Pay Raise Score Card
The City is going broke but many of our elected officials feel it's justified to take a 4.16% pay raise, placing their salaries well above many local private executives. One even - Councilman Richard Alarcon - is brazenly declaring that he deserves the raise for how hard he works (see this story so you can say bullshit Richard). However a fairly politically astute group of local city leaders are forgoing the increase. And a few others are taking the half-ass measure of donating the raise to "charity."Some time ago, the law was changed to tie Council Members' pay to judges, whose salary is set by the state, in order to prevent the Clowncil from giving themselves pay raises. Quote of the day once again goes to ex-motorcycle cop Denny "What Was He Thinking" Zine who told the Daily News "The real issue here is why are judges being paid so much?" Yea.
Here's a score card so you know who's who:
Declining the Raise: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Controller Laura Chick; Council Members Wendy Greuel, Janice Hahn, Jack Weiss and Council President Eric Garcetti
Taking the Money and Running: City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo; Council Members Ed Reyes, Tom LaBonge, Bill Rosendahl, Jan Perry, Herb Wesson, Richard Alarcon and Tony Cardenas
"I work very hard for my district, seven days a week, every single holiday and most nights of the week."Half-Measure Not-Heroes (keeping the raise but giving to charity): Councilmen Dennis Zine, Jose Huizar
Clowncilman Richard Alarcon
"The real issue here is why are judges being paid so much?"AWOL: Councilmen Bernard Parks, Greig Smith
Ex-Motorcycle Cop CM Denny Zine
("Simpsonized" City Clowncil is the amazing work of David Markland of Metroblogging LA.)
Labels: laura chick, Los Angeles City Council, mayor antonio villaraigosa, pay raise, rocky delgadillo, tony cardenas
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 11/21/2007 12:26:00 AM
71 Comments:
Alarcon:
The hardest slacking man in City Hall!
"The real issue here is why are judges being paid so much?"
Ex-Motorcycle Cop CM Denny Zine
Dennis Zine the master of the brilliant statement.
The council sounds stupider than Sarah Brady defending buying her son a rifle (true story). Only they (council) could think of such idiotic reasons to take the pay raise.
Sarah Brady is almost as intelligent as the nutcases in the North Valley.
Greg Smith is idit.
Maybe the CM is trying to recoup costs for one of his relatives that got screwed over on thousands by some SGV politicos.
Alarcon and Parks look like a couple of crooks with those slimy mustaches.
Hilarious Mayor Sam!!! Thanks for starting my day with a good laugh.
Are these council members for real? Interesting that Parks and the other one are not commenting. Talk about no guts and being afraid to make a statement..chicken shits.
All I can say is thankfully these morons are not my parents. They are embarrassing and have no leadership, no guts, no class, no brains, a total waste of tax payer money. Like the Mayor they have absolutely nothing to show as far as an accomplishment to earn even a penny.
You forgot that Jack Weiss said he would accept the raise because it was the law, then said he had to go ask Daddy Villaraigosa once he learned Daddy had refused the raise, THEN refused the raise himself.
No points awarded here.
Some of our councilmembers work very hard and deserve the money. LeBonge's wife is dying of cancer. Give him a break. Alarcon just got married and is having a baby. He needs the money too. Zine said he'd donate it to charity. He gives a lot of money to charity. He works hard for his salary. If our councilmembers were the CEO of a public company, they'd be making a lot more. It's not easy having to deal with the problems of an entire district. I wouldn't want the job.
The real issue should be, "How do we, as the taxpayers who fund the salaries of our elected officials, place a city-wide referendum on the ballot addressing our elected officials' salaries?"
The referendum would cap their salaries at $100,000 per year and ban all council attempts to raise their own salaries. The only way our elected officials could see their salaries increase at a yearly rate would be to limit them (the salary increases) to either:
A) 5% per annum or,
B) the yearly rate of inflation.
It would also provide that choices A and B shall never be combined, and whatever figure is less shall be the yearly increase.
I proposed a similar measure on this blog almost a year ago (December 6, 2006). I've since refined it, as those who take the trouble to look up my comment will note.
Foster for Council in CD 14
zd has been following steve foster on this blog for a while. he knows where the bodies are burried/where to look, and what to do to neuter the shadiness. stephen c. foster for mayor! i'll be your communication deputy!
Red Spot - I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I must decline. I don't live in CD14.
ZD - I must also decline any invitation for me to campaign for the mayor's position.
Why not, Stephen?
