The Garbage Chronicles, Part VIII
Assembly candidate Jim Alger wasn't happy with how things went down in Friday's Council discussion regarding the Sunshine Canyon landfill. Judging by emails we received, Alger wasn't the only one.The Alger campaign sent over this press release on the candidate's ownn proposal for closing Sunshine. We'll be waiting to see what they've come up with.
February 27, 2006 Granada Hills, CA - Tired of broken campaign promises by politicians on all levels, Jim Alger, Democratic Candidate for the 38th State Assembly District has announced that he will be releasing policy recommendations that will accomplish the goal of the City of Los Angeles pulling out of Sunshine Canyon Landfill in 5 years and working for ultimate closure in 10. "We stand on the eve of another broken promise" said Alger, "everyone completely expects that the City Council will renew the contract with BFI, and the Mayor will renig on his promise to veto such a City Council action." Alger has long held that Sunshine Canyon should be closed, and complained that the North Valley Coalition and other opposition groups have been cut out of discussions "Jim Alger believes that the root cause of this issue is that the right people are not at the table. When you have former BFI lobbyists working in the Department of Sanitation, staffing City Councilmembers and holding massive fundraisers for elected officials on all levels of government it is no surprise that their lucrative contract continues to be renewed regardless of what the public wants." Campaign spokesman Michael O'Connell said earlier today, "In the upcoming days Jim will release a plan that will propose some fee increases, some legislation and a complete overhaul of how we deal with our trash. It will not be designed to replace the RENEW LA plan, but it will stop RENEW LA from becoming RENEW LA's contract with Sunshine." "Last week I watched our elected leaders turn their back and ignore Wade Hunter, President of the North Valley Coalition. This man has been fighting Sunshine for decades and they ignored him. City Councilmembers find the time to meet with BFI but not with the residents, the NVC or Neighborhood Councils on this issue." Jim Alger said this morning "If they don't want to listen to the people, we are just going to have to yell louder. It starts by moving the game to our turf." "I don't need to travel around the world, or conduct studies at taxpayer expense to know that landfills in urban areas are a dumb idea. The people deserve better than this."
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 2/27/2006 12:05:00 AM
21 Comments:
It sounds like Alger gave Smith enough rope to hang himself. This could be a sticky one but Jim certainly can do no worse that what the City Council has done so far.
On Friday Alger stated that the cost of bailing out of Sunshine was less then $2.00 and noted that the city charges 6 times that for our fancy trash cans.
Point for Alger.
He also "Applauded" Greig Smiths RENEW LA plan but said it "is not perfect". Alger is clearly walking a tightrope here, and so far doing a good job at it.
If he comes out and promises to close Sunshine he is doomed to the fate of every politician before him including Smith who is routinely bashed over the head with is being "the only candidate with a plan to close Sunshine Canyon". We never did see that plan.
However, from Wal Mart to Katrina to just about everything Alger puts his head to he puts the right people at the table and rarely gets into something he doesn't have the answer to.
Alger is pretty transparent. In his release he complains the North Valley Coalition has been cut out of the process. I have 20 bucks that his plan will include them and exclude lobbyists.
To me this is just another example of a guy righting a wrong, as was the case with the Wal mart.
You have got to love how he gets twice the coverage by releasing how he plans on releasing something in a few days. Then of course, it will have to be printed when the plan is released.
That my friends is why he is the only candidate in the 38th with a campaign. He gets involved in issues, waits to make his move, and then leads.
Nothin' like calling 'em out...
"When you have former BFI lobbyists working in the Department of Sanitation, staffing City Councilmembers and holding massive fundraisers for elected officials on all levels of government it is no surprise that their lucrative contract continues to be renewed"
Ouch.
What a move. The only way Alger loses on this one is if the City Council votes to pull out of Sunshine all together on Tuesday.
If not, regardless of how much Smith puts on a show, Alger is going to say "I told you so."
Now we must wait patiently for Alger's plan, so we can cut it to Swiss Cheese, although I think we have seen a preview in that post and some previous posts of his.
