Outtakes from CD 14: CLARTS Fund Transparency Held Hostage, Day 40 and other CD 14 News

Hola and good Saturday morning from the City of Los Angeles Council District that made "political cut and pasting", the art form of political expression, emulated by many city wide.

We start off this morning with the status of The Voice Newspaper story and request for public documents, in relation to the CD 14 Discretionary Fund known as the CLARTS Fund.

As we noted in a previous "Outtakes from CD 14 Special Report", CD 14 Councilman Jose Huizar's Chief of Staff Ana Cubas, send this email in response to The Voice Editor and Publisher Carlos Morales's request for documents pertaining to the CLARTS Fund.

February 25, 2010

Dear Carlos:

Thank you for your Feb. 23, 2010 request made to our office. I wanted to make sure we acknowledged receipt of your request. We have made “a determination” with respect to your request within 10 days, as we are required to do under the law.

We believe the records are public and we ask you to recognize that you are asking for records spanning a number of years. Given this fact, we estimate that it will take approximately thirty (30) days to fully gather the specific expense information you seek in the first half of your request.

With respect to the second half of your request, relating to council motions, I would encourage you to look at the publicly available information on the City’s Council File Management System (CFMS) website at: href="http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/" rel="nofollow" http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect. There is a simple search function on the CFMS that will allow you to quickly and easily search for any City Council Motions involving CLARTS funding. All of the actual motions are downloadable as PDFs from that site.

Finally, your request asked for information from the last five years, however the Councilmember has not been in office a full five years. The Councilmember was first elected to office in November 2005. We will gladly give you information from that point on. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 213-473-7014.

Sincerely,

Ana E. Cubas, Chief of Staff

Councilmember Jose Huizar

200 North Spring Street, Room 465

Los Angeles, CA 90012

213-473-7014 Phone

It has now been 40 working days since Cubas send the email posted above and still no documents have been made available to The Voice Newspaper.

One needs to strongly consider here whether the integrity of the California Public Records Act, has been violated by the Office of Councilman Huizar. This pocket guide to the California Public Records Act, via the First Amendment Project Website, may be of some help in this matter.

Consider this in regards to making a request for public records.

An agency has 10 days to decide if copies will be provided. (Cubas did do that) In "unusual" cases (request is "voluminous," seeks records held off-site, OR requires consultation with other agencies), the agency may upon written notice to the requestors give itself an additional 14 days to respond. ( Memo to Cubas, 10 +14 does not add up to 40 days of stonewalling) (§6253(c)) These time periods may not be used solely to delay access to the records. (§ 6253(d)) (That is the M.O. of Huizar's office, delay the bad news truth for their boss).

Simply, has Councilman Huizar's office violated the California Public Records Act? Looking at the information above, one can make a case that they have.

Maybe someone should make a request to the Los Angeles County Hall of Records, that the name for Councilman Jose Huizar, should be officially changed to "Councilman Jose Richard Millhouse Nixon Huizar"? But then, one can say that Nixon was a better man for owning up to his past mistakes.

More in the days ahead on the "CLARTS Fund Transparency Held Hostage".

OTHER CD 14 NEWS:

** What is it about Councilman Jose Huizar and rule breakers?

Consider this from today's Downtown News story on the "sad plight and protest" by the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Merchants.

The battle between Olvera Street merchants and the management of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument has heightened in recent weeks, as more than 40 merchants have refused to pay their full rents, which increased on April 1.

The move, which means the cash-strapped city is short more than $72,000 of what is owed, could lead to eviction notices being sent to the tenants, though it is unclear if those would be pursued.

Robert Andrade, El Pueblo’s general manager, said that tenants could face a three-day notice to pay rent or face the consequences. The move came after 43 tenants on April 1 delivered only the amounts they had been paying, in many cases for a decade or longer. Some merchants have protested that the new rate hikes are too steep.

Further, the story cites some of "politically connected merchants" past due rents.

El Pueblo officials for years have tried to increase rents, only to be rebuffed by a powerful and politically connected group of merchants.

Of the 74 tenants on Olvera Street, 17 have 55-year leases, and are not impacted by the new rates. Fourteen have paid the new rates, while 43 delivered checks for the previous amounts.Their increases range from $316 to $5,762.

Tenants that made partial payment include Casa La Golondrina, owned by Vivien Bonzo, president of the Olvera Street Merchants Association. Bonzo, who did not return calls for comment, still owes $5,095 (the total new rent is $10,726) for her 5,363-square-foot restaurant, according to documents that are publicly available. She also owes an additional $1,039 for 1,650 square feet of office space. La Golondrina owes the city more money for April’s rent than any other tenant.

Other tenants that owe substantial amounts include Myrosa Enterprises, run by Mike Mariscal ( ** he is the brother of Recreation and Parks Management Official Mark Mariscal, who we have noted here at Mayor Sam, in the recent past) ; he only paid his previous rent, of $1,046. That makes him $4,234 behind on the $5,280 rent that went into effect April 1. When called by Los Angeles Downtown News, Mariscal hung up on a reporter.

But if Councilman Jose Huizar has his way, these merchants will not have to worry about being evicted.

