LA Weekly: AEG to Kick in Money for the Non-Permitted Jackson Memorial

"AEG's Tim Lieweke and a couple of civic friends"

The LA Weekly is reporting this afternoon that AEG will pay an undisclosed amount of money to offset public cost for the non-permitted AEG/Michael Jackson Memorial.

By Tibby Rothman and Dennis Romero

Anschutz Entertainment Group, the owner of Staples Center and the organizer behind the controversial Michael Jackson memorial there in July, will pay to defray at least some of the city's costs to police, direct traffic and clean-up during and after the event.
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Councilman Dennis Zine on Monday said he had breakfast with company CEO Tim Leiweke and that the executive pledged to help end the controversy by contributing some money to cover the city's costs.

The July 7 memorial has been the source of much ire: On Friday the city released a report indicating that it spent nearly $3.2 million to deal with the crowds that came to witness the memorial or just to be near it. The memorial was produced as a television special and was carried on channels throughout the world. A subsequent concert film based on Jackson's rehearsals for his AEG-promoted This Is It concert residency in London has grossed $200 million, with 10 percent of that going to AEG.

As Romero reported in his Friday post "City Spends $3.2 Million To Market The $200-Mil, Michael Jackson Blockbuster 'This Is It'" and follow up this morning. The city through someones unauthorized actions, payed out money to subsidize the making of AEG's flick of Michael Jackson's last moment on a stage in his life.

For Councilman Dennis Zine and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, here is hoping that both of these public servants do not get "weak in the knees and continue in their quest to see that the city is fully refunded for the unauthorized costs of the AEG/ Michael Jackson Memorial.

Morning Briefs and Outtakes with this Backstage Exclusive from the Jackson Memorial

"All of these Resources thanks to the kind Contributions from AEG"

We give you this exclusive from backstage at the Michael Jackson Memorial. This was send to me and I share it so one can gauge the "city resources" on hand. You will find references to city employees in bold.

On Tuesday I joined thousands of others at the funeral services at the Staples Center, the difference is that I was backstage with the artist and many high ranking Police and Fire Personnel. I entered Staples Center before 6:00am and spent a little time looking at the stage set-up and noticing the only people around were police officers and Staple's employee's. I felt a little out of place since I was the only one in street clothes, although I was in a suit, no other public was in the building at that time. Just before 7:00am I was asked by staff if I wanted breakfast, which I accepted (you know me...... I ate two plates) and felt very comfortable. Many high ranking L.A.P.D. Officer were walking around including SWAT Officers with high powered semi-auto-matic rifles. It was just shy of seeing Military type of presence. Some of the early arrivals included..... Smokey Robinson, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Stevie Wonder, and Lionel Richie with his daughter. Other artist arrived through a different entrance such as.... Brooke Shields, Usher, P. Diddy, Mike Tyson and Rev. Sharpton, whom I seen all backstage. When I walked to the Producers Office in Chick Hearns 'Room' shortly after 9:00am and looked at the T.V. monitor and seen the procession is when I started to get nervous. I had no idea that they were going to actually bring the family and services to Staples Center.

I had been recognized enough most of the morning, that my presence was accepted and even utilized for assisting with minor details for the arrangements. The time came when the procession approached and parked at the 'Ramp' (right next to a Heavy Armored SWAT Truck) and the Family brought in the casket. I was close enough to assist with holding open the black curtain and seeing all things take place within 6 feet from where I was standing. I had no idea how beautiful the casket was until I seen it and touched the high polished gold toned casket draped with red roses. They immediately placed the casket behind 2 double doors with about six Police Officers in the doors and about 10 Officers outside the doors. I stood about 10 feet away across the hall until the entire Jackson Family was ready to be seated. All the artist left the dressing rooms and the Family took their seats, that is when the double doors opened and moved the casket into position before the Ceremony was to begin. Again I was only within 6 feet of the casket while the Police Officers held the black curtains heading toward the entrance to the Arena area. This time I did not help as much since the program was about to begin. The choir started, the black curtain split and the ceremony commenced, with a walking procession just 3 to 5 feet in front of me before the light turned on and the audience had a first glimpse of the show that would be seen by billions world-wide.

