NC's Return Fire: Opposition to Measure "R" Rising
Welcome back City Councilmembers and staffers!As the Sister City warned last month, when the Neighborhood Councils were steamrolled three times in one month, they would not take it lying down.
First there was the infamous “Measure R”, a not-so-cleverly disguised attempt to extend the terms of City Council members wrapped up in the shroud of “ethics reforms” that went to City Council in violation of the Charter mandate to allow NC’s time to provide input.
Then the City Council pulled the exact stunt a second time with their Billion Dollar Bond issue for affordable housing. Hey if it worked once why not try it again huh?
The final slap in the face was when the City Council all but declared war on the Neighborhood Councils. The NC’s had the audacity to ask to officially recommend items of community concern to the City Council for consideration. Instead of the City Council agreeing to this modicum of advisory power, they assaulted the entire Neighborhood Council system with claims of ethics concerns. It was a brilliant display of smoke and mirrors led by Jack Weiss, the man who had been nailed for over 30 ethics violations himself.
We did wonder aloud at the time what the NC's would do during the City Council recess. As a service to our friends on the 4th floor, the Sister City will give you the breakdown of what these "do-nothing powerless gadflies" have been up to.
In a well coordinated effort, the Neighborhood Councils have returned fire with an impressive volley -- doing precisely what they promised; attacking Measure R.
It all began when Silver Lake NC member Jason Lyon was among several NC members who authored the opposition argument that will be printed on the ballot. (Lyon, also an NC Review Commissioner, spearheaded the failed attempt to refer items to City Council)
Central San Pedro NC member Dan Pasley filed a lawsuit on August 22nd claiming that the title and parts of the propositions’ pro-arguments were false or misleading. The Measure will now read “Lengthening Councilmember Term Limits to Three Terms.” The case was sucessfully argued by Mid City West NC member Jeff Jacobberger.
But wait, there’s more…
The Granada Hills North, Harbor Gateway North, Sun Valley, Tarzana, and Winnetka Neighborhood Councils as well as the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils have voted to oppose the measure. Additionally, the Historic Highland Park, Mar Vista, Mid City West, North Hills West, Northridge West, Reseda, South Robertson, Sunland Tujunga, Sylmar and Van Nuys Neighborhood Councils have all agendized the issue.
As asked in the recent issue of CityWatch, can the Neighborhood Councils translate their boardroom opposition (and courtroom victory) to an electoral victory in November? That question remains to be answered but to all you Councilmembers -- that odor you're smelling -- is your super genius idea of sneaking this one past the Neighborhood Councils and then slapping them in the face blowing up in your lap.
Welcome back!
Labels: proposition r
Posted by Councilman John @ 9/05/2006 12:15:00 AM
76 Comments:
Contrary to how Mr. Moore opined, the NC's are flexing their muscles. Maybe the City Clowncil will think again before they mess with the Neighborhood Councils.
As for November, this prop is going down. Who the hell wants these guys for another 4 years?
I couldn't agree with you more.
CJ your picture was awsome. The nc's will nuke this ballot measure and have exposed it for what it is, a fraud.
Before real power is granted to Neighborhood Councils, appropriate controls need to be in place. Council members should be required to excuse themselves on any issue in which they have an economic interest. Those convicted of a felony should not be able to run. Any neighborhood council with less then 1% participation in its most recent election should be taken over by the concerned City Council District. That Council member should be empowered to appoint a new council.
Let's put the other shady dealings the Clowncil members had with this Prop R. AEG the multimillion dollar company putting together LA Live at Staples Center is the company who gave the money for the stupid poll the League of Women's Voters took saying everyone wanted this term limit extension. Also, it was a lobbysist law firm who wrote the Prop R. Then the clowncil completely ignored the city attorney's LEGAL opinion. Then the Clowncil members completely left out having the Prop go through the Ethics Commission.
FOR THIS THEY WANTED TO BE REWARDED ANOTHER TERM....NOT!!!
Since there will be massive voter fraud in LA, everyone MUST turn out to vote down "R"!
"R" will not have a snowball's chance in hell...but beware of voter fraud!
In addition, ALL of the bond issues will be going down in flames!
In addition, come March, incumbants will be going down in flames!
The ClownCouncil actually thinks we will let them stay! Villabozo will NEVER make it to Sacramento. And his evil twin, Nunez, will never make it to LA.
Adios, reconquistas!
7:06...you've got to do some studying before you spout off. NC memebrs are already required to recuse them from isues where they have a conflict of interest. The felony suggestion would require a change in either ordinance or Charter. The suggestion about the NC taking over would violate the Charteradopted by voters in numerous ways. NCs were designed to be as independent as possible from City Hall, and self-defining. Having a City Council district "take over" would be a horrible idea, and counter to the very core of Charter reform. However, there is a kernel of a good idea here. I think the City should have to provide emergency outreach to any area where oting falls below 5%. In actuality, this is a function DONE should be providing anyway. But DONE isn't interested in organizing communities, they're interested in spreading propaganda for the Mayor.
