Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday
Recognizing that California is a significant part of the national and world economy, the US Chamber of Commerce has undertaken a program to support Governor Schwarzenegger's economic programs. We've noted that California has a state legislature that is hostile to business, nearly bordering on socilaist and driven to chase business and wealthy individuals out of the state. Yesterday I told you about Rob "Meathead" Reiner's Yes on Proposition 82 campaign and its bizarre plan to target The Gap retail stores and its owner as part of their program to secure passage of their soak the rich tax plan. Hopefully, the Chamber's campaign can educate folks to some good, common sense economics. We shall see.If you want to see something fun, check out this hilarious video at MS2. Its a live action version of the opening credits for "The Simpsons." Click here, you have got to see this.
People continue to think that jobs like being a janitor deserves career wages where in the past such jobs were seen as places folks would do while they were going to school or learning new skills elsewhere. Janitors who work for NBC/Universal are whining about how little they're paid compare to janitors at Dreamworks, Paramount and CBS. Of course, they now have a blog. Hint - if you're a janitor at NBC/Universal and want to make as much as janitors at other studios, go apply there.
Two days after he made it into a runoff for the LA Board of Education seat vacated by new City Councilman Jose Huizar, Christopher Arrellano is still allegedly posting bogus information about himself and his campaign on his website. Our friends at Independent Sources have a good post on the matter.
The Transit Coalition's e-newsletter is up at MS2. An interesting item in the current issue is how leaders from Burbank and Glendale want to develop a rail or rapid bus link from the Red Line in North Hollywood to the Gold Line in Pasadena, serving Burbank Airport and running through their cities. This would be an excellent idea. Right now, if you want to take rail from the Valley to Pasadena, you need to take the Red Line all the way downtown and then catch the Gold Line from Union Station to Pasadena. Even if it were not entirely seamless, a link through Burbank and Glendale would be far more efficient.
Dr. Charlotte Laws reports that new Department of Animal Services General Manager Edward Boks is expressing support for Neighborhood Councils to get invovled in the Directors of Animal Welfare program. DAWs work as a liasion to Neighborhood Councils on matters of animal welfare. Click here to read Boks' letter.
As you know, I've been a frequent critic of government employee unions, but here's an issue where this old, dead Republican Mayor actually agrees with the SEIU. The City provides a $100 work shoe/boot allowance to employees of various departments. The allowance is distributed through their paychecks. Now, the City has decided to apply withholding to this amount, effectively swiping about 30 to 40% of the allowance from the workers. A good pair of workboots costs at least $100, in my view the workers are getting screwed. But maybe this might wake the union up to the fact that getting taxed to death is no fun.
We haven't posted a lot about Assembly Candidate Jim Alger lately, but that doesn't mean he's not keeping busy. In the last few days Alger has gave his support to the EAA, released his financial statements and had some strong words for Councilman Greig Smith.
Final note: A shout out to Martini Republic's Joseph Mailander who has been really helping out around the Sister City contributing articles, particularly some great coverage of the school board race.
City of LA Meetings for Friday
8:30AM - Intergovernmental Relations Committee, Special Meeting
9:00AM - Intergovernmental Relations Committee, Meeting Canceled
9:00AM - Los Angeles City Council Agenda
9:00AM - Los Angeles City Council, Continuation Agenda
9:15AM - Los Angeles City Council Agenda, Special Meeting
The Southern California Transit Advocates will meet Saturday, March 11, 1 p.m., Angelus Plaza, Rm. 422, 255 S. Hill St., Los Angeles.
Labels: SEIU
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 3/10/2006 12:05:00 AM
23 Comments:
Yes, why don't those dumb janitors go apply somewhere else?!
Or wait a minute. Wouldn't that just leave someone else with a poverty wage, job with no benefits.
The truth is that when big companies like NBC Universal create shitty jobs with no health care, it means that taxpayers end up footing the bill when people have to use publicly funded health care programs.
You can blame the workers all you want, but the truth is that they are working hard at full time jobs. At what point do we start holding multi-billion dollar entertainment companies responsible for the kinds of jobs they are creating.
Alger is putting out a press release every few hours it seems like.
Interesting move backing EAA, especially given the lack of a COPE endorsement which means he backs them and can get nothing in return.
There is a guy who stands for what he believes, and obviously wants the world to know it.
So, Bob Aquino is chasing Tony down the street and Jim Alger is confronting Greig Smith in City Council...
How sad that this is what it takes to get our leaders attention.
Maybe these two are on to something?
interesting point, although I would pay some serious money to see Alger chase Smith down the street. That would be a hoot!
Did anyone read the story about Wesson's son? Looks like Martin may be singing a payback song. Word on the street is that Wesson asked Martin to step down last year as councilman because of the money thing and he told Herb to fuck off.
While Herb was only trying to help Martin avoid this embarassment that he's going through now, Martin felt threatened (by someone who is shorter than him no doubt). Notice that Martin did not support/endorse Wesson's run for City Council to replace Martin. Now wouldn't you think that he would support his old boss for a council seat? Wouldn't that make sense for Martin to repay a favor like that. The man gives you a job, pays you well, gives you exposure and you don't support him? Check out the CM's who did support Wesson.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Tony Cardenas
Los Angeles City Councilmember Eric Garcetti
Los Angeles City Councilmember Janice Hahn
Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge
Los Angeles City Council President Alex Padilla
Los Angeles City Councilmember Bernard Parks
Los Angeles City Councilmember Jan Perry
Los Angeles City Councilmember Ed Reyes
Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl
Los Angeles City Councilmember Greig Smith
Los Angeles City Councilmember Dennis Zine
Eleven of fifteen council members supported Wesson to take Martin's place. Where was Martin? Who did Martin support? No one. Also notice that AV's name is not on the list either, nor is Huizar's. Now that they are estranged, Martin is probably kicking himself in the ass for not stepping down gracefully. Had he done so, all of this would probably not be playing out in the media. Instead, the little guy put on his "tough suit" and is now taking it in the ass.
