Guess What? Mayor Admits Event Waivers Drive Up City Payroll!
How do you win a jackpot if you don't go to Vegas or play the lottery? Be a city employee who gets overtime pay, usually for doing nothing. The Daily News reports that the City paid $350 million in overtime pay to employees last year. For at least 1500 city employees, the overtime earned them a bonus of $50,000 or more on top of their regular salary.The Mayor says he's trying to cut back; getting departments to comply with cutting back non-essential overtime and holding accountable department managers who are not compliant with the order.
What's behind the overtime? You guys are going to love this. Mayoral spokeshole Matt Szabo told the Daily News that 'much of the extra pay is being driven by the cost of providing necessary city services and security for special events - from marathons to parades - that are granted fee waivers."
You think? Zuma Dogg and Greig Smith better get cracking!
Labels: city budget, event waivers, matt szabo, mayor antonio villaraigosa
Posted by Michael Higby @ 5/13/2008 04:00:00 AM
35 Comments:
Love that the ports pay upto $40K overtime to gardeners and plumbers == in their wisdom of reducing the number of them, they have to pay them overtime which costs a lot more. These sorts of workers in every dept. getting huge OT, the non-police and fire, "surprised karen Sisson."
For OT on special events, they lump together things like Oscars, Emmys and the Marathon, which to everyone except that babbling fool women in Van Nuys are clearly to the city's international image, with "May Day Parades." This year, the entire LAPD had to retrain for a year to prepare, and there were tons of them at that event.
What I'd like to see is a breakdown of OT costs for the "Transportation Engineer" who coordinates these AND the MExican endless money wasters: Fiesta Broadway, the thing this weekend that cost a lot, Cinco de Mayo, El Grito, Huizar's Winter Wonderland -- you have to prioritize, can't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Thing is, the Mayo supports all these Mexican things, too, so I'm concerned they'll cut those of benefit to the city and let the WORST ones go on.
Somebody ought to read up a bit in the LA city law book. Turns out that the mayor doesn't have the power to stop the fee waivers. The council has all the discretion there.
You stupid, moron LA Voters!!! They EXTRA tax our property due to BOND MEASURES... since the City can't afford the BOND redemption costs. Don't vote for BOND Measures, you morons. See this Daily News 1998 article (made URL tiny) http://tinyurl.com/4zo2g8
ADD-ONS TO L.A. TAX BILLS MAY RISE; ADDITIONAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS SOUGHT...``It's robbery,'' said Gross, 85, a retired escrow officer and former head of a homeowners group.
...
JUST WHERE DO YOUR PROPERTY TAXES GO, EXACTLY?
The yearly property tax bill for a Los Angeles home includes a general tax levy equal to 1 percent of its net assessed value, plus add-on taxes and charges. This example is based on a home in the Tujunga area with an assessed value of $175,000, which after the $7,000 homeowners exemption has a net assessed value of $168,000:
JOINT CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL TAX BILL
DETAIL / TAXES DUE.............AMOUNT
GENERAL TAX LEVY
ALL AGENCIES ...............$1,680.00
VOTED INDEBTEDNESS
(A) COUNTY .................... 2.66
(B) CITY-LOS ANGELES .......... 52.24
(C) METRO WATER DIST ......... 14.95
(D) FLOOD CONTROL ............. 3.83
(E) UNIFIED SCHOOLS ........... 20.18
DIRECT ASSESSMENTS
(F) FLOOD CONTROL ............. 35.16
(G) CTY LAND/LT 96-1 .......... 20.31
(H) CITY 911 FUND ............. 9.80
(I) COUNTY PARK DIST .......... 20.72
(J) CTY FIRE/PRAMDCS .......... 10.62
(K) GREATER LA MOSQ MOSQ - Military Occupational Skill Qualification
..... Click the link for more information. ........... 17.46
(L) LA STORMWATER ............. 28.03
(A) 2.66
$2.66 to pay for an $86 million county jail bond measure approved by voters in 1986, which included construction of the North County Correctional Facility and other jail facilities.
(B) 52.24
$29.51 to pay for $376 million in bonds for seismic safety work including the earthquake-retrofit of Los Angeles City Hall - a project still not completed eight years later and which has escalated in cost from $97 million to $276 million. Voters approved the bond issue in 1990.
$13.79 to pay for $176 million in police facilities bonds approved by voters in 1989. Proposition 2 was cited this month by critics of new bond measures because it promised a new West Valley police station and a sixth San Fernando Valley police station, neither of which was delivered because funds ran out.