Racists are welcome at all levels of government. Please reconsider.
9:56 is that the best you got?
I agree; Stephen's proposal makes sense--too much sense to ever become reality, unfortunately.
Does Villaraigosa deserve a raise when his Deputy Dufus asleep in meetings?
Check it out on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vwv0OpGAjk
I need to post this to show the type of asshole we have as Mayor. He could care less about our police officers and their families. He was told NOT to disclose the name of the officer who was injured very badly in Boyle Heights yesterday morning because not all his families members had been notified. BUT the asshole, selfish bastard put out a press release NAMING THE OFFICER. LAPD did not tell the media. LA Slimes only reported "an official" gave the name in their story today. This is a bastard people. Taking advantage of a horrible incident for his own personal gain.
Deputy Chief Diaz said the department would not be releasing the name of the injured officer, who works undercover. He noted that even some of his friends do not know he is a police officer. Diaz said the officer is ``in his early 30s, has a family, has several children.'' The officer has been with the department for 12 years. He's ``a local resident and a very decent person. Currently his condition is that he's had a number of fractured bones, specifically his upper legs. He's also suffered facial injuries and head injuries. We're certain this officer is going to need a lot of attention. He's receiving very good attention at county general hospital and he'll receive attention for a long time, probably.''
THANKS YOU MEDIA WHORE ANTONIO. COPS CAN'T STAND YOU.
Wow! I was going to ask for some duplicate comments to be deleted (10:12), but before I could post the request, they were gone! Someone's alert.
kuKABC 790 reported that it was the Mayor's office who released the officer's name to the media.
My gosh you people have no idea what executives in the private sector make, do you?
I make close to what a City Council member earns and I am not an executive in my company - I'm staff. Senior staff, but staff nonetheless.
Has anyone seen "Homer Parra" or "Homer Avila" recently ?
A.W.: What we taxpayers have to do is to get off our behinds and start making a referendum like this possible. Considering the most recent voter turnout, it shouldn't be too difficult to qualify the measure, although I suspect the measure would have to wait until the numbers are in on the February 2008 ballot.
The most difficult part of this referendum would be satisfying the language requirements of this measure.
10:26, we're not speaking of private sector employees working for companies either privately held (such as Berkshire Hathaway), or investor-funded (such as those whose shares are traded in stock exchanges). I imagine you complain quite a bit about high taxes which seem to increase. Believe me, there is a direct correlation between more and higher taxes, and salaries in the public sector.
10:26 that's not the point. The point is, $180K does not fall under any rational person's definition of Public Servant.
10:40 a.m. I agree with you. And that was my point too. The debate should be about the salaries of high-level public servants. Comparing their salaries to executives in the private sector is nonsense and irrevelant.
Comparing the work of the Councilmembers to that of private sector CEOs is totally bogus. They don't run the city or make administrative decisions. Plus you would be hard pressed to find a company with 15 CEOs. If the city were a business, it would be bankrupt.
Some CM's may say that they deserve the raise because they work hard. What they haven't said is how much pay is enough pay. If it isn't good enough to be the highest paid CM's in the nation, which they were before this recent raise, then how much does each feel they should be paid?
10:19... Justice would be well served if sometime in the future AV needed the LAPD for a personal emergency, and no officer responded. I'm sure AV, if he references his gang-banging days, would remember a term called "street justice." One should not double-cross the LAPD and expect to remain unscathed.
10:25... So it was reported that it was the Mayor's office who released the undercover officer's name. Quit spinning! The Mayor, as GM of his department, authorized the release of the officer's name... or if he didn't authorize it, he should take responsibility for the actions of his subordinates.
The argument of how hard these CM's work for there money is getting old.
The comparison's about CEO's are BS. If they wanted to work for the private industry they would.
They wouldn't probably have their mug's shown during the AMA's though.
It's difficult that someone's wife has to be battling cancer. We can pray for them and their family.
It worked for them in GA.
Most Angeleno's don't have the public's money to tap into every time we have a crisis.
You think the cop that got run over in Boyle Heights is going to get a raise?
BTW, They need to find the "official" that blew his cover and hold them accountable. Who knows how much damage they have done to another family who is already suffering?
Yes,most people are getting tired of politics as usual,orchestrated Q'& A's, "leaks", etc.
Alarcon's just getting married and is expecting a baby, therefore he "needs" the extra money is a joke.
He knew what his income was before he got married and before she got pregnant.
