Mayor V Wants Some PayPal Love for M Jax Funeral
If its good enough for Zuma Dogg it must be good enough for the City of Los Angeles. Faced with mounting costs for the Michael Jackson spectacle currently underway at Staples Center, Rolling Stone reports that Mayor Villaraigosa is actually soliciting PayPal contributions on Twitter to recoup City expenses for the Jackson service.
Poor Matt Szabo had to make this announcement to the press while trying to retain whatever dignity he could.
It appears the reaction from Staples Center owners and Michael Jackson tour promoters AEG allegedly was to tell City officials to essentially pound sand when it comes to AEG covering any of these costs. This is the same AEG that has received millions in taxpayer subsidies from Los Angeles over the years and who stands to collect on a $17 million life insurance policy they took out on Jackson.
Reports are that newly seated City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is exploring legal options to recoup some of the expense from AEG. Stay tuned.
The donations would help “the public safety resources needed to ensure his memorial remains safe, orderly and respectful,” the Mayor’s Office said. Fans are asked to give money to a Paypal account established to help raise funds (The link, posted on Villaraigosa’s Twitter, is currently down.)
Poor Matt Szabo had to make this announcement to the press while trying to retain whatever dignity he could.
It appears the reaction from Staples Center owners and Michael Jackson tour promoters AEG allegedly was to tell City officials to essentially pound sand when it comes to AEG covering any of these costs. This is the same AEG that has received millions in taxpayer subsidies from Los Angeles over the years and who stands to collect on a $17 million life insurance policy they took out on Jackson.
Reports are that newly seated City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is exploring legal options to recoup some of the expense from AEG. Stay tuned.
Labels: AEG, mayor antonio villaraigosa, michael jackson, paypal love, staples center
Posted by Michael Higby @ 7/07/2009 11:59:00 AM
24 Comments:
Zuma Dogg is going to make his public comment after Mariah Carey sings again.
The city held all the cards BEFORE this deal was made. Where was Zine the loud jerk then? Letting Jan Perry mishandle it on her own so she'd be one less potential rival down the line, letting her fall on her face to show how over her head she is first time confronted with any major issue on her own. Now all she can do is plead, "it would be nice if AEG and the jackson family pitched in," she says. What a CEO.
This is not a First Amendment/ Civil Rights issue, LA could have denied the permits as Neverland/ San Luis Obispo did. And/or could have set our clear paramenters. But both Perry and Zine told tv reporters they were clueless about the details of the memorial OR the Forest Lawn ceremony as recently as yesterday, by which time LAPD had already spent millions guarding the various JAX sites.
The total will be over $4 million but any hotel tax etc. revenues go to the General Fund, NOT LAPD budget which both Zine and Perry, as well as Parks, voted to CUT.
BUT Zine and Trutnich didn't do zilch either when it mattered -- NOW Zine is bitching about AEG (though the JAX family has a deal for the memorial "show" and raking in tons of money from royalties etc.) to make it look like HE's in charge, NOT. You don't hit up your corporations AFTER the fact, though the Mayor was sucessful doing that with the Lakers because of his own clout.
Perry AND Zine and Parks were willing to pull the plug on the Lakers parade, then when the Mayor scared up private donations for it, Zine went on Kevin James' show that very night to attack him for "stealing" his and Perry's "idea" (ideas aren't money even if were true, you fool) and they actually turned this work of the mayor into "another one for his recall file."
I don't like this mayor much when it comes to some issues BUT a backstabbing two-face like Zine is the lowest form of political life and has to be called out for it. Sickening how right after he badmouths the mayor he goes out and mugs on camera with him.
Yes let's shame AEG AND JAX/ Joe JAX into kicking back to the city that is giving them this HOLLYWOOD photo op, but what we really need are competent "leaders" not idiots who try to run around aFTER the fact trying to take "credit" backstab and harass corporations because they blew it when they HAD all the cards in their hands.
Please, just bury this poor exploited man now and let him rest in peace.
Better this on Paypal, than a dime to Zuma Dogg.
I'm always willing to do my fair share, and then some. $4 million to police 400 people gathering outside the Staples Center (not 400,000).
$4 million dollars, and there are 4 million people in L.A. Do the math. What's your fair share?
I even put a few extra bucks in to cover the ante for my mayor and my councilman, etc. -- neither one of which will donate a dime themselves.
So, that's that, and I feel all warm and fuzzy now (no guilt here), below is a copy of my receipt (with identifying marks removed)
Receipt
Contributor: XXXXXXXXXX
Donations Coordinator:
City of Los Angeles
mayor@lacity.org
Confirmation Number:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Placed on Jul. 7, 2009
Purpose "My fair share"
Donation amount $5.00 USD
Total Amount: $5.00 USD
How do we know how much money will be donated and if its going straight to the gang banger Mayor do you really think LAPD will see it? tim Liweke AEG head dog is best friends with Antonio. If Antonio had any balls as a man he would TELL TIM pay up buddy. Jan Perry allowed the Jackson family to abuse and use 'LAPD and be at their beckon call. They were all over the damn city because of this circus memorial. AEG will make millions you are right. Trutanich showed his stuff walking into council chambers to tell those idiots you Fuck Up big time and now I'm going to fix it. Perry wasn't too happy to see him.
