Your Sunday Think Tank Assignment: Reduce Traffic and Crime
Congratulations! Each of you has just been hired by the Mayor Sam Think Tank!Your new job carries with it enormous prestige yet absolutely no remuneration.
Your team's assignment is to come up with no more than 20 very specific policy proposals to reduce significantly gridlock and crime. Here at MSTT, we don't produce verbose, 300-page reports, with 87 different recommendations. Rather, we give a "Top 10" list of specific changes that will produce results. Please note, however, that if we think fewer than 10 changes are needed, we propose fewer than 10.
I will get you started by trotting out a few ideas of my own. You aren't REQUIRED to adopt my recommendations, but I AM your supervisor, so it might be prudent.
Top 10 Ways For City Hall To Reduce Crime:
1. Hire more police.
We need more police, pure and simple. We need them patrolling neigbhorhoods so often that, besides showing up quickly AFTER a crime has been committed, they actually deter the commission of crimes in the first place. Hiring more police needs to be City Hall's No. 1 priority.
2. Stop telling us you can't hire more police.
If you have trouble, offer higher salaries, and advertise across the country. The U.S. Armed Forces manage to hire plenty of young men to fight overseas. You can hire enough to make L.A. safe. Quit whining, quit making excuses, and solve this problem before you move on to any others.
3. Stop spending money on other programs.
Do not spend another penny on programs intended to win the hearts and minds of young people, or to keep them out of gangs. That money should go to the hiring of more police. Those programs had their chance, and haven't worked. Nor does poverty cause crime; rich people commit crimes, too. We need to focus on behavior, period.
4. Stop saying we can't "arrest our way" out of this problem.
Instead, hire enough police so that their very presence will deter crime in the first place. If we need more prosecutors or jails, we'll pay for them, too. For now, hire enough #$%^ police!
Top 10 Ways To Reduce Gridlock:
1. Repeal price control laws, in particular, laws limiting the price of apartments.
This will make it easier for people to live closer to where they work. It will also drive down the average rent in the city, though, of course, those currently paying below-market rents will have to pay more.
2. Make Prop 13 portable for people of all ages.
This, too, will make it easier for people to move closer to their jobs, thereby reducing gridlock. It's already "portable" for people 55 and older. Make it portable for everyone, so younger homeowners can move closer to their jobs without having their property taxes skyrocket.
3. No parking places on major surface streets.
We can get two more lanes per street by eliminating parking places on Wilshire, Pico, Olympic, and all the rest, all day, not just during "rush hour," because traffic is slow all day. Where will people park? Make it easy, permit-wise, for people to open parking lots and parking garages on those same streets.
4. Bus lanes and more buses.
You know those new lanes you just got by eliminating parking? Make them "bus-only" lanes, all day, every day, and buy many, many more buses, such that a bus arrives at every stop every five minutes. For less than the cost of a few miles of subway, we could put two new buses in every Thomas Guide square.
Okay, that's your starter set. Get going. Make Mayor Sam proud, would you?
Posted by Walter Moore @ 1/21/2007 09:58:00 AM
22 Comments:
#1, #2, #4
Walter, we can't hire more police because of the competiveness with other law enforcement agencies outside of LA city. When you have Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Burbank with higher salaries, the war on Iraq where new recruits were always a good source, and politicians who cry and don't support their own officers, media that continues to report bias crap without reporting the facts on both sides of the issues who's going to want to work for this city? The solution is give LAPD the money from trash fee that is so far there and council wants to use for other programs for LAPD overtime. Patrols can immediately put into neighborhoods and the coward gang bangers will see more black and whites on the streets. Everyone wins.
Yes, we can, and you're on probation for violating one of my recommendations right out of the box.
The method is very simple, and is used all the time to get talented young lawyers -- like yours truly used to be -- to work horribly long hours. Want to know what the method is?
YOU PAY MORE MONEY.
Don't tell me we can't afford it. The City took in over $700 mllion more this year than last year, and that was BEFORE the trash tax hike, which was done in the name of hiring more police.
You say you'll need to cut other programs? Well, I don't believe you will, but if so, the Community Development Agency redistributes over $300 million from taxpayers to developers each year, so start there. What better way is there to "redevelop" a neighborhood than to make it safe? Who in his right mind, after all, would invest money or open a business in a virtual war zone?
Plus, if City Hall can seriously consider a billion-dollar "Marshall Plan," or an $11.5 billion airport remodel, or a $10 billion subway extension, the City can find the money to hire enough police.
less traffic:
One car per househould
less crime:
no one is allowed to sue a cop. More cops can do their job and less hassle with politically correct bullshit
crime is a crime and the person must do time
What's up Walter and Mayor Sam!!!!!
Can we get a post about Alarcon's kickoff yesterday? Or are you both just obsessed with CD14?
