Morning Briefs, Outtakes and Post Mortems on Election Day (Villar Edition).
Mayor Villar had to turn his head to see what was being written about him this morning across print and electronic media. .......and by the look on the "MEchista's" face it is not good.
LA Times David Zahniser's "Winner and Losers".
"If anyone lost big last night in L.A.’s local elections, it was Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who risked his considerable clout to get Councilman Jack Weiss elected as city attorney – only to see former prosecutor Carmen “Nuch” Trutanich win instead".
LA Weekly News Editor reflections on May 19.
"A political unknown, former San Pedro cannery worker and longtime attorney Carmen Trutanich, trounced Villaraigosa ally Jack Weiss for the job of Los Angeles city attorney, an outcome seen as a major blow to Villaraigosa’s political reach and chances at the governorship".
Now, the electorate has delivered a "slap" to Villaraigosa with the defeat of Councilman Jack Weiss, the mayor's closest City Hall ally, Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who did not endorse either candidate, said Wednesday.
"Politically speaking, it puts him in a weaker position," said Councilman Dennis Zine, a Villaraigosa friend who nevertheless backed Trutanich.
Ron Kaye's Blog.
"Democracy lives in LA, finally".
Zuma Dogg says.........
Can we now stop using words like "rising" and "superstar" when discussing Antonio Villaragiosa's political career. "Diving Stupidstar" is still in!
Daily News Editorial on May 19 results.
"That backlash was felt locally as well. In the city attorney's race, the hands-down favorite of the power elite (Villaraigosa) was Westside liberal Councilman Jack Weiss. Only the most optimistic of civic watchers thought Carmen Trutanich had the chance to beat Weiss, let alone defeat him by such a wide margin.
And in L.A. City Council District 5, neighborhood representative
David Vahedi came within a few hundred votes of upsetting the campaign of longtime Westside pol Paul Koretz, who had the blessing and backing of heavy political hitters such as Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and Rep. Henry Waxman".
David Vahedi came within a few hundred votes of upsetting the campaign of longtime Westside pol Paul Koretz, who had the blessing and backing of heavy political hitters such as Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and Rep. Henry Waxman".
Villar tries to practice the "Art of Spin".
"Over the past few years, our state leaders have faced similar situations, defined by unprecedented deficits and partisanship aimed at driving the state off a cliff, by a system that is fundamentally broken and hardwired for failure," Villaraigosa said. "California must take steps to rectify the mistakes of the past and lay the foundation for a more stable, successful future." (Villar might want to leave the task of "spin" to the "Cybertrolls")
Then there is this column by Steve Lopez about teachers at Villar's old High School in Boyle Heights who are in active revolt against his "Partnership for Schools".
"Your attention, please. (Remember Steve, the moniker "ADV")
Will Antonio Villaraigosa please report to the principal's office at Roosevelt High. Immediately. (Tony remembers, "Villar, report to the Dean's Office")
"Yes, folks, I'm once again calling out the Education Mayor, as he has called himself. (I thought he was the "Pothole King" or the planter of a "Million Trees" ??)
The L.A. mayor attended Roosevelt in Boyle Heights as a kid and took control of it last July along with nine other schools he promised to rescue. (....and some Catholic school where he got kicked out for fighting)
"Judge me by what we do in these schools," Villaraigosa said in September. (Judgment was given through "Lapdog Weiss" on Tuesday)
Three weeks ago, teachers at Roosevelt did just that, taking a poll on how things are going.With 199 teachers casting a ballot, 184 expressed no confidence in the mayor's Partnership for Los Angeles Schools (PLAS).(How about the "80 FAKE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES" for numbers ??)
Is "rebuke" a strong enough word? (B.... Slap!!)
How about "revolt"? (Lets try karma or justice.)
Your thoughts..........
Posted by Red Spot in CD 14 @ 5/21/2009 07:58:00 AM
98 Comments:
I love the little asides, there, they are just perfect, though I wouldn't have abbreviated the b....slap!
Any chance for a recall for the midget gangsta???
I'm glad to see that you've stopped centering your posts Red Spot. It was very difficult to follow.
But what is the deal with all of the bold and italics?
Can't you just type normal paragraphs? We are smart enough to understand you.
Sincerely, Les Izmore
Verleen = Mike Higby
FoxyLadyLA = Mike Higby
Mike Higby = Mike Higby
The only question is, WHY?
Yeah David Z is such a good reporter why isn't he reporting all the corruption in CD14 that we all know he knows about because he's been told. Isn't his beat the politics of Los Angeles inside city hall. All the corruption on developer deals coming out of city hall he knows about and so much more. Isn't David Zahniser seeing one of the council members staffers? Or at least that was posted here some months back
Much easier and more thorough information for normal people is at www.laobserved.com
I do not know what the author of this blog is trying to say most of the time but its fun to guess.
We have to get the word out across the state that Villaraigosa cannot be trusted to deliver any campaign promise. And we need to start listing the promises he has made and what he has or has not done to fulfill each promise. Perhaps a big chart of broken promises on a website.
Can we now stop using words like "rising" and "superstar" when discussing Antonio Villaragiosa's political career. "Diving Stupidstar" is still in!
VISIT
http://ladailyblog.blogspot.com/
Zuma Dogg, you tone down the puffery about yourself and AV will do the same.
All I hear from you lately is how your name and Michael Bloomberg's name were mentioned in the same article.
That doesn't fool any one into thinking that you're a rising star either.
In order to walk the talk, you have to have accomplished something in your life. And since you appear to be in your mid 40s, it's getting late in the game. So stop trying to build your homeless, vagrant ass into anything more than it is, which is vagrancy and homelessness.
And for lord's sake, go over to the midnight mission and use the shower if higby won't let you use his. People will take you more seriously if they can stand to breath when they're listening to you.
Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen (removes hat and bows low with flourish):
(Navigator and Grinderman both tug on Captain Jack's sleeve) Yes, I know. Momentarily.
(Smiles) As I was saying... (Navigator and Grinderman both tug on Captain Jack's sleeve) Yes, I KNOW. MOMENTARILY.
(Smiles) As I was saying...(Navigator and Grinderman both tug on Captain Jack's sleeve) Oh bugger. Fine! I'll say it and then will you PLEASE SHUT UP? (Navigator and Grinderman smile)
Sots, my crew would like me to tell you that the "has been" part of of His Has Been Nibbs has now been changed to simply "he who hasn't any", and to use it in a sentence would go something like this: His He Who Hasn't Any Nibbs is not in a swell sort of mood as of late. Information has reached our ears that His He Who Hasn't Any Nibbs has somehow managed to lose someone with a rather large wallet. (Looks around for large wallet) Sots, if you find it, please be so kind as to give it to the pirate closest to you.
Apparently, this large wallet is attached to someone who likes to prepay their gratuities for services rendered. Now, who could that possibly be? We hear it's flamboyant gentleman with a large wallet from the Carthay Circle area. (Winces) Oh bugger. That's a sitchy-ation indeedy-dee. (Crew nods and also winces)
(Whispers) And you sots thought all the action was in the CQ, savvy?
9:15AM = Martin Ludlow ;-)
A.V. is through. No self-respecting woman voter will elect him to be gov. It is nice to see that all the news organizations agree on the same thing. He's on his way down.