$4.70 to pay for $60 million in bonds approved by voters in 1991 to install fire sprinklers in city buildings, but money ran out before much of the work was done, in part because $15 million was used to buy a new building for the city Personnel Department.
$4.17 to pay for a $53.4 million bond measure approved by voters in 1989, which funded the renovation or construction of 28 libraries. That project, which will be completed next year, has won praise for delivering what was promised.
(C) 14.95
$14.95 for $500 milllion in voter-approved bonds for the Metropolitan Water District, which used the money for construction of the Colorado River Aqueduct and a portion of the California Aquaduct, both of which bring water to Los Angeles County.
(D) 3.83
$3.10 to pay for bonds issued for the Los Angeles County Flood Control District for construction projects.
73 cents for storm drain projects by the county Flood Control District.
(E) 20.18
$17.46 for Proposition BB, the $2.4 billion bond measure by the Los Angeles Unified School District, approved by voters last year to pay for repairs and upgrades to local schools. The project has been plagued bycontroversy, including a failed attempt to use part of the bond money to build a $100 million high school downtown.
$2.72 for LAUSD school construction debt.
(F) 35.16
$35.16 in a perpetual assessment approved by voters in 1979, which raises $105 million annually to maintain 450 miles of drainage channels in the county.
(G) 20.31
$20.31 for Proposition K, a city parcel tax approved in 1996 by voters to raise $776 million over 30 years to pay for improvements to city parks.
(H) 9.80
$9.80 for a special police communications / 911 system tax of $235 million over 20 years to replace the LAPD radio systems and build two new 911 communications centers - one in the San Fernando Valley and one downtown. Although the bonds were approved by voters in November 1992, the city is still half a year from breaking ground on the two 911 centers in early 1999.
(I) 20.72
$20.72 in direct assessments for Los Angeles County Park District projects. Voters first approved the assessment in 1992 as Proposition A and increased it by 50 percent in 1996, also as Proposition A. Together they raise $75 million annually and have provided money to upgrade the Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park, Hansen Dam and other park facilities.
(J) 10.62
$10.62 for a special fire safety and paramedic communications equipment parcel tax, approved by voters in 1988, to pay for $67 million in bonds for a fire radio system, computer assisted dispatch system, remodel of the fire dispatch center and other equipment.
(K) 2.10
$2.10 for the South East Mosquito Abatement District, which raises $3.4 million annually to pay for programs to prevent and eradicate mosquito and fly problems.
(L) 28.03
$28.03 in assessments to pay for the city Public Works Department's Stormwater Pollution Abatement program, which cleans and builds catch basins and storm drains, and treats stormwater before it is dumped in Santa Monica Bay.
SOURCES: County of Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles
What a bunch of lame asses!!!! No one reported how much the May 1st march cost but some insiders were saying $1 million for illegals who are breaking the law. ONly in Los Angeles does the idiot politicans condone breaking the law. What about going after all the illegal vendors and making them pay fines. Some of them make as much as $1,000 a day cash tax free money.
Why is it that some people love to attack citizens who take their own time and energy and participate in the public process? The lady who brings attention to the city's rampant spending on fee waivers is providing a valuable service to these same people that complain about them. They are shedding light on the slush fund that is city waivers. Their delivery may not be as polished and full of BS as LaBonge's or Alarcon's, but it is inaccurate to label them as "babbling fool women". As far as fee waivers go, this city council declared, with a public vote, that the city is in a financial crisis. Remember Prop S? If we are in a financial crisis ALL fee waivers should be ended. As far as certain high profile events go. The last time I checked, the TV networks were making money off of the Oscars and the Emmys. Let them pick up the tab.
God Bless Miriam and Sharon!
I love listening to them.
I am a city employee who works nights and weekends (average 2 nights a week, then once or twice a weekend per month). I don't get overtime. I get to take a comp day when I've worked 8 hours extra. I am fine with that because it's part of my job. Why don't the other departments have a comp time policy instead of overtime? This is a boondoggle that needs to be corrected yesterday! And I agree, those ladies in Van Nuts might be unpolished, but there message is heard loud and clear due to its hammering home on a daily basis!
Whenever Miriam and Sharon speak, watch the facial expression of Wendy Greuel. She has an elitist, arrogant look, as if to say, "come on, get to your point!"
It's almost as great as when Matt and Zuma speak.
Bravo, y'all. This story got published due to your hard work!
