Mid-day Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Scene for Monday

Note to LA Weekly's Simone Wilson, "La Raza Democrats" do exist. From Baldwin Park Mayor Pro Tem and former Boyle Heights Resident Marlen Garcia (pictured above) in a LA Times story regarding San Gabriel Valley Redistricting. 

Marlen Garcia, a Democrat and mayor pro tem of Baldwin Park, which is in the proposed new district, said her community had been anxiously awaiting the proposed district maps in hopes that they might bring better representation for low-income Latinos. She said she hoped a new representative would be a Democrat and Latino.

Since she cast her first vote as a teenager growing up in Boyle Heights, Garcia said, "I knew I needed someone in office who has my color skin, spoke my language and understood my living conditions and culture. It had a huge impact." So much for judging leaders merely by the content of their character.

** LA Wave Newspaper "Soulvine" Columnist Betty Pleasant pens her thoughts on redistricting and has the following "scoops". First, former City Councilman Robert Farrell would come out of retirement and run for Janice Hahn's seat if she were elected to Congress. Second, Councilwoman Jan Perry may seek the controller position instead of mayor. And lastly, her favorite councilperson Bernard Parks might also seek    the same position.

** The Central Basin Water District Scandal continues to go macro as the District Attorney's Office of Public Integrity investigate board member's expenditures and reinburstments for spouses meals. Of interest is the $25,000+ in expenditures that Board Member and former Ramona Gardens Resident Art "Thuy" Chacon compiled over the last year. 

**  Former CD 14 City Councilman Richard Alatorre is "surprisingly" in the middle of the CDI Housing Scandal with an "court-appointed overseer" asking the former councilman and alleged lobbyist to account for $1 million in payments. But of further interest is the "no contract payments" of $79,200 from the City of Los Angeles Housing Authority. Makes you wonder why former Executive Director Rudy Montiel and the likes of former HACLA Commissioner Maria Del Angel, were shone the door by Mayor Villar.

** Leave it to the Caltrans bureaucrats to spend on average $71,000 for roofing to refurbish 30+ homes owned by the state transportation agency in Pasadena. And who gets mentioned in the story? None other than "Mr. CalTrans Tenants Rights Advocate" Don Justin Jones, who as of May is a "former Caltrans tenant".    

Your thoughts..............
Scott Johnson in CD 14