A.V. should realize that his next race (if he chooses to run) will be a major uphill battle. His dirt bag tactics and creepy lapdogs are exposed! People don't like underhanded liars, guess A.V. keeps having to learn that lesson over and over again. I guess some things aren't meant to be for A.V. Like his becoming a lawyer.
Self aggrandizing photos of Zuma Dogg with local electeds.
http://www.ladailyblog.blogspot.com/
Zuma when will you realize that your constantly posing for photos with actual elected officials who you've expressed hatred for, kills your credibility.
It's like you the way you criticize and scream at everyone in city council, but then you run off to the side to make nice-nice with them.
You think shit like that doesn't get around, but it does. You are two faced, one way on camera and then kiss ass (like the rest of them) when you think no one is looking.
And stop making like you "crashed" the Trutanich party. Absolutely everybody was there, and any person could go. You did nothing great by walking in the door. We all did that. Stop making like you're a super hero.
I'm not asking this question with any derision.
I just want to know what Zuma Dogg did for a living prior to his becoming homeless. What brought him to L.A., and how long was he here before he was living in the streets?
It seems like the man can speak clearly, and at least has a grasp on basic communication skills. It's a wonder why he is in the predicament he's in.
Does anyone know of anyone who can give him a job, maybe driving a truck or working at a printing shop, or messenger service?
This is funny.
Phil, why do you plan to run against Diane Watson when you yourself admit that you've got virtually no chance?
It sounds like you are in it for the attention only.
How many of the five members of the west side retards are still gonna vote for Watson over you?
just for the record and for people like Jennerjahn who just came on the scene, so to speak....
here's a video we posted well OVER 2 YEARS AGO, way back in Feb. 07, decrying the possibility of Jack Weiss becoming City attorney.
it just shows how far ahead of the curve we were, and more importantly, how long ago we started the campaign against Weiss. thank you, thank you.
we even have video of Trutanich attending one of the Zuma Dogg nites at Casa Princesa. yes, the City attorney voluntarily attended the Zuma Dogg karaoke revue. he saw the side of the ropes we were on, and we are so revitalised by this victory it must be scaring the hell out of the incumbents.
also just posted vids of the trutanich victory party. catch em on my youtube and I think on zuma's blog.
Please, can anyone tell me, (and this includes Villar gnomes) what has this Mayor accomplished in 4 years? He raised trash fees 300% to hire 1000 more cops, but now says he can't do better than replace existing ones; the city is facing record deficits due to lavish pay raises to city employees and a "head in the sand" delay in cutting costs when faced with declining revenues; and teachers gave him an "F" on his school plan. Worst Mayor in history.
I got emails saying that Bratton may actually have helped Trutanich win. Yeah that's right folks, Trutanich aired TV commercials for 3 weeks with a photo of him Bratton and cooley. All your shit on Bratton may have actually helped Trutanich win. The other part of the email asks why David Zahniser never reported the photo was not an endorsement and pretty damn deceiving.
12:14PM
I had a dream last night: James Hahn takes A.V. by the scruff of the neck and carries him out of the mayor's office, sets him down on the lawn and says: "This place is for real politicians." And then he said: "What's with those bubble toe clown shoes, with the big heels that are supposed to make you look taller?"
- it's only a dream, sigh.
HERE'S THE BULLSHIT REPORTING THE LA SLIMES DOES. There's a story today on the police and fire pensions going after Parks. They list everyone online who is retired. But guess what????? THEY DON'T LIST DENNIS ZINE'S PENSION OR HOW MUCH HE'S GETTING WHY???
....As retired LAPD chief, Bernard Parks earns a $265,090 annual pension. As the City Council's budget chief, he collects a $178,789 salary and warns pension obligations could bankrupt the city.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-parks-pension21-2009may21,0,7737972.story
Trutanich aired TV commercials with Bratton so he moves up the winner circle. Sneaky of Trutanich using a photo of Bratton on TV commercials pretending it was an endorsement. Trutanich must think pretty damn highly of Bratton and his power to have used it deceivingly. Helllooo people why didn't David Zahniser report that fact?
Ding Dong the Arrogant Mud-flinging
Wimp is DEAD DONE DEAD!!!
Last week: lunch on City Hall grass, chance conversation with two who work in AV's office; among other things, I told them: He has Zero chance of being the governor, so he shouldn't bother running, but
tell him to step up his game --fast. We don't need (more) cops, we need this City to FUNCTION --well. They took me seriously.
And Yippee, the Informed: showed up at the polls, sent one frigg'n large message to the done-nothing Mayor -the power/money stealing City "council" -the Dumb Move Endorsing Bill Bratton -the nazi-loving sexual predator moron squatting in "governor" office!!!
We're getting smart decent non-elite City Attorney, who won't be using any City lawyers to baby-sit any kids. Bonus - June 30: LA will be Weiss-free. One down, 13 to go
Lies --Telling voters what to do era: Over. Everybody happy? I am dee-lighted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/valley/la-me-city21-2009may21,0,3368843.story?track=rss
Poppy
daVine Remedy
Silver Lake daVine
It is also worth noting that in the special election in my One-Party Democratic 26th State Senate District, Republican candidate Nachum Shifren and Peace & Freedom Party candidate, Cindy Henderson garnered a respectable combined total of 30% of the vote. These were campaigns with no money, no media, and the cursed "race" issue working against them in a district overwhelmingly Black and Latino.
If the Republicans ever get over their 40-year-old "White Backlash" against "Those People" claiming civil rights taken for granted by "Real Americans," they might actually get somewhere. Alas, as you can tell from all the little Rush Limbaugh imitators on this blog, this is not likely to happen. That's one reason why I am a registered Green Party man and NOT a Republican.
May 21, 2009 11:28 AM
You really have topped yourself in the emotionally weak crybaby weak ass spin department.
Yes, I admit, the Nuch party was OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, but I made it sound more fun by saying I "crashed" it, not like a superhero, dummy, but like Animal House.
And all that other stuff is just nutty and even if it DID make any sense...WHO CARES? What is your point.
Maybe I should drive around in a fake police car to make me feel big.
This comment has been removed by the author.
exactly zuma dogg.
when you make things out to be something other than WHAT IT IS, it impacts your credibility.
every body and their siblings was invited. when you go publishing things that suggest you did something on the down/low, it makes you look foolish. you should have just told it like it is, rather than creating something that it wasn't.
every body knows the truth, so just stick with it. it'll help you in the long run. and jumping into photos with every body as you hold the camera makes you look like a "fan" rather than an activist. you are very good at that. but the photos make it seem like you're trying to prove that you were there, and all you have to do is just say it.
your harsh response shows that this hit a personal chord with you, and that your name calling shows you can't handle constructive criticism, at least not on this day.
A SPECIAL thanks to the 131,777 Angelenos who voted for City Attorney TRUtanich for the right reasons, change.
State's politicians finally get it
Now they have to figure out how to do their jobs.
Posted: 05/21/2009 08:33:32 PM PDT
California, eighth largest economy in the world, now stands as an icon of government incompetence. Its state institutions are in an unholy mess and its politicians, still scrabbling for loans and handouts, seem clueless as ever.
But they finally seem to have got at least one message clear. Voters are done with politicians' lies and gross overspending.
Amid a flurry of silly ideas for resolving the state's huge and growing deficit is one positive sign. The three politicians most responsible for finding a way out of financial ruin at least have conceded a point: Don't blame the voters.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Senate President Darrell Steinberg all have acknowledged that voters' rejection Tuesday of their patched-up and disingenuous budget "solutions" means that legislators must deal with the basic issue, which is spending more than they have.