8:41 - I oppose measure R but I don't oppose extending term limits. if they would just ask for another term -- honestly and directly -- I would vote yes. it should also apply to all citywide offices, not just council.
get 'em, NIMBYs!!!
NIMBYs will not take "Yes" for an answer!
9:46 You're getting weaker and weaker...is that all you've got??
What a big surprise. The NIMBYs (AKA Neighborhood Councils) are opposing something. Just like they oppose every development in their neighborhoods. Just like they oppose housing projects for elderly women out in the Valley and fire stations in Hollywood. Just like they oppose any kind of change.
Is there any other news happening in the City, MS?
9:43, Well I was just brainstorming but my point is before significant power is granted to Neighborhood Councils there needs to be some accountability of these folks.
I think it is worth changing the charter to restrict convicted felons from serving on Neighborhood Councils.
Manditory 5% outreach sounds good to me. In one recent Neighborhood Council election only 79 stakeholders cast ballots out of 20K plus stakeholders. Do the leaders of the concerned Neighborhood Council really have a mandate? I don't think so!
What a big surprise. Special interests and City Hall insiders leveling meaningless and unsubstantiated charges at community volunteers. Must be either a Weiss saffer or aCaruso employee.
In the private sector if you don't do your job and you have 4 years then YOU ARE FIRED. This absurb argument that the Clowncil members don't have time to finish their projects is plain BULLSHIT. They have been nothing but an embarrassement to this city and now the nation is laughing at them. Even Cindy Conner of League of Women's voters stated last night at the roundtable airing on Channel 35 that she told the clowncil members there were two measures and they should be split up. They ignored her. That arrogance alone should get them all fired.
And what is the sound of one blog clapping, Grasshopper??
Let's see, the "return fire" (regurgitated here from Lyons "Hop on Not Prop R" site) is FIVE (out of 88) NCs opposing Measure R so far, and another dozen considering it (no guarantee they'll ever even get to a vote, let ALONE have a quorum present in some cases). All this with just 1 or maybe 2 regular monthly meetings left for the remaining 70 or so NCs to take this up, before R-Day.
And where (just out of curiosity) do nearly ALL of the former BIG FIVE, and most of the latter 12 hail from (yes, that's right, the See-sesh Valley). . . where many of the loser "Valley City Council" candidates from the failed "we need to be our OWN city" movement of a few years ago hid out and licked their wounds while jumping into NC seats with < 100 votes or so apiece -- biding their time until they could exact revenge on that NASTY L.A. that defeated their bid to break away.
Rising? How about PEAKING at a dozen, at most once the agendas are all concluded.
This is more like the weakling "south shall rise again" cries of a defeated confederacy, ca. 1870, than any sign of a huge undercurrent of actual NC vigor. (HELL people, it's not like the LAPD isn't going to answer false burglar alarms at McMansions anymore... now THAT was a Valley NC board's member's wet-dream issue). THAT you could get homeowner's groups riled up about.
And do even these first BIG FIVE opposition NCs even represent anyone, other than themselves? What was the total/combined votes these five had in their last elections (i.e,, just WHO do these boards represent?)
800 votes (total, among the 5), not 800 EACH -- 800 TOTAL in NCs with aggregate stakeholders of more than 170 THOUSAND. Do the math, children - unless you attended LAUSD schools - yes, the stakeholder MANDATE (NO, let's call it BOYdate) of these 5 ANGRY NCs is LESS than one-half of ONE PERCENT of their base of residents (0.4 percent, actually).
(Granted, the EVEN punier turnouts at Alger's and Jacobberger's NC's might make this number look good), but this is not the rise of a powerful opposition with any legs (especially not the third leg), and there's NO political Viagra in sight for any of them.
Your "movement" is hardly firing on all cylinders, boys and girly-men. And, your timing belt is shot, too.
You people need to stop drinking Greg Nelson's bitter kool-aid, the main ingredient of of which is the juice of sour grapes (after being forced out of DONE. . . a HAHN appointee, HUH, go figure).
Not so fast, long-winded party pooper, another powerful Valley council just joined the opposition. Old Northridge, one of the very first formed.
That can't be just a coincidence that most of the neighborhood councils in opposition are from "Jim Hahn" country.
10:22 Convicted Felons can run for every office in the land and you want to stop them from running for Neighborhood Council? What a joke!
Clearly it is a campaign issue but as a rule of thumb the US Constitution allows the people to select their leaders free of most controls. Besides, over 100 members of congress have been charged of convicted of various felonies... most "minor" but felonies nonetheless.
I would be more inclined to agree with you if what classifies as a felony was more narrowly defined. Rapists, robbers, murders things like that. Not some schmuck who bounced check over 100.00.
11:49 "Old Northridge" isn't even a Neighborhood Council. They were the first ever NC to be decertified.
Damn, back to just five NCs with puny mandates (board members elected by themselves, mom and dad, and aunt Susie).
When is CH 35 program televised?
Satellite?
11:28 - You certainly have everything all figured out don't you?
Perhaps we should use the turnout vs actual votes to discredit all the City Council members who spent Millions of dollars on an election that was city-wide and covered daily in the papers. Not a single elected official anywhere would even make the 25% number. You constantly compare the numbers of campaigns that spend millions, have independent expenditures of millions more, and a city-wide election day against a NC election.
