Open Letter To City Council Re Gang Tax: One Percent
January 24, 2007Dear City Council:
You tell us the "gang problem" is so dreadful that we must raise taxes by $50 million a year -- payable only by the city's homeowners, of course.
However, the City's annual tax revenues are $6.67 billion per year. (That's "billion" with a "b.")
Well, that means the amount of the proposed tax hike is less than 1% of the money you now spend. (Specifically, it works out to .749%.)
So here's the question for you: Do you SERIOUSLY expect us to believe that you can't take 1% -- less than 1% actually -- from the City's other spending to pay for this "Marshall Plan" that's supposedly so vital to the city's survival?
Don't talk to us about our paying $5 more per month. Tell us instead why you can't find a fraction of a percent elsewhere in the budget.
Love,
Walter Moore
Posted by Walter Moore @ 1/24/2007 04:33:00 PM
23 Comments:
Great Walter!!!!!
A must read today.
The Great David Z does it again.
laweekly.com
The End Of Murder: If New York can slash homicide by 76 percent, can Los Angeles contemplate a vanishing point?
By DAVID ZAHNISER
The only reporter in LA that says it like it IS. He needs to get an award for great reporting.
....Los Angeles in many ways turned away from the issue of public safety in 2006, with the civic elite devoting far more energy toward schools and the battle for power between the mayor and Los Angeles Unified School District. Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles City Council never backed Bratton in his bid to beef up the LAPD on a scale that would dramatically reshape the city. The council paid a consultant nearly $600,000 to develop an anti-gang strategy comprised of after-school and gang-prevention programs. And they settled for incremental fixes that will take years to complete and even then achieve only a fraction of Bratton’s original goal.
When will these morons we elected GET IT? Give the damn cops the Overtime they need. Bitter Bernie keep your stupid trap shut, cause you don't know what the hell you're talking about.
MR. MOORE IS HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. TO EXPECT THE RESIDENTS (MIGHT I SAY TAX PAYING RESIDENTS) TO ENTRUST IN OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAVE: CREATIVITY, WISDOM, INSIGHT, PROFESSIONALISM, ADVISORS, AND ALL THE RESOURCES A METROPOLIS CAN ASK FOR, AND STILL NOT BE ABLE TO SQUEEZE A FRACTION OF A PERCENT IS DISCOURAGING.
ALTHOUGH THE GANG PROBLEMS AND ACTIVITY IS ALSO DISCOURAGING, I HAVE SHOWN THAT WITH A FRACTION OF WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED, I HAVE PRODUCE MUCH MORE SUGNIFICANT RESULTS. I WAS RECONGNIZED AND GIVEN A DISBURSMENT OF $1,000 BY THE CITY FOR THE SUCCESFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF MAINTANING A GRAFFITI FREE ZONE FOR OVER A YEAR. (I HAVE PHOTOS TO PROVE IT.) FOUR MONTHS SHY OF TWO YEARS.
NOW OF COURSE YOU CAN CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT VIOLENT CRIMES, AND I AGREE, BUT TO HAVE AN IMPACT SUCH AS THE ONE I CREATED (GRAFFITI FREE ZONE)IS THE START OF REDUCING GANG ACTIVTY.
GIVE THE COUNCILMEMBERS THE INCENTIVE ($$$$$$) TO SHOW THAT THEIR DISTRICT HAS BEEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING OUR COMMUNITIES INFECTED WITH GANG MEMBERS AND YOU WILL HAVE 15 DIFFERENT WAYS OF REDUCING VIOLANT CRIMES.
NOW THINK ABOUT IT, THIS INCENTIVE CAN BE FAR LESS THEN ANY MILLION(S) BEING PLANNED FOR EXPENSES. HECK I DID IT FOR PENNYS AT THIS RATE............
MANZANO
John Kobylt (from John and Ken) went off tonight on this latest Hahn hare-brained scheme, saying there is no way he is going to let her rip $72 annually from his pocket to pay for more failed 1960s programs. If this flawed measure makes it to the ballot, he said he will rant about it every day to make sure it gets defeated (as it should).
