is, sometimes ain't)...
That Kevin Roderick is just too damn brilliant for me.
I HAVE A DREAM...
That one day at City Hall -- perhaps July 1, 2009 -- Jim Hahn and Walter Moore will take back our City.
I only wish it could have been July 1, 2005.
Walter Moore would have been the best Deputy Mayor ever, and I know Jim Hahn would have fulfilled his commitment to appoint him.... unlike the occupier, who never fulfills commitments to anybody including his family.
AV's first hundred days has resulted in him trying to patch things up with Miguel Contreras'family. AV and Miguel didn't talk for weeks prior to election day. Miguel was following good labor protocol and had to stay with the incumbent, but AV couldn't understand that. So, AV behaved like a little child and went silent on Miguel. When Miguel died suddenly, AV is harboring some guilt and now trying to seek forgiveness. We also know that he's worked out a deal to help Anshultz and the boys over at the Staple Center. What nice gift of $275 million dollar subsidy. Looks like Peter Zen of the Bonnadventure gets screwed again, but may have the last laugh. Peter Zen is financing a ballot initiative to stop the city subsidy and now collecting signatures. Anshultz and the boys don't think Peter Zen is a formidable foe. Are they in for a rude awakening. Peter Zen is thick skin and will go to the mat on this one. It's now a matter of principle and face. Stay tune for the this one and see how AV will try to persuade Peter Zen to drop the ballot initiative.
2:35
It will be more like Janice Hahn and Walter Moore or even Tom LaBonge.
I like Janice, she's not a dingbat like my wife!
anon 12:51 is correct. The pro development lobby, big foes of MW, just had a fund raiser for MW darling, Jose Huizar. What did he tell the developers: "I will be fair to you, don't worry." That's not what the open space coaition wants to hear but they'll keep supporting Huizar even as he is selling them down the river.
Does MW stand for Mount Washington?
It looks like the Resdidents living in central City East are on.
Candidates forum in central city east , presented by the Residents living in Central City East. October 15th at 3 pm.
All candidates have been invited.
JAmes Woods Center .
MOre INfo as the day draws coser.
my spelling sucks today.
Hey where can tax payers find the ballot that Peter Zen is collecting signatures for? I know tons of people who would want to sign to stop the city allowing that hotel to be built. That was a very big mistake. Jan Perry should have known better. Amazing how city council finds money when they have something to gain from it.
Any word about the 2p Mayor press conf. on his 100 days? Any info floating out there yet?
I suppose ending the hotel strike that saved LA millions in business revenue is nothing.
I mean most folks in San Francisco think Gavin Newson is a dynamic mayor, but even Gavin can't find a solution to the hotel strike in San Francisco.
yeah, Antonio hasn't done anything. real smart buddy.
I laughed so hard at Antonio's statments at his press conf.
"The story of the last three months cannot be expressed with a list of accomplishments or a litany of policy issues," Villaraigosa told USC alumni, staff and students gathered at Bovard Auditorium during an event marking the university's 125th anniversary.
The moves fulfilled pledges Villaraigosa made during his campaign against then-Mayor Jim Hahn, whose administration was plagued with allegations of corruption and deal-making involving political fund-raising.
AV HAS NOTHING TO LIST. DIDN'T AV APPOINT HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO COMMISSIONS?
4:12 p.m.
A. Which one of AV's hundreds of campaign promises did that fulfill?
Answer: none
B. Which ones has he fulfilled?
Answer: See answer to A. above
C. Which ones will he fulfilled?
Answer: (ah, you get the picture).
Can he cut deals with labor to keep some unions working -- sure, that was the LAT job he was even slightly good at -- labor guru (what, 15 years ago??).
Can you say "arrested development" boys and girls? (I knew you could)
AV is a one-trick pony who has to keep HOPING (or making sure?) there's union unrest so it looks like he's doing something when he "rushes" in all breathless and sweaty to solve it.
