Tuesday Hotsheet at 3 a.m.
JM, Ray distingué, 12.17.07
Joseph Mailander a guy in la • elsewhere • email
Francophone LA was out en masse last night as Ray Bradbury was honored by the Government of France as Commandeur des Ordre des Arts et des Lettres at Résidence de France in Beverly Hills. In a quiet moment, I had a chance to tell the honoree of my special admiration for his story, The Picasso Summer, which I originally read thirty-three years ago (and many times since) as a senior at Hawthorne High. He assured me I had bon goût and asked me to write a new screenplay to it, which I took more as charm than commission.
A cultural delegation from Laguna Beach, which had feted le Commandeur just last Friday, including recent Mayor Toni Iseman, Arts Commision chair Nancy Beverage, and Jennifer Karam provided most of the charm on the American side. The Résidence featured Gallic fare that you do not taste at other diplomatic maisons: saumon en croûte, huîtres, and haricot vert, for instance, as well as champagne flutes alongside sturdy rouges et blancs.Nota bene: Commandeur is the top honor of the Order; there are also officiers and chevaliers.
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Political consultants know that voters almost never say no to propositions with the words "library," or "prison" in them. But some smart watchdog group should condition voters to say no to the word "emergency" which almost always gives the legislature powers to override an otherwise high hurdle.
The City's Internet/Phone Tax Measure S is one such instance: as an "emergency" item, it only needs a simple majority to pass, rather than the typical two-thirds for taxes. And now, Republicans, your man in Sacto who promised to "clean up" Sacramento four years ago, is declaring an "emergency" that puts the State legislature in a phoney vise. Schwarzenegger is a man who keeps signing budgets that don't make sense; after four years and a massive drubbing by unions, he's now like a guy perpetually calling his credit card company for a larger line even while claiming things will be in control next month.
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Zahniser at the former fishwrap-of-record has noted how el Alcalde uses his office to pump special friends for special favors. "When Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa arranged a reception celebrating trade with Mexico, two real estate developers stepped in to pay the $25,000 catering bill. One wants city approval for the 5,553-home subdivision known as Las Lomas." If only there were 15 Zahnisers, one for each Councilperson. It's hard and tedious work, tracing donations to favors.
Meanwhile, Orlov and Art Marroquin note how the Airport has just scrapped $25 million worth of design work on baggage claim. The good news, however, is that Barrio Planners wasn't the beneficiary---for a change.
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The scribbling never ends: as Ed Headington said in a thread here yesterday, tonight at the Redwood is the SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) Los Angeles Holiday Mixer. "It's free and open to everyone and there's supposed to be a celebrity mystery guest (not yet revealed)." The Redwood is the new incarnation of the storied watering hole catty-corner to the Times where editors drank themselves towards their current senseless state, and Eddie the bartender (who was also Monday night bartender at Milano's) distinguished between "eastern Sierras" and "western Sierras" kinda guys.
Labels: a guy in la, LAX, los angeles politics, mayor antonio villaraigosa, real estate development
Posted by Joseph F. Mailander @ 12/18/2007 03:30:00 AM
25 Comments:
hmm, developers picking up the tab...hmmm, pay to play? I thought his ego majesty was against that?
sordidly, astoundingly, ..par for the course
Once again....it's the BUDGET DEFICIT CATASROPHE that should be the only thing on the minds of every citizen!
In real numbers the deficit is actually $18 BILLION, and Benedict
Arnold's universal health care will cost an additional AT LEAST 14 BILLION $$$!!!
And once government health care is mandated, people will start dying because many will be denied life-saving treatment...espcially the elderly. Schwarzenegger says illegals will not be covered but how does he plan to ignore the 10M illegals in CA???? Answer: He doesn't! This is ALL about taxpayer funded health care for illegals!
Between the fat tax, the phone tax, the SUV tax, the potential car pool lane tax, the cigarette tax, the gas tax...we are all going to have to pay for health care of 10M illegals who pay no taxes and claim 9 dependents to receive an earned income tax refund.
We are building more schools for illegals and anchors who don't even speak English and are practically uneducatable...when we should be building more prisons instead of giving early release to criminals. We need more cops...and we can damn well afford them!
Let's get rid of the criminals in city hall and Sacramento....ALL OF THEM! Tom McClintock should have been governor and Villar should have been deported!