During my time backstage I had a chance to have Stevie Wonder, Brooke Shields Usher, and Mariah Carey sign my Gold Program which will undoubtedly be a remarkable keepsake. As I was there, staff from the Mayor's Office asked if I could get them a copy for Mr. Villaraigosa, Fire Chief Berry, Chief Fry, and a couple of others. I also handed copies to Captain Chow, L.A.P.D public relations Officer and another copy for Police Chief Bratton. I thank them all for a wonderful job and handling this event. After all things closed, lunch was served and I walked outside to see the light of day and still thousands of people roamed the streets.

I will never forget this experience and the many pleasurable times I have had, not only at this event but all the events I attend regularly. Thanks to many of you reading this, that I may be able to proceed and achieve many great things with support of family and friends.

I am grateful to the Jackson Family and the City of Los Angeles for providing this exclusive opportunity. Thank you to Michael for be an outstanding humanitarian and his success as an entertainer.

"It's not what you know, It's who knows you."

.....and the rest of us pay for this exclusive thanks to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Other News:

** Judy Chu is going to Congress after convincing win in the 32nd Congressional District. No word whether Parke Skelton and Eric Hacopian were seen toasting one another for their joint efforts.

** Los Angeles Mayor chief counsel Thomas Saenz is leaving City Hall to become the head of MALDEF. Wonder if any anglos applied for the position ??

** Daily News editorial: Nudge Nuch to drop lawsuit against City Controller over audit of City Attorney office. One may want to consider the new respective office holders ??

** Ouch!! You pinched me. The City Ethics Commission issued a $2,000 fine Tuesday to a San Fernando Valley-based campaign committee that for the last year has been under investigation by Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley.

In a 3-0 vote, the commission fined Citizens for Dependable and Reliable Leadership, which spent more than $54,000 in the 2005 mayoral election, along with individuals affiliated with the committee -- three of them politicians.

And once again Stephen Kaufman is brought in to clean up the ethical mess.

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

Morning Briefs and Outtakes for the Day after Mayor Villaraigosa's "Screw The Taxpayers Rant"

"Is the City Council still scared of the stare ??"

Is this the "look" that the former Tony Villar, now Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was "born to raise hell" with ?? Maybe one should ask Matt Szabo, considering that the Mayor lampooned his "civic begging" website as "ridiculous" yesterday.

More ridiculous was the Mayor's behavior yesterday as he commented on the controversy over the cost to the city, stemming from the non-permitted event at the Staples Center, known to the world as the Michael Jackson Memorial.

Two weeks into his second term as the Mayor of the nation's second largest city, Mayor Villaraigosa had a "Tony Villar moment" in the course of his arrogant, dismissive remarks, that damned the majority of Angelinos, but send an message to the "exclusive, paying few", that their buddy in City Hall, still had their back side.

Lets recap what AEG paid to become one of those "exclusive, paying few".

From the archives of Mayor Villaraigosa's "Troll For Dough A-Thon".

* $19,000 from executives and employees of Anschutz Entertainment Group. AEG received up to $270 million in financial help from the city to build LA Live, a complex in downtown Los Angeles that is slated to include a 54-story hotel.

*The fundraiser at L.A. Live was (corrected to current tense) co-hosted by Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group, according to an invitation filed with the city’s Ethics Commission. Three years ago, Villaraigosa supported AEG’s plan for building L.A. with roughly $270 million in city subsidies (ie. corporate welfareism that former Councilman Joel Wachs fought against for the AEG's Staples Center and won).

*Since Villaraigosa took office, AEG has given $485,000 in contributions to various mayoral initiatives, from a telephone tax measure on February’s ballot to Villaraigosa’s ill-fated effort to gain control of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

And one wonders why AEG gets a free ride on the backs of the taxpayers ??

But if Mayor Villaraigosa thinks that his visual and verbal theatrics still can instill fear in politicians and the average citizen, then the Mayor better read the comments at the LA Times.

......and this time you have a City Attorney who knows all too well the "ways" of Tony Villar/ Mayor Villaraigosa.

Other News:

** Los Angeles Times has profile on the Pueblo Del Rio Housing Project in South LA. One wonders if it cost $2500,00 to install a toilet in these projects.

** City Attorney Carmen Trutanich criticizes last week's Planning Commission's vote on new billboards around the Los Angeles Convention Center/ LA Live Complex. Criticism of actions at City Hall is an good barometer of a focus City Attorney.

