Ask the Mayor
Last Evenings "Ask the Mayor" segment on KCAL 9 dealt with homelessness, animal shelters, and the city council. Yes, as you can see by the graphic, I am partial to the City Council question:Much has been made about the City Council showing up on time. As Mayor, how can you persuade the Council to change their bad habits?
His answer: He acknowledges my question, talks of seperation of powers between legislative and executive branches of government (which yes, I understand), and then starts in with the scheduling conflict verbage saying that sometimes it is unavoidable.
OK, I give him props for answering the question. However, my point was actually addressed in the followup question:
Can you at least sympathize with many of the people who wait many hours and then no one is there?
His answer: Absolutely. He then gives examples of changes in the MTA meetings where public comment has been moved from the end of the agenda to the front.
The problem they keep missing is this. It is not enough to just give the public a comment period. YOU MUST ACTUALLY SIT, LISTEN, AND RESPECT THEM. They have given their time and energy to join the process that so many people can't even be bothered to go and vote for and then they get mistreated. And people wonder about the causes of voter apathy...
Simple solutions such as a brief recess could have solved the entire dilemna. This isn't rocket science. Better yet, how about they show up for their jobs which we pay them for and do the work we elected them to do. Heck, If I just got to get up and leave my desk at work whenever I felt like it, I'm not so sure that my employers wouldn't respond much differently than I am. I'd be fired or docked pay. Certainly a draconian step, but may be where this is headed if the council keeps winning "Ass-Clown" awards.
Posted by Anonymous @ 12/22/2005 08:01:00 AM
46 Comments:
Well said Brian!
Merry Christmas to you, Mayor Sam, and Chief Parker.
:)
Had the chance to ask the Mayor I would say,
"Sad...drug dealers abuse homeless...
Have any of you seen this? Next door on N. Figueroa@Ave 57...there is a house rented out to rehab people. Knocked on their door, guys told me landlord charges $500 each to stay and previously homeless. Is this legal? Guy said 9 living in house. Some look crazy, drug addicts...
Is this happening anywhere else in the city?"
Why didn't Antonio say "Council should do what I do at the MTA meetings where public comment is taken first? Now that would have shown a true leader not this goon we have as mayor.
Good job, Brian! There are some good listeners and some really bad ones. Weiss won't listen to anything that doesn't narrowly apply to him. Parks listens, Garcetti listens, Smith listens, Reyes listens. Perry barely looks up when she is around. LaBonge can't focus too well, but listens when he is talking ;-)
Garcetti has his work cut out for him as council president. But you're right: you either listen, or you don't. Ironic that Villaraigosa was asked the question, as he helped two press conferences occur during council meetings over the last two days.
8:40 Heard through NC more houses as you describe in El Sereno.
8:47 (1) Antonio has more important things to do than depend on council antics.
8:47 (2) Agreed, ironic he was THE question. Weiss listens periodically, Garcetti can handle the situation.
Vacation Time? I thought you three Mayor Sam, Frank, C.Parker were on vacation from the very beginning.
Isn't this odd??? I realized Mayor Sam, Mayor Frank, C. Parker were all from the Valley (yes call me slomo).
All three have ties with Rob Reiner and Bob Hertzberg.
Hmmm???? Merry X-Mas
Remember? VIP politician shoving homeless, drug addicts, child molestors in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
REPORT IT!
Sorry Mayor Frank.
I was wrong to assume.
Merry X-Mas anyways...
Pretty weak answer when they asked Padilla why the motion to cut down on presentations and sent to his committee has been addressed. Padila stated he didn't think it was that important. This is what we're going to get in 2006 if Garcetti doesn't whip these morons into shape. I have never seen the bad publicity with council members in all my years living in LA.
ANON POSTED ON OTHER THREAD
"is this happening anywhere else in the city?"
Hell, yes!! Let me fill you in on a dirty little secret, my friend.
I happen to be a landlord in south central. Have about 15 little houses that I have owned as rental properties for the past 30 years.