The fact is the decisions get made by those who show up. If that is 1% or 100% the law is the law. He or she with the most votes of those participating wins, period.
Could it be better? Sure. But City Council rarely has more than a handfull of participants at their meetings and committee meetings are nearly always empty.
The public feels as if they have been disenfranchised, and when the City Council pulls stunts like Measure R, that simply reinforces that feeling. As a result they don't participate in the process. Now I equate that with walking in front of a bus because I don't like the color of the sidewalk but it is what people do.
If you really believe that when NC's from the Harbor, Downtown and the Valley all oppose something that it means nothing then you need to take a good long look in the mirror.
Of course, you don't feel that way. our just spinning, and looking ridiculous as you do it.
Keep telling NC's they can't... and they will just do it while you just talk about it. Over a dozen NC's in 2 weeks -- Took me 2 months to get that many to oppose the DWP rate hike... and we won that fight and forever changed the way DWP does bussiness.
Think about that next time you spout off with your mantra of NC's mean nothing. Don't even waste your breathe trying to say that process meant nothing, everyone with a 1st grade education knows better.
To the City Council staffer who keeps posting messages that demonstrate his or her fear of NC's, and his or her fear of having to go out and find a job soon:
Don't let this fear keep you from thinkging rationally.
Your proposal that would allow the City Council to take over the NC's wasn't very clever. Stop for a moment and think.
Who would want to set a threshold of a 5% turnout in NC elections when:
1. The City Council has trouble reaching that level? In 2005, Perry, Garcetti, Padilla,and Reyes all had turnouts in their elections of about 5.7% of the population.
Even in the hotly contested special election in which Greuel defeated Cardenas only 11.6% turned out for the runoff after the candidates had spent over $2 million in outreach to voters.
2. City elections are regular events that people have become accustomed to, and that get million of dollar in publicity?
3. DONE is reducing the amount of money that they have been speding to notify the people about the elections and their budget for this wasn't cut.
Also, when you mentioned that number of voters who show up at NC elections, how about mentioning the more than 2000 people who voted at Greater Wilshire's first election. You had to show up at the polls to vote. They didn't even use absentee ballots.
I guess that only telling the part of the story that helps makes your case, even if it distorts the truth, is something you do out of habit.
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen:
Let it be said that there are more NC's then there are Clowncil members. Individual NC's will often caucus with other NC's about "stuff" and word gets out about "stuff".
I've said it before and I'll say it again. There are bullies in City Hall, bleeding sots that they are, and they have one interest that they put before anything else. And that interest is themselves and their friends.
That is going to change. For the last few weeks I have very quietly been gathering a crew to sail a pirate ship straight at Villabarbosa and his ship of fools. Some of you have publically said you would sail with me. Others of you have contacted me privately. But we've got a crew and that crew includes NC members as well as other assorted politicos. We've got good form.
City Hall sots, friends of sots and other assorted hangers-on, you are now on notice that you are on your way out. If you can't sail then you need to bail.
NUNEZ, ROMERO, PADILLA AND DELEON MUST WALK THE PLANK IN NOVEMBER. The rest walk in March, 2007. Those that we catch along the way get dropped off on a deserted island with 2 State Senators, 3 City Hall sots, and NO RUM.
Pull on the mainsail hard, lads. We've got a ship to sink!
F.Y.I. Ethics Have Been Cancelled at City Hall for this month. (But we already knew that.)
TITLE: Rules & Elections Committee Meeting, CANCELED
DATE: 09/13/2006
TIME: 03:00 PM
To view the document online please visit: http://lacity.org/clk/committeeagend/clkcommitteeagend2940240_09132006.pdf
Sorry!
Zuma Dogg
boy, between that weird pirate dude, Zuma Dog, Jim Alger, Alger's nemesis Walter Moore and all the NC NIMBY's, this blog has really taken a turn for the worse! like a nightmarish perfect storm of NIMBYism come to life on the internet! boo!
12:19
A clever abuse of the English language to play with statistics and talk about city council votes in terms of "population" (not registered or eligible voters), but only the doofusses following the unmandated NC loudmouths would fall for that.
Try again. . . but try harder, (I wrote the book, nd I've never even received a government paycheck, OR consultant's fee!)
PLEASE, keep pointing out one or two 1000 or 2000 voter NC turnouts (as you shoot yourself in the foot, asshole!) Thanks for the help, but I don't need an assistance in crippling your arguments.
The fact that a small handful of NCs (less than 10 percent) can and have turned out 3, 4, 5 percent of their stakeholders to vote proves what???
That it CAN be done, NCs that CARE about outreach and ARE trying to speak FOR their stakeholders (not in SPITE of them, or BEHIND THEIR BACKS, e.g., the Algers, the Jaccobbergers, and the other vote-less ranters and ravers) -- can actually turn out those numbers.
Why aren't the Alliance- and Congress-leading misfits following suit?
"What, and risk being unseated? Risk losing a platform to attack City Council and/or the mayor and/or city departmens. What, and go back to being Zuma Bitch-like wannabes and stand-ins during public comment period?"