Although they were expecting 250,000, according to one LAPD account there were only 1,000 people around the perimeter.
Give till it hurt$, folks.
Even while on Safari, exploring Obama's actual birthplace, our Mayor manages to mismanage! But w/ the death of MJ, L.A. couldn't ask for a more "shovel-ready" project- Ha! By the way, it's Virgin Controller Wendy GREUEL who should've put her civic-minded cost-conscience foot down when it came- not Nuch-- we'll need him when we sue AEG. Wendy's already wimping out-- (further proof she's the mayor's shill); she just doesn't have the guts to deny the nice black "grieving" show-biz family anything.
This is a cruel post mayor sam.
RIGHT ON RITA!!! Where the hell has our new city controller who is in charge of the money been? How weak of her not to take a stand on this money issue. This shows early on she's afraid what to say or say the wrong thing. Maybe you guys were right about her being an Antonio lapdog. You know Laura Chick N Shit would have had the council's heads on this one.
What a bunch of morons blaming Wendy, when her job is no longer to set policy, and trying to turn Nuch into the hero with his lapdog Zine, who hopes the Republican Machine will pick off Perry and the rest so they can put their own shills in. But I'm glad Nuch will be all up Jan's butt, she deserves it, as do ZINE AND PARKS AND ROSENDAHL, just stop this crazy hero worship without reason that's been on this blog, Ron kaye etc. from the moment that shill for Cooley carpetbagged into the city.
He should've been "advising" his lapdog Zine who should have prevented this mess, being second in command to Perry, instead of on purpose letting Jan Perry show how way over her head she is and being bamboozled by her "important black friends" like the Jacksons, Nation of Islam goons who work for them, Al Sharpton and the rest.
Zine and Trutanich playing one-up-manship has cost us over $4 Million so far and trying to make AEG look like "bad guys" isn't good for attracting business, some Republicans. Plus recouping costs now will go into the General Fund NOT to the LAPD -- and Zine, Parks AND Perry and Rosendahl ALL voted to CUT LAPD budget already, taking money from the tripled trash fee hikes promised for 1000 cops into their mismanaged General Fund.
1:05 says: How do we know how much money will be donated and if its going straight to the gang banger Mayor. . .
It IS, and the mayor is going to spend it on CHEAP BOOZE, just like that bum you yelled at the last time he was hanging out in front of your office panhandling.
GEEZ. Tell it to the Greuel-troller.
does anyone know why the Jackson family didn't let Jesse Jackson speak nor was he invited to the private lunch at the Beverly Wilshire hotel. Between the two evils of jesse and Al Sharpeton why did they allow that loud mouth loser Al to speak?
Got your blame wrong again, Ch. 7 reports that this was Acting Mayor Jan Perry and the council with Zine resorting to this "unusual step."
YOU ALL
ARE NOT PATRIOTIC
AS I AM
putting up my home for sale...
...for MJ and
Mayor GangMember
And then there were 10
COUNCIL DISTRICT 02 Candidates
Mary K Benson
Benson for City Council 2009
11070 Sheldon Street
Sun Valley, CA 91352
Telephone: (818) 767-8307
Email: c-maryb@msn.com
DOI: 06/22/09
Jozef "Joe" Thomas Essavi
Joe Essavi for City Council 2, 2009
6119 Longridge Ave.
Van Nuys, CA 91401
Telephone: (818) 370-1745
Email: jessavi@yahoo.com
DOI: 05/05/09
Christine Essel
Chris Essel for City Council 2009 (ID:1318649)
3699 Wilshire Blvd., #1290
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Telephone: (213) 624-6200
DOI: 06/01/09
Tamar Galatzan
Tamar Galatzan for City Council 2009
777 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 4050
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Telephone: (213) 452-6565
Email: lbeaver@kaufmanlegalgroup.com
DOI: 07/06/09
Laurette Healey
Pending
555 S. Flower St.
Suite 4210
Los Angeles, CA 90071
DOI: N/A
Paul Krekorian
Krekorian for City Council 2009
1212 S. Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502
Telephone: (818) 260-0669
DOI: 06/16/09
Michael McCue
Michael McCue for CD 2, 2009
4325 Troost Ave. #3
Studio City, CA 91604
Telephone: (818) 762-4595
Email: myklmcq@aol.com
DOI: 06/29/09
Peter Sanchez
Pete Sanchez for City Council 2009
4965 Irvine Ave.
Valley Village, CA 91601
Telephone: (818) 424-5763
DOI: 07/06/09
Frank J. Sheftel
Committee to Elect Frank Sheftel for CD 2 2009 (ID:1318574)
12759 Stagg Street
North Hollywood, CA 91605
Telephone: (818) 726-6468
DOI: 05/20/09
John T. Walker
Walker for City Council 2009
4155 Farmdale Avenue
Studio City, CA 91604
Telephone: (818) 980-9497
Email: johntwalker1@mac.com
DOI: 06/22/09
Michael Jackson's last words discovered!!!