Schwarzenegger made a run to Washington this week to get federal loan guarantees by suggesting, in effect, that California, like other behemoths, is too big to fail. But can you imagine poorer states volunteering to bail out the richest state in the Union? Fortunately, Schwarzenegger said he would drop the idea of borrowing, except to smooth out cash flow.
The state's own legislative analyst warns that any form of short-term borrowing not only wouldn't resolve the problems, it would make them worse. That's been a familiar theme in Sacramento for too
many years.
Newspaper pundits are spreading their own versions of cure, blaming Proposition 13, term limits, supermajority approval of budgets and other voter favorites for creating the problems. Are they kidding? If they couldn't persuade voters to approve the political elite's Propositions 1A-1E, just how would they manage that kind of "reform"?
Voters saw the propositions for what they were: trickery, political payoffs and a truly balmy scheme to borrow money against future lottery income. True, voters have made some balmy decisions of their own, such as borrowing $10 billion for a high-speed train and approving certain school bonds that were something less than essential.
None of that is to the point. The real problems were made in Sacramento by politicians borrowing and spending billions, much of it going for lavish public pensions and salaries such as most voters could never hope to have. Now CalPERS, the state pension fund that encouraged all the political self-dealing, is looking at staggering losses that will have to be made up by taxpayers.
Do the pols really think voters don't know what they are doing? They knew enough to reject 1A through 1E. And you can be sure they never would have approved those pensions and salaries.
The only halfway intelligent remedy from pundits and other outsiders has been to propose a constitutional convention, and reshape the basic document of state government. But there are two things wrong with this. First, imagine the mess that special-interest groups would make of that process, and second, as Alan Greenspan famously said in another context, you can't legislate against greed.
No, the solution is simpler than any of that. Legislators just have to do the job. And the job consists of scaling back spending to where it belongs, which is commensurate with revenue.
That's how voters are dealing with their own financial problems, and that's exactly what they expect of Sacramento.
May 21, 2009 11:34 AM
Thanks for the astute comments. It was nice meeting you Tuesday night.
7:39pm,
Thank you for taking me so seriously and elevating me on such a pedestal that I am not allowed to be ZD and have any fun. Yes, I WAS "fan" dummy. I AM a guy off the street. It WAS cool to be with Cooley, and Baca Knabe, Hertzberg, Zahniser and everyone else in that open access more social situation. Do you think I took the picture with Cooley because we were cutting a ribbon together?
"The photo tries to make it seem like I am trying to prove I am there, all I have to do is say it."
Oh no, I am in trouble at the internet cafe from laughing out loud!
Maybe the LA Times should drop pictures of events and just "say what happened." OMG, you are such a pussy. "Like I am trying to PROVE I was there." Maybe I should have asked people to go outside and take a picture in front of bushes so it wouldn't look like I was trying to prove I was there.
YOU CANNOT SERIOUSLY THINK ANYONE IS FINDING YOU ANYTHING BUT DESPERATE.
You are just so nutty, it is beyond belief how you have become so caught up in ZD. I have really gotten under your skin. My only hope is that you are a paid operative, because if you are not getting paid, you have serious problems.
The biggest one being you are a weak-ass, hilariously bad spinner. You are worthy of the Ace Smith team.
You are saying I was not honest by saying I crashed the party when it was open to the public. Loser, if I had said, "I was personally invited to the party" and it was open to the public, THEN you would be moving in the right direction.
So to sum it up, as a guy off the street, a non-connected, regular guy, who is usually on the other side of the rope, showed up to the Hilton where you could go up and talk to the top elected officials I am usually barricaded across from, and take pictures with them.
When I was a kid, I took pictures with radio DJs and baseball players. Then it was musicians in the radio industry.
Now it's these people who I am interested in and I wanted to take pictures with them. ESPECIALLY cause it's good to have the pictures on file for when I do a story that includes one of them.
AGAIN, glad you think I am such a connected, larger than life figure that I shouldn't get any enjoyment out of that.
I'll try to behave more like an activist, you emotional basket case (or paid operative).
Stop gloating over Jack Weiss's loss. He's probably very, very, very upset at the way things turned out. By the way, did I mention that the LA TImes said he was 'Unfit' for the position? That must have been really difficult for Jack to deal with, especially when it was true.
Jack Weiss worked tirelessly to win this election, pulling out all the stops and giving it his all. He made deals with all sorts of people to get their support. Noel Weiss, the last placed finisher in the primary, threw his weight behind Jack, and that must have tipped the balance.
Weiss can take some solace in the fact that he will now have more time to spend with his family...
Believe it or not, Jack is a family man who coaches his kid's baseball team. There is a good side to him. Voters just didn't get the whole picture of a decent guy who didn't always get along with council members. As if that should disqualify him from office.
I know over the past two years I have been screaming about the pension fund and shadiness.
STILL not sure I'm on to something, though. Haven't seen anything about pension scandals come across the news wire for almost three minutes.
Shall we place our bets on Jack's next job?
I'll bet that he will be a consultant for developers.
All you smarty pants out there explain this to me: How does Wendy Greuel win with all of the same political machinery that Jack Weiss had? She destroyed Patsouras--embarrassed him actually, got more votes than the Mayor even though she's a suck up and supported Prop B which went down in flames and she endorsed Jack Weiss who gets 30% less than her in the primary even though he spends more than her.
Weiss then goes out in a 65% democratic city with labor, the Dem Party, Zev, Waxman, Berman, Boxer and gets his ass trounced.
How does Ace Smith and the Mayor win huge with Greuel and then lose with Weiss?
Wendy didn't have the LA Slimes campaigning against her like Weiss had the Times with all the negative hit pieces. Trutanich campaign aired TV commercials with photos of Cooley, Bratton and himself. So all you haters need to give credit where cedit is due. David Z reported everything but that important fact of false tv commercial endorsement
"It seems like the man can speak clearly, and at least has a grasp on basic communication skills. It's a wonder why he is in the predicament he's in."
Zumma is not in a "predicament". He is doing what he believes he must do to inform the community about the greed and correption in the great City of los Angeles.
As an aside, I never liked AV and refused to vote for him the first time he ran in CD14. He appointed Huizar in CD14. I voted against Huizar too. AV became Mayor and I voted against him twice. I decided that after the disgrace of Nuckelhead Nunez and the behavior of many other Hispanic candidates who misbehaved I would never vote for a Hispanic candidate. I was wrong. I should decided to never vote for anyone who was associated with AV or the rest of the Mexican Mafia. Weiss was white, a Councilman,and not Hispanic and he lost because he was associated with AV. Its amazing how many of us will never vote for AV. Good luck Carmen...we will be watching you...
Simply put: Wendy is personable and you can talk with her.
Simply put: Jack Weiss conducted himself like a pompous asshole.
Those things do make a difference, and most definitely did in this case. It was all about his personality. He could have gotten away with all of this shadiness if he had been nicer to the constituents.
Moreover, he missed more votes than the others, or so it seemed.
Finally, Jack figured that the best way to advance his career is to be Antonio's shadow. But he didn't have the common sense to realize that Antonio is a fraud, who did nothing for the people, and only for himself.
Jack couldn't recognize that. It's like he bet on the NY Yankees because they had the biggest bats, not realizing that good pitching beats good hitting every time.