NO THANKS! Like the mainland Chinese population control expert explained, "the less elections for us, the better!"
Hell no, WE WON'T OUTREACH!
We hearby elect OURSELVES NC leaders for LIFE, by virtue of NOT telling anyone else in our communities of 30K to 100K that a NC even EXISTS here.
The sub-1-percenters now on the front lines of punishing the city for the NC's failures no longer have ANY excuse for not attracting thousands (thanks to your BRILLIANT example).
Double-DOH!
"Decisions get made by those who show up" (the tyrant's creed).
Translated:
If I can keep the people who AREN'T like me from SHOWING UP. I can rule the world!!
God where do you start debunking Alger's comments, either a lie, or a mistatement of figure and statistics in every sentence.
Sorry, I'd HAVE to be a city employee to have time to unravel all that drivel.
He TALKS like a lying politician, why the HELL can't he get elected to anything except at NC chair with less than 100 voters?
5 out of 88, maybe 10 by the time you're done?
Nope, sorry, that ain't "power" -- barely double digits percentage-wise.
There's a bigger percentage of people in L.A, believe they've been anal-probed by (space) aliens than that.
Check back when you surpass the "I saw Elvis and he's alive" percentages.
Then you'll be appoaching mandate numbers.
(And there's no one to blame but yourself. $50 to $150K sitting in each of the loudmouth's NC treasuries that they could have been using to gain real stakeholder mandates for the past 2-3 years, so that when they DID find an issue they'd have somebody on board with them. . . and it's collecting dust.)
I agree with poster above. We need NCs to represent our neighborhoods and help us get things done at the community-level, not run around like another new set of politicians.
where can I go vote to give my NC members term limits???
Looks like that loser spin doctor, from City Hall is back to comment on the people who are bringing real information to the readers of Mayor Sam, instead of bringing their own credible info to the table, themselves. It must be frustrating to be so powerless to create any kind of real awareness on actual issues, like the rest of us are doing. But, that's democracy. You can be a jealous, frustrated, in-effective loser and still comment on the rest of us.
I always prefer to PLAY the game, rather than sit on my ass and comment from the sidelines. I know you're new nickname: Spartan Spirit! Cause you don't get to participate, just wish you did.
Now sit down, bitch and let the real players do the job that you are either too incapable or too scared to do.
ZD
Westchester/Playa del Rey 1088 voters
Venice 1241 and 1204
Downtown Los Angeles 1787
Historic Cultural 2199 and 1899
Boyle Heights 781
Watts 1104
Wilshire Center-Korea Town 1968
So what would be fair turnout numbers for these NC's? Based upon what? This has never been done before. There are areas in which more people showed up to vote in the NC election than in the city election.
You want the NC's to do better outreach? What outreach does the City Council do? And each council member? The commissions? Where is their outreach plan? They're ones making the decisions. NC's are advisory. Should you in City Hall be setting the example instead of asking the advisors to do things that you're unwilling to do yourselves?
Show me where the City Councilmembers, all experts in elections, have sat down with NCs to teach them how to get out the voters. Show me where they've used one penny of their office holder money to help the NC's have a successful election.
A cynic would say that they're being set up to fail.
Zuma Bitch,
Show me which NC you're an elected board member of, and I'll show you which one I helped create and now serve!
Yacking at City Council while they sleep through your inanities serves only your self promotion.
Westchester/Playa del Rey 1088 voters
Venice 1241 and 1204
Downtown Los Angeles 1787
Historic Cultural 2199 and 1899
Boyle Heights 781
Watts 1104
Wilshire Center-Korea Town 1968
YES, thank you... MORE hard evidence that Alger is a pussy!
(79 fucking votes West-North-Southridg East!) HA! BIG-L Loser!
Keep it up, the MORE you prove to me that SOME do better, the more the loudest screamers (and smaller vote-gatherers) are exposed as negligent fakes!
Of course Boyle Heights don't count, and Koretown barely does... they got 80,000, and 100,000 stakeholders respectively, so those numbers are fairly average, in context. You're still only talking about 1 percent, or so.
You weren't listening! I can read stats, too! But, what ELSE do these have in common??
NONE ARE IN THE VALLEY! Geez, I thought those yokels up there WANTED more control of government (guess not).
So, you want experienced City Council and their staffers to HELP with outreach, to teach you how it's done? Guidance from people who KNOW how to get elected and re-elected?
WHOOPS, too late, the EXPERIENCED one's are TERMED OUT (had to get rid of them before they turned CROOKED!
It's the "Logan's Run" home edition, adapted for local politics!
Ask the NEWBIES just elected how to do it (What?? They don't KNOW the communities as well, they can't navigate city government any better than the NCs can??? They CAN'T help?)
DAMN, this throwing the baby out with the bathwater is a BITCH!
This isn't any fun any more.
When do the children who just want to "get back" at the big bad, mean city council stop posting and the adults who actually know something about NCs and their advisory roles and charter-prescribed mandates (regarding the delivery of city services) show up for work?
