A guy in LA

The rift between Villaraigosa and Delgadillo isn't nearly so big as that fabled one between Bradley and Gates that turned a tactical alert into the 1992 riot. But that doesn't mean that names aren't getting called and sides aren't getting chosen. They are, and they are.

Zuma's small item yesterday about Rosemary Anaya working in the City Attorney's office as "Director of Economic Development" indirectly underscored how much both Delgadillo and Villaraigosa have bought into Bratton's "broken windows" crime fighting strategy. In fact, of the three men, it's Bratton who is the most critical unifying political element (throw Garcetti into that mix too) in the City. On him, and more specifically on broken windows, everyone can agree, and here's why.

Is "broken windows" window dressing? You City and CRA types don't need a backgrounder on broken windows; but you do need to be reminded how property-owner driven it is. Proactive programs-works for you, huh? Without complying property owners, led by the civic bridle into fixing what's broken, it doesn't work, and that's where you come in, you pink-collars who love MayorSam so much. You're able to read the Internet all day because of those programs.

The strategy may (or may not) be an effective way to fight crime (I must say, it's hard to tell here in Los Feliz how it's helping---we have more graffiti and more helicopters overhead than ever before), but one thing for sure: commercial and large-scale residential property owners are precisely the tippity-top demographic that politicians want to reach to keep their own political careers alive. These people peddle dollars, if not influence, like nobody else. The property owner is the gal in town who most needs to make nice with the City to keep their dreams alive---and broken windows milks that concept. Bratton is always going to be a popular guy in town as long as he keeps recommending crimefighting programs that put pols in closer touch with property owners.

[Parke's got it all figured out, right? We're tougher on crime than ever before, and "broken windows" is working---so let's spend two billion on gangs! Growth is a fact of the City, nothing we can do about it---so let's only permit the kind of luxury condos that bring even more homeowners from Irvine and Seoul here! We need to fix our homeless problem---so let's give a bundle to developers and contractors! Go Ask Alice why the voters can't see how some of these problems work out better for pols when they're never solved...]

Pardon that strange interlude. The Mayor's recent bichslap to Delgadillo's office, delivered in the proposed City budget, where Antonio wants to trim some prosecutorial power, will likely backfire a bit. It was an unusual vindictive moment put up by a team that's increasingly showing signs that the lug nuts are loose on the chariot. Those very coveted property owners that both pols seek only scratch there heads and say, "What the hell's up with this? I thought we wanted to prosecute gangs?"

What up, indeed. The real news in town on the policing front is that while those very same property owners have been buying into "broken windows," other less savory policing tactics have actually been responsible for "cleaning up" downtown, and most are also aware of that. You saw that yesterday with this Federal Judge's ruling, and you read about it in this morning's fishwrap. You also read some admission that some of the programs aren't working.

Whatever may be up, the Mayor isn't the only guy in town who gets a chance to reap some rewards from the savvy political nose of the City's top cop.