Martin should have listened to him. What an ass. And the black community should not support Martin and think it's a C-O-N-spriacy because Martin has not sided with the black folks for a long time, if ever.
Ludlow singing about Wesson's dirt is distasteful. It's pure revenge. Hey Martin, green is not a good color on you. Plus, someone may mistake you for an elf, or the hobbit.
Shame on you!
Thank you Daily News
Disclosure of the extent of the bonus abuse came after the Daily News filed a Freedom of Information request for the data. Villaraigosa and Co. are no dummies. They understand that the revelation of ballooning of bonuses - from $29 million in 2001 to $117 million last year - handed out to a work force that's already the best-paid in the nation might be embarrassing at a time when City Hall prepares to pare city services even further. By releasing the information to everyone, the mayor was trying to control the spin of the story of this malpractice.
That's his right, but it does nothing to undermine the truth of the matter: City Hall has long taken the people's money and put it in the pockets of the politicians, their patrons and public employees while cutting back on public services.
I told you about that pandora's box that Martin opened up. Now Wesson will retaliate against Ludlow and Antonio will retaliate against Wesson and Burke will retaliate against Antonio and on and on and on. The Feds will be busy for several years with L.A. Politics. They will all self destruct as they turn on each other. See what happens when we elect dumb fucks!
OK, i'm predicting it. Since Martin "crossed over" and is siding with the Latino politicians and is disparaging a popular African-American politician, the ranks will closed around both AA and Latino pols from now on. They've created a political race war. One of the next battles will be for CD 9 when Perry's term is up, and CD 15 when Hahn's term is up.
I bet you dollars to donuts that Parke and them will link Janice to Jim in other ways than them being siblings. He will try to make it look like she was involved, or knew about what was happening in the Mayor's office when she didn't.
What's going to be the real kicker is that we will start hearing more about parts of L.A. seceeding again because of the racial polarization of the city and corrupt politicians.
That's the future of L.A. folks. You read it here. Thanks for nothing Martin.
I can see Martin as Uncle Ruckus from The Boondocks singing "don't trust them new niggas over there" while pointing at Herb and the other black politicians.
If UTLA pulls it support of Arellano and Arellano withdraws from the race, it looks like Monica could be facing a much more formidable candidate: Enrique Gasca.
Monica, you better hope Chris stays in because Enrique will make mince meat of you and the UTLA will back him since he's been quite public about his position against Mayoral takeover of the District.
Mayor Sam: I think this deserves a separte thread.
State of LA needs its own thread. We have racial tensions in the high schools and now with our politicans. Yup, Martin is singing like a bird. The next one they should investigate is Bitter Bernie and all his family that were paid during his campaign. The list will only get longer.
Word is Cedillo is running for CD9. With the population of South LA more Latino he will take it.
Thank you corrupt politicans for making LA once again the laughing stock of the nation.
PREDICTION: TOM SANEZ BECOMES PRESIDENT OF MALDEF.
It appears Villraigosa is pushing Tom out to the street. He hasn't been happy with Tom so he orchestrated Anne Marie Tallman's firing/resignation so that Tom can have a place to go.
In case you were not aware, Villraigosa lobbied for Ms. Tallman to get the job over Tom last go round (they were the two finalist). Now that AV wants Tom gone, he's created a place for him to land and Anne Marie is the fall person.
Don't you love politics?
What Victor Griego AV pal?
corrupt politics
Herb Wesson is just another crook. It's good that Ludlow ratted him out. It's time that all the crooks get out of office. Geez, and to have the personnel director of the County be a part of the fraud?? Michael J. Henry should be fired. If Zev had any balls or weren't such a crook himself, he would get rid of that guy.
Herb Wesson 3 is crook. working for Kevin de Leon. Kevin is also crook and not even elected yet.
Our tax dollars paid for counsel to Antonio Thomas Saenz then we find out he's president of the County Board of Education or one of those commissions. They stopped a vote last week because of something Thomas wrote up on the school take over. Now tell me if that's not a conflict of interest. AV will move Saenz that way he can help him with mayoral take over of schools
I see that youre posting again Nathalie Reyes. I recognize your stench anywhere.
Sad, sad sad that once again Antonio's little groupies make personal attacks when they aren't educated enough to answer with an intelligent thought. Instead of stating why the previous poster is wrong and a reason the juvenile obviously is showing her/his immaturity.
so it's OK for Dirty Don Knabe's white son but it aint OK for Herb Wesson's black son to make a living. Racism alive and well in LA County.
You are whack. Matt Knabe is a great man and his father is a true leader. Herb Wesson is nothing compared to the Knabe family.
The Knabes and Wessons are both pararsites. These are people that could only get jobs in government.
Lobbyist, government employees and elected officials are all people that could not make it in the private sector and have to rely on government for income.
And you probably couldn't get a job in the public sector because you lack the competency to pass a civil service exam. :oP
But I'm not disputing your assesment of Wesson Jr. and Knabe Jr. They have these lucrative gigs because of their pedigree not because they have sort of skill. They probably couldn't pass one of these tests either.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home