Do the NC leaders that are running the anti-term limits campaign hail from any of these NCs that turned out the large numbers of voters?
Zuma Bitch, you wouldn't know a "real issue" if it was written on the lens of the TV camera pointed in your face.
The NC "power" debunker must be making the "below one-percenters" nervous, if they're trying so hard to show with a few 1-2 percent voter turnouts that there is some "beef" somewhere in the system.
But, if I'm not mistaken, none of their large elections NC examples are on the "Not Prop R" list of opponents or even possible (agendized) opponents, either.
What does that tell you? Looks to me like the NCs that can gather community support and get people involved and voting are not the ones that spent their time messing in citywide issues, or challenging city council to legislative duals. Rather, they're the ones focusing on local concerns and needs.
4:13 your dead wrong, of course. The NC's with the top 3 voter turnouts all have the issue agendized.
Any idea that NC's are strictly for local concerns proves that you do not understand Neighborhood Councils at all.
Do numbers really matter or are they just a diversion put forth by those who want to protect their bread and butter on the LA City Council.
Let us for a minute take the personal attacks with regards to the number of votes received by Neighborhood Council Board members with the belief that the writers/critics are sincere about their concern for the number of votes these board members actually received and the people they speak for.
Given the limitations, funding for community outreach and the apathy of the community, we should first look to see how our elected officials performed in the same area, voter turn out.
The City of Los Angeles has 1,474,186 Registered voters.
The Mayor of Los Angeles received 136,242 votes. That means 1,337,944 voters did not vote for the Mayor. So lets STOP using the word Mandate when speaking of the Mayor.
Councilman Ed Reys received 10,674 votes in District 1.
Councilman Dennis Zine received 23,052 votes in District 3.
Councilman Jack Weiss received 28,519 votes in District 5.
Councilman Alex Padilla received 13,482 votes in District 7.
Councilwomen Jan Perry received 9,421votes in District 9.
Councilman Bill Rosendahl received 18,274 votes in District 11.
Councilman Eric Garcetti received 14,697 votes in District 13.
Councilwoman Janice Hahn received 19,434 votes in District 15.
Each City Council District has approx 63,000 registered voters. Do the math. Given the amount of money these incumbent politicians spent on re-election and the special interest groups who supported them, the Neighborhood Council board members did not do too badly given their campaign budgets.
By the way, thank you to the 26,626 voters who voted for me in the last election and the 140,000 voters who signed my LA County Seal Petition.
Now go ahead with the personal attacks as if will really make a difference to those of us who have spent the past 20 years working in our communities.
www.termedout.com
I find it absolutely amazing at how much spin takes place here by people who are obviously scared out of their pants at even the thought of change.
YES it is true. The NWNC election that I had nothing to do with, was not a candidate in and was not in charge of had 79 voters. The NWNC is bad, evil doesn't represent the stakeholders and is run by a tyrant (me). Marginalize and dismiss the NWNC and you still have dozens of others to get past.
Calling me all sorts of vulgar names only proves the point that you are so hung up on ME that you miss the fact that the NC system is much larger than ME.
I won't even waste my time correcting your pathetic allegations, charges, and various other dribble. Clearly I have already spent to much time responding to you and your going to run at the mouth for months about how mean and evil I am no matter what I do because that is all a pathetic individual such as yoursaelf who believes so strongly in their words that they hide behind anonymous is capable of doing --
so here is what I will do...
Ready???? Watch Carefully...
Now envision Babe Ruth pointing at the spot he will place his next home run... That is the NC's pointing at Measure R
Now watch us blow it out of the water.
Dear 3:44PM,
Ha! You just outed yourself. I didn't mention anyone in particular, however, you obviously felt guilty enough to respond with more comments about me, the far superior Big Z.D., instead of correcting a television news report on a major factual error that changes the whole story.
Plus, if you don't think I know real issues, how come I was talking about the problems with "R" TWO MONTHS AGO on TV, Blogs and radio -- and not only was there a judgement last week regarding my exact concerns -- another court decision happens tomorrow. (So I obviously knew THAT was a real issue.)
AND, out of the entire A.B. 1381, I expressed public concern over three (3) important details...and there were amendments to all three of my points of concern. (INCLUDING Mayor V. staffers asking how I felt about one of the changes.)
Dude, I LOVE IT!!! The more you open your stupid, punk-ass mouth, the further you stick your foot down your throat. PLEASE...I'm begging you -- GET HELP. Much to my amazement, I've been in politics only since April, and I pummel you each and every time you post. And now, since you couldn't control yourself from "outing" yourself, since you felt my comments applied to you -- everyone on Mayor Sam knows who you are now. Admit defeat like Melrose Larry did, and stick to doing whatever it is your SUPPOSED to be doing, while you are monitoring this site all day long.
YOU ARE A HILARIOUS SPARTAN SPIRIT!
ZD
(I know you will not be able to prevent yourself from further embarassment and will be compelled to reply to this, so I give you the last word. As I take this call from a Senator's office in Sacramento who is nice enough to return my call, because they know I get to the bottom of things -- AND have the ability to get the information out to the people.)