726am
you are right about what you say!
but these stupid american people are too dumb to see that!
Does anyone know a good place I can move to, that I wont have the Mexican Mafia? Sand Point, ID is a little too conservative, but any other suggestions?
You might try 92% snow white, liberal Sausalito.
Dem House Leader Don Perata of all people, is the one opposing nominally "Republican" Arnold on the massive 14 billion healthcare plan, as an insanity when we've already got a 10 billion deficit and no "funding source" i.e., no dedicated tax, to pay for the healthcare system.
Arnold and his buddy Nunez and the rest know that if they came out and asked for a tax for that, including the illegals (who hospitals are by law required to serve, so first poster is right, they're the biggest beneficiaries, along with their billions of kids who have already sunk public schools and are not only uneducable, but reject our "gringo" curriculum and demand on their "own" Hispanic one in any school they become a majority of. Which is a majority of schools.
For once, instead of just whining, why don't the blogging burros send Perata a stream of emails and letters and calls IN SUPPORT OF HIS TRYING TO STOP ARNOLD'S HEALTHCARE FIASCO.
He's being beaten up by the unions and every illegals' and Hispanic group as "anti labor" and "anti immigrant" and even racist.
Unless he gets massive support, he's going to have to cave -- can't stick his neck out forever, he's already but his career in jeopardy, by not pandering like Arnold and the rest.
8:41 a.m.
Yes...as much as I dislike Perata, I agree with you that we should ALL contact him with our support! Perata is correct...THIS IS INSANITY!
I really think we should recall Arnold and put McClintock in for the remaining time. Gray Davis looks like a conservative compared to the terminator.
We are facing another huge problem with the coming voter fraud in this city, and the people will probably get screwed again.
CA is a kleptocracy now, and it just might be too late to save us from the elected criminals.
How about a California Tea Party! Taxpayers have to revolt at some point!
Arnold has terminated Californa; now we must terminate Arnold!!!
Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen (opens up umbrella and smiles):
Sots, what is the procedure for removing an abandoned vehicle? (Looks in phone book for abandoned vehicle removal phone number and calls it on cell phone) Halloo? Halloo? Captain Jack Sparrow calling to report an abandoned vehicle parked in front of a certain private residence. It's a late model Crown Victoria, painted with a black and white paint job and three large black numbers on the roof of the vehicle.....9...4...0...and it's been sitting out in front of a certain Mount Washington residence on San Rafael Avenue for the last 6days. (Pauses for a moment) Yes, black and white paint job. If I were to say it was a police cruiser, I would be correct in that statement. (Pauses for another moment) Right then. Please send someone to tow the vehicle away. Thank you very much, and have, if you will, a wonderful day. (closes cell phone and wipes hands together with satisfaction) Now THAT's how you do business, savvy?
I promise a new era of open government yeah right cholo mayor.
Why is the cop car in front of the Mayor's house for 6 days. Someone please look into this.
You might try 92% snow white, liberal Sausalito.
December 18, 2007 8:32 AM
Doesnt have to be white....just has to be smart...we have them in all colors , except the Mexican poltiticians, who are the exception to rule....they like to be 'no comprande' as a excuse. I know smart people of hispanic extraction who want to move too.
8:14,
you may want to try Solvang...
10:23 I agree. What's up with the abandoned cop car in front of the Mayor's house?
Solvang is nice....but its still in California... any suggestions in another state?
12:25,
Okeechobee, Florida.
/\ Frostbite Falls, Minnesota?
John and Ken Show:
KFI AM 640 More Stimulating Talk Radio
Tune in now to be educated on Proposition S.
November 30, 2007
VICA OPPOSES L.A. CITY PHONE TAX (MEASURE S)
SHERMAN OAKS, CALIF. – Citing concerns over new taxes on new technologies, the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA) board voted on Thursday to oppose the proposed telephone tax on the February 2008 ballot, Measure S.
“VICA is concerned with the way Measure S has been presented as a tax reduction when it is really a new tax,” said VICA Chairman Bob Scott. “The city needs to seriously consider that another new tax makes L.A. less competitive and less desirable to the business community.”
http://www.ftpmoore.com/sisbad/VICAopposes.pdf
The phone tax is nothing more than fraud and duplicity! Villar is spendng a bundle to hire a PR firm to deceive voters on the verbage of the initiative. He is DELIBERATELY trying to deceive us!
