LA City Council Real Estate Scam
Every now and then a reader comment gets bumped up as a blog post. This one's a doozy:
fourthfloorstaffer said:
This post will:
(a) Be the first in a series of exposes on just how much money the City of Los Angeles has, and how much it wastes.
(b) Pose a question to our councilmembers, in some cases, our bosses, regarding these funds.
(c) Hopefully be reposted, so that it reaches several sets of eyes.
OK, here goes.
When city property is sold in any council district, 1/2 of the proceeds go to the General Fund, and 1/2 go to ...
The council office for that district.
To spend ... as the member desires.
Yes, that's right. When the Dept. of Sanitation decides to sell a small, defunct, old processing plant along some busy corridor, the Councilmember invariably brokers the sale.
He or she makes money (of the campaign or illicit variety) by selling it to a campaign supporter or rich developer.
It is in the interest of that Council member to sell and sell quickly (not to get the best price for the property or anything), because, in case you didn't hear be correctly the first time, that member gets half the money, to be spent in his or her district, as he or she sees fit.
Yes, there are some members who don't take advantage of this. Mostly those whose districts have no public buildings.
But the rest? Ought to join the National Association of Realtors.
How do they spend this money? That's a topic for another post.
In the meantime, blog away dumb dumbs.
Labels: city of los angeles budget, Los Angeles City Council, real estate scam, tax and spend, wasteful spending
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 10/19/2007 04:34:00 PM
29 Comments:
OK moron on the fourthfloor:
Why is it that Councilmembers don't sell ALL or MOST of their district's public property, as fast as possible, so that they can "use the proceeds at their discretion"? LOGIC says that the Councilmembers would "EAT ALL THEIR PIE ASAP" (nothing would be left but scraps, practically speaking, for the predecessors)!!!
4thfloormop... somethings missing... you're not telling us the whole picture!!!
NO ONE EVER TELLS THE WHOLE TRUTH!.
It would be foolish for a Councilman to sell ALL or MOST of their district's public property, as fast as possible, as they have to keep some for WINE, WOMEN, SONG AND TRAVEL.
Our CD's and Assemblymen are real good for this.
WONDEFUL, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL...we are going to learn what they are into!
Council District 1
Council District 7
Council District 13
Council District 14
Board of Realtors Association
Reyes say it ain't so!!
fourthfloorstaffer is just another idiot working for the city and taking advantage. There have been numerous printed stories about how CM's AREN'T selling the property in their district for all kinds of reasons. Do some research, for pete's sake.
Reyes, Huizy, Alarcon, Garcetti...True Idiots of many in the LA Shitty Council! Lets wake up fellow Angelenos!
Who is Pete Sake?
I thought our city was in a state of emergency and that's why the morons on council because of dumb ass mayor are going to put the phone tax on the ballot. But it must not be as big an emergency cause Antonio is going to Nevada to help the dyke Hillary. Interesting his sorry butt hasn't done anything in LA to help her. Why??? Cause Antonio knows he will get booed and embarrass Hillary because the Latinos of this city are tired of his shameful ineffective sham of pretending to be a mayor. He has nothing but FAILED in his job.
....Villaraigosa to stump for Clinton in Nevada
Latino voters focus of drive by L.A. mayor
In his first foray out of the city on behalf of the presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will begin an effort this weekend in Nevada to draw Latino voters on her behalf.
"A Democrat in the White House, coupled with a Democratic majority in the Congress, will mean a new era of investment and a partnership that cities like Los Angeles so desperately need," Villaraigosa said of his role in Clinton's campaign.
The mayor said he plans to make additional trips for Clinton throughout the nation as the campaign develops.
Thompson's fall from grace
There was a time over the summer when Fred Thompson looked like he'd enjoy enormous support from the GOP's religious right base. The Dobson crowd had already ruled out McCain and Giuliani, and skepticism over Romney lingered. Thompson would fill the gap left by George Allen, and the theocons would swoon.
And then Thompson announced.