GOOD BLOGGIN MORNING,
We at the "RED SPOT INSTITUTE" will take a little time away from the TAIL GATE FEST that is on-going for the PARRA-HUIZAR Grudge Match, plus their is some football today to indulge in, but I digress.
TEN WAYS TO REDUCE CRIME:
1. All CLOWNCIL members should uphold the constitution and be role models of ethical goverment. (ie. No Sticking up for the Martin Ludlows of the world)
2. Repeal Special Order 40. Illegals know that this idiotic order gives them a shield for their illegal activities.
3. Keep the ACLU away from policy implementation on crime tactics.
4. Shield our police officers from frivolous complaints on their actions.
5. Police is made # 1 budgetary priority
6. Educate the "ANTI-POLICE CABAL" to spend more time intheir communities teaching accountability for your own actions before running to City Hall about Police actions.
7. Tell Sheriff Baca to screw his early releast policy.
8. Hire Police along the Ratio of New York.
9. Select former law enforcement and prosecuters for positions on the Police Commision Refer to Joe Hicks for that reasoning.
10. "RETURN COPORAL PUNISHMENT TO THE SCHOOLS"!! A GOOD WACK ON THE ASS MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR ACTIONS AT A YOUNG AGE.
***Walter, good point on the monetary issue. It seems that the "TAX AND SPEND LIBERAL" approach to solving our problems is in vogue again. Creating more "LOVE CANALS" of tax streams will only lead to more toxic waste of tax payers dollors (ie. LA BRIDGES).
FREEDOM AND FREE ENTERPRISE
"RED SPOT OF REASON IN CD 14"
I second this motion,
4. Shield our police officers from frivolous complaints on their actions.
The Red Spot of Reasoned Thinking brings up good points. In terms of reducing crime, I would also add: a diversion of the money wasted on mushy, failed "gang prevention" programs TO more police, prosecutors, and jails; INSIST ICE enforce immigration laws with a special emphasis on illegal alien gangs; MORE gang injunctions; a BETTER business climate to attract private enterprise, entrepeneurs and thus more jobs for college educated young adults.
Reduce Gridlock: No Home Depot in Sunland-Tujunga!
Reduce Crime: No Home Depot in Sunland-Tujunga!
Thankyou.
Great points coming in. Walter we can use the trash fee tax now sitting doing nothing to give LAPD overtime to put more patrols. We don't need to tax again or take from other depts.
These have been ADD Antonio's photo ops.
1. Gang bangers #1 priority, yet hasn't said a word about the programs needing to be audited
2. LAUSD school plan
3. Press conf. on full fledge law enforcement, probation, city attorney, FBI, ATF etc. on gangs
4. Wants Olympics to come to LA. Standing with Arnold for cameras. Yeah right, who the hell wants to come here now not even tourists til gang violence is under control.
5. Photo op with Fabian wanting tax payers to help illegals with budget cuts Arnold is making on healthcare. Wants everyone to chip in to help.
Take a look at Steve Lopez' column today. Good analysis regarding Antonio's [non]-accomplishments, all of the time spent huffing and puffing about LAUSD while ignoring actual City business...
Oh my God! I can't believe I forgot Special Order 40! Give that man a bonus: yes, our crime list will definitely include repealing Special Order 40. Nice catch.
Another great point meriting another bonus to the Red Spot: stop the Sheriff from releasing criminals who have not served their sentences. That is an excellent point!
If we have to put them in camps or pens in the desert, or at that big Palmdale airport we own, so be it, but do NOT let them out early (to commit more crime) EVER.
As for lawsuits against the police, I'm guessing we can cut way down on them via camcorders of some kind. We'll see. But I don't think we can simply ban lawsuits.
Less Crime
Less Traffic
Get rid of Hugo Garcia President, LA-32 Neighborhood Council, Garcia’s family moved to El Sereno in the early 1960s, and over the past 40-plus years he’s watched
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xz8uwcs9hQ
Baca said at the press conf. that he will hold the gang bangers under gang injunctions which is most throughout the city to do all their time.
We need to keep ACLU out of the mix. They make excuses for gang bangers civil rights. Father Boyle is another gang member groupie who protects his babies saying give them jobs and education. Why is it that a lot of us who grew up in ELA around gangs didn't choose to in a gang and you don't hear us making excuses. But these are the people clowncil is listening to.
I'm not worried about the ACLU. All the city needs to deal with them is some REAL trial lawyers instead of the quaking-in-their-wingtips fraidy cats who were ready to hand Dog Food Guy $2.7 million.
As for injunctions, in my opinion, they're a waste of lawyer time. I'd rather have the same prosecutors using their time to press cases for actual crimes. Doing so, by the way, would deny the ACLU any grounds for challenging injunctions on the grounds that they interefere with constitutional rights people have to assemble and associate with one another.