"Take me to The Children's Hospital."
@CreepyLA:
Did Michael Jackson’s ghost appear live on CNN’s Larry King at Neverland Ranch?
http://tinyurl.com/ly7m2c
It may be costing the city up to $4 Million now, but I bet the city will recoup many times that cost in airport, hotel, and sales tax from the hundred of thousands of tourist from around the world who will make the pilgrimage over the coming years to visit MJ house in Encino, the rented houses in Bel Air, his star of Hollywood Blvd, and his burial site.
Trutanich sounded like an idiot in Council today with his public comment blaming the LAPD for costing the city $2.5 million for security today. (Not clear if that's for the memorial alone or also for burial at Forest Lawn, escorting the family and guests to lunch and home to Encino, etc.)
Nuch said that with only 2500 people outside Staples and LA Live instead of the hundreds of thousands some projected, "that comes to $10,000 per person" and is outrageous.
It's NOT LAPD's fault for being SO prepared that they managed to keep crowds away! They've been all over the media telling people who don't have tickets to stay home and it worked. Looking for the trouble-makers from the Lakers riots served as a deterrent too.
His wanting to "recoup costs from AEG" is chasing the cat after its out of the bag - Perry and Zine as Acting Mayor and Second in Command should have thought of that while they held all the cards which was BEFORE issuing a blanket permit.
PErry hadn't even been aware of the details of the memorial or funeral as recently as yesterday so the media starting with Ch. 7 had to step in to figure it out. But Zine and Trutanich should've been advising her then not letting her twist in the wind to show how dumb she is, and now Zine's all over the media blaming "the city" that is her and Trutanich is making AEG look like "bad guys." AEG took the hit when Michael died and their investment in his tour looked like a loss -- if they're making money on this and they are, they AND the family should have been made to give up a % of tour profits toward LAPD/cleanup expenses etc., since the city as a whole is what the world saw, the "Hollywood" of their dreams. It wouldn't have been the same in say Palmdale!
But you DON'T castigate LAPD and a big business NOW making L A look business-unfriendly and dumping on LAPD like Trutanich did touring his campaign tour as soon as he got his Republican Machine to persuade Police Union head Weber to kick him almost $1 million.
Jan Perry begging for charity on paypal and telling AEG and JAX family that "it would be nice" if they kicked in is dumb but just as much thanks to Zine Nuch's lapdog and errand boy.
What's the difference between a Disney movie and Michael Jackson?
Disney movies can still touch children.
Due to the large, sell out crowd that today's performance drew, AEG has decided to move forward with the Michael Jackson world concert tour. Joe Jackson has given permission to hold off on burial plans until the tour is over. Jackson's casket (or a stand in casket) will be on stage and serenaded to tapes of Michael's greatest hits.
AEG anticipates a sell out performance. In order to bypass the usual expenses, the concert will be billed as a memorial tour and covered by AEG's, newly formed, Michael Jackson Memorial Foundation.
There will be a special dancing performance by Bubbles the chimp.
I spoke with two people, whose name I didn't see mentioned who said they are going to run for CD2. Two grass-rooters. One is a medical marijuana activist (not Frank, another one) and the other guy is a former NAVY guy I met at the polls election day, who called me today to see if there was still time to pick up the paperwork and he said he was going to do that tomorrow. We'll see.
4:52
That's the city's Bull-SH.. story, and GUESS WHAT it's ALL already been proven bogus.
Only about 15K went to the funeral (most of those because they won free tickets -- which means most were fairly local; only a small portion really had time to FLY in since they were notified). And, only a couple thousand more stood outside FOR THE FUNERAL, most of those were probably LOCAL to begin with. (Not HUNDREDS of thousands).
Even if a few thousand of those inside/outside came to town, got a hotel room, and ate a couple nice meals here before heading home -- what's the City's tax take on all that? A few thousand bucks - TOPS. (Most of which will go to the STATE).
Then you have to factor in all the LOCAL people who avoided downtown because of the BAD predictions -- and that's LOST revenue, on the flip side.
Plus reporters said cops were letting bunches of people in without tickets right before it started -- because of so many no-shows (who probably didn't have time to travel in, or couldn't sell their tickets on eBAY).
You're drinking the Kool-Aid (or is it "Jesus Juice" served in coke cans?
L.A. will eat most of the $4 million, raw, without ketchup, and in the end, most of it won't have even been necessary, because they hired the same people to estimate crowds that handled the 1984 Olympics (when we were all told to STAY HOME). Then, as well, there was hardly any additional traffic. Just a bunch of house-bound Angelenos.
From LACity.org PayPal page:
"Have A Better Idea? Let us know."
ZD Reply: A better idea would be to reverse time and have the mayor do everything differently from day one. I'm sure even HE would admit that at this point. How could he not? Resigning is still an option. So are indictments.
Sorry, I know it's petty, but I couldn't resist. I'm sure it will get someone's goat.
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