The last three comments, all same person. REally a city employee, as she says? Well, some people like any wasting of time and can't tell babbling, annoying waste of time from logic. Fact that someone "takes the time" to be a pest, and forces fifteen minutes a day of government waste if you consider how many people have to listen to the same stupid things daily, YOu'd like to have them volunteer to
"donate their time" to run the city too, I guess. One of them should spend time getting in shape, instead of wheezing how hard it is for her to huff and puff downtown to regale everyone with her daily beratements. You're saying Tom Labong and Alarcon are "polished?" LOL.
Someone who can't see that many events are valuable to L A's image and bring in a lot more revenue than they're worth, shows you're an economic worthy of that bunch. Los of cities would love to spend a few thousand dollars on cleanup and security to bring in those billions into the local economy, the star power, it's what props L A up. I'm relieved that someone like Smith, a fiscal conservative but not a fool, sees that.
I agree that the media is utterly cowardly and fails in the job to inform the public about where out money is REALLY going, like to the illegals who make up more than half the population, 3/4 the students and even more of LAUSD budget since ALL the resources in buildings and special programs are going to them.
Plus they're the ones who use the county hospitals as doctors' offices and have collapsed them, even all the clinics. Then welfare and food stamps, MEdiCal for some, every service intended for citizens they've figures out how to scam, even for elderly parents who live in Mexico and just come here, walk into a SS office.
They're most of the vicious gang members, 1/3 jail inmates, who turn them into even more dangerous holes for common crminals and those who need help with addiction and mental health issues.
THE DAILY NEWS REFUSES TO TOUCH THIS, even to distinguish between "legal" and "illegal" immigrants, you never see them use that word. Not even in describing a suspect. Even the Times is better, and the Times has run articles on how the Protective League and rank and file cops oppose Bratton on revising SP40 to encourage them to nail illegal criminals, and their fear of going on record.
Daily News has a story about how some elderly in Santa Clarity are being tossed from an assisted living/ care facility because the beds are needed for uninsured, who use the ER for basic care. BUT THE DN REFUSES TO SAY THE TRUTH, THAT ELDERLY CITIZENS WITH MEDICARE ARE BEING TOSSED ON THE STREET LIKE GARBAGE BECAUSE ILLEGALS ARE GIVEN PRIORITY, since the facility can't afford both.
Great blog, been enjoying it for a while. I blogrolled you a while back.
Keep up the great work.
If you want to hear the mayor attempt to explain the budget situation to Valley Vote last night, check out RonKayeLA.com. He blames the economists.
Ron Kaye is being urged to run for Mayor if Zev doesn't.
The event waiver program has been a fraud for some time. Having some experience there is an element of bigotry involved in the awarding of events. Evangelical Hispanic churches have been regularly denied waivers for events on the basis of separation of church and state while Roman Catholic and Jewish events have carte blanche. African American events are routinely denied unless we are able to get one of the more prominent Black leaders in town to advocate for us. Large corporate events, upon sufficient contribution to Council Members officeholdres are given free reign.
It is time to put an end to this practice. If non-profits want the fees waived donors should cover that not taxpayers.
Jack Sparrow has remarked about a city hall card game in progress. At the Westwood Federal Building goofing off is de rigeur.
Where is zuma dogg?
I would vote for Ron Kaye! South Central would be behind you!
Is Antonio Lying About Taxes?
The mayor says he allowed a record deficit, not knowing the economy had soured
By D. HEIMPEL
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 5:31 pm
Yet, the mayor is not cutting the budget, despite all the media buzz that he’s wiping out 350 currently occupied city jobs. He is, in fact, boosting spending. On April 22, Villaraigosa released a record-high $7.01 billion spending plan. That day, to some incredulity, the mayor insisted to the local media that last year he was not told the city was in big trouble.
But, in truth, when the City Council last December approved Villaraigosa’s $255 million worth of raises for city-government unions, the real estate bubble had already burst. Economists were issuing clear-cut warnings as housing values sank.
The mayor’s press deputy, Matt Szabo, insisted to the Weekly a few days ago that Villaraigosa stands by his claim that he was in the dark. But economists see parallels to 2002, when Gray Davis claimed ignorance that the dot-com bust was slamming the state treasury, and kept spending.
Jack Kyser, senior vice president of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, which submits recommendations to the mayor every February, says that in February 2007 — seven months before Villaraigosa claims he had no warning of the economic drubbing to come — his organization advised the mayor to be ready for a hit from the housing decline.
laweekly.com
Is Antonio Lying About Taxes?