Remember the MTA strike? YUP, the ONLY things he could ACTUALLY claim to have done while on city council. And two years later when he was running for mayor, the AV-lovers kept saying, "but the solved that strike... TWO YEARS ago."
Keeping his pet unions happy isn't progress, that's just averting going backwards any faster than the city already is. . .
Hahn was going to appoint me deputy mayor???!!! I don't think so!!! Aside from my knocking out Hertzberg, I don't think he was what you'd call a big fan.
Walter Moore
MooreIsBetter.com
Someone is working in the Valley?? Would that be the San Gabriel Valley; cause there's no one here in the SFV??
Did the mayor find a solution to the Southwest Museum problem?
You know was the overall theme of the ENTIRE campaign was dumb ass?
It was ethics -- or did you forget all the crap Hahn got LA into.
Grand Jury probes,
Indictments,
Ethics Investigations,
Fines,
DA Probes,
FBI,
City Attorney investigation.
The first PROMISE the mayor fulfilled was kicking out all the lobbyists off city commissions.
Second promise, Making every new commissioner sign an ethics pledge.
Third campaign promise, hiring an in-house ethics attorney.
All campaign promises met, and it was the stench of this last mayor that made the NEW mayor clean house with.
What???? Dynamic Builders is interested in other CD 14 land?
Check this out
04/13/2004 DTSC received Phase II Assessment performed at the former
Castrol Industrial North America, Inc. CINA) facility located at
1925 North Mariana Avenue, Los Angeles, California. This
assessment was performed by Smith-Emery GeoServices (SEG) on
behalf of Dynamic Builders, Inc. in regards to the potential
purchase of the site and redevelpment of the site with
commercial warehouse spaces. On behalf of BP America, BP Legal
Group West Region (BP Legal), SECOR International Incorporated,
submitted the data to DTSC in regards to cost recovery be the
DTSC for work performed on the referenced case.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mayor7oct07,0,33474,full.story?coll=la-home-local
THE STATE
100 Very Busy Days for Mayor
Villaraigosa's energetic start raises hopes, but some grow impatient for action on tough issues.
By Patrick McGreevy, Richard Fausset and Steve Hymon
Times Staff Writers
October 7, 2005
His day began with a speech in Koreatown. Next he was off to MacArthur Park to raise money for victims of a fire, followed by a prostate cancer awareness event in Boyle Heights, a downtown health fair, a South L.A. police roll call, a Watts gospel concert and, finally, a Northridge celebration of India's independence.
So went one day in August for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — a Saturday, in fact. Before sundown, he also found time to have brunch with state Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) and get some work done at the office.
Villaraigosa pledged that he would bring more energy to the mayoralty than his predecessor, James K. Hahn. And as he approaches his 100th day in office Saturday, he has worked to fulfill that campaign promise with an indefatigable, barnstorming style.
As mayor of the nation's second-largest city and its first Latino leader in more than a century, Villaraigosa also has found himself thrust into the role of national political figure, with all the attendant demands on his time.
It has all added up to a fizzy extended honeymoon, full of TV crews, autograph seekers and well-wishers, and a sense that something exciting is happening in Los Angeles.
Villaraigosa said it was important for him to put a face — namely his — on city government early on. And that has meant, in part, following a well-known key to success: simply showing up.
"In my many travels throughout the city, I have noticed a difference in people — there is a sense of newfound possibility throughout the city," he said.
In a series of public events Thursday, including a media briefing in the ornate ballroom atop City Hall, the mayor said he had put more than 24,000 miles on his city-issued SUV since the start of his term.
"That's what this job is — people want to see you in their neighborhoods," Villaraigosa said.
But with many of his most ambitious ideas — a school system takeover, a subway to the Pacific, an expanded Los Angeles Police Department — far from fruition, the mayor remains vulnerable to one of the main criticisms Hahn leveled in the spring campaign: that he was "a smile and a fancy suit," whose rhetoric would outweigh his accomplishments. Some of his political moves during the first 100 days leave him open to the criticism that he plays "both sides of the fence," as one observer suggested, in order to please as many people as possible.
