Mayor Sam's Morning Update

One day after Controller Laura Chick said she had "significant concerns about the safeguarding of cash and the proper management of parking operations at El Pueblo," Laura Chick will next set her sights on the Recreation and Parks Department in an audit to be released on Thursday. It will be intersting to see what she says. What she found at El Pueblo raises huge concerns. "It is mind boggling to me that some parking lot attendants are still storing cash in their pockets. There's no excuse for not providing basic, common sense safeguards to protect the public's money," said Chick. Stay tuned.

In addition to spending some time on KBIG Radio Thursday morning (don't expect to hear him on KABC anytime soon though), Mayor Villaraigosa will meet with NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to persuade the league to bring a football team to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Villaraigosa is even proposing offering nearly $50 million a year in taxpayer funds to a pro team, even though the feeling of most in town is to not spend public funds on sports. Where is Joel Wachs when you need him?

Steve Hymon reports in the LA Times that Janice Hahn is less than pleased with the lunch choices at the LA Mall next to City Hall. Carl's Jr. and Quiznos are the two main choices. Its gotten so bad, staffers cringe at picking up her lunch lest Janice gripe about a toasted cheese and tuna sub or a western bacon cheeseburger. Hey, at least she's not parking in handicapped spots anymore!