Cut and Paste Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Scene for Wednesday

" The Bright Beacon of Corruption on Hope Street"

Lets call them the "Frivolous Five".

First lets give the names, 1. Janice Hahn, 2. Richard "Zorro Marxist" Alarcon, 3. Herb Wesson, 4. Tony Cardenas, ..... and lastly City Council President Eric Gartraitor.

These are the five who don't give a rat's rear end that your financial capacity to support their careless financial follies, are near finite in this government caused recession. What corruption on Hope Street? Not in their collectivist minds. The DWP rates payers must contribute for the betterment of the collective. In this case it means paying a higher tribute for the cause of a "greener LA". Or in reality, it is to better the "bottom line" of the likes of Al Gore, Ari Swiller, Keith Brackpool and their graying allies on the "Ecoleft".

One shouldn't be surprise that the "Frivolous Five" would use the funeral for former LAPD Chief Daryl Gates, and the fact that fellow Councilman Bernard Parks would be in attendance, to make their power play in the interest of "exclusive green few".

Some may disagree with me, but the dubious science that provides the premise of our so call "Global Warming" hysteria, is nothing more than a front to take more of your hard earned money and enrich the "carbon credit deposits" of the likes of Al Gore, who by the way is one of the biggest investors in the carbon credits scheme.

But most of you , if not all would agree, that wasteful and corrupt governments, do more to impact our communal environments. That is easy for Angelinos to see in this growing DWP scandal at 200 Spring Street.

Does anyone remember how Mayor Antonio Parkervillar's "Million Tree Initiative" was suppose to remake our city into one big giant clean, green canopy? But the only green I remember was the $100+ dollars that the DWP was paying per tree to be planted by the Los Angeles Conservation Corp and has anyone seen Lisa Sarno around the city lately, planting any trees? But I digress.

But the continuing nefarious doings withing the Horseshoe at City Hall is getting harder to digest with each act of political deceit.

OTHER NEWS:

** City Councilman Budget Committee Chairperson Bernard Parks and his committee has started their public hearing process to review Mayor Antonio Parkervillar's propose 2010-2011 budget.

And what is Park's one word response to Mayor Parkervillar's budget proposal? Fantasy!

** Heads up to Recreation and Parks supporters city-wide, Rec. and Park General Manager J. K. Mukri will testify in front of Park's Budget Committee sometime Friday. If Mayor Parkervillar's budget for Rec. and Parks is accepted, guess how many employees will be gone after Labor Day.

A. 100 Full timers?

B. 125 Full time, no part timers?

C. 125 Full Time, 110 Part timers?

D. 125 Full time, 750 Part timers?

Then link here to see how the unionize employees will be replaced if Mayor Parkervillar has his way.

** In the next few days, various Department General Managers will testify before Park's Budget Committee. But while the GM's will do their best to protect the interest of their respective departments, the Coalition of Unions have released their "Keep LA Strong Budget Proposal".

Your thoughts and open thread...............

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Why We Need Park Rangers

4 PM on May 15, 2008:

...ten minutes later...

4:30 - LAFD chopper is on the case:


Can't see who has ground troops on scene from here, but fire watch and supression is one of the Park Rangers' main functions. The white vehicle on the fire road below the fire is definitely LA City Rangers.

5pm - AnVil, LeBong, and Jon Mukri are at the Observatory. (LeBong is dropping bricks, you just know it.)

Here we go -- not sure of the time stamp, but Ranger fire engine and truck on scene:


See how it ends on your local newscast.

PHOTO CREDIT -- Hollywood United Neighborhood Council ... http://hollywoodunitednc.org/

Questions Still Swirl Around Griffith Fire

Tomorrow is the 1-year anniversary of the devastating Griffith Park fire. One of the largest fires in the long history of a historic park is rumored to have been started by an off-duty Camp LeJeune marine who fell asleep with a cigarette in hand sometime in the early afternoon. One year on, no one has ever been charged with starting the fire, and details about this individual and why they were in the park in the first place are limited. In fact, in reviewing the fire and the resulting goings-on since that fateful afternoon, there are still a whole lot of questions that remain unanswered.

To mark the historic occasion, it probably goes without saying that the Autocrat of Griffith Park will be holding court. Tom LeBong and his ongoing obsession with the LAFD takes over the Greek Theatre parking area at 10AM Thursday so he can ask everyone on City time about the high school they attended. Various City officials will be forced to make appearances. Rec and Parks General Manager Jon Mukri is one of the lucky ones performing at the Autocrat’s bidding tomorrow instead of running his department.

Hey Jon M,

Q: While Griffith Park was under full closure post-fire, why was Sunset Stables allowed to conduct business in the park while other rental stables surrounding the park were banned?