That's why Jack is out of a job. But he won't be for long. Plus, he doesn't need the money. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth AND PLAYED THAT ARROGANT ROLE EVERY DAMN DAY HE WAS AT CITY HALL. It showed.
"How does Wendy Greuel win with all of the same political machinery that Jack Weiss had"
Gruel knows how to speak well....Weiss does not. I once said that although we had many Africian American candidates who were skilled enough to be president of the United Staes we would not have an Afican American president until the candidate could speak well. Obama is an orator....Jack Weiss was not.
Elliot Broidy met with President Jakaway Kilwete. ??????
Cautions optimism on Jk , Obama
By Tom Mosoba and Orton Kiishweko
The anticipated meeting yesterday between President Jakaya Kikwete and US President Barack Obama in the White House elicited both optimism and caution from across section of business, political and civil society officials in the country.
Opinion on the expectations from the highly publicised meeting was sharply divided, with some interviewees viewing it as an opportunity for the country to exploit for prosperity while others felt the nation should not expect much from the talks.
Those who talked to The Citizen in separate interviews on phone were giving their solicited opinion about the meeting that was scheduled for late evening in Washington yesterday.
A brief statement by Kikwete's spokesperson Mr Salva Rweyemamu last evening indicated the President and his entourage who are in an official eight days visit to US arrived in Washington early morning from Los Angels ready for a flurry of official meetings.
Kikwete was scheduled to hold talks with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and later in the evening (Night local time) meet with Obama in the Oval office for the talks.
......
"In some regions ,therate of infection has reduced to below 2 percent. He said five million people have tested for HIV in Tanzania since he launched the national campaign compared to 500,000 who had tested before.
Earlier,Kikwete had met with a tycoon, Elliot Broidy who told him of his plans to invest in projects in the special economic zones.
Broidy said Tanzania's political stability was a factor in attracting investors.
Kikwete also visited Studios of Sony company where he met the head of film production , Garry Martin .The President told the company of opportunities in Tanzania.
http://thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=12651
It wasn't just Jack Weiss who lost, Ace Smith also got hounded and hijacked by the Times. Ace is a family man who plays ball with kids, and so he also is a nice guy, not the bad person that you people say. I think Jack Weiss should ask for a recall. A lot of people, especially older people, told me they voted for Jack. I think the fix was in for poor Jack, and I hope he comes back to public service as soon as he gets done with all his legal troubles that were also blown out of all proportion. Since when is taking illegal campaign contributions a crime?
It's not as if Jack Weiss didn't need the money, after all he's not as rich as Trutanich. If you want an honest city attorney, then too bad, you got one. But if you want Jack Weiss, then you should have given him more money so he would have to break silly laws that do not apply to him because he's a democrat and he plays ball with kinds.
David Z's hit pieces on Weiss haven't stopped yet. He skewed his "analysis" yesterday to quote only the worst and most biased critics, from the neighborhood activist who's on record saying he wants ZERO growth (good luck with that, Koretz) and would be one of those at Vahedi's side at every meeting.
Then he says Antonio's people are blaming Weiss and think Antonio has nothing to do with it. Fact is these two criticisms obviously tell a different story if you put them together: the anti-development people dislike Antonio even more because they claim Weiss was doing his bidding.
And the talk radio crowd claims Weiss wouldn't confront the illegal immigrant gang problem earlier because of Antonio. Fact is that Weiss, Bratton and most every legal expert think SO40 is fine just needs "clarification" while they agree Zine's "motion" was dumb -- Zahniser thinking Zine is some sort of sage when he's an uneducated buffoon just plays into the talk radio hosts' campaign of misinformation. Kevin James and to a lesser degree McIntyre and Jon & Ken made everyone believe that the City's Mayor and Chief and by association Weiss were to blame for Jamiel Shaw's death when in fact, it was the county jails run by Baca and Cooley. Which is why Jamiel Sr. is now finally suing Baca and the county after being led on a fool's errand by Moore/ Berger for their political gain. And even there, Moore allegedly got the Shaws going on it but then didn't help them file their petitions.
McIntyre blames this illegal immigrant gang issue and the Mayor's bungling of Measure B for the Weiss outcome. His article in this week's Daily News claims that when the Mayor bungled B and tried to sue people, that's what started the anti city-hall movement that mobilized against Weiss. With just 17% turnout, it was these people who came out to vote while the silent majority especially in the Jewish community, didn't bother then or now. This election was also heavily skewed towards the more conservative vote while Democratic turnout was low.
Why not Wendy? A controller has limited duties, nothing to do with the hot- button issues like gangs, illegal immigration and density that the Mayor is negatively associated with and by associating with him, Weiss. So it actually was Weiss's loyalty to the Mayor and the Mayor being negatively associated with these issues that hurt him.
Let's start working on the recall of the mayor. We can start it on this blog. Someone needs to report the following:
1. How many signatures are required?
2. What is the time period within which all the signatures for recall must be gathered?
3. What are the mechanics with the City Clerk's office?
Wendy I believe got the message loud and clear this election. She is already back sliding away from the Mayor. We all need to keep these damn politicans in check
its RICO fraud. the whole City involved and hopefully Nuch will help feds indict some of the players.
The common denominator between Trutanich and Greuel? They used the same political strategist, John Shallman (Greuel used Shallman, not Ace Smith). Both Greuel and Trutanich ran against City Hall. Weiss blew it by running a traditional, establishment campaign. It would have been difficult, but he could have tried to do the same thing as Greuel and put some distance between himself and the Mayor and City Hall. Huge strategic blunder.
Yeah, Wendy's nicer and Jack's an asshole, but there's a one word answer for why Trutanich and Greuel both won: Shallman
Ace smith did NOT run Wendy's campaign. I like Wendy and she'd never hire him.
Shallman did Cooley. Makes sense.
You can't have it both ways haters. Trutanich aired a deceitful tv commercial showing Bratton with him. That told a lot of people he thinks and knows it helped. What you never saw or read from David Zahniser is it was all false. We all know Bratton didn't endorse Trutanich so in the end that tv commercial actually helped Trutanich win. Here's a big red flag people. Since when is a reporter so close to the people he was suppose to write about? Weiss lost because he had a major newspaper campaigning for him, blatantly putting out hit pieces almost every other day of the week. David Zahniser is as crooked as the politicans and I know of many people who are boycotting the LA Slimes finally.
What is wrong with this picture?
Steve Cooley, Carmen Trutanich and David Zahniser analyze what the election results mean for the mayor and City Hall. KCRW/WWLA, KPCC/Airtalk
I love this description of Trutanich by Mailander..I've heard women don't like Trutanich because he's looks at them very sleazy just like Zine the bald headed fool. They have no respect for women and will do the maid if she gave them a free room.
Mailander:....On May 20th/ this Wed., “The City Staggers Toward Tribal Implosion — Again”
Re: the impending disaster of Carmen Trutanich:
“Carmen Trutanich, a chest-thumping death penalty advocate and a tribal throwback to whiter days in the City, looks more like a Vegas pit-boss than a savvy, sang-froid Angeleno, but the anti-incumbency mood enabled him to trounce Jack Weiss anyway. His first oppositional, uncharitable comments are not encouraging. For those of us who actually care about the way the city prosecutes its criminals, this is not a good marriage. But if you thought Bradley-Gates was good for the City, I’m sure you will love Villaraigosa-Trutanich.
