Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Tuesday

Building the "Huizzy Broadway Choo Choo" is going to cost an unexpected more, good chunk of change, try almost $200 Million Dollars.

Geez, who forgot the cost of the electrical infrastructure for CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar's legacy project to self, the "Huizzy Broadway Choo Choo"?

CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar after getting whack with LA Times Fishwrap disclosure of the estimated, additional $200 Million Dollar cost to build his "Huizzy Broadway Choo Choo".

 

Great overcast morning to all as we give kudos to the "Old Gray Collectivist Hag on Spring Street" (aka LA Times) for an accidental act of journalism at the expense (in political capital) of CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar ( ** who BTW, graduated from the top rank college in the country, PRINCETON).

One would surmise that a graduate of a top-tier university would have the conceptual abilities to manage numbers ( or massage them for political gains), especially on the projected cost of a proposed legacy project to self, whoops, meant selfless vision to reinvigorate the Downtown LA "Broadway Corridor". But we must remember, numbers ( or the truthful disclosure of them in the case of the CLARTS Fund), is not a Councilman Huizar "pillar of ethical strength".

As we hop on the cyber choo choo of background, we can recall that the Downtown News outed Councilman Huizar and his "LA Streetcar/ Bringin Back Broadway Team", for understating the true tax limit on Broadway area property owners ($85 Million compare to the publicly stated $64 Million). Thus, a Councilman Huizar mouthpiece, can argue that low balling estimates is a virtue as long as the end result benefits everyone ( especially a certain councilman's legacy, but I digress), as Bringin Back Broadway Executive Director Jessica Wethington McLean states ........

A representative of Councilman Jose Huizar, who has championed the project, said his office would "aggressively pursue" additional federal grants. Staff members also suggested that the Department of Water and Power cover the cost of replacing some utilities, such as aging water pipes, under downtown streets.
"We're not losing any sleep over these numbers," Jessica Wethington McLean, the executive director for Bringing Back Broadway, told officials. "They represent a 100% perfect solution, which is very unlikely."
She referred to the expectation that engineers will modify the plans to make them more efficient. That could involve reducing the number of streetcar stops or slightly shifting the tracks to dodge utility lines.

........ and judging from the image above, the "Huizzy Broadway Choo Choo", has been dodging poles, power lines and fiscal reality for some time.

 

The Academia Semillas del Pueblo Education Collective faces off against the LA County Board of Education.

The appeal process is running out for Academia Founder Mark(os) Aguilar and his followers. What will come next?

Your thoughts ..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14

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Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Tuesday

 Councilman Jose Huizar's  former Downtown BID guy Russell Brown.

Broadway Property Owner Joseph Hellen's billboard support of former CD 14 City Council Candidate Rudy Martinez.

As CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar enters the first Fall of his second term in office, what is readily apparent to political observers, is the Princeton grad's inability to bring about consensus through freedom of choice, with the recent troubles on Broadway being latest manifestation of the "Huizar Way" of doing business. The "Huizar Way" is based upon the narcissus cravings of the Boyle Heights resident that predicates constituent loyalty to him before resolution of your given issue. 

Broadway property owner Joseph Hellen knows all too well the ramifications of not being subservient to the "Huizar Way", witness their clashing visions for Broadway. As local historian D.J. Waldie reports for KCET Socal Focus, the decision of the "little Downtown BID that could", to replace Huizar supporter Russell Brown as its E.D. has set up this latest challenge to the "Huizar Way" where the desires of "Big Huizzy" comes before the needs of his constituents.

** LA Weekly Editor Jill Stewart report that a three judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court has rule that "Blue/Green Coalition" scheme to force truck drivers to join the Teamsters as part of Mayor Antonio Villar's plan to bring clean trucks to the Port of Los Angeles, was struck down. Meanwhile Neon Tommy had reported sometime back how the Mayor's office was playing dirty with the supposed clean air facts. 

** We bring you the latest on CASA 0101's Josefina Lopez who describes "Being Stupid and Idealistic and Creative" with ...............** CRA money? ** Our editorial comment.

** Expect cooperation between the Los Angeles Sheriff Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation should become more strain, in light of the report that the FBI paid a deputy $1,500 to smuggle a cell phone to an informant in County Jail. Expect some damaging revelations to come from this sting.

** The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors held a close door meeting today with Governor Jerry Brown that had some "open government advocates" wondering aloud about possible Brown Act concerns.
** KCBS Investigated Reporter David Goldstein gave the television treatment to the LA Weekly story on the $1 Million dollar giveaway to the designer of Farmers Field Gensler, that should have gone to serve the poor on Skid Row according to activists. Funny to watch the obvious discomfort of Mayor Antonio Villar, as he defends this usage of federal dollars.   

Your thoughts..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14