Seems that there are just under 300 complaints for slum landlord violations on the desk of AV's mafia D.A. Rocky Delgadillo. DELGADILLA HAS NEVER RESPONDED OR TAKEN ACTION ON THESE SEVERE VIOLATIONS!!!!
Why? The entire inner city and all of east L.A. is just swarmiing with illegals, drug dealing, gangbangers, rapes, murders, etc. etc. If Delgadillo prosecuted these people it would open up a can of worms. You've got 1, 20, 30 illegals living in one little house or apt. What's going to happen if the rich landlords are fined and sent to prison? Everyone knows that he is protecting the landlords so that he won't disrupt the illegal activities of the renters. Antonio Villaraigosa is PRO ILLEGAL and PRO MEXICAN. 99% of the renters in the slums of L>A> are Mexicans.
The rich landlords are getting richer. I know for a fact that they charge anywhere between $300.00 and $500.00 a head for EACH renter in a single house or apt. NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!
There are millions of health violations not to mention maximum tenancy violations.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE CITY CRACKED DOWN ON THE LANDLORDS? YOU WOULD END UP WITH MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL MEXICANS OUT ON THE STREET WITH NOWHERE TO GO EXCEPT BACK TO MEXICO.
You have no idea of what's really going on down there. I could write volumes....it is beyond corruption. I guarantee you that it's all going to break loose...wait and see. Stay tuned.
Fasten your seat belts.
I am gay. My partner and I reside in the city of LA. I am also a City Employee, which is why I need to be anonymous.
I would have asked Antonio why do you let Hahn's corruptions continue under your watch. Particularly in the housing department, which sadens my heart because the GM is gay. The GM is well qualified for her position as an attorney by education alone and experience at the federal level. Unfortunately, her partner of many years is only a paralegal (2 years school) and was hired before the GM toke office, but once in office the GM gave her illegal authority and became her second in command. Essentially forcing city employees (such as myself) with many years of experience and higher education to report to the paralegal. To try and avoid any inpropriety Hahn and the Housing GM created a position in the Mayors office specifically for the paralegal at an outrageous salary of over $100K/yr. The paralegal was originally hired as temp outside the civil service contract and her original temp contract has long expired. However, she still continues to work in the housing department causing havok on city employees like myself due to the lack in education and managerial experience. Now the GM is trying to bypass the civil service laws to try and get her in permanently. They are trying to get around the civil service law that requires education. A law that was put in place to prevent any illegal preferential treatment. As citizens of this great city, to look away from this inpropriety just because they are gay? What a waste of tax dollars for the residents of LA. If this is happening in the housing department, it maybe widespread throughout the city offices.
10:34 What is the person's name?
Corruptions in Housing
The mayor knows their names and knows them personally, which makes it even more questionable. They may have been instrumental in getting the West Hollywood vote. Payback??? Maybe
Does Housing Corruption include Landlord Abuse?
What are mentally ill patients dumped in our neighborhoods?
Why are they left to live in one room along with 10 other people?
How do I find out who owns the properties?
This doesn't smell legal, it wreaks corruption. Is Media the only outlet that we can report this problem to?
Attn: Media
City ? dumping homeless in halfway homes around city.
Housing corruption. This paralegal previously worked for tenant rights--that's the extent of her experience. Now she is working within the city government against the landlords--conflict of interest??
Okay, the City council has some of this grief coming... but have any of you ever sat through or watched a "public comment" period on an average day.
One out of every three speakers is mentally ill, shouting, screaming about things that have nothing to do with L.A. or the council's powers.
Some speak 3, 4, 5 times a day, on any agenda item that's open for discussion, reading off scribbles on yellow pads, droning on past their allotted time.
They tell the CMs that aliens abducted them, that the city council should declare war on Belgium, and that Hollywood Boulevard is a cesspool (okay 1 out of 3, I'll give you).
After a bunch of that, it's no wonder they get a little numb.