** Breaking News from LAUSD, a teacher can be terminated despite the efforts of UTLA.

** Governor "Kennedy Republican" vs. State Employees Unions coming to an visual and verbal medium near you. Here's hoping that Arnold dosen't go "Girlie Man" against a fed up majority.

** "Chu and Chu" on your choice for Congress in the San Gabriel Valley today.

** Welcome to the "City of Van Nuys ??" the "Crusin capital of the Valley".

As the City Council wades into the emotionally charged battle over renaming a portion of Van Nuys, the issue has gotten so hot that some activists want Van Nuys to form its own city rather than continue to be nibbled away by neighboring communities.

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

Morning Briefs and Outtakes for Mayor Villaraigosa's return to the Third Floor.

"What did I miss while on vacation ??"

With a Twit, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced his return from the wilds of South Africa.

Villaraigosa and his girlfriend Lu Parker, was again missing in action when Los Angeles became "ground zero" for breaking international news, with the Michael Jackson Memorial and the political fallout over the cost to the city.

The debate over the cost will continue this week in the City Council and the lesson will provide column inches of fodder for the likes of the Daily News Rick Orlov who scribed this thought in today's "Tipoff Column".

OK, everyone take your seat. It's time for another lesson in L.A. Politics 101.

Rule No. 1: Any time you leave the city, know that the risk of a major event happening increases exponentially.

Just ask Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, whose 2007 trip to Mexico and Latin America was cut short by the May Day disturbances. Then in the aftermath of Michael Jackson's death, as the controversy over the city's costs for his memorial service mushroomed, Villaraigosa was vacationing in South Africa.

But at least he will have a present waiting for him when he returns to his Third Floor desk, as excerpted from a e-mail of someone who was backstage at the Memorial.

"During my time backstage I had a chance to have Stevie Wonder, Brooke Shields Usher, and Mariah Carey sign my Gold Program which will undoubtedly be a remarkable keepsake. As I was there, staff from the Mayor's Office asked if I could get them a copy for Mr. Villaraigosa, Fire Chief Berry, Chief Fry, and a couple of others. I also handed copies to Captain Chow, L.A.P.D public relations Officer and another copy for Police Chief Bratton. I thank them all for a wonderful job and handling this event. After all things closed, lunch was served and I walked outside to see the light of day and still thousands of people roamed the streets."

We will post this e-mail in full later, for it highlights the massive use of city resources for this event. BTW, were the Mayor's staff on city time when attending the Memorial ???

Other News:

** A voter out of every ten will likely venture to a voting booth tomorrow in the runoff for the 32nd Congressional District. Parke Skelton client Judy Chu, is the prohibitive favorite to win the seat vacated by Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.

** Los Angeles Times resident "sock puppet" Michael Hiltzik again takes Prop 13 to task in his latest missive regarding the state's budget woes.

** Another Times scribe, Tim Rutten takes up the cause of Homeboy Industries.

The city of Los Angeles promised to make $500,000 available as payment for services. The money was to come in monthly increments, starting July 1.

That date came and went without a word from City Hall, let alone a check. Friday, I asked Jeff Carr, who runs L.A.'s gang-intervention efforts for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, what had happened to the promised funds? He explained that the city intended to pass along $500,000 in federal aid previously earmarked for Boyle Heights, but had discovered the account was $160,000 short. The mayor's office is trying to scrape the rest of that money together, and then must get federal Department of Justice and City Council approval to allocate it to Homeboy.

But they did get a $200,000 contract to make t-shirts, go figure.

** And lastly, a former veteran of CD 14 "cut and paste battles" Robert Urteaga is facing a recall in Montebello. More on this later.

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 on the Jackson Memorial continues

"AEG's Tim Leiweke, NBA Commish David Stern and local politicos"

An axiom of life is "if one wants something, then you must pay the price".

With that theme in mind, lets use the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) and Los Angeles City Hall as an example.

AEG wanted to built a "destination attraction" to stimulate the development of new revenue streams, radiating from the area around the Staples Center, at the best possible price.

The politicos at City Hall wanted a new tourist draw in an area vacated on most evenings after events at the Staple Center, to bring in new tax revenues.

And what did each party get in their respective quests ?? Lets consider the numbers......