Donating it to a charity of their choice? Will that be the gift that gives back? Haven't we heard this story recently? Give us a break!
Return the money.
If these guys cannot live on the money that is given to them, they can go somewhere else?
SHAME ON YOU ALARCON!!
SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!
We are the stupid people that allow the Mayor and Councilmen to get these raises. They get a lot other benefits through out the city and people they are connected with that we do not know about. Why is it that in this democracy we just talk about it and nothing is done to change the actions of these puppets? Is this a democracy?
12:40 - may I refer you to my comments posted at 9:11 AM & 10:39 AM for your answer? Either we, as taxpayers, qualify the referendum, or continue to let council steal us blind.
Perhaps we could use another referendum for the purpose of prohibiting ALL fee waivers? Just a thought.
10:12 doesn't seem to know that the Mayor turned down the raise, so it doesn't much matter whether he deserves it or not.
As for sleeping through meetings, well, that's one less staffer who can screw up or waste taxpayer dollars beyond those wasted on his salary.
I say, "Sleep on." The City is a better place because of it.
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen (removes sun glasses and waves):
Down in the Caymans I am, while the rest of the crew has scattered like the wind to Hawaii, Bermuda and the Hollywood Hills. I, on the other hand, just wanted to have some time away amongst the locals who drive on the proper side of the road, savvy?
With regard to His Nibbs releasing the name of the valiant officer who was injured yesterday in the 'Heights, I would only say this: what would Valerie Plame say?
(Puts back on sunglasses) Other than that, lads, carry on.
Captain Jack, any chance you can just stay there and stay the hell out of L.A.? We'd all appreciate it.
"DONE DUMB",
Little bitter are we ?
Villaraigosa had to turn down the raise because he knows people will see the video of his deputy dufus slug asleep on YOUTUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=villaraigosa+deputy
The Mayor and City Councilmembers salaries are tied to the judge's salaries. These salary increases were voted in years ago, before any of these councilmembers were councilmembers. Mayor Sam, you call yourself a politico when you didn't bother to get your facts straight.
2:32 Bickhart is not a Deputy Mayor. He's just an aide with no power over the Department of Animal Services or Ed Boks. He just reports on the activity of the Department to Deputy Mayor Jimmy Blackman. Blackman controls the Department and Boks for the Mayor.
Good afternoon 2:13pm (tips hat):
No. But we do, if you will, have a question. As a colleague of ours likes to say..."Is it the "N" that you have trouble with? The "O"? Or is it the concept in general?"
(Laughs) Having problems with "O" are we? (Crew snickers) Poor sot. He's got "O" issues. (Whispers) Damn sot, if he keeps inviting all us common folk to leave, there really will be a fiscal emergency which, if you will, has no "O" in it either, savvy?
Just for the record, I'm a big fan of Captain Jack, Red Psot and Stephen Forster.
A headless frozen turkey? Sounds like the right fan base for those idiots.
8:30 a.m: You have the nerve to try to defend that idiot Alarcon, because his wife is having a baby? Boo hoo, what about all the rest of them with kids in schools and colleges, their own bills to pay.
Your "slimy moustacioed" Alarcon tried to annex a part of Wendy Gruel's district when he married his wife recently, to add HER house which was just outside his district, to his, so he could stop a development from going up next door to her.
He only backed off when exposed by the L A Times.
Today he said he was a "very liberal Democrat" in dissing UCLA and Berkeley for not having enough affirmative action and minorities in percentage to the population.
Since black and Hispanic test scores are so much lower than other averages, he wants to drag down our state universities by filling them with unqualified kids because of their race. Rather than getting them to improve their own stats.
Big laugh of today: Debating the condo development in Wendy's district, which every other CM was doing as is their job -- asking the planning and city attorneys any questions they need -- little Alarcon snapped, "I don't have enough information to make a decision based on my criteria, so I abstain."
As everyone stared at him, he said "I mean it. I'm out of here." And he walked out!
Garcetti pointed out that since he was there until then, walking out is same as a yes, CM's can't just walk out in the middle to avoid making a decision.
THIS fool deserves more money?
He often doesn't know what he's talking about, is often confused or just refuses to make a decision.
"Headless...", your keyboard is giving you a bit of trouble?
Thank you for your kudo.
Hello Captain Sparrow - I don't believe we've met, unless my memory fails me. I can say the same for Mister Spot, though we've communicated on this blog for awhile.
