Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday

The DREAM Act, which aims to extend all kinds of goodies to individuals in this country illegally has been reintroduced, though it faces an uphill climb. And despite what some folks might say, racist, hillbilly, Christian Tea Party conservatives are not the reason why. Our regular reader Trojan2002 spills the beans that some very hard core, left wing special interests are the true blockers to the act's passage.

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Sunday Hotsheet

Jane Harman and her cigar club

Villaraigosa consigliere Austin Beutner is mulling over thoughts of succeeding his boss and says he will decide next month.  In a Daily News piece, the Deputy Mayor says despite his personal wealth, he does not intend to self-fund his campaign.  He'd rather sell himself to the usual suspects.

Has LA's teacher union, UTLA, found itself in it's waning days? The LA Times takes a look at the curent state of the once powerful organization which has not elected a school board member in eight years and isn't even trying this year.  As public employee unions fall more and more out of favor with the public, the UTLA has become the poster child for greedy special interests that have sunk California fiscally.

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Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Tuesday: Mike Trujillo Day Two

Mike Trujillo vs the Pasty White Guys

More after the jump...

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Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Friday

The LA Weeky's Patrick Range McDonald hits it AGAIN with a cool Jack-O-Lantern full of the Mayor's hype over the Subway to the Sea. The MTA board passed what Stupidvisor Don Knabe called a "historic" vote to bring the Purple (FKA Metro Red Line Wilshire Extension) Line somewhere near Santa Monica.  McDonald enumerates the Mayor's fantasies about the line unlike all the rest of the press release journos out there noting everything from the canard that the Subway will end traffic as we know it, even though studies say less than one percent of suburban Westside motorists will get out of their four wheeled monsters and board the choo choo.

Will Jerry Brown, if elected Governor, raise taxes? Yes if what his former Chief of Staff and former Governor Gray Davis says is true.

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Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

He sleeps while the Valley stinks.

The union that represents the Engineers and Architects who work for the city, traditionally one of the more responsible and least greedy of LA's public employee unions, is the first such to make a deal with the City to share in expenses for their health care. The move will allow the City to effect millions in much needed savings and put pressure on the rest of the unions to step up to the plate.

Looks like the once storied Sunset Junction Festival was FUBAR. Employees of businesses along the route were forced to pay the entry fee to get through the barricades and to work, the event owes the city a quarter of mil for services and a massive amount of trash was left behind. Suffice it to say everyone involved is pissed.

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Candidate Mattie Fein With One of the Most Creative Political Ads EVER!

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Friday

I had heard this earlier in the day Thursday; Farmers' Insurance is moving it's massive headquarters operation from Simi Valley - where they've been housed since 1982 - to Woodland Hills.  It extremely rare that a large company like that moves from nearby pro-business cities to business unfriendly Los Angeles. However Farmers picked up some real estate in Warner Center when they bought 21st Century Insurance so it makes sense to move.  According to Mulholland Terrace the move caught the Mayor's office completely unawares.  Perhaps the folks at Farmers could join Councilman Dennis Zine at the new Warner Center Costco for a cheap hot dog.

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Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

What day is today?

The DWP may find they screwed the pooch in pissing off the City Council, most notably new Councilman Paul Krekorian. The utility, which once was golden, has fallen victim to mismanagement, waste, fraud and abuse leading to systematic failure of it's water and power systems and it's credit rating shot to hell. With their arrogant attempts to raise rates and lying to the Council as of late the Council has now one-upped the DWP in advancing a plan that a long promised DWP rate-payer advocate would not be an appointed position accountable only to bureaucrats but an elected position with real power over the agency. Stay tuned.

One day after announcing his candidacy for City Council activist Stephen Box is finding reaction ranging from supportive to dubious to slanderous. Readers at LAist were generally positive but some wanted more detail from Box and others are daunted by the challenge of besting a sitting incumbent Councilman. In the meantime fellow CD4 candidate Phil Jennerjahn posted a blistering attack on his blog accusing Box of being a Scientologist and implying his campaign be funded by the controversial church which Jennerjahn alleges of having plans to take control of CD4 where the Scientologists have a significant presence.