Yesterday's "Values Voter Summit," the year's largest religious right gathering, offered the actor/lobbyist/senator a chance to reconnect with the activists who've been slipping away. How'd he do? I spoke to several people who were on hand for the event, and everyone agreed that they were amazed at how awful he is on the stump.
[Thompson] spoke with his chin often buried in his chest, his voice largely monotone, and he cleared his throat or coughed repeatedly, prompting some to wonder if he might be ill.
"He didn't look good," said Ronald Sell, 63, a musician from New York City.
Mr. Sell said he initially had high hopes for Mr. Thompson but left disappointed and wondering why as an actor, Mr. Thompson did not "at least have his lines memorized."
"If he was the candidate, we'd be in trouble," Mr. Sell said.
As the NYT's Gail Collins put it, "Thompson's tendency to look down and read his remarks provided the audience with some of the most prolonged views of the top of a bald politician's head in recent history. When you feel compelled to use an index card for lines like, 'We must have good laws. We must do our best to stop bad laws,' you have been spending too much of your life filming 30-second bits of dialogue."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/056506.php
"The mayor said he plans to make additional trips for Clinton throughout the nation as the campaign develops"
ARE WE PAYING FOR IT IN THIS EMERGENCY?
VOTE AGAINST CLINTON, VILLARIAGOSA AND THE TELEPHONE TAX.
The sale of property takes a process that begins with the Mayor's property folks. It must first be declared "surplus".
RFP's are required and a sweetheart deal has to be approved by the entire council.
Not too many get through.
Mexicans do not believe in their politicians, they all know they are a bunch of thieves. When they leave office they are very wealthy men. They do not care for their country they only care for their pockets. Villaraigosa, Huizar and many more have that kind of mentality, so it shouldn’t surprise you. It is up to us that what happens there doesn’t happen here.
"RFP's are required and a sweetheart deal has to be approved by the entire council.
Not too many get through."
I have been reading these "surplus" properties for a long time. The Councilmen dont take time to check on another Councilman. They just assume the other Councilman is honest, unless they assume all are dishonest.
Remember "to ASSUME" is to make an "ass" between "U" and "me"
There are many people(latino's) that won't vote or vote for a latino anymore. They know when they get in they are just going to do what they want and who cares what the people think or want.
They just greedy and start money laundering from one account to the other or help their traffiking friends out. They hook up their family and friends and the cycle continues.
Now many of these politicos are being found out. Look at the Alvarez guy in the L.A Times from the Three Valley's Municipal Water Dist.He's lied so much he doesn't know which way is up anymore.
Married to a Mexican starlet, a lying War Heroe, an athlete. No one even knows what he does for a "real" living.
October 20, 2007 10:11 AM
You forgot to include the NO vote for the proposed DWP rate increase.
VOTE AGAINST CLINTON
VOTE AGAINST VILLARIAGOSA
VOTE AGAINST NUNEZ
VOTE AGINST THE DWP RAISE
VOTE AGAINST THE TRASH INCREASE
VOTE AGAINST THE TELEPHONE TAX
VOTE AGAINST INCREASE IN FALSE ALARMS FEES
VOTE AGAINST BULDING DEPARMENT INCREASES FOR UPGRADING SMALL BUSINESSES
VOTE AGAINST OCCUPANCY TAX ON RENTALS
VOTE AGAINST PAYROLL TAX
IF ANYONE CAN THINK OF ANY MORE...
COME ON DOWN!
Rush Limbaugh and "Dingy" Harry Reid-The Letter
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/
MECHA Fabian Nunez – Vote NO on Proposition 93 that will allow MECHA Speaker Nunez an extra term in office.
4:14: since "no one knows what he does for a real living," that guy is a shoe-in for the matt, mutt, hunt waste taxpayers' money amateur hour. Anyone of no account and inflated self-importance, join the club.
OBAMA VISTS THE EASTSIDE AT GARFIELD AND IS CHEERED. YEAH YEAH FOR OBAMA.