The mayor says he allowed a record deficit, not knowing the economy had soured
By D. HEIMPEL
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 5:31 pm
Yet, the mayor is not cutting the budget, despite all the media buzz that he’s wiping out 350 currently occupied city jobs. He is, in fact, boosting spending. On April 22, Villaraigosa released a record-high $7.01 billion spending plan. That day, to some incredulity, the mayor insisted to the local media that last year he was not told the city was in big trouble.
But, in truth, when the City Council last December approved Villaraigosa’s $255 million worth of raises for city-government unions, the real estate bubble had already burst. Economists were issuing clear-cut warnings as housing values sank.
The mayor’s press deputy, Matt Szabo, insisted to the Weekly a few days ago that Villaraigosa stands by his claim that he was in the dark. But economists see parallels to 2002, when Gray Davis claimed ignorance that the dot-com bust was slamming the state treasury, and kept spending.
Jack Kyser, senior vice president of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, which submits recommendations to the mayor every February, says that in February 2007 — seven months before Villaraigosa claims he had no warning of the economic drubbing to come — his organization advised the mayor to be ready for a hit from the housing decline.
laweekly.com
The special event waivers were implemented to help out non profits who couldn't afford street closure permit fees or security. Notice on the council agendas that many of them are for big money people like USC, LA Mart Fashion, Hollywood events etc. Most of these huge corporate companies have corporate sponsors participating in the event so ask youself WHY THE HELL DO CITY COUNCIL MORONS WAIVE THE FEES???? CAN WE ALL SAY POLITICAL PAYBACK FAVORS...GREEDY ASSHOLES
Anybody with a City job, has won the lottery or Vegas...Why just take a look at the City of Los Angeles..Nobody works in L.A.
12:43: you're a broken record and an idiot. Like the Jabba the Hutt Lady, the nasal one who breaks into song, you want the city to dump the waivers on events that are the only ones to elevate the city's image and bring in billions more than they cost. Thanks for your comments...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
The times are tight for the city budget and the cutting the total cost for event waivers would mean less of a deficit. The city doesn't need to spend the amounts of money it does on waivers just make the city look more glamorous.
The public money being tight should mean that costs have to be reduced. They can't just look to hike our fees. The world already knows about L.A., and cultivating "events" at the expense of city services and more taxes for the residents is a good trade off for a select few.
The public did not shape the way the city spent money but they have to bear the outcome. The Daily News' items showed that the paydays for LA city employees is an expensive one for the treasury.
Some serious belt-tightening in personnel areas should be included with the city budget plans.
Privatization of more things might help, removing the current vagueness of cost controls that don't really seem effective.
As a style matter, ridiculing other posters and the particular city hall commenters does not make one's point any more valid, but shows simply intolerance of contrary positions presented.
The council loves to enjoy itself with events, parades and conferences while lots of quality of life matters for the city continue to be ignored. Tune in to the meetings or on-demand video on Fridays if you don't believe it.
Maybe Fabian Nunez will fit in nicely with the council. He's had lots of practice.
Well GOLLLLLL-Y.
You've discovered a huge scandal.
City workera are being paid overtime to provide the services that the taxpayers pay them for -- after hours and on weekends (when most taxpayer-sponsored special events take place).
What ever will they think of next.
I'm aghast!
Idiot what I'm saying is events like Oscars, Hollywood Xmas parade, maybe huge Music telecasts are ok for raising profile. BUUTTTTTTT MORON there's tons that will do nothing for the city and waste money. How much did ALL THE ILLEGAL AILEN MARCHES cost last year? There were about 15 of them which needed police officers, dept. of transpo. etc. What do we get when Bitter Bernie waives rich school USC. What do we get with events like Fiesta Broadway but more illegals coming to LA...Wake up.
2:07 (or whatever, the broken record), you're still an idiot, just more so than ever. And as a "style matter," if city hall commenters are going to show up day after day after day, wasting our taxpayer dollars and tying up our reps, forcing us to look at them and listen to them (ouch!!!), they deserve to be critiqued just as much as zuma dogg, matt or his KKK friend and the rest. These people are self-appointed "city advisors" and time wasters, too simple-minded and vulgar to be worth listening to -- they are not representative of other public commenters who show up from time to time with issues, and who are never made fun of.
Of course the city doesn't "have to look glamourous," let's stick with those clowns as a model of citizenry and a draw for tourism. You're far worse than the entire Mexicans and their districts put together, since they even understand the benefits of L A's unique status and built-in P. R.