Even Ken Shamrock (you) had to conceed Tito Ortiz (me) will kick your ass on this blog EVERY SINGLE TIME, and people get bored with the same outcome each and every time, so sit down and let some real competition step up. You're a bigger crybaby than John Brady.
Descending the conversation into who can generate more voter participation, or even how you would measure it, is nothing more than a diversionary tactic.
The issue is that the Neighborhood Councils are fighting back and in all likelihood will win. That can't be spun.
The personal attacks and name calling won't be tolerated and if it continues those posts will be deleted.
Now play nice kids.
David,
How many votes did Huizar get?
6:50, what was the charge?
I'm NIMBY and proud of it!
I don't want my back yard ruined -- and I sure as hell don't want it ruined by a bunch of out-of-town developers and their bought-and-paid-for career politicians who live in Bel Air and other neighborhoods insulated from the ruination they're heaping on the local middle class.
Anyone who won't fight to protect his back yard in this town won't have a back yard very long.
Boy the Clowncil members must really be running scared. They have all their staffers and then some criticizing the NC's. The NC's are getting more positive publicity in all newspapers then the Clowncil members. Every newspaper slammed the Clowncil members for being sneaky and deceiving. The fact is more regular people who didn't know about the NC's are jumping on board. Yup, forget the numbers because the mayoral election was the worst in LA history for voter turnout. Tomorrow is a new day and let's hope Judge O'Brien sticks it to the Clowncil.
Bravo Walter!
We don't want our back yard ruined either-- and we sure as hell don't want it ruined by an out of state corporation called Home Depot, and their bought-and-paid-for career politicians who live in Bel Air and other neighborhoods insulated from the ruination they're heaping on the local middle class.
Anyone who won't fight to protect his back yard in this town won't have a back yard very long.
Welcome Home Walter!
Alger admits he had nothing to do with the failed NWNC election that resulted in the participation of less than 1% of its stakeholders. He was and still is the President of the NWNC but did nothing to ensure the success of an election to his own council in terms of outreach and stakeholder participation.
Seems to me encouraging wider participation of stakeholders is one of the primary functions of Neighborhood Councils. This is a failure of the entire NWNC and the NWNC President and NC advocate, Jim Alger in particular. Alger, why don't you admit you blew it and we will move on.
By the way, I knew Babe Ruth and you are no Babe Ruth....
Walter, I don't know if you have a snowballs chance in winning the next mayoral election, but keep making comments like 7:41 and you have my vote for sure..
8:47 Who is "we"? Your the only one making the assumptions you are and acting as if they are fact, which of course they are not.
For about the 2,000th time let me explain something to you.
90% of all outreach for ANY election is done by the CANDIDATES WHO ARE RUNNING, Whether it is Congress, City Council or Neighborhood Council the CANDIDATES do the outreach by campaigning.
I was not a candidate in the last election. I was not on the election committee who is charged, with DONE, to do certain forms of outreach that WAS done. Had I gone over the head of the election committee I would have been exceeding my authority.
If the candidates running didn't think enough of their position to campaign for votes, I'll be dammed if I am going to campaign for someone else.
People tend not to vote for someone they know nothing about which brings me back to virtually ALL outreach for ALL offices is done by the CANDIDATE.
I have made mistakes, and when I have I admit it. But I'll be damned if I am going to have some pathetic coward who posts anonymously on MS yap about something I had nothing to do with.
I can get in enough trouble on my own than you very much, I don't need your help.
But if it makes you feel better and encourages you to shut up fine, it was all my fault. I am an evil tyrant who should be embarrassed to show my face. Shall we get the tar and feathers now Mr Anonymous?
Butterfinger, more it (although Baby Ruth does have more nuts).
Yes, any NC president (or ANY board member - for that matter, who has a vote on how money is spent) who throws up his hands and says "OH WELL, no one showed up to vote. Not my problem, I still 'represent' this community, is to stupid to be called a moron, let alone a community leader."
If no one shows, that's exactly who your current NC board "represents" exactly... NO ONE.
Take not, again, City Council members and other NC leaders receiving Alger's pleas for help with citywide issues, he and his NC represent NO ONE!
Walter, Walter, Walter!
You want to run, again? You've finally got me for a supporter.
Today, as an entrenched supporter of No to Home Depot in Sunland-Tujunga, and a NIMBY to the core, I, also, welcome you home.
You have seen the light and are courageous enough to admit it! Hoorah, for Walter Moore!
Not only not Ruth, not Harry, either. . .
The buck does NOT stop with the president of Alger's NC. Don't even try and "give 'em hell, Alger.
"Give 'em EXCUSES, Alger"
"The buck stops with the COMMITTEE CHAIR, (or DONE, or ANYBODY ELSE), but for god's sake NOT the NC president"
(Sorry, just doesn't sound "statesman" like).
Please, we all know anonymous posters -- who are reciting EXACT voter counts from IEA ballot counts -- NEVER tell the truth (only guys who post their vanity photos do)!
SO, then the year you DID run, Alger... the year before, you worked your butt off (as a conscientious candidate) and turned out just over 200 people out of 20 THOUSAND stakeholders (and because all the other candidates were also working their butts off, at the same time, that makes you personally responsible, for, what. . . about 15-20 of them??)