As I stated in earlier Garbage Chronicles. Mr. Alger does not want any success on this issue. He would like to use the issue in future campaings. Please see the first three gushing blogs about the current post. Mr. Alger is moving to benefit himself politically not to benefit the community.
Bloggers have been asking for a plan from him for weeks. He will only release a plan when it benefits him. Does that help the current debate? I think not.
The one detail he has released is that it will only cost each household $2 per month.
For L.A. residents that means $31 Million a year.
Mr. Alger also supports a monthly increase of $3.50 for each LA household to support Green Energy by DWP.
That will cost LA residents $54 Million at year.
Mr. Alger also supports Universal Health Care of which the 38th Assembly District will be a donor.
Mr. Alger's approach seems to be throwing the tax payers money at problems.
So far $85 Million and counting.
Is this original thinking. Anyone could do this.
Voters need to ask themselves, How much money will JIM ALGER cost me?
Pretty sad that city council members took up 2 HOURS OF PRESENTATIONS ON FRIDAY. WHAT THE HELL????? WHY AREN'T THERE ANY TIME LIMITS ON THOSE PRESENTATIONS LIKE PUBLIC COMMENT? The only much deserved presentation was the Silver Star receiptent hero.
Garcetti needs to put a tighter rope around these morons. They still aren't sitting in their seats on time.
Well, Mr. Alger's plan seems as intricate, sophisticated and well run as a Swiss watch.
Where does this private citizen get the resources, manpower, volunteers, needed to conduct 100s of hours of research, meetings with city departments, commissioning feasibility studies? Or has he not done that at all?
Mr. 4:47 am, you seem to begin your posts bashing Alger at almost the exact time every day.
Alger waited to see if Smith did the right thing, which of course he didn't. So lets separate fact from fiction in your post.
"...Bloggers have been asking for a plan from him for weeks..."
No they haven't... YOU HAVE. Here is a shocker for you, Jim Alger doesn't jump because YOU tell him to. He waited until it became clear the City wasn't going to consider other viable options and then said there is a better way and here it is. I personally think he timed the release to try and prod City Council one last time before they vote to screw over the valley again.
"...The one detail he has released is that it will only cost each household $2 per month. For L.A. residents that means $31 Million a year..."
UMMM NO, It means LESS THAN Two bucks per month which is LESS THAN $24.00 per year. Although that is a nice political trick to add total costs to every human for shock value. It is still less than 2 bucks a month.
"...Mr. Alger also supports a monthly increase of $3.50 for each LA household to support Green Energy by DWP..."
When has Jim Alger EVER stated he supported a DWP rate hike???? HE NEVER DID! In fact he has fought to keep rates down, successfully I might add. So of course, your wrong AGAIN.
"...Mr. Alger also supports Universal Health Care of which the 38th Assembly District will be a donor..."
Jim has never said word one about costs for Universal Health-care as opposed to the current cost which is unbearable now. Anything would be an improvement.
"...Mr. Alger's approach seems to be throwing the tax payers money at problems. So far $85 Million and counting..."
Actually so far the cost is 2 bucks a month, not even close to your ridiculous numbers. Now add in the lower health care costs for residents, you may even have a net gain.
Bottom line Mr. 4:47 is that, as usual, you are talking out of your ass again. Jim does things when others either can't or won't.
We understand that you hate him. We get that your obsessed with cutting him down. But as has been pointed out now numerous times, could you at least stay on facts and not fiction?
You make up numbers out of thin air and state them as fact, at least wait until you see his plan. Then, take a breath and fire away. Or here is an idea, add something useful to the discussion or are you incapable of such?
Glen, He has the North Valley Coalition which has been studying and fighting this dump for decades. There have been multiple official studies, recommendations, commissions etc that have never been acted upon for political reasons.
I guarantee you we are going to see part of his plan will be removing barriers that he perceives have prevented implementation of previous recommendations.