Let me be the first to wish all a Happy Thanksgiving, and if some of you are celebrating with family, do NOT let any liquor do the talking for you. For those who aren't fortunate enough to celebrate with family, I wish you good tidings, and may you one day have family to celebrate with.
Stay safe.
stephen foster is a simpleton. Like most of the losers writing on this.
If we paid the CM's even less, who's want the job at all? To take crap like from the fool who blog here, and show up at city hall, especially the equally misinformed press. You can't judge them by your own standards, you have no responsibilities comparable or visibility and accountability.
You argue that they should take less money than executives with less responsibility and crap from the public, precisely because they have so much responsibility and take so much shit? Great logic.
They have the most responsibility of any CM's in the country in the biggest districts. NYC, which they're always being compared to by the provincial Valley paper, Daily News, has 52 CM's, far fewer people and less responsibility relative to the Mayor. They cost twice as much total, and if you think having 52 people argue everything is better than 15 -- watch them.
I think the LAT was right on this: they look at it as, enough so they can focus on their jobs, bust mostly it's "payoff for taking crap from the press and public."
WHY DOES NO ONE MENTION THE SUPES, WHO GET AS MUCH OR MORE, AND PRIVATE DRIVERS AND MANY MORE PERKS? Gloria Molina isn't even a college grad, Burke is keeping time, and both their husbands have cushy jobs on city commissions and who knows what else on the side.
Why the total pass on them? Because the media and bloggers have tunnel vision, can't see the big picture or past these few people and their 200K total.
The mayor was right to decline bedause he has his house, servants and everything else paid for, but the Council doesn't, so he should have made that clear and let them keep theirs. It became a sort of catch-up after he made his decision. Their salaries are in line with what they deserve for the crap they take, even if some of them shouldn't be serving at all, that's a different issue. Bernie and Alarcon come to mind, then Hahn with all her taxes and sending 14 people on her staff to "volunteer" at full pay for Habitat. (Daily News wonders, who was left behind to mind the store? Are her 14 people really that superfluous? In my district, the Field Deputies have big areas and are overworked.)
Poster is right about double standard on the supes: why aren't they getting scrutinized? Not like they're any smarter and then the two husbands, Burke using her driver to pretend to live in her district, nonsense all around.
zine also gets an 80 thousand annual police pension. How long did he have to work to get that?
The thing I like about Stephen C. Foster is that he blogs under 90 different names on Mayor Sam and thinks his racist, anti-immigrant stance can't be discerned from all his other racist, anti-immigrant posts. After all, he is so much smarter than the rest of us.
Happy Thanksgiving, Stephen C., stay safe because we know you sure can't stay honest.
7:10 is one of those bomb-throwers who likes to hide behind the veil of anonimity so he/she cannot be hauled into court to prove that someone is racist. After all, it's so much easier to hide behind a mask than to show themselves and be charged with making false accusations.
Go ahead, 7:10 [punk], make my day. Give me your name, so I can serve you with a Notice To Appear as a defendant in civil litigation. It better be your correct name, or there will be hell to pay.
And a correction to your charge, I am anti-illegal, not anti-legal, immigrant. You should be more careful slinging mud - mud tends to splatter the slinger.
It seems I'm withdrawing my Happy Thanksgiving wishes to one blogger... there's always a rotten apple in a barrel.
Good evening Master Foster (tips hat):
No, I don't think we have met, for to meet us is to meet all seven at once, savvy? (Looks wistful) I'm sorry to hear you are withdrawing your good wishes for a happy Thanksgiving. (Sighs) And while some of the crew does not always agree with you, we do sincerely wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving.
It would be breathtaking if the city council could substantiate that they work hard by showing Angelinos some savings in the general fund. Instead, this council has always had a quick fix, asking Angelinos for more taxes, DWP rate increases, etc. with NO ACCOUNTABILITY!!!
The Supervisors shouldn't get a pass either. I seen the KTLA Channel 5 report about all the Supervisors. Talk about greedy and wasteful. One car to drive and another parked as backup.
GM is one of the worst.
3:34pm you mean to tell me that the CM's deserve more, because people blog about them?Please.... Do we really need people so insecure on the council?
Those that posted can relish the fact that you took time out of your day so you could answer to people you call losers.
Stephen, what are the other names you blog under? Just curious.
Captain Jack Sparrow said:
"Good evening Master Foster (tips hat):
No, I don't think we have met, for to meet us is to meet all seven at once, savvy?"