Joe Mailander had a really apt piece on Wednesday 5/20 under "The City Staggers Toward Tribal Implosion -- Again."
"Carmen Trutanich, a chest-thumping death penalty advocate and a tribal throwback to whiter days in the city, looks more like a Vegas pit boss than a savvy, sang-froid Angeleno...
"His first oppositional, uncharitable comments are not encouraging. For those of us who actually care about the way the city prosecutes its criminals, this is not a good marriage. But if you thought Bradley-Gates was good for the City, I'm sure you will love AV-Tru.
"Of the two races, the Times and the Daily News really blew it in endorsing Tru -- if they did it simply to show up the Mayor, it was out of dislike for the Mayor's record. They should have voiced their opposition when the Mayor was running, not when one of his friends was.
"These two newspapers can't fold up their tents soon enough; we'll be so much better off when they go bye-bye at last."
AMEN
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WEISS NEEDED YOU, JOE?
His description of the Nooch could be said of his BFF's Zine and Cooley too, probably why they couldn't stand Weiss's "savvy sang-froid."
Also about media *hit pieces, Celeste Fremon weighs in on the endless slams on Bratton just because he's a FOA (Friend of Antonio), and same was and is true about Weiss.
Regarding the recent posts by the poor losers attacking Trutanich . . .
brings to mind the saying that arguing on blogs is like winning the Special Olympics.
You're still a retard.
Trutanich is already arousing a groundswell of opposition and that's just the day after the election.
But this election will also backfire bigtime on all three papers, who have helped put the nails in their coffins and none too soon.
2:11 wants a job as a Spin-hole.
Alas, you losers, you kicked out Jack Weiss and now you have your doubts. We told you that Jack was a wonderful guy who plays ball with kids and saves Los Angeles rapists gangsta NRA seal shooters. Now watch what's gonna happen without Weiss.
No more overdevelopment means may super-rich developers will need bailout packages.
No more secret deals with pensions commissioners to hold illegal fundraisers, they'll have to get real jobs and we all know how hard it is for convicted criminals to get real jobs.
No more screwing around with DNA analysis of rape kits - our already overcrowded jails will not be able to cope with the influx of criminals.
The NRA will now take over our city and be bad for everything that Jack worked tirelessly for, attending countless photo ops to promote his bullsh*t laws that do nothing.
Seals will be shot at by criminals.
Criminals will be defended (UGH!) by defense attorneys.
Global warming (or is it Climate Change) will go out of control in Los Angeles. It will get hotter (or colder) as a direct result of the loss of Jack's intervention.
Look at all you've done by not electing Jack Weiss.
Thank you!
Thank goodness we'll finally have a bunch of old white guys who look and talk like thugs or Vegas pit bosses!
Who cares about the environment when we can protect the rights of those who pollute! Hooray to the NRA, and who cares that the Nooch never lifted a finger on behalf of DNA rape kit victims, billboards, anti terrorism or any single one of the things he bashed Weiss on with the Times' diligent help -- the big fat thug-looking guys will be back in charge and all will be well!
The confrontational lack of grace Mailander comments on is a GOOD thing -- manners, shmanners, we need "real men" who look and talk like thugs. Zine and Zuma Dogg and the Nooch are all an open mutual admiration society (well, sometimes Dogg doesn't think much of fickle-fake "buffoon" Zine) and will continue to attract more like themselves.
This last gasp of white thuggish cronyism will go down in ignominy before long and wreak more havoc on this city than the prostitute papers who lobbied for him could have ever hoped for if they wanted fireworks to sell their papers.
Now when people talk about the "Hug a Thug" program they won't mean just Janice's reforming gangsters but the City Attorney and his friends.
In my honest opinion, I believe that Trutanich should offer Zuma Dogg a job spinning. We all know he's smart enough to get it done. If Trutanich is going to be successful, he needs to be the opposite of Rocky and in attendance at all community meetings, like Rocky used to do.
Who better to sit in a cubicle at City Hall and spin good things about Trutanich? It will make those of you who don't want Zuma in Council Chambers happy, because he'll be out of there.
I would definitely want the guy on my side and as a very busy activist, I had several elderly women in my own neighborhood tell me that they voted for Trutanich BASED ON ZUMA's recommendation on some talk radio show.
I would want him on my side for sure and I have to say, I am blown away by the reaction to him in the San Fernando Valley.
Nothing negative.
This comment has been removed by the author.
I can't believe I met someone this week who said they read my blog and I suspected they were a political operative based on their language. They denied it up and down, "no No NO!" being the quote repeated over and over. I found out he campaigned across the country for Hillary Clinton. I TOLD YOUR ASS YOU WERE A POLITICAL OPERATIVE, but I liked meeting you a lot and still liked you.
6:02pm, you know I love you, but unfortunately, you included my name in a comment that also included words like, "white thuggish".
Son, NOW IT'S ON!!!
HEY ANTONIO, you better pull this rank amateur off the case.
I DROPPED JACK WEISS BASHING AND INVESTIGATION OF HIS WIFE'S ROLE ON MTA PENSION BOARD BECAUSE JACK IS OUT OF PUBLIC OFFICE...
But if you want to keep being a sore loser crybaby, and drag me into it...
I WILL JUMP IN, BITCHTONIO
Let me tell you something Villaragiosa, you WILL NOT be able to hide behind the defense that you run your office like James Hahn or Mr. Magoo.
I'M TAKING YOU ALONG FOR A RIDE ALL THE WAY TO NEW YORK CITY AND BILL CLINTON'S CREW.
THEY ARE GOING TO HATE BEING DRAGGED INTO ALL OF THIS.
AND YOU SHOULD SEE THE STUFF I EDITED OUT OF MY "Case Against Andrew Cuomo" post that was too hot to keep posted for a guy like me.
BUT GUESS WHAT...I CAN EASILY SEND IT TO NEWSPAPERS IN NEW YORK AND THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT AND START MAKING NOISE, FOR ME!
ON A PERSONAL NOTE: I really appreciate that you consider me spinworthy to be mentioned in your sour grapes loser posting, but if you want to take on the big Dogg, you better have more than Ace by your side. I've seen nothing but loserspin come out of Villar's camp, and I think the results have been seen at the polls.
AND NOW, you want me to tie Villaragiosa to the much bigger fish who push him around and out of the way???
NOW SHUT THE F UP ABOUT WEISS AND MR. RISING POLITICAL SUPERSTAR.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY SPINNING EXCEPT SAYING WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. CAPISHE! For now, I stick to blogging, but if you "go there" again son, I start making calls outside this state.
Now shut the fuck up because I said so, and you don't want any follow up blogging on my blog when you are being a sour grapes crybaby loser.
DO NOT REPLY...JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!
Bring it on you addled loser.
No one reads your stupid blog, except for comedy relief, and no one cares a whit what you think or what you think you know.
Saltsburg, your mother must be so proud of you and the life you lead.
Here she was hoping for a son she could be proud of and some grandchildren to play with and babysit, but look what she got instead...
A middle aged, balding, jobless loser who can't afford a shower, a shave or a place to lie down other than his filthy van.
Man, have you no shame???
So, go ahead and try to take down our Mayor or anyone else you "think" is guilty of some imagined corruption. People are not stupid enough to support your idiocy, in fact, only those with a strong stomach can even be in a room with you for more than a few moments before your B.O. gets them naseous.