Supporters say three months is not a lot of time to accomplish the kind of dramatic goals Villaraigosa set. They suggest the mayor has laid the groundwork and is building political capital that he can cash in when he has to make tough decisions — such as possibly increasing taxes or fees to pay for an expansion of the Police Department.
"He's done an excellent job of reaching out across the cultural and political divide in Los Angeles," said John Shallman, who headed the campaign for Bob Hertzberg, mayoral candidate and now Villaraigosa ally. "It has helped him become popular. That popularity is something I am hopeful he will use to enact a bold agenda of initiatives."
Former Mayor Richard Riordan, a close advisor to Villaraigosa, said the strategy will prove to be a sound one.
"Just wait," Riordan said. "You are going to see some great things come out of this administration."
On Thursday, Villaraigosa released a four-page summary of his achievements so far.
"I see a hundred days as an opportunity to build a foundation for the rest of the days for this four-year administration, and I feel like we have done a good job laying that foundation," Villaraigosa said in an interview with The Times.
Appearing tired, his voice raspy, the mayor slumped slightly over a conference table in the mayoral suite at City Hall, occasionally drumming on the table midquestion as if to show he remained fired up by the job.
Greater things are coming, he said.
But not everyone is enjoying the wait. A scattered grumbling beneath the din of excitement points to two key political challenges Villaraigosa will face in coming years: living up to the high expectations he generated during the campaign, and making small-scale progress that can placate voters while they wait for the big stuff.
Take, for example, Lois Newman, head of the Cat and Dog Rescue Assn.
She is waiting for Villaraigosa to fulfill his campaign promises to replace the management of the city Animal Services Department and expand spay and neuter services.
"I like the mayor, but he's not doing enough," she said. "He has the right instincts, but he just isn't acting on them."
Looking back at his first 100 days, Villaraigosa said the city already has benefited from his hands-on style — especially when it comes to managing and averting short-term crises.
When terrorists bombed the London transit system, he hopped on the local subway — with TV cameras in tow — in an attempt to calm Angelenos' fears. He appealed for peace at Jefferson High School after violent racial flare-ups there. He urged calm and promised thorough investigations after a fatal police shootout in South L.A. and after Nation of Islam leader Tony Muhammad alleged he was beaten by police.
The mayor said his lobbying, meanwhile, has produced some short-term gains for the city, including $11.4 million in security funding for the port and $130 million in federal funding that could eventually be used to build a carpool lane on the northbound San Diego Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass.
Unlike Hahn, Villaraigosa exercised his mayoral option to be chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He said he will use that position to tear down some of the long-standing barriers to better regional public transportation.
He can count other concrete achievements. On his first day in office he signed an order banning lobbyists from serving on city commissions. He followed with an order prohibiting construction on streets during rush hour.
He launched a campaign that began two weeks ago to fill 50,000 potholes in three months, and the extra crews have finished more than 8,000. He also boosted by 25% the number of miles of streets to be resurfaced.
In making more than 100 appointments to city commissions, including eight Thursday to the Planning Commission, he has been praised for bringing in City Hall critics, environmentalists and average folks, although so far more than 200 commissioners remain from the Hahn administration.
Expanding on a program initiated by Hahn, Villaraigosa was to announce today that he would deploy 50 traffic officers to the busiest intersections during rush hours.
Last week he met with neighborhood leaders to get their input on his budget. And marking his 100th day in office, Villaraigosa has asked city residents to join him Saturday in sprucing up six high schools.
But the most significant campaign promises have not been translated into formal plans.
During the campaign, Villaraigosa said he would add 1,300 police officers within five years.
The current budget — proposed by Hahn and approved by a City Council that included Villaraigosa — includes money to add 370 officers in 2005-06; so far 38 have been added to the force of 9,220 Villaraigosa inherited. He has not laid out his plans for keeping that campaign promise, though in an interview he said he would consider pushing for a countywide half-cent sales tax.
"So far, there has been no change to judge him by," said Sandy Munz, who co-founded a citizens group that has battled cuts in police services.
