Whistleblower hotline: (213) 785-6098
mayorsam@mayorsam.org

Monday, December 27, 2010

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday

Los Angeles City Council Member Dennis Zine faces a major dilemna as he is allegedly dating a woman who is a lobbyist for a major firm that was denied a lucrative contract at LAX.  The firm is now protesting that decision.  Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies in West Los Angeles told the South Bay Daily Breeze that Zine should recuse himself from voting on the contract.  Because Zine is not married to the lobbyist and would not personally benefit, it may not be illegal for him to participate in deliberations.  However Stern said  "He shouldn't be participating in a decision that involves somebody he's dating, and he certainly shouldn't be the one leading the charge on this. It just doesn't look appropriate."

The State of California desperately needs money and USC wants to buy the Coliseum, next door to the campus and the home of it's football games.  The Coliseum Commission, as well as Council members Jan Perry and Bernard Parks are saying "hold the phone."



Yet another goofy round of predictions laid bare for 2011.

Thanks to the efforts of Lydia Grant and others, an innocent young man has been freed.

Our friends at the LA Fire Department remind you if you have an organic Christmas tree you take it down and recycle it now to avoid the risk of a dry tree catching fire.

Speaking of Christmas trees, on Saturday I had the opportunity to drive past the shady Home Depot Tree Lot in Sunland-Tujunga.  I have never seen a tree lot on Christmas Day (and years ago I even worked on a tree lot) have nearly the whole lot still full of unbought Christmas trees.  Can you say EPIC FAIL?

Labels: , , , ,

16 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I understand that the company Z's gal lobbies for is not highly regarded by many. Here's a link I got from Ron Kaye's comment section.

http://skaddenpractices.skadden.com/fca/show_case_doc1.pdf

December 27, 2010 4:38 AM  

Blogger Loretta Mahon said:

Hallo every one! I hope you have a Happy xmas and an Merry New Year!

December 27, 2010 8:57 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

You mean this Skadden?

New York based Entrust Capital co-founded by Gregg S. Hymowitz (a former vice-president at Goldman, Sachs & Co. and previously an attorney with Skadden Arps) is implicated in the widening New York Pension corruption scandal.

December 27, 2010 9:39 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Dennis is a dork. He endorsed Alvin Jackson for D.A. two years before the election. These two dorks deserve each other.

I bet Alvin is trying to figure out how to repell this endorsement.

December 27, 2010 10:01 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Interesting read at the Weekly on Huizzy. You guys get some reference from Jill Stewert.

http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2010/12/jose_huizar_15_million_missing.php

December 27, 2010 10:44 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

10:44, the Weekly blog post isn't anything that any readers of this blog haven't been aware of for years. If you need hits, just point an auto-clicker to your blog.

December 27, 2010 11:44 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The value of LA Weekly is its print edition. The blog is a tumbleweed connection. More people will see the link posted here than from the original source.

December 27, 2010 11:45 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

"Zine dating a woman who is a lobbyist for a major firm that was denied a lucrative contract at LAX. The firm is now protesting that decision."

Looks like we can show up to the council meeting and talk about Dennis Zine's girlfriend during general public comment, now. So be it!

December 27, 2010 11:48 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

So Jan Perry says the deal to sell the land under the Coliseum to USC is moving too fast and it needs more openness and public involvement.

Yet it's OK for her to be in private discussions with AEG to build a football stadium downtown that requires tearing down the West Hall of the Convention Center and forcing the taxpayers to pay for rebuilding it. A need that AEG says the City must OK by March.

December 27, 2010 12:11 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

2011 prediction: Phil and the Wacko Loon get married.

December 27, 2010 12:45 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Higby,

Your delusional "friend" Phil Jennerjahn is writing about what he will "do to the cause of Islam if elected to public office."

I don't know if it's more disturbing that he intends to harm good people, or if it's more disturbing that he still thinks he has even a remote chance of being elected to janitor, let alone anything higher.


You sure can pick 'em, Higby, can't you??????????? How is this guy smart again? I forgot what you said.

December 27, 2010 1:14 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

It's time for a public outcry to amend Los Angeles COUNCIL'S LEGISLATIVE BRANCH SALARIES that are attached to the JUDICIAL BRANCH, “judges of the Municipal Court.”

It is obvious their OVER INFLATED LEGISLATIVE BRANCH SALARIES need to be placed before the voters in a special election, which will allow their LEGISLATIVE BRANCH SALARIES of over $170,000 a year to be adjusted and consistent with other legislative branch salaries of $95, 291 or less.

Remember, there are three branches of government for checks and balances, Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The current Los Angeles Charter needs to be changed because council's duties and salaries belong in the Legislative Branch, NOT IN THE JUDICIAL BRANCH.

Los Angeles Charter - Article II Sec. 218.
Compensation of Elected Officers

(1) Salaries. Members of the City Council shall be paid a salary equal to that prescribed by law for judges of the Municipal Court of the Los Angeles Judicial District or its successor in the event that court is dissolved or reconstituted.

The Controller shall be paid a salary that is 10% more than that of a Council member. The City Attorney shall be paid a salary that is 20% more than that of a Council member. The Mayor shall be paid a salary that is 30% more than that of a Council member.

The Controller shall be responsible for ascertaining the salary of Municipal Court judges and for setting and adjusting the salaries of elected officers in accordance with this section. Salaries shall be paid in bi-weekly increments unless the Council, by ordinance, prescribes otherwise.

(3) Operative Date of Changes in Salaries. The salaries of elected officers shall be adjusted in the manner provided in this section upon the effective date of any change in the salaries of Municipal Court judges.

December 27, 2010 1:46 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

1:46

OK, we get the point. The City Councilmembers salaries are too high and shouldn't be attached to Superior Court judges.

Now, do you have any thoughts about how to get a change on the ballot?

December 27, 2010 4:21 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

The rent is 2 damn high, too.

December 27, 2010 5:17 PM  

Blogger Petra Fried in the City said:

Drove past the Home Depot XMass tree lot on Sunday to point and laugh. No one saw me, but it made me happy.

December 28, 2010 11:27 AM  

Anonymous g said:

The problem in this town is too many of you let someone else make costly choices for you think of the next ballot and pay rates for one. Do you let your kids make all your decisions in your life?

December 28, 2010 4:42 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home

Advertisement

Advertisement