John & Ken were hilarious!!!!. They called Janice Hahn an embezzle and told her to resign and get a job at a bakery. They made fun of all the clowncil. John said he will fight with everything he has and take the tax ballot measure to the street against it. We know what happened when they went after Tienne Pearce.
Loved how they slammed ADD Antonio for being in Washington now saying he will end poverty. Yeah right, he hasn't done shit in LA and the entire nation knows it. He went after LAUSD, failed, went after the homeless, failed, went after traffic last year, failed, is now going after gangs but can't stand to stay in LA cause he's a gang banger in a suit. What a f--ked up city we live in with these idiots. Not one with leadership, a brain, guts, balls, a solid solution.
Right on 7:04. Sad, but accurate.
Hey, where are those neighborhood council guys and why are they keeping quiet on Ms. Hahn Neighborhood Council supporter not telling them about the tax ballot? Are the neighborhood councils weighing in on this? Where's Mr. Alger? I want to know his thoughts on this.
6:01 Manzano
Graffiti and Murder are two different problems.
Dream on White Boy.
I JUST GOT HOME FROM SOME LATE ERRANDS (DRIVING TO DOWNTOWN) AND I BUMPED INTO THIS 'GIPSY', SELLING THIS LITTLE BOTTLE OF MAGIC POTION CALLING IT 'TONIC'. (CITIZEN CURE ALL) I QUESTION THE AUTHENTICITY BUT STILL FELL FOR THE HOOK AND TOSSED HER A FEW BITS FOR GOODNESS SAKE.
AFTER A SWIFT DRINK, I DECIDED TO EXPRESS TO YOU A WAY TO HELP SOLVE A COUPLE OF THIS NATIONS GREATEST PROBLEMS, INCLUDING THOSE AFFECTING OUR ANGELINO NEIGHBORS. (TRAFFIC / GANGS)
THIER IS NO WAY ANYONE WILL ALLOW ANOTHER TAX INCREASE, SO THOSE CITY OFFICIALS NEED TO TAKE A 'HIKE'. BUT THEY CAN IMPOSE A PENALTY_______. I AM NOT GOING TO SPREAD THE WORD HERE, RATHER MAKE A CALL AND FOLLOW UP WITH THIS THROUGH ANOTHER 'DIRT ROAD'.
I HAVE DRIVEN IN THIS CITY FOR OVER 15 YEARS AND LET ME TELL YOU... LOL (I DON'T DRIVE IN TRAFFIC) I ELIMINATE IT. NOW IF JUST A COUPLE OF THE OFFICIALS WANT MORE INFO. THEY KNOW HOW TO REACH ME. FOR ALL OF YOU HERE, I WILL GIVE YOU JUST A SINGLE SLICE OF THE BACON.
IF WE ENFORCE LAWS ALREADY IN PLACE THEY WILL GENERATE $$$$$$, AT THE SAME TIME IF NO CITATIONS ARE FILTERED AS REVENUE, THAN THE TRAFFIC WILL BE REDUCED. (AUTOMATICALLY) IF CITATIONS ARE ISSUED, THAT'S THE DOUGH THESE DOO DOO's ARE TRYING TO PASS OFF AS A TAX HIKE, CAN BE USED TO PREVENT GANG ACTIVITY.
FREEWAY=NO COST TO THE RESIDENTS
FREEWAY=WITHOUT OBSTRUCTION
TIME TO HAVE A SIT DOWN CONVERSATION WITH THE 'REPS' OF THE CITY TO LET THEM MAKE IT HAPPEN. IT SURE SEEMS SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR ME TO MAKE IT WORK, ANYTIME OF THE DAY, ANY FREEWAY IN L.A. (NO TRAFFIC) SORRY IF YOU HAVE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY? YOUR CHOICE-$1 OR $72 OR MILLIONS IN CITY HALLERS POCKETS.
ROSE HILLS REVIEW
rose hills review (aka anthony manzano)
Brother: For a long time you've wanted to rule the chicken hen. Do me a favor...
Who made you king of the hill?
Answer: YOU!
No one else gives a shit.
I, as a property-tax paying citizen of the City of Los Angeles, absolutely refuse to pay one more dime of property taxes for one more issue be it gangs or pot holes.