Transportation Fatigue
The City and County of Los Angeles have been so lacking in real transportation solutions that a environment of “settle for” and “better than nothing” now exist.
This applies to HOV Lanes, Bus Only Lanes and now the Red Line Subway.
The known short comings of the proposed HOV lane on the north bound 405 Freeway are still being ignored, as it is “better than nothing”.
The Wilshire Bus Only Lane, in spite of its failure and extreme liability to local small business, remains as an example of “better than nothing”.
Now lets look to the “Red Line Subway” likened to a “stick man”. With the renewed call for a “subway to the sea”, the better than nothing and settle for crowds are at it again.
In spite of the cost factor, $3.2 billion of (today’s dollars) by MTA estimates and a ten year construction nightmare, the call comes forth.
First of all the voters of Los Angeles County voted overwhelming not to spend county sale tax money on Subway construction. This 1998 ballot measure was not enacted due to the safety factor of tunneling in the Fairfax District.
Residents countywide did not want their precious resources squandered in a single area servicing only a select few.
What is best for the greatest number? Surely not “ a cheaper, less risky option” such as an extension to Wilshire and Fairfax even if it is only going to cost $1.2 billion.
Even some of those who favor the “subway to the sea” admit the so called transportation experts have given us a “ brainless configuration” with regards to the multi billion dollar subway layout. So we should let these “brainless” experts get another bite at the apple, I don’t think so.
It is not the time for courage, it is a time for vision. There is an opportunity on the horizon for a new era in transportation.
With the “Expressway to the Future” using technology already tried and tested, we present the entire County of Los Angeles with the opportunity to benefit from a Monorail System.
A Monorail System, that once in place will be an example to follow throughout the county.
A transportation system which no longer falls under “settled for or better than nothing”
A transportation system where Mayors and City Council Members from cities throughout the United States will come to study and duplicate.
Yes, a Transportation System to be proud of. Proud to build, proud to use and proud to pay for.
David Hernandez
Soon to be Candidate for - - - - -
A monorail might be okay. I saw something in Paris this month that struck me as much more economical, something we MIGHT be able to build on top of existing roads: it was a "light rail" type train, but it rode on rubber wheels rather than steel wheels.
The advantage of light rail and monorails, in my admittedly uninformed opinion, is that you can have far more passengers per driver. The disadvantage -- again in my opinion, which I'll be happy to change if I get solid info to the contrary -- is that you spend a fortune on building new stuff (e.g., rails, monorail columns and tracks, etc.) rather than taking advantage of our existing infrastructure.
That's why I favor buying more buses: we can deploy them in massive numbers IMMEDIATELY.
Matt said the vendors are only trying to make a living. This is the mob mentality I talked about. They get vicious and attack people. The businesses in downtown LA are sick of illegal vendors parking their carts on the street all day long taking away parking for their customers.
....Estela Lopez, executive director of the Central City East Association, said that a large group of vendors recently attacked her Business Improvement District employees....On Thanksgiving, several BID workers asked vendors selling various goods to stop blocking traffic near the corner of Los Angeles and Winston streets, Lopez said. Dozens of vendors and their supporters began pelting the BID workers with plastic chairs and trash.
One BID worker sustained broken ribs after being hit with a two-by-four, Lopez said. Another worker suffered a puncture wound to the neck when a vendor allegedly stabbed him with a fork used to skewer hot dogs. Lopez sent pictures of the wounded worker to Los Angeles Downtown News.
And council want to tax us to get $50 million to give to these gang bangers.
drudgereport.com
Alex Sanchez, a former MS-13 member who now runs a gang intervention program, said police moves to identify the worst gangs could instead lead to more crime.
Congrats, aside from the bus & bus lane suggestions, this sounds like it was written by a Republican.
Crime prevention through anti-gang and after school programs works in conjunction WITH stronger policing, but alone they are not effective, just like more police only deals with part of the problem.
Try thinking of these programs from a return on investment standpoint instead of being a gut-check Republican for a change.
How about we cut some other programs to get get more money for police such as looking for overlaps or redundancy?
The consolidation of police forces is a good start.
How many security forces do we have here with Park Police, Library police, convention center police and airport police?
Think of the overlap of adminstering payroll systems, retirement systems, etc.
Okay, let's talk return on investment:
Prove ANY return on the money spent for the "gang prevention" programs. Any return at all. Any empircal proof that they have caused any reduction in crime.
Go ahead.
Cat got your tongue?
Still waiting.
Seriously, go ahead and show us the return on "investment."
Oh, you can't? Okay, then under your "return-on-investment" approach, the return is zero, so the amount we "invest" should likewise be zero.
According to the Association of US Mayors, after school programs and gang-intervention programs do work and are considered a best practice to prevent crime.
http://www.usmayors.org/USCM/best_practices/community_policing_2006/gangBP_2006.pdf
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