Q: Why wasn't the investigation of such a high profile fire handled by LAFD or LAPD instead of the Office of Public Safety?


Along with LAFD Chief Barry, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will be there to honor the dedicated firefighters who worked the blaze. This includes the Los Angeles City Park Rangers whose unit the Mayor already showed his appreciation for by slashing them in half with a swipe of his pen a few weeks ago.

Hey Tony,

Q: What happened to your promise of a fully staffed and equipped Park Ranger Division?

Q: Why did you make Recreation and Parks pay millions of dollars from their budget toward the cost of fire recovery when the funds should have come from the City's emergency contingency account?


Obviously missing from tomorrow's festivities will be our exalted Governator whose caring concern for the disaster graced the front pages of every fishwrap in town.

Q: Hey Arnie, what happened to that $50 million you promised Recreation and Parks? Wouldn’t this have made a huge difference in Rec and Parks' financial situation now?


And finally -

Hey Councilman LeBong,

Q: Why were you regularly leading private parties off-trail in the environmentally sensitive burn areas when the areas were closed?

Q: Why was a single exclusive group of some of your biggest financial supporters given the honor of being the first ‘community group’ to help restore Griffith Park and why was it kept secret from the public until after the fact?

Q: Why did you tell anyone who would listen that 'hydromulch doesn’t work' when six decades of good data shows otherwise?

Q: Why did you push for a curb-to-curb smoking ban in tinder-dry Los Angeles parks, then undermine the law at the 12th hour by making exceptions of golf courses and events venues like the Greek Theatre?

Q: Why are you holding ‘Park Restoration’ community group events that plant tree after tree after tree in a Chaparral - not Forest - ecosystem?

Q: Why have your groups been allowed to plant non-natives in a native ecosystem?

Q: Why are your aides telling members of the public things like ‘wild cucumber is invasive and needs to be ripped out from the burn area’? (Wild cucumber is decidedly native.)

Q: Why are you pushing for yet another non-native, manufactured artificial ‘garden’ to be named in honor of one of Los Angeles’ 20-plus “Sister Cities” to be built in the natural wilderness portion of the burn area and that will be preferentially managed by more of your big financial supporters?

So many questions, so few answers.

"Outtakes from the Red Spot Institute" Saturday Pre-Game Shorts

With just over two hours to "Jump Ball", here are some quick shots for your info.

File under "old habits die hard".

The "MOLDY GREEN SHEET" soldiers on after the "RESIGNATION" of Editor Ron Kaye. Kerry Cavanaugh scribes on the hesitation of the "CLOWNCIL OF FIFTEEN" to cut their own internal budgets. Cut there, cut around this, consolidate these and that, but cut me?? I think not.

Here are what each "CLOWNCIL OF FIFTEEN" member has currently for giving to the connected, err, for constituent services,

Ed Reyes: $647,493 Wendy Greuel: $898,922 Dennis Zine: $1,037,196
Tom LaBonge: $317,806 Jack Weiss: $1,221,768 Tony Cardenas: $727,373
Richard Alarc n: $410,991 Bernard Parks: $815,489 Jan Perry: $321,012
Herb Wesson: $1,784,504 Bill Rosendahl: $864,389 Greig Smith: $800,470
Eric Garcetti: $458,876 Jose Huizar: $476,274 Janice Hahn: $1,159,895.

File under "Lemons for Rec. and Parks".

Downtown business owners trekked to the Biltmore for a "Breakfast of Roses and Lemons". Being one to highlight "follies of ineptness", we like the give credit to Recreation and Parks for their "LEMON AWARD", Like if Jon K. Mukri wasn't bitter enough. When contacted about his department's latest honor he commented,

"I don't care about the award. Personally, when you're a
general manager, you're going to take the good with the bad, and people want to
make an issue out of having money. I've never heard this in the 33 years I've
been in both the federal government and the city government as a negative," he
said."There's nothing wrong with having money in the Quimby accounts.

We're going to hold this until we have a plan to
expend it," he continued. "These are one-time funds."

Can one say "SHORT TIMER??"

File this under "OLDIE, BUT STILL YUMMY".

The "FRENCH DIP ON ALAMEDA" reaches the century mark. Whether it is a pre-game meal or a location for networking, Philippe has been a downtown constant through the ups and downs in Los Angeles history. One needs to give props for their model railroad collection that ties in with their location next to Union Station.

File this under "WISHING NOTHING BUT THE BEST"

Hard to say, but our ex. bloggin mate Joseph Mailander has hit the ground running with his new blog "STREET HASSLE". With Joe now on his own, I hope that we can grow as a bloggin community and stay focus on the "dysfunctional tower of waste on Spring Street"

Great weekend to all, GO BRUINS!!!

FREEDOM AND FREE ENTERPRISE!