Waste another year of your life, go ahead, no one cares. No one.
A loser who doesn't have two nickels to rub together to make a boy scout is going to make a mess of out of state phone calls and take down the Myor of the second largest city in America...
What a threat!
Go ahead loser, call him some more names and see if they break his bones...
So happy we have mental cases feeling they have the "in" with City Hall now. I feel SO much safer.
Zuma,
Just follow Henry Cisneros and you will end up at Antonio's doorstep. Henry and Antonio are one and the same - cheated on their wives and cheated on their constituencies to make themselvs rich - all the while claiming they were the new "Latino" poster boys of politics. And they were both shielded by Gloria Molina wide body.
AT LEAST THE PEOPLE "10%" GOT SOME CHANGE STARTED. THE MAYOR IS STILL THERE, SO IS GREUEL AND THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL. THIS IS WHERE CHANGE HAS TO HAPPEN TO IMPROVE THIS TOWN. THE "STACKHOLDERS" ARE THE ONE'S WHO NEED MORE VOICE "POWER" IN THE PROCESS. I HOPE MORE PEOPLE JOIN THIS CAUSE AND ALSO VOTE IN FUTURE ELECTIONS. SLAP AND VALLEY VOTE ARE EXAMPLES OF GROUPS TRYING TO GIVE WEIGHT TO INDIVIDUAL VOICES. YOUR OPINION MATTERS AS MUCH AS YOUR VOTE DON'T BE SHY FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE. THESE LA OFFICIALS ARE, AT YOUR EXPENSE!!
P.S. JACK WEISS IS NOT PRO-ENVIROMENT, MORE LIES. HE'S CONTRIBUTED TO INCREASED LANDFILLS AND WASTE, ALSO LOSS OF WATER DUE TO HIS STANDS ON INCREASED DEVELOPMENT IN DISTRICT 5. ONE OF THE BIGGEST POLLUTERS IN THIS TOWN. HE HEADED THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND DID NOTHING TO CORRECT VOIDS IN JAIL PROCEEDURES AND GANG ENFORCEMENT TO PREVENT MORE INNOCENT LIVES LOST ON OUR STREETS. HE ALSO TOOK CREDIT FOR RAPE KITS THAT LAURA CHICK EXPOSTED AND WAS RECENTLY HONORED FOR. GET THE FACTS!!
Someone who uses the vilest language against everyone but when his name is mentioned or something he says is repeated goes crazy with threats and insults from the gutter is the guy Walter Moore endorsed for Mayor?
Laura Chick being "honored for exposing" the rape kit issue because she chose to overlook the years of work of Jack Weiss and colleagues and Charlie Beck's people at LAPD is disgraceful of her.
And it wasn't Weiss who said so including to the Daily News, but Greig Smith.
Everytime i read Elliot's name in the paper,Hillary's name pops up.
Was he the entourage of 8 for Obama who visit Tanzania?
L.A. Weekly – Thank you for the REMARKABLE journalism in reporting the FACTS related to issues that are important to Angelenos.
L.A. CITY COUNCIL CLINGS TO STUNNING PERKS AND PAY
They can't bear to give up those record-high $178,898 salaries
BY PAUL TEETOR
May 20, 2009
As the budget drama unfolded in City Hall over the past several days, it became clear that the 15 Los Angeles City Council members, who earn 400 percent of local median income — more than members of Congress earn, more than federal judges are paid — are trying hard to avoid taking any personal hits to their growing wealth and freebies.
There’s nothing like this City Council in America’s other big cities. Not Chicago, not New York, not San Francisco. Los Angeles City Council is steeped in huge paychecks, gigantic staffs, eight free cars per council member, $100,000 personal slush funds with virtually no strings — even a special clause that lets them get out of their parking tickets.
Meanwhile, in great contrast to L.A., San Francisco has 11 elected city/county representatives who in that very pricey city earn $98,660 per year, compared with L.A City Council’s $179,789. And unlike the vast personal staffs Angelenos are paying to provide to L.A. council members even in this fiscal disaster, San Francisco’s representatives employ just two paid aides, at $77,922 to L.A.’s $94,718 a year each. Each
supervisor gets an extremely modest expense account — $5,000 per year.
“That $5,000 is for lawful government expenses of public funds like letterheads, envelopes and cell phones,” said Madeleine Licavoli, deputy director of the clerk to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
What a contrast to L.A. Here, politicians like Janice Hahn, Richard Alarcon, Herb Wesson and Ed Reyes employ about 20 full-time aides — and that’s apiece. And the council has fought off efforts to take away its controversial and very unusual slush funds of $100,000 apiece, given to them every year with virtually no strings — and hidden from the public in plain sight under the disingenuous budget title “General City Purposes Fund.” (See accompanying story, “Council Tries to De-Fund Its Critics.”)
Licavoli in San Francisco chuckled when asked if that city’s 11 councilmembers-supervisors enjoy anything like the eight free cars financed by L.A. taxpayers for each council member here.
“No, of course not,” she said. Well, what automotive perks do they get in San Francisco? “They each get a reserved parking space.”
In San Diego and San Jose, also very expensive cities in which to live, city council members earn about half what Greig Smith, Wendy Greuel, Jack Weiss and the others make yet somehow get by.
In San Jose, Mark Gerhardt, administrative manager for the city clerk, said the 10 council members earn $90,000, and each has four or five personal staffers. They get a $600 monthly car allowance — not a small fleet of eight cars.
In San Diego, the eight council members earn even less than in San Jose or San Francisco — $75,836 — and each gets only five to eight personal staffers.
L.A. Weekly
http://www.laweekly.com/2009-05-21/news/l-a-city-council-clings-to-stunning-perks-and-pay/
Saltsburg, you aren't tough enough to be a thug.
You are an aging, balding old failure who cannot make it in the real world, so you create a fantasy world and run around like you are Don Quixote of La Mancha, with your sidekick Sancho Higby fueling your madness.
Mary is your Dulcinea, and Mayor Villaraigosa, the arch villian (in your eyes) is the windmill.
Have a great tilt, fool. Be careful you don't go for an upside down ride to the Twin Towers while you are trying to disrupt life here on the Third Floor.
Perhaps it's time for a city-wide initiative: Cut Council members pay by 50%, cut their annual discretionary funding by 80%, slash the mayor's combined travel accounts (there are three) to the grand total of $3,600 more that the Hahn administration (that's an increase of $1,200 per travel account for those muddle-headed, mathematically-challenged minds in this city), eliminate the special events accounts within the mayor's office - and make it retroactive to the last day of the Hahn Administration.
Let them drive their own vehicles, or take public transportation if they can't drive - just as Rocky's wife should have done; she proved she wasn't a very safe driver considering the City vehicle she damaged.
The council and mayor got the city into this financial mess during the prosperous years - it's time for them to show some responsibility, and lead by example during our current lean years.
If the Council members fail to do what I've stated in my first paragraph, then an initiative requiring the same could be the city voters' best response, especially if the effort to unseat the Mayor fails.
12:17, that Weekly writer Hempel you quote is the guy who Celeste Fremon took apart over at witnessla.com for writing a hit piece on Bratton just because he's a FOA.
He wrote an article write after Patrick Range McDonald wrote a 6-page hit piece on Bratton saying nothing much and proving nothing.
Among other hit pieces on him.