Seven? Captain Jack, two months ago you were bragging about your Wicked 13! What happened? Did Jack Hoff take command of The Pearl?
I can't believe the animal rights nut cases are posting the YouTube link, twice.
Bickhart is the only friend of the animal rights nuts and I wish he would blow them all off once and for all. F--- them if they continue to "dog" him and harass him and post silly video links (twice) that nobody cares about but them.
Oh, a staffer who they continue to call a Deputy Mayor fell asleep in a meeting -- now that's a big shock. Actually, why isn't Bickhart a Deputy Mayor anyway? He's certainly qualified if any of you have dealt with some of this administrations Deputy Mayors.
Councilmembers have nodded off in council when they aren't talking to each other, lobbyists and on their phones.
Hey nutty animal freaks, find someone who cares. Have you ever come here and not ruined entire threads. What's next? Some name calling? You really give true animal rights activists a bad name.
But the mayor said he wouldn't take the raise.
For what reason would someone then link a video of an employee who nodded off in a meeting? Wouldn't you have done that if the mayor DID take the raise?
What is it you want exactly? You don't seem to know.
Is it true that you are the animal activists that paint, threaten, harass and vandalize the homes of Animal Services GM's and the Mayor's sister, and anyone else who you feel might speak to the mayor on your behalf? But you can't find anyone in the whole city to agree with you?
Losers. With a capital L on your foreheads. Yes, you Guss.
"""or if he didn't authorize it, he should take responsibility for the actions of his subordinates."
WHOEVER POSTED THIS IS WRONG. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IT HAS BEEN REPORTED ON TALK RADIO RELEASED THE NAME OF THE OFFICER INJURED EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW LAPD WAS WAITING AND WOULDN'T DO IT.
THE MAYOR NEVER TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS STUPIDTY.
Movies of people sleeping were done decades ago by Andy Warhol and a lot better than by "AntonioMentir," the self-appointed "vulture videographer" who posted the one being hyped here.
Why should we care if a fat City staffer snoozes during boring meetings? MAV snoozed during Bush's State of the Union speech. It apparently comes with the territory. The guy who took the video wasn't paying any attention to the meeting they were both at either, right?
What does that tell us? Boring is boring is boring. Get over it.
Perhaps the "fat city staffer" had just read a Captain Jack Sparrow post?
Captain Jack Sparrow is a blowtorch of excitement compared to that video. Why did I waste my time?
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Captain Jack, I apologize for my being tardy with my answer - I was called away for a family emergency (a matter of a drunk driver colliding with an automobile driven by a family member). I did not withdraw my best wishes to you or your crew, but I did withdraw my best wishes to 7:10.
I hope you had a fine Thanksgiving, and I also hope you avoided the wild people crowding the malls and shops for Christmas sales.
THe council members salaries are not the real issue but they sure do cloud where the fat is. let's start with the mayors office which has way too many people with nothing to do but hold water bottles. next lets' axe some of the touchy feely departments in the city like the Status of Women, Children Youth and their families, Aids LA, LA Bridges, and on and on. most are redundant of County services, some are useless and others could be handled by a part timer in the Mayors office. that's where the real fat is. But it's a better story to focus on the council members, so the DAily News will continue to go for the low hanging fruit. ..it's just a better sound bite.
8:39, I agree with you.
The Commission on Children, Youth and Families, the Commission on the Status of Women should be consolidated with the Department of Aging. Any City employee whose work duties would be duplicated by this merger should be reassigned to a different department with a comparable vacancy within the City.
Commission GMs which are absorbed by the Department of Aging should be placed on a special paid administrative leave, and would be reassigned to any Department which has a comparable-paying vacancy.
The mayors Immigrant Commission should be abolished.
I've other suggestions, but will reserve them for the future. I don't want a certain mayor stealing them and taking credit for them.
Angelinos have city council as a RUBBER STAMP.
NO CHECK AND BALANCES.
What mayor would that be, H.R. Puffinstuff?
Dear Mr. Foster,
While not always agreeing with your points of view, I do, however, hope, wish and pray that your family emergency was not too dreadful and that all are safe and well in your family.
Drunk drivers should be flogged in the town square.
xoxo.
Couldn't have been that bad an accident, the guy's been blogging his ass off ever since...
Ma'am, my family member was cut by some flying glass. Other than that, she is none the worse for wear.
The drunk driver was not as fortunate. The only thing he needs now is a casket. When a drunk driving a Honda crashes into a Hummer, the result isn't pleasant.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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