For AEG, it was $270 million in subsidies from city tax payers for their $2.5 billion "LA Live Project".

For Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other members of the city ruling class, their cut included the following.

AEG and its executives have given hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions to local politicians and their political projects, including $100,000 to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's Partnership for Better Schools and $100,000 to the Mayor's Committee for Government Excellence and Accountability, state and city election records show.

AEG also has contributed to at least 11 of the 15 current members of the City Council, as well as City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo and Controller Laura Chick.

So one must wonder if Councilman Dennis Zine was one of the four councilpeople who did not get any AEG cash, considering the comments directed in his direction by AEG's Tim Leiweke ??

And who gets it in the rear after viewing these numbers ?? Can you say the Taxpayers ??

Comments from bloggers, writers and pundits.

LA Times Steve Lopez

Are there a few opportunists out there, you ask?

More than a few.

A lot of scrappy vendors trying to sell a piece of the man, the media hordes cashing in on the celebrity culture it helps manufacture, the cops collecting overtime, the international telecast selling merchandise to benefit the estate, the owner of Staples Center working a marketing angle or two.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa tried his best to get in on the action as well, asking Jackson fans worldwide to help defray the high price of the city's massive preparation for crowds that never showed.

"Donations will help the city of Angels provide the extraordinary public safety resources required to give Michael the safe, orderly and respectful memorial he deserves," said the mayor in an appropriately strange announcement on a strange day even by L.A. standards, and he added that donations would be tax deductible.

LA Biz Observed's Mark Lacter

The city should pay, of course. Sure, there's outrage over the costs of policing and other services, and yes, we are in the grips of the Great Recession that has L.A. running a half-billion dollar deficit. But in the life of a city stuff happens, whether it's the Jackson spectacle or the Lakers parade. Just be glad the thing came off with minimum fuss. Local officials have a fiduciary responsibility to deal with these one-time, extraordinary events, just as a company would deal with unexpected crises that cost money.

From the LA Times "Glove off on cost of Michael Jackson's services"

There were those who argued that the Jackson memorial might have brought more money into the local economy than it cost.

Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., said his group estimated that the memorial brought about $4 million to local businesses in the form of food sales, parking, miscellaneous shopping and hotel stays.

"We're a center of celebrity," he said.

"You have to be able to deal with it. You have to look at the positives and the negatives. Yes, you have some expenses, but if you handle the whole thing in a smooth fashion, which they did, you get a real positive."

Carol Schatz, president and chief executive of the Central City Assn., said the memorial was actually a mixed bag, economically.

"All the downtown hotels were close to being full as a result of the service," she said. "However, it did not spill over to the restaurants, especially on the day of the service, because so many businesses fearing these enormous multitudes had their employees stay home.

"Still, she said the memorial was "worth its weight in gold" for the attention it brought to "the new downtown that we've created in the last 10 years.

"Taking that argument a step further, Joel Kotkin, presidential fellow at Chapman University in Orange, said that Jackson's death and memorial helped "brand" the city and would have lasting economic value.

Other news:

LA Weekly "Harder Than It Looks": Villaraigosa's "Model" Schools Bite Back"

This excerpt on a "Dropout Summit"

The dropout summit is, by itself, a great educational experience for students who are missing several hours of class, says dropout czar Duardo — the kind of claim made continually over the years by bureaucrats in a district where high school kids watch lots of films, go on field trips, and still can’t multiply fractions.

Finally, the session breaks up into small “think tanks,” where students have a chance, alongside teachers and parents, to voice their ideas for solving the dropout crisis.

One of their main proposals, Duardo says later, is that the kids want to sleep in. “One of the things they said is that [classes start] too early. They’re not awake. If you look at the research on brain development, that’s not their functional time.”

Good to know — another fact for the district and Villaraigosa to address in their strangely parallel, Rube Goldberg–esque attempts to sift through priorities. “Kids are saying we shouldn’t start school until 10 o’clock,” Duardo offers. “I think it’s definitely something the district could look into — possibly make it an option. Give them more flexibility.”

Over flexibility leds to breaks or breakups, the last possible hope for LAUSD.

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

Provider of food for LA's Finest during Jackson Memorial at nearly $50,000 ??

