Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday
Blogger Paul Hatfield reports that next week the Los Angeles City Council may axe funding for the City's system of advisory Neighborhood Councils.
The restaurant industry is quietly racking up victories against nanny staters who want to turn decision making from parents to government when it comes to happy meals for kids.
Rick Orlov says that Clowncilman-Elect Mitchell Englander has been spending the last 11 weeks gearing up to take the 12th Council District Seat being vacated by his boss, Greig Smith. Anyone in the know however is aware Englander has been gearing up for years for the spot. In the Orlov piece, Englander notes of the major happenings since Smith took office in 2003 was the invention of Facebook.
Labels: gold card desk, mayor antonio villaraigosa, Mitch Englander, nanny state, neighborhood councils, paul hatfield, rick orlov, wendy greuel
Posted by Michael Higby @ 5/23/2011 12:01:00 AM
13 Comments:
On this blog I keep commenting about the valley's older leaders and their desire to cling to the proximity of power...the DN fluff on Englander touches on that.
"One of the reasons I endorsed him was because he is such a hard worker," Vitti said. "He has been everywhere throughout the district and he understands what the needs of the Valley are."
No Joe... he hasn't been working hard for the valley. He's been working hard to advance himself. You didn't endorse him because he knows what cd12 needs, you endorsed him so that you can keep your seat at the table.
That's the problem in cd12.
I am convinced cd12 is the oldest in the city. And I am convinced that these old folks have pursed their lips to mithc's ass hoping he goes on to something bigger when the opportunity arises and giving these old folks more power.
Mitch, to his credit, has played the cd12 old folks politics well.
Old folks, like Joe Vitti, don't hold the elected officials accountable... they play along and pat their backs.
So, ask youself, if Wendy had not addressed the parking ticket issue, do you really think the mayor would have issued the order to stop it? Yes as a council member she like all the rest, including the other potential mayoral candidates used it. But as Controller she was now in a position to see the details of the missing 1000 tickets and the lack of documentation, as is now her job. She could very well of kept her mouth shut but chose to speak up. And she is the one being critized? Get a grip on reality.
8:54... the mayor would have never addressed it... and it's not obvious mayor tony and greuel are not political friends anymore.
I am going to assume he's endorsing Beutner, if he chooses to run Padilla.
I'm amazed that Red Splurt isn't jumping all over the "pocho" e-mail exchange that Huizar staffers accidentally sent to hundreds of constituents instead of their normal Friday news blast.
OH, wait, I'm guessing Scott was removed from THAT innocuous distribution list months and months ago. (They don't even trust him, as an NC board member, to receive lists of simple community activities).
Oh well, hundreds of others got to see Coca and one of the ES field deputies discussing whose written Spanish was "mass pocho" (sic).
Mostly it just reaffirms that it's really "incompetence" and not "conspiracy" that reigns supreme at City Hall.
Wendy is full of shit as she has always been.
thanks for the good news about cutting the neighborhood council advisory system money. Not only will it save money, but will free up a lot of time and manpower on this bureaucratic hamster wheel. Tell the participants to go join the Rotary Club or a bowling league.
11:07
True to Mayor Sam's formula, they quote from a week-old LA Weekly report that has since been proven false, and updated (seriously) more recently by the L.A. SLIMES, here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0519-la-budget-20110519,0,434432.story
(Ain't "blog's" supposed to be MORE up to date than the dailies and weeklies, not LESS??)
L.A.'s least city-interested daily reported last THURSDAY (and TWO DAYS AFTER) the Weekly report MS is quoting here, that NCs WILL get most of their money (less another 10 percent).
Mayor Sam needs to change it's slogan to "Home of LAST WEEK'S L.A. Political News."
ANOTHER UPDATE, for Mayor Sam's to post...
Arnold has a "lust" child.
My article about reductions to NC funding was written before the City Council approved the budget. The Council approved a funding level of $40,500 per NC - a 10% reduction. That's two 10% reductions in a row. The mayor could still recommend more of a cut, but I doubt he will.
Personally, most NCs could probably do fine with $40,500 if they avoid mass mailings as much as possible. In my council, we have gone electronic for most communications. When using mail, we target more carefully and send postcards rather than letters.
I think the real issue for NCs is raising awareness of just how poorly managed this city is. We need to show some backbone and demand action from elected officials. That objective would be easier to achieve if we succeeded in getting the stakeholders worked up. Easier said than done.
Paul . . .
"In my council, we have gone electronic for most communications."
With half the city on the OTHER side of the digital divide, what you're basically saying is "if your unplugged, screw you!"
NCs were supposed to be MORE inclusive, not less, and mass mail is STILL the only way to reach the majority of city stakeholders.
Don't be so stinkin' elitist!
Trojan, I really wish you would write for us.
Anyway you are completely right about Vitti and Englander.
Groups like VICA, Valley Vote, etc. are run by and filled with old fools that are all about them and status quo.
With all due respect to my friend and fellow rotund guy, Stuart Waldman, these groups are ridiculous. Stuart might be trying and have some good ideas, but the old school guys who have run the Valley for the last 30-40 years have no new ideas, no vision, etc.
You want to see ideas, vision and all? Go to Santa Clarita. They are plucking our businesses left and right and they truly have a vision for what they want their city to be.
I know a lot of those old guys and like them personally. They were like father figures to me. But there's a point where the torch has to be passed.
Sorry, Stuart!
Speaking of people hwo have outlived their prime, who should we not vote for next?
So far, you are batting 1,000 Higby.
Jose Huizar is hoping you will advise against voting for him for City Attorney after Nuch becomes D.A. (should we vote against Nuch for D.A. as well?)
Huizar should run for City Attorney. That will embolden the DOJ to come after him even more.
Can anyoe explain how Sheriff Baca has thousands of empty cells to rent to the State of California, but his jail is so overcrowded he releases Lindsey Lohan and her posse early because of overcrowding?
Something doesn't compute...
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home