I heard Jim in the halls after City Council last week. He was absolutely incensed that Council members were carrying on their own conversations during public comment, completely ignoring Wade Hunter.
My guess, that threw him over the edge. He probably realized then that the City was not serious about doing anything about Sunshine Canyon.
Nope. and no matter how many times you try to tell that lie the answer will still be nope.
As for the press.. Jim has been in more papers, news stories and tv appearances than one could list... feel free to visit his website. There is a good selection there.
Here is Jim Alger "not getting press outside this blog"...
02/02/2006 - Alger leads Democratic Assembly candidates in funds raised for race
01/25/2006 - One man's run at Assembly now his "job" - Santa Clarita Signal
01/23/2006 - Alger releases Sierra Club Questionnaire - Capitol Morning Report
01/21/2006 - Wal Mart withdraws bid to build on Nordhoff - North Valley Community News
01/21/2006 - Wal Mart drops plans for store in Northridge - San Fernando Sun
01/19/2006 - Alger calls for support of AB 583 - Capitol Morning Report
01/17/2006 - Wal Mart abandons plans for Los Angeles Store - Associated Press
01/17/2006 - Wal Mart scraps plans for San Fernando Valley Store - CNN
01/17/2006 - Wal Mart Pulls the Plug on Valley Site - LA Times
01/17/2006 - Northridge Wal Mart Defeated - LA Daily News
01/03/2006 - Starting the year with a clean slate - LA Daily News
12/30/2005 - DWP water price hike months away - LA Daily News
12/23/2005 - Assembly hopeful admits mistake - LA Daily News
12/06/2005 - Alger proposes Community Based Emergency Plan - Capitol Morning Report
12/03/2005 - Valley may lose rush-hour relief - LA Daily News
10/06/2005 - Capitol Morning Report
10/04/2005 - Local Pilot Returns from Gulf Coast
10/03/2005 - Capitol Morning Report
09/21/2005 - Big Raises for DWP
09/15/2005 - Katrina brings local heroes to forefront
09/05/2005 - Democrats Still Playing Softball
08/22/2005 - Wal Mart Opponents Heartend - LA Daily News
08/12/2005 - DWP's Power Surge - LA Weekly
08/02/2005 - DWP Salary plan irks unions
07/30/2005 - Re: "Mr Smith throws a fit" - LA Daily News
07/29/2005 - Re: "Councilman threatens slander suit" - LA Daily News
07/28/2005 - Re: "Councilman threatens slander suit" - LA Daily News
07/27/2005 - Mr Smith throws a fit - LA Daily News
07/26/2005 - Councilman threatens slander suit - LA Daily News
07/08/2005 - Southern California Republican Women and Men
07/03/2005 - LA Daily News
06/07/2005 - Letter to Editor
04/14/2005 - Community fights Wal-Mart LA Daily News
04/04/2005 - Sunland Tujunga NC News
03/31/2005 - LA Daily News
02/01/2005 - LA Daily News Op Ed
09/20/2003 - LA Daily News
12/17/2003 - Letter to the editor
01/10/2004 - LA Daily News
03/08/2004 - CityWatch
03/11/2004 - Boulevard Sentinal
03/15/2004 - Mid City West News
03/31/2004 - Silver Lake Article
04/02/2004 - LA Weekly
04/05/2004 - CityWatch
05/05/2004 - Coast San Pedro News
06/14/2004 - CityWatch
06/17/2004 - Los Angeles Times
07/08/2004 - LA Daily News
07/12/2004 - WAPA
07/23/2004 - LA Daily News
08/25/2004 - LA Weekly
09/14/2004 - CityWatch
10/09/2004 - Los Angeles Times
03/31/2005 - LA Daily News
04/04/2005 - Sunland Tujunga NC News
04/15/2005 - LA Daily News
06/07/2005 - Letter to Editor
Once again an anonymous blogger spouts off what can be easily disproven.
What I am curious to see is not so much the plan, but how he intends to implement it.
Sell it to NC's? Lobby I guess... but that is going to be interesting.