Speaking of CD4 Councilmember Tom LaBonge may already be feeling the heat of contested election when he put on hold his plan to implement higher taxes on homeowners to pay for libraries. It may be LaBonge did not want to hand his opponents yet another issue to use against him in the current anti-tax environment.

Forget deficits, jobs, crime and non-transparent government. The folks at Franklin Ave - a blog targeted at hip young professionals in Los Feliz - thought that Tom LaBonge was a great Councilman thanks to his cleaning up trash at local Catholic churches and his passion for pumpkin bread made by nuns. But now the Franklins are not happy with LeBong for hassling the food trucks and cancelling the annual DWP Holiday Light Show in Griffith Park. Memo to Stephen Box, Phil Jennerjahn and anyone else running for CD4: This is what you will have to fight against if you are to best LeBong. Indeed the SLAP happy folks, Mayor Sam Dum Dums, Neighborhood Council types and friends of Griffith Park clearly understand the problem with this guy as Councilman. However they are few and far between. Don't say I didn't give you a heads up. Fight for the tacos.

You haven't heard about Ticketgate in a few days but things are still going on behind the scenes. The LA Times reports that a majority of members of the LA Ethics Commission said that elected officials should disclose all free tickets to events they receive, even if they consider attendance at the event part of their "official duties." Villaraigosa however isn't the only mayor getting free tickets to events. Curt Pringle, the Republican mayor of Anaheim, attended the annual Major League Baseball All Star Game hosted at Anaheim Stadium. The difference here however is that Pringle's tickets were purchased by Anaheim for Pringle and the mayor paid income taxes on the value of the tickets.

Looks like Michael Jackson not only got taxpayers to pick up the cost of his funeral but they may also be on the hook for a permanent shrine to the controversial artist. Los Angeles Assemblyman Mike Davis is pushing a plan for the State to buy the 2600 acre Neverland Ranch to turn into a state park. While the current asking price for the property is $100 million, CurbedLA notes by comparison legendary newspaperman William Randolph Hearst's estate San Simeon was donated to the state.

Congresswoman Jane Harman is coming under fire from her November opponent saying that Harman, a multi-millionaire whose husband made his fortune in the home stereo industry, is attempting to buy Newsweek Magazine which is currently for sale. Mattie Fein is saying that Harman wishes to seek to control the content of the newsmagazine on issues of importance to her; creating a clear conflict of interest.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

The examination of Ticketgate continues.  The LA Times asks even if there is some civic significance to the Mayor and LuParker sitting courtside at  Staples isn't there some conflict of interest when those who give the Mayor tickets have business before the City?  Not just major venue operators such as Staples Center operators AEG or the owner of the Dodgers Frank McCourt but even the folks behind the Oscars who are interested in the outcome of some City parking facility contracts.  In contrast to the Mayor, Councilman Bill Rosendahl pays his own way to any events he attends just to be sure to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Too bad the Mayor didn't get that memo.

We noted last week that Councilman Tom LaBonge is behind an effort to take money from Neighborhood Councils to pay for junket bus trips Councilmembers give out.  Now joining the effort is one of the usual suspects, Richard Alarcon.

You would think they would have learned by now.  The City Council voted Tuesday to instruct it's lawyers to draft a ballot measure to place a parcel tax on property purportedly to provide funding for libraries.  While most of the debate centered around placing the measure on this November's ballot, which would cost the City $4 million in special election fees or on the City's March ballot which would be free, at least Dennis Zine was the voice of reason, voting no and making the "don't ya think" argument that this is no time to raise taxes.

