Chris Essel Hates Neighborhood Councils; Lies Once Again

Monday night CD2 Candidate Chris Essel once again repeated her support for mandatory financial disclosures for Neighborhood Council candidates, something that her opponents Paul Krekorian, Tamar Galatzan and David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg have come out strongly against.

In the past Essel said her only beef was with the format of the disclosure document itself.  Though at a candidates' forum in Sherman Oaks Monday evening Essel said the disclosures would weed out NC members who are "too cozy" with developers.

However in January of 2008 Essel bragged to members of the downtown development lobby group The Central City Association "As a result of our efforts...neighborhood councils will now be required to submit economic disclosure statements before creating a council file."  Obviously this was good news to the developers who see the voluntary panels who often wield great influence over development decisions as a roadblock.

So which is it Essel? Does disclosure stymie development or does it put up roadblocks for pesky NIMBYs? Your voters are waiting for an answer.  Maybe next time you can get your story straight.