Again, you're a triple dumb-ass, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
2:38: I don't see that anyone on this blog was arguing with you in favor of the Mexican only stuff like the Fiesta Broadway, Weezie's Winter Wonderland, especially the May Day March, Cinco de Mayo and El Grito, one about every other week, like in some peasant village with nothing else going on culturally in the rest of the city. Together they waste more money than the ones which L A's image depends on like Oscars, Emmys and (somewhat more questionably, Santa Parade, since that doesn't bring in outside business or tourists, it's too ordinary).
But some critics like the women in question apparently rail against them all equally, especially against the best ones.
I'd add anything promoting health and fitness in the inner cities to this list, better than banning fast food, learn to make good choices.
The media should break down costs for those wasteful, ethnocentric fee waivers apart from the rest.
Crazy to have those, while parks are charging for sports use, and Rec Center workers laid off. Instead of having their parks serve as drug dealing and hooking bases, they should have gym equipment with supervision during the day.
There's so much waste in every dept. that wouldn't be tolerated in any giant private company its size.
What the hell? Turn out the lights and give the City to Mexico. Let them make the payrolls and keep the peace.After all that is the final solution, isn't it?
5:22
So the mayor should tell council what he wants them to vote on. It's called a Cover Your Ass move to the incumbent. If he wants people to know how he really feels, he should take some action. The last thing we need is a wishy-washy, blame-it-on-someone else approach.
Fee waivers are stupid for any FOR-profit group no matter who they are. They should be granted to non-profits only.
11:38
Ron Kaye's decision on whether or not to run is not based on what Zev does. Are you crazy?
4:06
So you think only Mexican-only events should not get their fees waived?? Do we even have any "Mexican-only" events? Racist ass.
I guess Matt Szabo can afford to make such a comment to the Daily News - he's getting paid over $100,000.00 annually.
Hmmm... Mayor Antonio Dimbulb wants to raise taxes again. I say, LOWER the damn taxes, and start enforcing the Municipal Code pertaining to the pushcart vendors, fruit, and flower vendors, and any other illegal vendors (as defined in the L.A.M.C.) on City sidewalks. The city also should correspond with the County Board of Health to ensure a letter grade on these vendors!
Would Mayor Antonio Dimbulb agree to the above? Oh no, in his first year in office he said that the City shouldn't do that, "...they're poor people!"
So the fact that they're "poor people" earning tax-free wages, robbing the City of business licensing fees, robbing the taxpayers of their hard-earned LEGAL income, and robbing us all of our own right to medical attention... this gives them (the illegal vendors) the "right" to be exempt from City law?
Then when they're not "vending," they're rummaging around in trash bins in violation of the City's anti-scavenging law, or stealing catalytic converters off of our vehicles.
It's high time the City started enforcing its laws! If it gets too hot for these "poor people" here, maybe they should move to San Francisco. Mayor Gavin Newsome has declared San Francisco a "sanctuary city," and has actually INVITED illegals to take advantage of his city's hospitality!
Please, Mister Newsome! Offer free bus tickets to the ones here! We've more than enough to spare here in L.A.!
Where exactly was them events adverted as "Mexicans only" Jethro? I think they're open to all and done be attended by all.
Excepten people like you who's "asceered" of being around them peoples with darker skin and who be speakin other langeges (they might EAT you).
Ooga booga.
I'm pretty sure 50 years ago the city held events for what was then the larger portion of the population. And did the resident "chicanos" then cry foul because there were no hand=patted tortillas for sale?
It it anyone else's fault you don't want to BREED anymore??
ZPG!!
Global Warming!!!
RUN HIDE - The SKY is falling!
Yes Mexican events have no trouble getting approved.
This is the priority order:
Mexican
Catholic
Salvadoran
Jewish
Gay
Environmental
Hollywood
Democrats
Socialist Worker Party
Asians except Koreans
Latino Blacks
Non-Latino Blacks
Russians/Armenians
Blacks
Koreans
Protestants
Whites
To 6:08-
What the fuck are you talking about?
Who is Jethro and why are you typing in that bad grammar?
I think you've lost your mind.
Go back and read my post at 5:15 again. Do I say anywhere that I fear Mexicans? No.. I said we don't have any Mexican-ONLY events.
Stupid people suck.
YEAH YEAH FINALLY THEY ARE GOING AFTER SPECIAL EVENT WAIVERS IN DAILY NEWS.
MAYOR SAM PLEASE POST THE STORY. IT IS SAYS WHAT WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING OUT ON FOR TOO MANY YEARS.
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