Mayor Garcetti's "Connected Ladies" seeking new Political Patronage and Community Power

As Eric Garcetti nears the First Anniversary of his ascension to the Office of Mayor, we spotlight some of his "Connected Ladies" and their pursuit of Political Patronage and Community Power, in lieu of their respective campaign support. 

**Blogger's Note: As we near the First Anniversary of now Mayor Eric Garcetti's campaign victory over the former Failure Mayor Antonio Villar and DWP/IBEW Strongman Brian "D'Arcy Rizzo's" Mayoral Candidate of Choice, Wendy "The Political Call Greuel", the time is appropriate to gauge whether the new mayor has made positive inroads into changing the culture of political patronage and entitlement originating from the Third Floor at City Hall. In recent weeks, various community sources and documentation have come to light chronicling the alleged, dubious actions of four prominent Garcetti campaign supporters noted below, who's recent dealings are causing longtime political observers to ponder if now Mayor Garcetti is undertaking a cynical "Back to the Basis" approach in dispensing Patronage and allowing his connected supporters to exert their supposed, new found political power, that is not held accountable to protocols of openness and transparency. If Mayor Garcetti is to move beyond the possibility of being the next incarnation of former one term Mayor James Hahn, the multi-cultured Rhodes Scholar needs to keep a tight, ethical rein on his supporters/appointees, who's community actions are a cause to entertain thoughts that the new Mayor Gacetti Administration, is merely another political machine in the making, instead of a broad based, "Back to the Basics Municipal Coalition", acting in unison in bring about needed reforms and civic reinvention at City Hall---Scott Johnson in CD 14.            

Does "Connected Non-Profit, El Central del Pueblo Executive Director (and Police Committee Commissioner) Sandra Figueroa-Villa, have her eyes fixed on expanding her "Connected Non-Profit's" opportunities into CD 1 (with the help of Board of Director and CD 1 City Councilman Gil Cedillo Staffer Conrado Terrazas)?

If anyone is the poster child for Political Patronage in the new Mayor Garcetti Administration, than they need to look no further than longtime Connected Non-Profit, El Centro del Pueblo Executive Director Sandra Figueroa-Villa. Figueroa-Villa's support of Garcetti, was rewarded with a prestigious appointment to the Police Commission, which raised ethical eyebrows, considering that some of her staff have ties to the simmering corruption issues in Southeast LA County. In recent weeks, speculation has been rampant that Figueroa-Villa is seeking to grow her Connected Non Profit reach from Echo Park, into CD 1. This is causing local political observers to ponder whether new CD 1 City Councilman Gil Cedillo Staffer (and El Centro del Pueblo Board of Directors Member) Conrado Terrazaz is using his official capacity in an unethical manner.   

Did "Connected Non-Profit, Barrio Action Executive Director Tammy Membreno have the alleged help of Mayor Garcetti's staff (** more on that below involving Patricia Alarcon) in seeking to place the LA-32 Neighborhood Council on punitive "Exhaustive Measures" (by making false accusations to shield her personal agenda)?

No one in the LA-32 Neighborhood Council Community of El Sereno was a bigger, understated supporter of Mayor Garcetti's mayoral aspirations than longtime former Councilman Art Snyder and Richard Alatorre Staffer, turned Connected Non-Profit, Barrio Action Youth and Family Center Executive Director Tammy Membreno. Upon Mayor Garcetti's election, Membreno wasted no time in showcasing her new access to City Hall by arraigning to have LA's latest Latino Mayor make an appearance in last year's El Sereno Bicentennial Parade (allegedly, despite reservations from the CD 14 City Council Jose Huizar and losing Mayoral Candidate Wendy Greuel supporters on the Parade Committee). But in recent weeks, Membreno's personal actions in regards to her latest resignation from the LA-32 NC, have prompted community (and blog) scrutiny, whether she initiated contact with Mayor Garcetti's staff in seeking to have punitive sanctions placed upon the NC. The most recent speculation involving Membreno is whether she is seeking to create a Charter School at Barrio Action, with the help of a LA-32 NC Board Member. If the speculation is reality, then this may explain why she and the board member, was against the Charter School proposed in a mixed-use development proposal for a parcel of land near the intersection of Eastern and Lombardy in El Sereno.   

