Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Tuesday

 Essel: A Sign of Things to Come | Photo by MayorSam

Rick Orlov takes a look at the race in CD2 and reports nothing new.  In addition to reminding everyone that Chris (now going by Christine) Essel has spent over a million dollars on a job that pays a fifth of that Orlov types a bold prediction by Clowncilman Greig "Sleepy" Smith that someday all elections might be decided by mail-in ballots.

Because some local and little read bloggers seem to think it was a fabrication, feel free to peruse the police report of the stalking incident at Paul Krekorian's home.  The report features statements given by eyewitnesses (names redacted for their safety) who saw an Anglo man in his 40s snooping around Krekorian's home and snapping photos.  Photos of the home have reportedly shown up in Chris Essel mailers.

If you live in CD2 most likely you can't afford to spend $500 to attend a political event.  That's okay CD2 candidate Chris Essel's latest event really isn't for CD2 residents nor is it even located in CD2.  Wealthy friends of Essel will be holding a birthday party/fundraiser for Essel Thursday in Beverly Hills adjacent Doheny Estates.

Back in CD2, Essel may have some more trouble in Sunland-Tujunga. 

The City Clowncil sure loves events.  What's the latest? Spending time and resources when we can least afford it to bring the World Cup to Los Angeles in 2018. Maybe they can send Oprah and Obama to help pitch it.

The City Clowncil sure loves events # 2.  Sparse crowds in attendance at the Hollywood Santa Parade, formerly the Hollywood Christmas Parade.  The event, once run by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce featured stars such as Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra.  Dumped by the Chamber as a money loser following severly declining television ratings, Clowncilman Tom LeBong has spent millions of your tax dollars via a closely allied associate of his to produce an event which features big name stars such as Lee Majors and former "American Idol" contestant Ace Young.

The Latino Politics Blog is always on top of (so to speak) of what Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is up to.  Tuesday the Orange County representative will make an annoucement about her holiday card for 2009.  In past years Sanchez has sent out designs with the Congresswoman spread eagle on a motorcycle and in a wet suit expose her bare legs.  It's anyone's guess what's next.

And finally a very important news item for the hoi polloi, Chris Essel supporters and those who don't believe in carrying cash. Uber-hip LA eataries Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza will now take credit cards for valet parking fees.  Like they say "Only in LA!"

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

The Hollywood Shady Parade continues in 2008.  You may remember that last year the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced it was giving up sponsorship of the venerable tradition known as the Hollywood Christmas Parade and that the parade was taken over by the City of Los Angeles.  Franklin Avenue reports that Disney is going to have a significant presence in this years's parade. Nothing wrong with that but one again the parade will be produced by event producer Bill Lomas, an alleged associate of Councilman Tom LaBonge, whose company Pageantry Productions has planned what insisders have claimed and alleged are failed events including the previous incarnation of the Hollywood Parade.  This may be the reason for the parade's producer now being referred to as Hollywood Santa Parade, LLC, whose principal is still Lomas.

Steve Hymon talks with urban planner David Grannis who has good, practical solutions to Westside traffic that don't require the Mayor's transit tax scam, Measure R.  Changing meter cycles on freeway offramps on the 10 and setting up reversable street lanes are among the ideas.

It's been ten years since the City's experiment with a system of advisory Neighborhood Councils has been developed and their presence is being felt.  The Daily News' Rick Orlov reports that the latest move for the Councils may be for each of the panels to pony up some of their annual $50,000 a year funding to hire a lobbyist to influence the City Council.

Santa Parade Attendance Falls Short

As predicted here on the Sister City by Joseph Mailander the parade attracted nowhere near the quarter of a million spectators the city said it would. Attendance was tripled over last year for the rebranded Hollywood Santa Parade (formerly known as the Hollywood Christmas Parade), now a city funded project.

The parade, formerly sponsored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, had once seen crowds of 500,000. The Chamber dropped the parade when attendance dwindled down to 15,000 and it became a money loser.

Production of the parade was continued by the same firm - Pageantry Productions - some Chamber insiders said was part of the cause for the fiscal woes of the parade. The firm is owned by Bill Lomas, reportedly a close associate of Parade booster Councilman Tom LaBonge.

Now don't get me wrong, the old, dead Republican Mayor loves parades and wish there were more of them. But its not the function of the City to organize or pay for them.

Some of the boosters of the parade think this parade could be on the same level as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York or the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. It actually once was many years ago, but LA has changed since.

But its just not going to happen. LA is not New York. We have no central gathering places like Broadway and 34th Street. The New York parade has the support of a major corporation. The Rose Parade is produced by the amazing Tournament of Roses organization that has decades of experience - and its tied into one of the most significiant television sporting events - the Rose Bowl football game.

Both parades take place in towns that have strong civic pride. LA does not. Also both parades occur on a holiday when people are home and watching TV. The LA parade takes place on a Sunday when people are wrapping up a long holiday weekend and getting ready for work the next day.

The ideal thing for the parade would be for the Hollywood studios to take over as promoters (similar to Macy's) and host it on another date.

In the meantime how about if LaBonge focuses on more important things in his district like traffic, crime, etc.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

Politicians want Neighborhood Councils to spend money on security cameras; Walter Moore has the story of how Mayor Villaraigosa wants to spend $17,000 per camera to be loaded into police cars.

Could the City of Santa Clarita's opposition to the Las Lomas project be based on the City's desire to annex the area for local developers before the City of Los Angeles does?

There's a budget crisis yet the city is taking in more money than ever. Check out Walter Moore's latest blog.

The City does not have enough funds to buy security cameras or other things we need but we have enough for Tom LeBong's ego parade called the Hollywood Santa Parade. However they've picked a cool dude, tv host Bob Barker, to be the grand marshall.

If you need a free Thanksgiving dinner, the County of Los Angeles has one for you.

Broadway Downtown has been a bustling center of Hispanic culture for decades. Now Councilman Jose Huizar wants to gentrify the place into a west coast version of its New York namesake. That's great if the property and business owners there buy into the idea; but no city funds should be spent on it.