While Huizar said he has been pushing for higher rents that are fair to merchants and still make El Pueblo self sufficient, evictions “[are] not going to happen,” he told Downtown News. He said that he thinks the merchants have not had an opportunity to negotiate their leases.

This causes the inner political cynic in me to think that Huizar will broker a deal to end this "choreographed standoff" and the merchants will reciprocate at re-election time in 2011. After all, that is the checkered history of political affairs at El Pueblo de Los Angeles.

** Save the subsidized CalTrans renters!! Someone left this comment about today's event in El Sereno.

You are cordially invited to LA RED. On April 24, 2010 (12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.), El Sereno is hosting a mixer based on self-determination. All communities are welcomed. This gathering is an opportunity to create and fortify networks. Come one and all to have some fun in the sun....For directions to the festivities, see link below:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=112016098819943&index=1
April 23, 2010 5:07 AM

Wonder if politically connected former? CalTrans tenant Don Justin Jones, will be the keynote speaker?

** Lastly, has Councilman Jose Huizar, just lost another staff person? This time from his Eagle Rock Field Office? Just wondering..........

Your thoughts as always appreciated.....................

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Morning Briefs and Outtakes for Monday

"The Albert Robleses of Southeast Los Angeles"

The last time I saw these two "Albert Robleses" was in Downtown LA's United States District Court.

Albert T. Robles (top photo) had been found guilty of multiple counts of corruption in the City of South Gate and was awaiting sentencing, meanwhile his defense attorney was Albert Robles (lower photo), former candidate for District Attorney, was attempting to get his client off with some dubious, verbal legal nonsense that drew a quick retort from the presiding judge.

Albert T. Robles was sentence to ten years in prison and Albert Robles went on to run for District Attorney, it is this campaign and the use of "robocalls" that has "Little Albert Robles" (nickname from those in the know in Southeast LA), under investigation for not disclosing who paid for the calls.

One would of thought that with the conviction of Albert T. Robles, that the "Robles Machine" would fade away, but to the contrary, the machine has been entrusted to the likes of "Little Albert" and others (Angel Gonzalez, Chacons, Pedroza, and others) in Southeast LA who were taught by the likes of Lou Moret and Richard Alatorre.

The machine shows its face in the form of political mailers that make outlandish charges from fictional campaign committes, with paid street walkers from "Victory Outreach" handing out campaign material and the use of absentee ballots to get out the vote.

Somebody might want to ask Montebello City Councilman Robert Urteaga how he feels about the Chacons and their tactics, at this time ??

Other News:

** Nick Patsaouras and Doug Epplehart are highlighted today in Daily News Rick Orlov "Tipoff Column. Patsaouras wants to create an office of "ratepayer advocate" to oversee the DWP. Epplehart wants to cut in half the salaries of the Mayor, City Attorney, City Controller and City Council.

Thumbs up on both, but let Corina get her half from Tony first.

** Those low rent paying merchants at El Pueblo have responded to the audit from the City Controller Office and lets guess who is patting himself on the back for his leadership on this issue ?? Hint, huevos for you, if invited.

** A no-brainer from the Editorial Board at the "Daily Moldy Green Sheet" about the need for the City of Los Angeles to revamp its business taxes.

** Rumors are circulating on the streets about fraud in the Mayor's Gang Prevention and Intervention Program, what do you expect when you are paying $6,000 to "Summer Night Lights Advocates" and awarding contracts to those who contribute to re-election campaigns ??

Your thoughts......

Saturday Morning Shorts......

"What will Councilwoman Janice Hahn get from AEG ??"

Shout out to Community Activist and former City Attorney Candidate Noel Weiss, your favorite councilperson is in need of some direct intervention right now before she falls into the abyss of political suicide.

Who in their proper mind set would want to be seen holding hands with AEG's Tim Leiweke and the Jackson Family, considering the mounting backlash over the cost of providing public services for an non-permitted event ??

So while the likes of City Controller Wendy Greuel, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, Councilman Dennis Zine and a vast majority of Angelinos are calling on AEG to pony up the cost for their non-permitted event. Councilwoman Hahn did this according to the Los Angeles Times.

While Zine has railed against the costs of the memorial, Councilwoman Janice Hahn offered a different view, saying the city benefited from the Jackson memorial. Today, Hahn introduced her own motion calling for a complete accounting of the tourism benefits derived from the memorial, saying it promoted Los Angeles as a global destination for Jackson fans.

“Los Angeles really looked good to the world,” she said.

Was Councilwoman Hahn channeling the thoughts of AEG's Tim Leiweke at the time of her motion ??

Did AEG's Tim Leiweke make some future promises to Councilwoman Hahn regarding monetary backing for a parcel tax to support gang handouts, errrrr, creation of new gang prevention and intervention programming ??

Noel, if you could of heard the words that were directed toward Councilwoman Hahn on the radio airwaves yesterday, you would call Janice at her City Hall Office at (213) 473-7015 and tell her for the sake of her political career to cease with this charade.

After all Noel, caring is intervening to save one from further political harm, especially when it is self-inflicted.

