Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics: TGIF Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine

Los Angeles City Hall Fiscal Bean Counters are seeking to "cap the pain" of its former illegal Telephone Tax, in a propose settlement deal of a Class Action Lawsuit, that could of cost The General Fund, nine figures in damages.

Are Angelinos getting short-changed in the propose Telephone Tax Settlement?

No Progressive (including "Mayor Gar-Soft-ee") loves to refund Tax Money.

For those who don't believe that one person can effect change at City Hall, then meet Estuardo Ardon.

In 2006, Ardon filed a suit against the City of Los Angeles over its tax levy on telephone services which was not subjected to federal taxation ..........., and nine years later, City Hall is crying a "legalese Uncle", in a attempt to avoid a General Fund-crunching payout.

But for the 1.6 Million Angelinos and roughly 569,000 businesses register with the city during the timeframe outlined in the lawsuit, don't expect anywhere near a full refund of this act of illegal taxation as noted by Jack Humphreville ........., This is a real screw job. We are due over $1 billion (including interest). But we are getting less than $100 million and we have to jump through hoops to get the money.

......., and if you have copies of your phone bills from the time period outlined in the propose Settlement, you can look forward to $30 per person or $50 for each business.

** Meanwhile, as the City Hall Fiscal Bean Counters exhale in their 90% plus lawsuit savings regarding the former illegal Phone Tax, they are busy (in secret of course), in projecting the future General Fund infusion of their next tax scheme being disguise as DWP Rate Increases. San Fernando Valley Activists Gregory Lippe and Richard Moss keyboarded an Op Ed in the LA Times which outlines the future "benefits" to the General Fund .........., In 2014, this transfer alone amounted to $266 million, and the two sources combined provided the city with $600 million. If the rate increase is approved, the 20% going to city coffers would amount to an additional $440 million to $450 million over five years. If the rate increase is not reversed after five years, the city would continue to get a projected annual windfall of more than $100 million.

BTW, those figures more than offset the illegal Telephone Tax payout (times five).

** Hmmm, was there a certain Mayor Eric Garcetti who sternly stated that Employee Unions (with the exception of PPL, UFLAC and of course, IBEW), should not expect any pay raises, until projected fiscal hits to the General Fund were "stabilized"? Well ........., the reality is that "Mayor Gar-Soft-ee", with the blessing of City Clowncil Central Committee Strongman Herman "Mini Amin" Wesson are secretly proposing a ............., four year contract with ..........., a 2% raise on July 1, 2017, adding $40 Million to the annual deficit and $120 million to the four year cumulative deficit.