Is Connected Non-Profit, Legacy LA Executive Director Maria Lou Calanche already acting in a dubious, unethical manner by pushing the interest of her organization within the Ramona Gardens Housing Development, as Mayor Garcetti's appointee to the Housing Authority of City of Los Angeles (HACLA) Board of Commissioners?

If anyone among the local Connected Non-Profit Community personifies a political hack in Executive Director's clothing, then that would be Connected Non-Profit, Legacy LA's E.D. Lou Calanche. Seemly desperate to garner public contracts for the Mayor Antonio Villar/Councilman Huizar created community front organization, Calanche mobilize her dwindling ranks of supporters to campaign against the Mayor Villar/Councilman Huizar candidate of choice Wendy Greuel. Her reward for turning her back on Legacy LA's creators was an appointment to the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) Board of Commissioners and apparently, she and her supporters are wasting no time in flexing their supposed power in attempting to move programs from the Ramona Gardens Housing Development, to its Lead and Asbestos-laden Hazard Park Armory location, as the email below notes.

 

From Maggie Aguilar   

To Victoria Ortega, Citlalli Chávez, Alma Morales and 9 More...

Mar 19

Victoria, in the first place we don't play politics' I was sad when they came and told me that the classes we're going to by move to Legacy. I was to by Citlalli that if they moved the class to Legacy they would get more people to attend the class. I know Martha for quite some years and the Martha you don't know. First of all you need to understand that we live in this community and we all know what there about.. I'm glad you see them in a different way, but we don't. I hope you come today at 1:00 to put everything on the table and clear the air... there two side of the story and you should hear what we need to say.. Hope to see you soon.

Maggie Aguilar, President
Ramona Gardens Resident Advisory Council
** We should note that now HACLA Commission Vice-Chairman Lou Calanche's Legacy LA confidant Martha Gonzalez is the same person who was remove by HACLA from the previous RG Resident Advisory Council, along with others for "fiscal reasons" and was recorded on video supporting 7 Eleven's efforts to obtain a Beer and Wine License on the behalf of Legacy LA, in return for donations of goods.

What role did Mayor Eric Garcetti's East Area Director Patricia Alarcon play in having the LA-32 NC placed on "Exhaustive Measures" (** was she misled by former LA-32 NC Vice-President Tammy Membreno and another "Top-ranking NC Board Member)?

Unlike the three Connected Non-Profits Executive Directors supporters of Mayor Garcetti, former USC employee Patricia Alarcon cashed in on her campaigning by being hired as the East Area Director for the Mayor. Alarcon is the East Area Contact Person when constituents have questions, concerns or comments regarding city issues that may merit a response from her boss. That said, its also Alarcon's job to be the designated errant person if one of Mayor Garcetti's Connected Non Profit is in need of Patronage or an act of Political Power to promote their respective personal agendas. Recent emails obtain by Mayor Sam (posted at the bottom), disclose Alarcon's interest in discussing with Empower LA's Employee Lisette Covarrubias the situation involving the placement of the LA-32 NC in "Exhaustive Efforts". Emails from LA-32 NC Board Members (including this blogger) requesting a response regarding concerns outlined, about Empower LA's punitive, subjective actions have gone mostly unanswered. Yet Alarcon, has had contacts over the years with former LA-32 NC Vice-President Tammy Membreno, leading to speculation that her interest in the LA-32 NC situation is at the invitation of her fellow Mayor Garcetti supporter. But whether Alarcon chooses to be open and transparent regarding her discussions with Empower LA, there is no doubt that she is cooperating with "certain members of the LA-32 NC" regarding the upcoming "4th Annual El Sereno Kite Festival", while the rest of the NC is kept in the dark, as the Flyer below illustrates.

Maybe Patricia Alarcon should comment why she is cooperating with certain LA-32 NC Board Members (Edward Santillan and Connie Castro?) in hijacking an NC-created community event while remaining silence about Empower LA's punitive actions?

The Patricia Alarcon Emails to Lisette Covarrubias

What did Patricia Alarcon discuss with Lisette Covarrubias? A community has a right to know.