You'll take "credit" for that equally mandate-less turnout, right, because YOU were a candidate then (that's what you said, the candidates are responsible for the turnout, so THAT sub-average turnout of barely 1 percent compared to most NCs WAS your failure.
Glad we got that sorted out. NOT responsible for only a partial board being elected with 79 votes but the full board being elected by only 200 or so votes IS YOUR FAULT.
Again, out of 20 THOUSAND stakeholders.
HA! (Making amateurs incriminate themselves is SO easy!)
Play nice??
What the hell happened to the rough and tumble wild west blog that was Mayor Sam's
When did the kindergarten teachers take over.
Shi... SHOOT, wasn't this the site where the blogmeisters OUTED Hahn's wife. Where AV's criminal past was discussed daily when he was still running against Bobzilla?
"Play nice" and L.A. politics don't even belong in the same dictionary together, let along the same sentence.
Wusses!
Neighborhood Councils should be looking for good, qualified candidates, and I do not mean NC reps, to run against all the incumbents who are up for re-election in March.
NCs should be preparing to redo their Community Plans (they will all be rewritten soon.)
Neighborhood Councils should help to defeat Measure R.
Problem is, they were not created to be political. They were created to disperse information - quickly and to help to obtain the communities required city services. That is all - read the Charter!
AGAIN, out of 20,000 stakeholders. . . (how does he show his face on the blog).
You must have more people than that living on your block, nada-Truman.
Wassamatter, piss off your neighbors, as well? (Try parking your ego on the next street over... it's probably blocking some of your neighbors from getting their cars out of the driveway in the a.m.)
Did I mention that OUT OF 20 THOUSAND Stakeholders??
(Really doesn't matter a hell of a lot whether it 79, 179, or 279, does it. . . when it's OUT OF 20 THOUSAND!
9:58 Anon - Did Jim Alger personally come over to your house and piss in your Cheerios or what???
With all the NC members here you relentlessly attack Alger and spin the facts.(Alger isn't even the lead on this) You have nothing but hatred for him and love changing the subject from Measure R.
Obviously your afraid of him or you would SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!
Good evening ladies and gentlemen:
For the sot who calls me wierd, piss off. You have obviously never fraternized in better salons and it shows.
For the sot who calls Zuma a bitch, methinks you have man teats like a swarthy Barbary corsair so truss 'em up and bugger to you.
One thing that seems to be missing in this whole debate is what NC's can do, and that is what the Clowncil does not. You can always attend an NC meeting, get up close and personal with NC members. Clowncil members have sots that give you the brush off.
NC's don't have the greedy fingers of special interests (i.e., those who want something) stuck up their bums. Clowncil members and Villabarbosa are wont to pass around loot booty (and swag) like hot trollops.
It's too late to try to stand there like a bloody fool with your finger stuck in the dike. There are so many holes in the dike that nothing short of perhaps breaking down the dike itself can relieve the pressure building behind it.
Believe it or not, there are some clever and talented people who serve on NC's. One NC out there has a member of the Los Angeles Country Democratic Party Central Committee sitting on it. Another one has a former Olympian on its Board. Several more have Rhodes Scholars on their boards, while another one has a Purple Heart vet who serves on its Board.
The point is this. It's not about votes, its about people. Bloody hell! This city has the most diverse population and within it are some of the most courageous, noble citizens that graced the face of the planet. Put these variables together and political history can and will be made.
That my friends is the true treasure of the NC's. The people. And the people have every right to stand up and protest the way in which they have been treated at the hands of the Clowncil and Villabarbosa.
Bugger to all of you who whine and carp about numbers. It's not about numbers. It's about the democratic process and how it can crack like a whip and rip the shirt of your back if you disrespect it.
ROMERO, NUNEZ, PADILLA, DELEON and all the others who suck up to and enjoy the favors of the Clowncil MUST WALK THE PLANK IN NOVEMBER.
All you other sots, just remember that what you can't see will show itself in the raw rage of the November vote.
I've noticed that when the pirate speaks, the Clowncil hacks don't seem to have a reply. I've also noticed that when the pirate speaks, after you read through it all you realize that he does have a point.
If the pirate can shut the idiots on the Clowncil up, then more power to the pirate!
Aaaargh!
"any NC president (or ANY board member - for that matter, who has a vote on how money is spent) who throws up his hands and says "OH WELL, no one showed up to vote. Not my problem, I still 'represent' this community,..."
First if all did Jim Alger ever actually SAY that??? NO!
Secondly, if he did he would be right!
He or whoever, is elected to represent a district. That is what the Charter says. It doesn't say he "only represents those who vote for him", it doesn't say he must attain x number of votes. It says he with the most votes wins, plain and simple. Don't like it? GET MORE VOTES!
It sounds to me like your afraid of him. Why else attack him? Gotta love it:
Jim represents the community and defeats Wal Mart... Attack Jim Alger.
Jason Lyon puts forth the Council File issue... Attack Jim Alger.