"Jenson's Market in Wrightwood"

Jenson's Market, formerly known as Holiday Foods, has been an institution in Wrightwood for years.

One can remember multiple visits to the market after camping and hiking in the nearby area, ordering from its fine deli and sampling micro-brews from its well-stock fridges.

Now this quiant, local market is at the center of the latest chapter in the fiscal drama arising from the Jackson Memorial at AEG's Staples Center.

City Controller Wendy Greuel went into a "Laura Chick rant" when she saw that city officials had spent $48,826 for 3,500 lunches from Jenson's Market, which has other locations in the San Bernardino Mountains.

From the LA Times,

The Emergency Management Department spent $48,826 for 3,500 lunches from Jensen’s Finest Foods in Wrightwood in San Bernardino County for first responders during the memorial.

The controller didn’t know about the request until after it was approved, because expenditures under $100,000 can be expedited when the city is “operating in an emergency,” according to a letter she sent to the department’s head, James Featherstone.

Greuel told Featherstone she would have rejected the expenditure, particularly after her staff called a nearby Subway and was given an estimate of $17,491.25 for 3,500 boxed lunches. “That’s a potential savings to the taxpayers of more than $31,000,” Greuel wrote.

Lets also take into consideration the cost in travel and the lost in sale taxes to Los Angeles County since Jenson's is located in San Bernardino County.

But then I seem to remember that San Bernardino County has a lower sales tax.............

Your thoughts........

Special Jackson Memorial Edition of the Ass Clown Award

" Matt spins his way to prestigious honor"

Memo to Matt Szabo in the "Third Floor Spin Chamber" on Spring Street.

Back in the beginning of the New Year, a kind-hearted blogger step forward with an offer of help for your "affliction of spin" for all things, Tony Villar.

To turn down this thoughtful act of compassion was either based upon stout resolution or feeble denial of what ails someone who was in the recent past, consider one of the more thoughtful bloggers in the City of Los Angeles.

And as the world turns their attention to the spectacle that was the final act of exploitation involving Michael Jackson in "physical form", the assemble media was treated to the City of Los Angeles role in exploiting the Jackson Legacy for monetary gain, and crafting the message was none other than Mayor Villaraigosa "minister of spin" Matt Szabo.

From somewhere in the "Southern African Bush" came the directive to ask the general public to pony up cash for something that others should pay for. In this case, those "others" are the corporate welfare recipients from the Anshultz Entertainment Group (AEG).

Withstanding concerns from Councilman Dennis Zine, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and many in the community, Szabo was out the doors of the "Third Floor Spin Chambers" with talking points in hand and pay pal/website set up (Wonder if Community Partners was consulted again ??), where suckers could donate what AEG should cover in their "2009 Exploitation's of Jackson's Legacy Tour".

Szabo meet with journalists who made him do the "Moonwalk of Spin" to skeptical reviews, in his selling of this act of "civic begging". (Matt did you offer free copies of Lu's report on "pubic grooming" for any contribution over $100.00 ?? Think PBS).

One even speculated that Szabo was on the phone with "Bubbles the Chimp", seeking to shakedown some "bananas of contributions", that was not confirmed.

But then Szabo attempted to "Jump the Shark of Spin" by appearing on the "John and Ken Show", in the 4 o'clock hour, and sell the act of civic begging to an audience that was relishing a chance to nail the Villaraigosa Administration for again, granting corporate welfare payments, in form of free public services, to AEG.

Now I don't know if Szabo fancies himself the "Fonz of Spin" or models himself after former Nunez spokesperson Steve "Moo Boy" Maviglio for that matter, but Szabo launched himself toward the "sharks".

......and was torn to threads.

And as Szabo and his "body of spin of all things Antonio Villaraigosa" were torn to threads by the "shark teethes of retorts" from "John and Ken", one wonders if Szabo was heard to cry, whine and sigh, "WHY DID I EVER GO TO WORK, CRAFTING SPIN, FOR TONY VILLAR ??

Thus Matt, in my act of "Blogging Tough Love", I bestow you with the honor of being the winner of the Special Jackson Memorial Edition of the Ass Clown Award.

A award worthy of someone who lowers the dignity of our once great city by spinning "civic begging as honor", and corporate welfare for the likes of AEG as an "civic duty".

Repent while you can Matt!!

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