Another one-third, who allegedly are speaking on topic, ramble so badly and can't even complete a thought. At the end, I keep thinking the council president needs to ask "so, in conclusion are you for or against this motion?"
Hell, I couldn't tell with some of them.
Maybe if a few more sane people gave a rat's ass and showed up to make intelligent comments from time to time, the council would be more encourage to listen.
(Garza got their attention last week, anyway... like a teacher at a bad LAUSD school starting the day... shouting "HELLO" and waking up the paid staff from slumber).
Didn't AV schedule one or more events that needed CM attendance in recent weeks, DURING city council session hours... ?
Wasn't he one of the most often absent CMs during his short tenure on council?
I smell a hypocrite.
Mayor Sam i have a question,
If 12 council members left the room they by definition lose their quorum. Under what law do they continue a public meeting without a quorum?
Seems like an obvious brown act violation.
There's some good stories on this thread. I hope reporters are reading this and convince their editors to invest the resources.
Brown Act Violation...please explain.
11:28 CM's ran for this seat, CM's knew the protocol, why cry about it? So what if the sessions are long. If they don't like the job, resign and give it to the next candidate who will stay and listen to constituents.
CM's=Bunch of Whiners
"One out of every three speakers is mentally ill, shouting, screaming about things that have nothing to do with L.A. or the council's powers"
I HOPE YOU ARE NOT A CM.
I hear you 11:51.
:)
Mayor Frank,
Anon never mentioned you lived in the Valley, "from the Valley."
EX: You work, hang out, or shuffle papers in the Valley.
You don't need a quorum to take public comment because there are no action items or items requiring a vote.
I'd tell you to refer you question to Rocky, but we all know he has never practiced law.
Hey Rocky fans...
You should know on Monday his campaign announced endoresements by Senator's Alarcon, Murray, Cedillo, Kuel, Ducheny and Assembly members Koretz, Horton, Baca, and Arambula.
Sounds like he's still in the race for AG.
OOOOOHHHHH. OH OH
Alger raises a good point. Groups that follow the Open Meetings Law(Brown Act) and standard Parlimentary proceerure cease ALL activity the instant less than a majority is seated.The City Council never starts before than,under what authority do they keep going if the majority leaves the room.
The Brown Act provides that the public be given ample timeto address the Governing Body. By definition that body does not exist if a majority are not in the room.
In other words if they don't have enough people to take a vote, they can not conduct ANY business.
The people of LA shold revolt over the way these fat cats treat us.
You are wrong previous poster. Get a copy of the Cal. Government Code.
Even if they CAN do it, they SHOULDN'T.
Wait council members get all those 20 days off plus recess and they have the nerve NOT to be in their seats on time or during the meeting. Then have the nerve to leave early and lose quroum. How the hell this it get this bad?
I totally agree with poster on corruption in housing. There are cities that are now passing motions to allow their police officers to go after illegals. Yes, Antonio is a big fan of illegals just ask anyone in Boyle Heights where he has allowed the illegal vendors to run rampant and doesn't do shit about it. The hard working businesses are getting run out of town by these illegals. Its time to start controlling the illegals in LA but without a mayor or city council with leadership we are doomed.
Televise city council sessions.
Let's see what happens then.
I'm sure CM's will look attentive!
Do any of you fools believe in Aliens?
ET's (do not confuse with illegal aliens)
3:47 IS an alien.
Every city council session IS televised, and replayed 3-4 times during the week.
You can even view it online, and listen in by telephone.
Get off the blog neophyte! Go play at LAVoice. No one over there knows what they're talking about (and no one else cares).
True 4:49, City Council even forced cable companies to lower the price of entry-leve
Of course they screwed the middle of the road user in the process (typical).
Used to be you could get a fair number of cable stations for 25 bucks a month, and a ton for 50 (round numbers).
Then Council decided they need to accommodate the "poor" more, so they forced the bottom price down to $15 bucks or so, for just a handful of basic cable + city stations.