LA Daily News from 12/30/05
"Jim Alger, president of the Northridge West Neighborhood Council, said there is now an unprecedented level of transparency at the utility thanks to the agreement with neighborhood groups.
Alger predicts a "thorough debate" once any new increase is proposed, but he said it will likely focus on matters the City Council controls, such as weighing a rate hike in light of the DWP's annual hefty transfer to the city's general fund."
Thats about 10 paragraphs in. Not exactly a ringing endorsement or what others would call "press" for such a high profile campaign as 38th AD. And news articles from pre-2005 don't really mean he gets press.
The 38th is a "High Profile" race???
ARE YOU SERIOUS???????
First you say he "gets no press" now your fallback position is he isn't getting what you perceive is the right kind of press???
Go play on the freeway.
Jim gets no less than 100 times the press of all other 38th Assembly Candidates combined. That is because he is involved in issues people care about.
But to say the 38th is a high profile race shows your ignorance. The Democrats write off the 38th seat. Jim has put it on the map and now you have things like 20 Democrats running for Central Committee.
Accord to the 2000 US Census there are 1.3 Million residental units in LA. $2 per month times 12 equals $31 million.
In a press release by the Western Area Power Administration dated July 12. Members of the City's Green Ribbon Commission on Renewable Energy proclaimed their support for a renewable energy program that will cost ratepayers $3.50 per month.
Jim Alger in on this commission and spoke in support of this plan.
1.3 Million households times $3.50 per month times 12 equals $54 Million dollars per year.
That would be $85 Million and counting.
Alger spoke supporting the commission BEFORE THEY EVER MET in a news conference with then Mayor Hahn (another press event by the way).
He also stated he would protect rate-payers and publicly OPPOSED raising rates.
As for your math... it is still less than 2 bucks no matter how much you want to create shocking numbers. Taxpayers created the mess, taxpayers should pay to fix it. Nothing wrong with that. Don't like it? Stop supporting idiotic ideas like expanding a landfill into a residential neighborhood.
From LA WEEKLY (The only public comments made by Algher on the Green Ribbon Commission topic were made on this day)
...No word yet on whether Jim Alger, the man who went toe-to-toe with the DWP over a rate increase, is taking the tour. But it was a little jolting to see him earlier this summer walking down the First Street steps alongside several DWP reps and Mayor Hahn for a press event announcing the creation of an environmental panel. Hahn appointed Alger, and another neighborhood-council leader, to his “green ribbon” commission.
Like a seasoned City Hall insider, Alger thanked Hahn and the City Council, then said he had a message not for neighborhood councils, but for DWP ratepayers. “You will be in the forefront of my and everyone else’s mind here,”
Mr. Alger claims he has saved ratepayers for DWP 100 Million and counting.
$31 Million works out to $24 per household each year to close Sunshine Canyon. According to Alger and his supporters, no big deal it is just $2. per month.
$54 Million for Green Power works out to be $42 per household each year or $3.50 per month. Again no big deal for Alger.
According to Alger supporters, I am using "political tricks" to create "shocking numbers."
Now Alger has saved $100 Million and counting for DWP ratepayers. That works out to be $77 dollars a year per household or $6.40 per month.
I guess his DWP success is really, no big deal?
According to an Alger supporter on this site, "Taxpayers should pay" and with Alger the probably will.
Your right. Alger has done nothing at all for anyone but you Mr Anonymous have done what exactly?
You also can't read. ALGER NEVER N-E-V-E-R said he supported a DWP rate hike. No matter how many times you hear it you just can't seem to get it through your head. Just like you couldn't understand what supporting P-A-R-T-S of RENEW LA meant. Did you even get out of kindergarten?
The City forced us to pay 12 bucks for trash cans, are you seriously saying the 2 bucks is a big deal?
No, your not seriously saying anything. You just want to bash Alger or anything he says or does at every chance you can.
Dude, don't sweat it. That jive turkey is in love with Jim and just runs at the mouth.
He really thinks we are stupid and can't read.
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