Hillary would be an idiot if she had Antonio come out with her to try and get the Latino vote in East LA. They can't stand any of the Latino politicans because they have embarrassed us with their corruption. All that bullshit publicity with Antonio's affair and now he's off with other women. Latinos more and more are siding with Obama or switching sides registering Republican.
8.57 pm
thanks for finally elevating me to the position I always wanted.
I've now joined the ranks of people so famous they can be referred to by their first name only.
I love that. just like Frank (sinatra), Hillary, Barbara, and Bruce. lol
thank you.
Other one-name wonders:
Hitler, Saddam... You're infamous, not famous. Of course you don't know the difference.
THERE'S AN UNWRITTEN RULE AMONG THE CITY COUNCILMEMBERS. DON'T MESS WITH MY DISTRICT.
A councilmember usually gets a rubber stamp on what they want for their district, unless there are indirect cost issues imposed on other districts. So, if you see a Councilmember voting AGAINST a Councilmember and his district's business then you know that someone, behind the scenes, has a bug up his ass.
@11:50 and 3:03 It's the Mayor that has ultimate control of the process since he controls the Commissioners. Surplus property will not be released until the Mayor gets his due. The Councilmember won't get something for nothing. Assumptions about honestly and motives have nothing to do with the process.
"Assumptions about honestly and motives have nothing to do with the process"
The process is about honesty and motives, and the fact that the Mayor gets his cut first. Why should he get a cut at all... to pay for his mistresses, or travel to see Mrs. Clinton?
As usual, each thread contains some knowledgeable commenters, and some apologists.
To Oct. 19, 6:07 pm - you are a jackass. Of course, councilmembers don't try to sell, say, a high-profile dump or city building. It's usually something far more mundane.
And it doesn't take multiple sales to be very profitable. We are talking commercial real-estate, large lots.
If you sell one building for $8 million in a 4 year term, that's $4 million for the Councilmember to spread around his or her district.
Think some cronies might profit?
Of course.
If you can grasp the idea that "gang-prevention" programs are just another way to hire "activists" as "consultants" - then you MIGHT BEGIN to imagine how the potential for illicit gain in these transactions.
It is so easy to pay someone to talk. Who wouldn't take a contract like that? This is also why every project at every level of government is preceded by a "study." The funniest one I ever heard was the study of whether traffic was bad on the 405...
High potential to pay off people you like.
The point of the thread is: a reporter OUGHT to look up recent sales. There have been several. That reporter OUGHT to then see how much money was spent in the discretion of the member for BS programs.
Why then do we need a tax hike?
As for it requiring council approval -- are you nuts? There was an article many years ago on the front page because some on the council dared to speak up on an issue that affected just one district. The fact that it was NOT a unanimous vote was newsworthy. There is an unwritten rule of council reciprocity - if it affects just one district, the vote is unanimous...
Sell a city building for less than FMV = crime #1.
Greedily, happily take 1/2 the proceeds to spend within your district on BS programs = crime #2.
Try to tell voters there is a budget emergency = crime #3.
The point of the thread is: a reporter OUGHT to look up recent sales. There have been several. That reporter OUGHT to then see how much money was spent in the discretion of the member for BS programs.
If you have something, specifics, then spill it!!! You're anonymous, ANONYMOUS. You don't need the assessor's roll to determine commercial value. There's something in real estate called "comparables". Yes, it's used in commercial property, too, not only in residential. And don't expect too much from the reporters in this city. There are only maybe 3 or 4 respectable, LA reporters left. The rest are shills.
To October 21, 2007 4:39 PM
In the Los Angeles Times for the last few days
"They have to be taught how to become squares. How to become normal people...To become approachable, employable.
-Kenny Mitchell, founder of Gangsters Anonymous, on helping gang members recover
Is this why the crimal record requirement has been eliminated for the job application for employment in the City of LA?
And
"RFP's are required and a sweetheart deal has to be approved by the entire council"
Is this why he assistant of Huizar was able to give his relative 90K.
4:39 PM
Academia Semillas
Building
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