And, worst of all, Villar is threatening us by saying we won't have anymore cops or fire fighters if we don't get the $270M revenue from the phone tax!!!
This little midget bastard has squandered the budget of this city on his precious illegals and now he's trying to con us again!!!
Wouldn't it be ironic if his precious illegals all left CA because even they can't afford to live here?
Gee, business interests give money to pols in hopes of currying favor, or because they've already benefited somehow just by virtue of what they do and they're asked to give back.
There's gambling in Casablanca, alert the media! OH, DZ is on the case.
Admitting that every pol from Arnold to Gerry Brown does the same thing.
Pols using their influence to get the megarich to "give back." What a scandal!
DZ admits they have no info on how much Riordan raised, because records started with Hahn: who raised relatively little because he had no clout -- and no vision, and left no legacy.
I don't like the ethnic politics that go down, black or brown, but I hand it to the Mayor and Garcetti and some others for revitalizing downtown and Hollywood which had been run-down, dangerous and national embarassments. Personally I think he ought to just junk LAUSD and let every neighborhood take control, including the middle class and wealthier areas, because with the demographics and institutional waste that may never change, it's a cash drain and national disgrace that fails the people who fund it.
But again I hand it to him for being willing to take the heat as the person who says, "the buck stops here," I'm going to do something." I just say, the current mutation is unfixable, use your influence over these companies to make a difference in areas where the parents actually want the help.
Hey everybody, I know a Perata staffer personally (by the way, he's Senate Democratic leader, not "House" as someone said). This staffer says Nunez is totally clinging to Arnold these days because the Fab numbers are not so fab. Arnold is still polling very well so Nunez is trying to catch some of his popularity.
Perata had a health care plan of his own last year that omitted coverage for illegals. Nunez was outraged so his pact w/the Devil, uh, I mean Arnold, is payback. Plus Fabian is desperate to do anything to get people to stop calling him "Louis Vuitton Boy". He thinks this will make him "one of the people" again.
But don't just email or call Perata with your support, you need to call other Senators. Some Senators are scared to oppose because they'll get the same crap Perata is getting right now. If you really want to get rid of this, email or snail mail senators and the media. They go back to Sacramento January 7th so between now and then encourage everyone to step up & do something about this outrage!!
With a budget deficit of 14 billion, the state will obviously have to cut services to a lot of disadvantaged Californians and that usually means disabled, elderly and poor. Can anyone explain to me how a state can simultaneously cut services to blind, crippled, and mentally ill citizens because it's so broke, BUT at the same time promise to give HEALTH coverage to EVERYONE????????? HELLLOOOO?????
"the buck stops here," I'm going to do something."
PAY TO PLAY. Hmmmmmmm.
Grand Ave. -- a bad deal for Joe Taxpayer
The downtown mega-development relies too much on government subsidies for questionable benefits.
Then there is the matter of whether Grand Avenue would be the economic engine we've been promised. We've heard these same arguments during the debate about the L.A. Live project adjacent to the downtown Staples Center, which also includes ground-floor retail, luxury condos and high-end hotel rooms — and massive subsidies. One can only speculate as to whether both of these projects will create and sustain the demand necessary to survive economically.
It's crucial that the residents of L.A. County understand that Grand Avenue comes with trade-offs. If tomorrow we sold just the county land underlying the development, conservative estimates indicate that it would bring in nearly $100 million. That means we could spend $50 million to improve the civic center park and have nearly $50 million to pay for much more, and much more cost-effective, low-income housing.
On top of that, consider what our subsidies could pay for, if they didn't go toward paying for the Grand Avenue development. Nearly $5 million of the "public assistance" for the Grand Avenue project would come from unrestricted county taxpayer funds that could be used instead for public safety, public education, parks, libraries or relief of regional traffic congestion.
I believe that development of county- and city-owned property should be a taxpayer-driven process rather than developer-driven, and that the majority of the benefits from that process should accrue to residents, not to the out-of-state developer. Although some of the goals of the Grand Avenue project are laudable, there remain more questions than answers.
http://antonovich.co.la.ca.us/newsroom/opeds/OPED%20--%20Grand%20Avenue.htm
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