Same with this topic of council pay, they did the same thing recently. These people are all flacks who have to tow Jill Stewart's anti-Antonio (therefore anti Bratton, Jack) line. While she sucks up to the rightwingers.
Sure the likes of you like hatchet jobs if it's for your team, but it's low and utterly inappropriate for once-respectable media like the Weekly and Times especially their editorial dept. which can hide behind "free speech" and doesn't even have to try to prove what they say is true or make even a blatantly biased attempt at it like their reporting section. Selling their souls to the highest bidder for ad space has made the papers nothing more than fishwrap and bird cage liner for real.
Everyone's saying it's time to let them all die and go away, sooner the better.
6:13AM said...Be careful you don't go for an upside down ride to the Twin Towers while you are trying to disrupt life here on the Third Floor."
It has been noted for the record. And I have NO idea who posted it. Thanks for once again letting me know I am on the right track. ;)
You still have no idea about anything, fool.
I manipulate you like a puppet and you respond exactly as I plan.
You are so predicable it is actually getting boring directing your actions.
One day you will learn how you have been used, but for now, just accept your fate that you are a tool of a superior mentality.
Go back to your beggin and self promotion now.
Oh, and call your mother. She misses you. Heaven only knows why.
I manipulate you like a puppet and you respond exactly as I plan.
Really, thanks for manipulating me exactlty as planned. Glad my blogging is going exactly as planned. I'm sure the mayor's office and council agrees...JUST as planned.
Hello City Council. Would you take a pay cut?
Val Zavala
Published On: April 23, 2009 8:52 PM
$178,789 a year. That’s how much you’d be earning if you were an L.A. City Council member. In fact you’d be earning more than any other city council person in the nation. Higher than New Yorkers. It also puts them in the top 5% of wage earners in the U.S. Plus the raises happen automatically, so L.A. City Council members don’t actually have to vote themselves an increase. Nice.
Earlier Mayor Villaraigosa said he’ll make do with 12% less in his paycheck and freeze his staff’s wages too. Will the Council follow suit? I wanted to find out so I put a call in to all 15 of them. I've categorized their answers. Here they are:
.
The ONE straight "Yes":
Dennis Zine (District 3):
He's is the only Council member who said straight out he'd take a 10% pay cut. Here's an excerpt from his letter to the City Controller. "Our City will face a $400 million plus deficit in the 2009-2010 budget, which will force the City to reduce services and most likely terminate a significant number of City employees… I am therefore requesting that you prepare the necessary documents to reduce my salary by 10% which is to be returned to the City’s General Fund. If other elected official City employees voluntarily request a similar salary reduction we might be able to maintain our City work force and continue to deliver services to the people of Los Angeles. This is to be effective starting the next pay period.
Maybes, Ifs or "I'll take what they take":
Tom LaBonge (District 4) - His spokeswoman called and said Tom's position is this: “I’m open to anything. Whatever percentage city employees take I should take the same.”
Richard Alarcon (District 7) - "I'm sure that the City Council will make an adjustment of our salaries and I am confident that it will be a responsible salary. I will not attempt to steal press attention by offering an individual proposal or try to one-up my Council colleagues."
Herb Wesson (District 10) - His communications director called me and said their Council office - like all Council offices - has been cut 10%. Meaning the pot of money that funds the salaries, staff, office expenses for the whole City Council has been reduced 10%. It’s up to each Council member to apply it in their own way. No layoffs at this point in Councilman Wesson’s office, but everyone including the Councilman will be taking a cut in some kind of way.
Jose Huizar (District 14) - His office emailed me and said: "As a Council office we’re cutting our costs by at least 10 percent including requiring staff to participate in rolling furloughs, where they take unpaid days off. If we do in fact do rolling furloughs, Council member Huizar will participate, although he will not take any additional days off. He will simply take a cut in pay. If we do the rolling furloughs, we will do it strategically, so as not to disrupt services at any of our three district offices or City Hall space."
Bill Rosendahl (District 11) - Bill called back personally. He said, "If it helps to balance things out, I'll take the cut. Especially if it means workers providing vital services are left on the payroll. I would rather we all take cuts than some lose their jobs. I hope the unions get the message. If we share the pain we'll all come out of it better."
Points for turning down a recent raise:
Eric Garcetti (District 13) - Press person told me whatever sacrifices city employees make Eric is willing to make as well. Pay cuts. Furlough days, etc. (What about layoffs?) He is also among those who turned down the recent $7100 pay raise.
Wendy Greuel (District 2) - Councilwoman Wendy Greuel understands that everyone will need to sacrifice to balance the City's budget deficit this year, which is why she rejected the City Council's recent $7,000 pay raise. Councilwoman Greuel will be taking at least a 10% cut to her Council budget this year, in addition to the City car and $100,000 she returned to the general fund last year to help balance the City's budget. She is continuing to deliberate the City's budget for the coming year and will agree to any cuts that are made.
Jack Weiss (District 5) - His spokesperson responded by email saying, "Councilman Jack Weiss was one of the members who did not accept the most recent pay raise so he currently is paid approximately $7000 less than the set salary. When the Mayor recently said he was asking City employees to work an unpaid hour a week, Council member Weiss agreed to that reduction for the current fiscal year (which is about a 2.5% reduction). Council member Weiss will be leaving the City Council June 30."
The Uncommitted
Janice Hahn (District 15) - "We're still working through the budget. Everything is on the table, including pay cuts for all of us."
Greig Smith (District 12) - Press person emailed me. “The Councilman declined to weigh in on this. Thanks, have a good weekend.” I emailed back with a link to this blog. So maybe he’ll weigh in later.
Bernard Parks (District 8) - Councilman Park emailed me with this message, "Each Council office will absorb a percentage cut...You will see a variety of circumstances as far as laying people off and not filling vacant positions. One item we will consider is pay cuts. However, we will not know what that percentage is until the Budget process is finished."
Jan Perry (District 9) - I tried hard to find a yes or no in this response. "In order to solve this budget problem, all areas of the City will have to share in the pain, including the offices of the elected officials. This is the discussion that we will be engaging in as we tackle the challenging budget ahead. Solving this problem will require changing the way the City does business and looking at all solutions to find ways in which we can close the budget gap. This may include freezing salaries, work furloughs, and other tough choices."
Still waiting for answers:
Ed Reyes (District 1) - Press person said a cut would be largely symbolic. (Yes, but an important one.) He will ask Ed and get back to me.
Tony Cardenas (District 6) - Left numerous messages. Still waiting for a response.
Wendy Greuel (District 2) - Left numerous messages. Still waiting
would also like to know how much money each councilmember gets to run his/her office, including salaries for staff, office material, phones, cell phones,discretionary funds for special programs, car expenses for him/her and staff, as well as rent for the offices, parking, etc. Since this is all public information, I think that the constituents have a right to know that, too.
Please let us know this information in one of your future segments, as well as for what and how the councilmembers spent their office and discretionary money in the past few years. Thank you very much. I'm sure, a lot of people would be interested in this information!
Thank you for your TV program. It is very sad to see that out city councilmen get paid so much for doing nothing.
Is it correct that city council meets only three times a week?
and they can not vote to reverse their mistakes? (loopholes on opening illigal marijuana distribution centers!!)
