Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

State Assembly Speaker and fellow Mirthala Banger Fabian Nunez has teamed up with State Senate President Don Perata to hoodwink a term limits extension initiative on the ballot to extend their and other pols' employment in the State Legislature. Indeed, this measure is even more cynical than the infamous Measure R. The Wall Street Journal reports there are some pretty serious legislative gymnastics Fabian and Don have to do to get it on the ballot and approved in time for them to run in the June primaries. However Capitol Weekly reports that the efforts to get enough signatures to get the scam on the February Presidential Primary ballot could potentially fail.

The Daily News reports on politicians who cry for public transportation but don't use it themselves. New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg kind of uses it, but our own Subway Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa doesn't. In fact, Mayor Villar doesn't even bother to ride the bus during MTA dog and ponies for the cameras.

The Long Beach Press Telegram reports on a recent California Supreme Court ruling that says citizens and the press have the right to know how much government workers make. Those employees might view it as an invasion of privacy but I agree with the Press Telegram that its a necessary evil to monitor fraud, waste and abuse.

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Here's a bright idea (not). The City is considering one way to force people onto public transportation is to allow developers to build some projects without providing parking. Here's a better one: develop public transportation that actually goes places, is on time, isn't built for political expediency and that doesn't smell like urine. THEN some folks might ride.

One way to have massive development and not add to traffic is to build projects that are truly mixed use - with retail, housing and commercial spaces. The trouble is lots of retail and housing is going into projects in Los Angeles but not commercial. Why? Businesses don't want to locate in Los Angeles due to its onerous taxes and regulations. But they want to go to business friendly cities such as Burbank where this development is one of many in a city with very low commercial vacancy rates.

The legendary Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood has been sold to CIM, the real estate development firm that owns the Hollywood and Highland complex next door to the theatre. CIM promises no changes to the 80 year old structure which currently leased and operated by the Mann Theaters chain.

And finally, maybe this is an idea that Captain Jack might like and that Mayor Villaraigosa could consider for cleaning up Skid Row. A mayoral candidate in Key West, Florida wants to capitalize on the town's pirate image by having the homeless (as well as city workers) dress up like the legendary bucaneers of the Spanish Main. Perhaps here we could have derelicts made up like famous movie stars for the tourists.