Dan Pasley files a lawsuit against Measure R... Attack Jim Alger.
Jeff Jacoberger successfully argues the case and beats the City Attorney... Attack Jim Alger.
Your like a god damned broken record. We get it, you hate Jim.
I agree... what is Jim doing? Banging your wife? Give it a rest already loser!
Jim, don't worry. This jackass is just spinning. He expects you to be clairvoyant and see the future to know ahead of time that the people running didn't care enough to campaign then hold you responsible for their failures.
It's all about changing the subject because they can't beat you on the issues.
Loook , Jim Alger has appeal across the City.
No other person on the LANCC is as Known as Jim Alger .
Take a note from Jim's book all of you neighbohrood council leaders and do what JIm Does.
Sure Jim helped KAtrina Victims in another state. He helped more than just one person when he got that press and I guarantee everyone who was reading those posts last year were all for JIm doing what he was doing.
We have another rep that is well known for helping two folks in Downtown by getting not-for profits to help them. Then he forgets about the rest and pushes for laws and rules that do nothing to help the people of the street. Remember these are the claims he made. From his own mouth.
I just got back from a walk around 3:30 am to Main and 5th and Crack pipes were being lit along MAin between 5th and 6th street on the westside of the street. When I got to the Cecil at Main and 7th I had a gauntlet of people trying to sell me rocks and cavy, and weed. So all of the hoopla over him cleaning the drug dealers off of main street was a lie. It hasn't much changed.
What we need are people who get results and the City Governement should be fearful of Jim ALger.
JIm also has appeal now that I know that physically there is something wrong with him. It motivates the heck out of me.
Not like my rep who claims to have a dopamine issue and not knowing what it is.So he says. there are only three ways to have a condition in which you have a problem with a reduction in dopamine levels. Parkinsons disease , loss of neurons that produce dopamine in the hippocampus causing demantia , ADHD ,and research has shown that prolonged use of methamphetamine can lead to damage of half of the dopamine-producing cells in the brain. The nerve cells that contain serotonin, another neurotransmitter, may be damaged even more profoundly.
So far I have not found any other diagnosis that fit the criteria for low levels of dopamine in the brain.
And because of this and other issues . Jim Alger has more credibility than my own rep on LANCC.
And don't give me that crap about him being honored by the United Methodist Church of Downtown Los Angeles , to help raise money for their community center. AS a Good Neighbor Dinner.
When the South West Side of Downtown decides to treat the northeast side of downtown with respect then I will beleive them. Sorry UNited MEthodist , But I don't see your community center being open to all once it is built.
The non-profit community has issues with him , on this side of downtown.
But Jim Alger has appeal all across the city. He is genuine. And is inspiring.
Hopefully , we will nominate him next year for A Los Angeles Ambassador of Godwill award. He rightfully deserves it.
God Bless the Pirate!!!
I never figured out why there is a core of folks who hate Jim Alger.
There are lots of other rabble rousers out there who get 1/10000th the attention of Alger from the electeds and their hangers on.
When it comes down to it, Alger threatens them. He gets shit done. He knows how to bring attention to his cause.
If Alger wasn't a threat, they wouldn't expend so much energy on it.
So I challenge you goofballs in assorted parts of the fourth floor - if Alger is insignificant - find a new topic.
You go Mayor Sam! Nicely said!!!
Jim Alger is well liked in CD14.
Come on Mayor Sam, do we have to stop polking fun at Alger. He is just another ambitious politician looking for a pay check.
Neighborhood Councils are now part of the political scene. Its self appointed leaders should be fair game on your blog.
This convicted felon uses underhanded tactics in the running of his council and when he ran for Assembly.
Whether we are voters, stakeholders, or council staff, why do you have a problem when we call him out.
Climb back in your grave you old dead Republican and let us have our fun.
Vote out each and everyone of these idiots. We voted in term limits and for them to try to extend their terms in office along with ethics reform in one prop R is a slap in the face to all of us. Who do they think they are? Because I know they think we're deaf, dumb and blind...
When Jim Alger was campaigning for assembly he came to our town and mettled with our NC politics. It cost him many votes from our community.
Was it done because he is a stupid meddler or because he surrounds himself with people who give him terrible advise?
Either way, I would never vote for him for anything!
Hot dogger Don Garza has made a couple of misleading statements.
First of all, the NC rep he speaks of is not "his" rep. Garza lives in Skid Row and the rep he attacks was elected to represent the artists of downtown.
Secondly, who is Garza to question another person's disability??? Garza is constantly blaming his weird behavior on his health problems and no one questions him.
Finally, at least the rep is honest. Garza is downtown's biggest closet queen, but he writes on his blog of wanting to attract women!
Sad.
To 9:43 AM
Without addressing the ludicrous idea of a City Council member appointing someone because of a less than 1% voter turn-out, I must say that DONE and the City (since they are one and the same) should have to provide emergency outreach regardless of the amount of voters who turn out in a neighborhood council election.
This is an excellent idea and I think the 912 Commission should be paying attention to that.
Our Rep on the Los Angeles NEighbohrood Council congress is BRady Westwater.
Please!!!! Get a life Jaime
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