JACOB MANESH
http://kcet.org/socal/2009/04/hello-city-council-would-you-take-a-pay-cut.html
Notice how each councilperson refers to taking a cut from their OFFICE, not their salary. It may bother you to know that the council allocates to each office a discretionary account that is used for staff and office expenses. When a councilmember describes "sharing in the pain" they are only really agreeing to shopping less at Staple's and fewer staff lunches at the Water Grill.
It's a sad day when the only council member willing to make a strong symbolic move is none other than perennial grouch Dennis Zine, while the rest do their best to protect their own paychecks from the budget axe. Shame!
Another reason why to hire the best accountant to pay less to the city so these thugs are not swimming in cash. I refuse to pay them more money, I'm open to giving more to charity that truly helps my fellow residents that are suffering.
Shame on your council members. SHAME on you!
L.A. Council OKs raises for city
workers
The five-year, $255-million deal affects 22,000 employees. Villaraigosa discusses the
city's budget woes an hour after its approval.
By David Zahniser and Steve Hymon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
December 20, 2007
The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a package of employee pay
increases that will cost $255 million by 2012, even as the city's budget officials
issued new warnings about the city's finances.
On a 12-0 vote, the council gave five years' worth of raises to roughly 22,000 city
workers, including librarians, park employees, security guards, part-time crossing
guards and city attorneys.
An hour later, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa met with department heads to discuss the
city's budget woes, informing them they will need to cut back on travel equipment
and fuel costs. He also said they need to come up with plans for cutting budgets 8%
starting July 1.
Despite the call for budget cuts, mayoral spokesman Matt Szabo said Villaraigosa
viewed the salary agreements as "essential" to maintaining city services. "We're
talking about employees that perform the core functions of the city," Szabo said.
This week, the city's financial analysts warned that the city faced a shortfall of at
least $243 million for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
And on Wednesday, they said sales tax revenue has declined more than had been
expected.
The city faces the shortfall even if voters approve Proposition S, a $243-million
telephone utility tax measure on the Feb. 5 ballot, in part because of a decline in
taxes derived from home sales, said City Administrative Officer Karen Sisson.
The council's salary vote was criticized by foes of Proposition S, which was placed
on the ballot last month after the council declared that the city would face an
emergency if the telephone utility tax was eliminated by pending court challenges.
"It is disingenuous to claim on the one hand that we face such a severe budget crisis
and that we have to either raise taxes or lay off police, and yet claim on the other
hand that we should commit for five years to pay $255 million more in salaries," said
Walter Moore, who wrote the ballot argument against the tax measure.
Union officials disagreed, saying the agreements represented a "new relationship" in
which city employees would look for ways of making the city more efficient.
"We don't just say we have our contract and we're done," said Barbara Maynard,
spokeswoman for the Coalition of L.A. City Unions, which represented the 19
employee groups. "We're going to be working closely with the city to help them deal
with their financial issues, because their problems are our problems."
The five-year pay package will provide a 2% raise retroactive to July 1, followed by
2% on Jan. 1, 3% on July 1, 3% in July 2009, 2.25% in July 2010 and 2.25% on
July 2011. Employees with more than five years' experience will see additional
raises of 2.75% in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
When compounded over five years, some employees will see raises of about 25%
full story
http://mayorsam.blogspot.com/2007/11/city-clowncil-to-get-pay-raise.html
Thursday, November 15, 2007
City Clowncil To Get Pay Raise
It will be the fourth time in less than three years, but the City Council is about to get a pay raise, bringing members' annual salaries to a level more than most business executives, nearly $180,000.
The salary increase also triggers a pay raise for the City Controller, City Attorney and the Mayor who collectively make almost three-quarters of a million dollars per year.
Given tight budgets, tax schemes placed on the ballot and other misplaced spending priorities, this is the wrong time for Los Angeles' elected officials to take a pay cut.
Okay and listen up - everyone listening? The old, dead Republican Mayor is sending out major props to Mayor Villaraigosa for REFUSING HIS RAISE. You guys moan and complain that I never say anything good about the Mayor; well there you go. I told if the Mayor does something good, I'll recognize. The Mayor did something good here.
Now - will Rocky Delgadillo, Laura Chick and the the 15 members of the Clowncil follow the Mayor's lead and reject the increase? Who will be the first? Let me know - I will put it here for everyone to see.
Labels: laura chick, Los Angeles City Council, mayor antonio villaraigosa, pay raise, rocky delgadillo
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 11/15/2007 12:43:00 AM
Anonymous said:
You know the mexican midget mayor is up to something shady. He does need a raise, because he has so many shady deals with large development companies. Zuma has told about all those front end loaded contracts which pay the midget mexican mayor under the table.
You can be sure those sneaky mexican politicos are as low down as shady as corrupt politicnas come.
Don't trust the mexican midget mayor for 1 second.
Listen to KFI for all the dirt on the mexican politicans od Los Angeles.
We need to get rid of the illegal aliens from our schools, especially our Westside Schools. The uneducated mexican kids are lowering the standards and test scores of all our Los Angeles schools.
November 15, 2007 3:10 AM
You are so predictable, Salzburger.
You think I work for the Mayor or the Council, but you are wrong, wrong, wrong. Of course, you are wrong about most things, so why should that be different?
You guys are investigating the wrong Commissioner with Kelly Candaele. There was another resignation as well. Did you notice? Did you look him up?
Why not?
Because you are lazy and stupid.
Maybe you will now, or maybe you won't. If you don't, you can always read it in the papers in a few months and claim it was you, just like you always do. Loser.
Oh, yeah. You haven't called your mother.
To person quoting city hall spinner making fun of people who are afraid of westside schools being ruined by illegal immigrants bused in who don't speak English. That's just the kind of talk out of the mayor's office that got him so few votes on the westside and west valley in March. Glad you could help us out defeating Jack Weiss. A lot of people voted against him just because he's associated with the mayor. So did I and I hate Trutanich and the unethical bias from the Slimes.
When your mayor talks about improving education and the schools, maybe he should have thought about the whole city even the citizens and taxpayers. All his attention and money went to the Latino schools with lots of illegal immigrants and they don't even want him.
2:36 AM,
And you are talking about my mother. That's reasonable.
Who is that big schlub that hangs around campaign events with Wendy and Jack. Do you think he was in the Dungeons and Dragons club growing up, or the chess club. UBERNERD! UBERSCHLUB!
Parke Skelton?
The Icelandic Aborigine of Los Angeles.
Parks and Zine both get huge police pensions in addition to salary.
So Zine beating his chest on offering to give up some salary without the Times pointing out the whole story is another lapse. Even this week when they did the story on Parks they didn't mention Zine, more bias and just plain unprofessional.
What's this blog going to have to talk about now?
Phil analyzing every soda can candidate is already being done. Walter is whining again and the dogg still preening and threatening.
With people telling them all what jerks they are.
Calling the Mayor a Me chista is very disrespectful to the actual Mechaistas that were involved in the Chicano struggle for civil rights during the late 60's and 70's. I spoke to some of the original Mechaistas and Brown Berets and they remember Antonio Villar more interested in dressing preppy and chasing white woman up and down Wilshire Blvd. He was a mediocre student( UCLA graduation GPA C-). And a failure as a wanna be lawyer. Villar failed the state bar approximately 4-5 times. Let's call it like it is. Villar was and is a coconut when it counted and now that there are many more of us educated Chicanos in the political arena all of a sudden he has found his identity. That “vato” can’t even speak fluent Spanish. He is a skirt chasing career politician in the bad sense of the word a one-time politician. No legacy here...
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