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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Wednesday

Zuma Dogg got an interesting phone call. According to his tipster former DWP head and "Green Cowboy" David Freeman - one of the chief boosters of the shady solar killing initiative Measure B - allegedly an assistant whose allegedly brother owns a solar panel manufacturing firm in China. You may remember that Council President Eric Garcetti has stated that the solar panels bought by the DWP under Measure B would have to come from China. And what's worse the tipster alleges that Mayor Villaraigosa visited the solar panel plant in China on his visit there.

Is Measure B in trouble? Bill Rosendahl is being wishy-washy about his support for the controversial plan; now reports say that CM Janice Hahn is similarly neutral. It appears some Members of the Council are hearing from their constituents in big numbers and B is becoming something some of them may want to distance themselves from.

Looks like The Related Cos. - the developer behind the controversial Grand Avenue development project - doesn't have enough dough to start the project so they will be forced to pay a $250,000 per month penalty to the Los Angeles Grand Avenue Authority until they break ground. The economy is definitely a factor here; why not let them off the hook and put an end to this boondoggle, also known as Eli Broad's Mausoleum?

Word on the street - City Council member and Controller candidate Wendy Greuel is not happy that the city's Engineers and Architects have endorsed her opponent Nick Patsaouras. Apparently Wendy was overheard whining that the union didn't support her.

Despite Britney Spears' $27,000 awards show ring, the gift bags worth the cost of a new Lexus and the free guitars, video games and liquor provided to artists who show up to the Grammys, they still managed to shake down the near bankrupt city of Los Angeles for $125,000. And the City Clowncil gladly gave it to them at a time when the City is running a deficit and event waivers have been turned off for the City's community and non-profit organizations.

There's always fun in the small cities that surround or are surrounded by Los Angeles. Though they all almost provide far better local services, they often have their own special dramas and delicious soap operas. The latest is in the City of San Fernando, not to be confused with the San Fernando Valley, where Council members Julie Ruelas and Jose Hernandez were recalled Tuesday by significant margins. Ruelas will be replaced by Ernesto Hernandez who voters chose over Ralph Arriorla and Jose Hernandez will make way for Brenda Esqueda who bested Henry Romero.

The social networking site Facebook has banned its members from posting photos of mothers breastfeeding their babies. What does this have to do with LA? Well, it was back in the 90s when a then Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa passed a law that made it legal to breastfeed in public without getting arrested for indecent exposure. Well, we all know that Antonio likes, well never mind, I won't go there.

Speaking of social networking sites, looks like Kevin Roderick of LA Observed wants to be Mayor Villaraigosa's friend.

Labels: bill rosendahl, city of san fernando, david freeman, dwp, facebook, fee waivers, grammys, grand avenue, janice hahn, mayor antonio villaraigosa, measure b, nick patsouras, wendy greuel

Monday, January 12, 2009

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

The City Council wants to give the Grammy Awards $125,000 to cover event costs borne by the City. Yes we hear the usual spin that these events bring so much to Los Angeles (they do) and that the cost is merely an investment (see here where I take that argument apart). The recording industry is apparently pleading poverty yet pop princess Britney Spears has acquired a $27,000 ring to wear to the show. If the City Council doesn't have the fortitude to say now in this time of budget crisis, we once again raise our call to the Grammy organization to step up and say "we will decline the subsidy, we know the City that has nurtured, supported and enrichened us for over 50 years is hurting." Don't hold your breath folks!

Marc Cooper becomes the latest "journo" to go bitter man on his former employer. Like a less disciplined Kevin Roderick, Cooper's rambling screed spewing all over the LA Weekly is filled with personal invective which obscures what few good points Cooper might have. Cooper wastes an enormous part of his digital ink on the absurd claim that Zuma Dogg's piece on the controversial Grand Avenue development in Downtown LA was actually written by weekly editor Jill Stewart. One wonders if Zuma Dogg was challenging George Bush on a regular basis instead of the unaware elites' favorite kleptocrat Mayor if Cooper would view Zuma differently.

The nanny state continues unmolested as Los Angeles City Council Member "Sleeping" Greig Smith wants to ban smoking in outdoor areas of restaurants. This old, dead, Republican mayor never smoked, hates smoking and doesn't like to be around it. That being said I don't need the government to decide where people can and can't smoke; the market does that just fine. In fact, Tom LaBonge confirms it when he tells the Los Angeles Tmes “The patrons are really demanding it.” That's right Tom. The smart establishments get it and many of them banned smoking way before the City told them to.

Los Angeles has undertaken a $2 million campaign to encourage tourism. Tom Hanks, Kobe Bryant and Lauren Conrad are among the celebrities appearing in the "That's So LA" campaign now underway. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told reporters "During this tough period, one of the sectors taking the biggest hit is tourism. Families are cutting back on travel. In some cities, that might not matter too much."

The Daily News reports the recession has hit hard a number of upscale businesses on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. However a shoe repair shop and a fitness center that underwent a makeover report either no impact or increased sales.

Central City East blogger Don Garza says that a number of residents of the Skid Row hotel he lives in are complaining that the hotel management routinely enters their units in violation of their rights. Garza is among several of the residents who have posted legal notices on their doors directing the management to keep out.

Labels: fee waivers, grammys, greig smith, LA City Council, la weekly, Marc Cooper, nanny state, recession

Friday, January 09, 2009

You Might Want to Call Your Council Member

09-0030 CD 9 b. MOTION (PERRY - REYES) relative to declaring the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on February 8, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $124,163).

You're raising our parking meter fees, our DWP rates and our sales taxes and you're giving the Grammy Awards $124,163. Yes, we all know how much money these events pump into the economy. Lets pump in a little more and let THE GRAMMYS pay their own way, not the taxpayers.

District 1 - Ed Reyes

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