South Bay Congresswoman Jane Harman likes to paint herself as the most "Republican" of Democratic elected officials.  But the Washington Post notes that she may be one of the most corrupt of Members of Congress as she has vast financial holdings in companies and industries she is charged with regulating.  Can you say conflict of interest?

Mulholland Terrace makes a good point. While veteran, controversial campaign consultant John Shallman says he is suing Councilmember Bernard Parks for unpaid bills from his last campaign, the lawsuit may shed sunshine on how Shallman operates.  Oops.

Notes and briefs on the brewing rebellion...........

Consider this your post on stories, scandals and events that will cause you to rise up, take part, and reclaim your government.

First from Survey USA, and the numbers are not good for Governor "Kennedy Republican" and lackeys in the Legislature.

Yes No Dunno
Prop 1A: 38 51 11
Prop 1B: 40 50 10
Prop 1C: 29 52 10
Prop 1D: 37 50 13
Prop 1E: 35 51 14
Prop 1F: 45 35 20

****KABC Radio Host Doug McIntyre's latest missive for the Daily News, makes you wonder if "Col. Kurtz" has replace Gov. "Kennedy Republican" in Sacramento. The Horror!!

****Revolutionary thinking at LAUSD ??

That is what Marlene Canter is trying to accomplish in her waning days on the School Board. Canter dares to make it easier to dismiss incompetent teachers. But the likes of School Board Monica Garcia, Yolanda Flores Aguilar and State Senator Gloria Romero provide cover for the status quo with calls for more studies, (at taxpayer's expense).

Meanwhile a judge orders teachers to can the Friday "bitch and moan session".

****Question for City of Los Angeles taxpayers. Would you trust Councilman Richard "Zorro Marxist" Alarcon and CRA to dispense $75,000 home loans to depress property owners in Pacomia ??

****"Blue Dog Domocrats" vs. "Progressive Domocrats".

That is the primary challenge brewing between Nancy Pelosi sparring partner Congresswomen Jane Harman and progressive Marcy Winograd for the South Bay Congressional seat.

****"A Journalistic Mortician" ?? Link here for the details. Must be one of the few growth industries in the current economy.

****Senator Dianne Feinstein is pushing the nomination of two Hispanic judges for Supreme Court. One includes CD 1 Lincoln High School graduate, California State Supreme Court Judge Carlos Moreno. That should stir excitement on the Lincoln High 90031 Blog.

****More on Cedillo, Chu, Pleitez and Hernandez for Congress. The theme of this story is best stated with this comment, "It's just a natural tendency of people to stick with their own," said Eric Hacopian, a campaign strategist for Democrat Emanuel Pleitez. Then this from Cedillo on Chu's labor support, A former assemblyman and leader of a Service Employees International Union local, Cedillo brushed off labor's support of Chu. "I've always enjoyed the support of the rank and file," he said in an interview last month over huevos rancheros at his El Monte headquarters.

Some may have comments about Cedillo's SEIU days......

**** Is "Paid to Play" alive and well at the "Four Year Community College on Fig" ??

****Rally the vote against "The Ones", and to elect Nuch plus other anti-establishment candidates.

Join city activists for a 9:00 AM rally on Friday, outside of City Hall. Link to Ron Kaye for details

Join John and Ken at their next Tax Revolt Rally Saturday, May 16 from 4-7pm at Tom’s Farms in Corona. From John and Ken, "Our last Tax Revolt Rally in Fullerton had 15,000 angry taxpayers, Let's make this one bigger!"

Thanks to Phil for this.

Please join the Westside Republicans as they host the Westwood Tea Party Rally on Sunday, May 17th from 3pm to 6pm at the Federal Building at 11000 Wilshire Blvd (near UCLA).Multiple speakers (including KRLA's Kevin James, will protest higher taxation in the form of Proposition 1A, on the ballot in the election on Tuesday May 19th.http://www.westsiderepublicans.com/

FREEDOM AND FREE ENTERPRISE!!