The mayor said Thursday that the budget he was preparing for next year would have additional officers, although he had not determined how many.
During the campaign, Villaraigosa chided Hahn for not taking seemingly simple, short-term actions to increase security at LAX, such as installing bomb-proof glass in the terminals — an idea proposed by the Rand Corp. And yet, 100 days into Villaraigosa's administration, installation of the glass has not begun.
Villaraigosa said Thursday that his Airport Commission was confirmed only recently and that it would make security a high priority.
Of all the issues, Villaraigosa's reluctance to move to take over the school system has caused the most friction.
During the campaign, Villaraigosa said the mayor should take control of the ailing independent school district, and after he was sworn in, state Sen. Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) introduced a bill that would have given him takeover power.
Villaraigosa did not support the bill. He said he needed to build "consensus" around the takeover idea, and he noted an opinion by the state legislative counsel's office that the bill was unconstitutional. Its opponents also included teachers unions that supported Villaraigosa's candidacy with more than $920,000.
Romero, whose bill is in limbo, said she was disappointed.
"Patience has nothing to do with this," she said. "This is about leadership."
Villaraigosa on Thursday said he intends to have control of the city schools by the end of his four-year term. In the meantime, he convened a panel of education experts to come up with smaller ways the city can help.
The schools have not been the only bump in Villaraigosa's road.
During the campaign, he said the city should not extend its contract to keep dumping most of its trash at the Sunshine Canyon Landfill above Granada Hills. A few weeks after taking office, he asked the council to extend the contract, disappointing the landfill's neighbors.
The council failed to muster the votes to extend the contract, Villaraigosa's first legislative setback. But the mayor persuaded the landfill operator to give the city more time to decide, so there will be another vote in February.
And when the issue of giving DWP workers raises of up to 34% over five years came up recently, Villaraigosa said he would not have negotiated the same deal but said he would go along with whatever the council decided. DWP workers spent $306,000 on campaign materials supporting him during the campaign. With the mayor unwilling to provide the council guidance or political cover to vote against the union, the council passed it, 10-3, after which the mayor said the panel had made the right decision.
Jim Alger, president of the Northridge West Neighborhood Council and a longtime critic of the DWP, said Villaraigosa's comments amounted to "taking both sides of the fence."
Villaraigosa's handling of the issue raises the question of whether he will provide leadership on other unpopular proposals — such as increasing fees to pay for some of his promises.
Ricardo Ramirez, a USC political scientist, describes Villaraigosa as "Clintonesque," but said the smile and charisma can only take him so far. "He really needs to get to the nuts and bolts of fixing some of the things people want fixed," Ramirez said.
For now, however, many of the details of governance have been eclipsed by the mayor's seemingly boundless energy.
"He came to my birthday party way out in the Valley," said City Councilman Dennis Zine. "And he came to the Fourth of July show that we had — the first time that a mayor ever did that. He's not only accessible to the people, he's accessible to me."
But how does that translate into fixing the problems that plague the city — the lack of police and of affordable housing, the bad traffic and bad schools?
Councilman Jack Weiss, one of Villaraigosa's biggest supporters, suggested that that is not the right question for Villaraigosa's first 100 days.
"His first task was not to accomplish a specific policy goal. His first task was to reestablish the primacy and pulse of the office of mayor," Weiss said. "And anyone who has looked at his schedule over the past few months knows that he's done that."
Villaraigosa, in turn, is taking credit not only for taking the city's pulse, but quickening it.
"The story of the last three months can't be expressed in a list of accomplishments or a litany of policy initiatives," Villaraigosa said Thursday in a speech at USC. "It's the expanding sense of energy and possibility that you get traveling throughout the city in the way that I have over the last 100 days — the palpable sense of resolve and purpose that you can touch and feel and hear in every community and every part of Los Angeles."
What happened to that Deputy Mayor of the Valley? Without an official Deputy Mayor for the Valley, Hahn's office was at everything. Too bad for AV: an easy hire could have quelled that concern.
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