Other news:

**Judge accused of bribery attempt

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has been indicted on charges of trying to bribe his opponent in a 2008 election campaign, a spokesman for state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown said Thursday. Judge Harvey A. Silberman and two political consultants are accused of trying to induce Deputy Dist. Atty. Serena Murillo not to run against him in the June 2008 election -- apparently unsuccessfully, because she did run, losing by a margin of 53% to 47%. The three are accused of two counts each of solicitation.

Brown spokesman Scott Gerber said the two political consultants, A. Randall Steinberg and Evelyn Jerome Alexander of SJA Strategies, pleaded not guilty, and Silberman's plea was postponed until a judge could be designated from another county to hear the case. All three were released on $20,000 bond.

KRLA's Kevin James last night equated this indictment to what Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa did for Ricardo Lara and Cindy Montanez in appointing them to the Planning Commission. Thus, deciding not to challenge John Perez for Assembly and the "Zorro Marxist", Richard Alarcon for City Council respectively. Makes you go Hmmmm.

**Downtown News: "City Officials Cautious After El Pueblo Audit"

However, while 14th District City Councilman José Huizar and a representative of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa both said they agree with the general findings in the audit and believe rents should rise, they stopped short of supporting the report’s recommendation that tenants pay market rates of $2.65-$6.75 per square foot a month.

One does not want to bare the wrath of Carol Jacques ??

**From the "Dot Dot Dish Column" at the Downtown Garment and Citizen:

BOO-HOO: 45th District Assemblymember Kevin DeLeon sent out word that tobacco giant Phillip Morris has made him a target of mailers and a phone campaign in a bid to pressure him into opposing a tax hike on tobacco products as part of plans to fix the state’s $26 billion budget deficit. Sorry for all of that pressure, Assemblymember—reckon that’s a downside of having one of the few secure jobs in the district. Let us know when you and your pals in Sacramento balance the budget. Meanwhile, excuse us while we focus on those other mailers that are going to so many of your constituents—layoff notices, furlough orders, foreclosure proceedings, etc…

Couldn't said it better....................

Your thoughts................., and great weekend to all.

Morning Briefs and Outtakes for this Day after the "Fifth of July" Celebration in CD-14

" The "Mayor" speaks on the cost of Michael Jackson Memorial"

*Acting Mayor/ Councilwoman Jan Perry got her face time this morning on CBS's "Early Show" as noted at the Time's "L.A. Now Blog" .

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry said she was concerned about the cost involved in Tuesday's huge Michael Jackson memorial and would "love it" if the Jackson family helped pay some of those bills.

But Perry, speaking on the CBS "Early Show," said city officials have not heard from the Jacksons. Perry, who represents the downtown area, said she did not have a cost estimate for police and other city services that will be needed Tuesday.

*Ron Kaye's OurLA.org writer and CD-14 activist Monica Harmon has some choice comments about allocating city resources, ie. cash, to cover the cost of "maintaining public order" for tomorrow's Jackson Memorial.

*Downtown News Editor and "Scribe of Wit" Jon Regardie had some salient observations and commentary from last week's swearing-in festivities at City Hall.

A note to Mayor Garcetti/Hertzberg/Caruso/Perry/Chick/LaBonge/Wesson/Nuñez/Alarcon (hah! That last one made me laugh as I wrote it) or whoever else envisions him or herself as having a chance to take the oath of office on July 1, 2013: You may want to rethink the idea of allowing other newly elected officials to approach the speaker’s podium on the day you ascend to power. It certainly seems like a magnanimous gesture, but you may get more than you bargained for. (Hey Jon, you forgot Huizar in your list of names, signed Jose Huizar.)

Villaraigosa was very good at the morning event. His 31-minute address was thoughtful and laid out a clear agenda, with notable goals and even a vague allusion to his first-term shortcomings. He was better than he has been in a long time.

But Trutanich was even better. Maybe it was partly because, as a political outsider, he’s still got that new car smell. Maybe it was because, as the son of a San Pedro cannery worker who made it into office as much on his own campaign as on the fact that people hated his opponent, few really know what to expect.

During introductions at the event, Nuch earned the biggest round of applause (master of ceremonies Derek Fisher — yes, the Laker, and no, I have no idea why he was the MC — got the second best response). Nuch got better from there. (And the next day Villar and Parker jets off to Africa to role play Jerry Brown and Linda Ronstadt.)

*That CD-14 bastion of low rents, no oversite and dubious dealings known as El Pueblo is the latest to face an audit from the City Controller's Office. That was met with this retort from El Pueblo Commission Member/ Southwest Society Member/ Woman of the Year, Carol Jacques

Although she had yet to read the report, El Pueblo Commissioner Carol Jacques was critical of the audit, noting that interim City Controller Rushmore Cervantes was a former general manager at El Pueblo.

“I felt there was a conflict of interest there,” she said. “I think you have a guy that was here last time four years ago. It’s like him auditing himself about things he should have completed.” (Wonder how Ms. Jacques would feel about an audit detailing the cost of favors, appointments, and public giveaways to members of the Southwest Society ??)

.....and as we enter the first full week of the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year, is Jose Huizar Deputy Chief of Staff Henry Casas still on the city payroll and why ??

Your thoughts........