But they also let the cable companies scrap the middle-ground $25, and forced everyone to go one way or the other -- bare minimum, or high-priced premium (and then reduced the number of stations in the premium $50 package, so it was almost the same as what people were paying $25 for before.
This is the ingenuity of our city council. Make everyone pay more, to get less than they had before (except the very poor, most of which still haven't signed up).
I signed up for the cable. I can now watch the city channel and the other local stations a lot better.
ANd to the poster who said I got the City Coucnil's Attention . That is how you do it. You have got to wake them up . Speak to them as if you are speaking to your neihgbor. Goodmorning . If I see one falling asleep or getting up to walk away , or start talking with someone , I mention their names while I speak , they hate being called out- I guess just like wayward children in LAUSD.
Many people who know that the city council sessions are televised , know we don't go to speak to the City Council , we go to speak our minds to the city at large. Decisions are made in committees.
Because most of the time we are not heard by our council people and even sometimes we have to refute what those people say who claim to speak for us, we go to city council
For instance, these low income advocates who claim I want to live in skid row , the way it is , will never tell you I don't want to live in skid row the way it is in actuality I wouldn't mind being displaced to the suburbs somehwere with the backyard and the green grass in subsidized housing ,
That is why it is important ot go to council meetings and speak , so that the other sides of issues which are not heard are heard by the public at large. Because then, if others who thoguht they were the only ones who thought that way , might also begin to speak up.
After all, these council people are human beings and they don't get lot's of rest like a lot of us.
as far as the brown act , I was also thinking the same thing. MAybe they viloated the brown act. esp if it is an action item.
Put the council meetings on local stations and the audience will be a lot different. A lot of people don't watch Chn 35. I say to LA reporters keep reporting these type of stories and hopefully council members will get the message. Its a shame those we elected behave so horribly and are so arrogant they don't have a clue they're doing anything wrong. Council members should attend one of the good neighborhood council meetings and see how they are run. No getting up from your seat, no talking on cell phones, no doing other business while around the table. Sadly, most of the NC meetings are run much more maturely then our own council members.
All on city time and what a waste of our tax dollars once again by our Mayor.
Mayor Poses With City Employees For Nearly 1,400 Photos
Some Employees Say Mayor Has Been Naughty, Others Say He's Nice
LOS ANGELES -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa sat through 1,390 Polaroid photos Thursday morning with city employees in front of the red and gold decorated Christmas tree at the center of City Hall's third floor rotunda
I would much rather that the mentally ill be placed in group homes in normal neighborhoods than allowed to cluster on Skid Row. The real problem is that these group homes don't have enough staffers/supervisors for each patient.
At the very least, the social services burden should be shared among all the city's areas--Hollywood, downtown, the Eastside, South Central, Mid-Wilshire, the east Valley, the west Valley, the Westside, and the harbor area--rather than all of the homeless and drug-addicted ending up in East Hollywood and Skid Row.
Where on Figueroa and Ave 57?
Can you provide an address?
Staffing is not the probelm. NIMBY is.
10:07
OH, but AV was in heaven!!!
willaim mullholland
you never know.
they might have hemmorrhoids thus they may have to get up and walk around.
Or do you think ritalin will work
you know committee meetings at city hall are quite different , they don't get up and walk around , not that I have seen.
Good job LAPD. LA Times...Skid Row Drug STing Nets 14. LAPD invited the press to be with them as they arrested druggies yesterday. An actor was busted and it is on front page LA Times.
Any one can turn any single family home in California into a group: half way, rehab, sex offender, homeless etc with no notification to neighbors and local cities can't stop it. It's Calif Law. As long as the number of "guests" (inmates) don't exceed 6. You can thank your great state legislature for this one. Goldberg, Leno, Nunez and Mr. 41 .....the "Public Safety" majority.....
All these CalTrans owned homes in El Sereno have been turned into many of these.
wow, that question was a set up. AV had the answer before Brian asked it. Brian used to work for AV.
Why not take a question from a regular citizen?
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