The City of LA is doing a very good job of taking down Prop 13. There was a reason that Prop 13 passed and it remains; Citizens who pay property taxes can not and should not be required to support the city. Sales tax is much more equitable. Efficiency is much more desired.
Get off it Mayor V., and Clowncil, we will not pay.
Please step away from the CAPS LOCK.
Anthony Manzano
Kill the Caps...Shout!
9:36, I'm with you. When this pig of a tax resurfaces next year (?), let's make this -- through public outrage -- another tennie peirce embarrassment for the incompetent fools we have running this city.
John & Ken will once again embarrass the clowncil in front of the entire nation. Let's see who has the balls to go against it when Rocky sends it back to them with the language of the ballot measure. Not one of them has had the courage to say we need to do an audit to see where the money is going. A reporter should file a public records to show who gave how much in each district. I guarantee there were big political paybacks.
[ZD Breaking (Bad) News to Councilmembers]
You know, I spoke with CM Hahn & Eric her Legislative/Policy Diriector
on the $50 million gang parcel, and passed along the info on TV 35, and just now on KABC radio and YIKES!!! The public seems to have heard that Bratton/Rice/LA Weekly/LA Times feels it is a waste of money, no matter what. $80 million wasted and now you want to tax the property owners, who are already struggling,more money that is perceived to be nothing more than pay-offs to gang members who drive around in BMWs from the money.
(Again, I'm not saying that, the people seem to be.) And the bad news is, ZD's poll says "it's over" if it goes to a vote of the people. [Sorry kiddies, ZD's knack in radio was market research...like Rainman.)
Not saying I'm happy, or sad...just on the realest, dough. And, Bill O'Rielly wants to know, "What say you". aka: Any input on the matter?
Zuma clowncil would be real idiots if they put this ballot measure on for next year. John & Ken with their KFI listeners during drive time home are many LA voters. Look at how they turned the tables on the Tienne Pearce case. Then the other talk show hosts jumped on board. Look at how they embarrassed midget mayor and other politicans during illegal alien march. Why are the neighborhood councils being so quiet. I thought they were organized and speak for the community. Not one person I've spoken to supports this.
THE BEST OPINION PIECE FROM DAILY NEWS....GOOD FOR THEM FOR SAYING THE TRUTH..
....Gangs are the issue of the moment, thanks to civil-rights attorney Connie Rice's stinging report showing that the city has wasted billions on piecemeal, ineffective efforts to curtail the crisis. And so the council has reacted in the only way it knows: Reaching into the pockets of taxpayers.
For starters, it would behoove the council to come up with a comprehensive anti-gang strategy before asking the public to fund it. As it is, the council's approach seems to be: Give up the money, and we promise we'll figure out what to do with it later.
Before the City Hall gang has the nerve to exploit public fears about gangs for more money, it ought to have the decency to rationalize its own spending.
Maybe the council should take a poll to see what the public thinks of that idea - better government, not just more expensive government. We suspect the public would like that even more than a new tax.
http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_5080398
Now Doug McIntyre ABC AM is blasting the clowncil. I laughed so hard when he used the term "clowncil members." He stated Hahn can't even get the alligator out of the lake and now she wants this tax. He was livid and promised to speak out against it.
Actually, Doug addressed it BEFORE John and Ken. Doug brought it up first thing yesterday morning, and was hilarious then -- as always.
Walter,
McIntyre did a great job -- as usual -- blasting the moronic clowncil this morning, just as J & K did last night. Frankly I don't give a shit who mentioned it first, as long as they all keep the pressure on to kill this idiotic, wasteful Hahn tax increase on homeowners.
I'll tune in to all of these shows and patronize their sponsors if they talk about meaningful, relevant issues such as this.
People who never listened before to both stations KFI & McIntyre are now tuning in. E-mails are going across the city and rapid pace telling people to e-mail the show and call in telling them what a great job their doing. Just wait til the others come out to. Leo Terrell, Al Rantel, John Ziergler,Larry Elder they all jumped on board once they saw the train coming.
Hey! Why pick on homeowners? It seems to me that homeowners comprise a minority in this city; city "representatives" seem to be really "concerned" about minority "rights."
Why can't our erstwhile city "government" tax the majority - the apartment dwellers? Oh yeah, I forgot... they're "minorities".
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