Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

The Daily News is right on in an editorial opining against a proposed property tax levy against homeowners to support city libraries.  While everyone loves libraries it doesn't seem right to ask for even more money from homeowners especially when they have made it clear in the defeat of the LAUSD's effort to place a parcel tax last month.  Libraries need to review where they stand in a technological era and determine if they're truly providing core services and how best to do that with limited funds.

The City of LA may get behind a state plan to consider same day voter registration which allows voters to register on election day.  We want to increase participation (as long as it's informed and not just folks voting for someone who sent them a potholder) but this is a really bad idea. It opens the door to lots of potential nonsense and burdens voting officials to get it all right.  Currently California allows voters the opportunity to register 15 days before the election.  This is sufficient and gives election officials enough time to verify registration and get it right.

The City of LA is considering shifting the responsibility of upkeep of sidewalks to the property owner.  Though many will cackle this makes sense.  Sidewalks are not considered a core city service everywhere else in the US and have only been handled by the City since the 70s.

The City of LA may have missed an opportunity to earn some money to close it's budget shortfall - Long Beach is considering taxing medical marijuana.  The Queen Mary city is facing an $18.5 million deficit and figures since it taxes alcohol and cigarettes, why not pot?

4.7 Earthquake hits South L.A.

Can you say Newport-Inglewood Fault ??

LA 32 Neighborhood Council may want to reconsider their stance on emergency supplies after tonight's shaker.

There are reports of broken windows in Long Beach.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

The City of Long Beach is looking at something the City of LA should consider - privatizing it's airport.  The Federal Government has a program to allow this however only Chicago's Midway Airport has gotten anywhere near close (hmm...they may want to double check those deals).  However I believe the City should sell NOT lease LAX to the highest bidder, then put the sale proceeds into a trust for some stated civic purpose (like Police).  The City and LAWA have a hard enough leasing vendor spots without corruption; imagine if they had to approve leases for the whole airport.

The story over the outrage on the business killing crazy parking rules and overpriced parking meters in NoHo gets legs.  Not only an LA Times story but KTLA picks up the television pice of the story.  LeBong is "working on it." 


One blog writes its final chapter while another one emerges on the blog-LA-sphere.  The venerable Boi from Troy, USC loving gay Republican Scott Olin Schmidt, announces he is leaving the blog he has made home for five years.  On the other hand the guy who gave major juice to both the Huffington Post and the Drudge Report, Andrew Breitbart, fires up Big Hollywood this morning.  Breitbart says his new site is "not a “celebrity gabfest or a gossip outpost" but a "continuous politics and culture posting board for those who think something has gone drastically wrong and that Hollywood should return to its patriotic roots."

A few days ago I challenged the practice of being a NIMBY only and asked where is the vision for Los Angeles? 20 year old LA native and current Columbia student Adam Seiff crafts one in the Daily News of all places.  Seiff opines that the "L.A. of our lifetimes will be fueled by new industrial centers to provide high-paying jobs, affordable housing to live in and accessible public spaces to enjoy." 

Matt Burch, a fitness trainer at BodyImage Gym in the Noho Arts District became a local hero recently when he captured a purse snatcher.  Burch was working out at the Lankershim Boulevard gym when he noticed local NoHo Business Improvement District security guards having trouble catching up with the fleeing crook.  Burch dashed out of the gym, flew past the guards and tackled the bad guy until Police could arrive.  Burch says, however, don't try this at home.  He's a long time martial arts practioner and body builder who happens to be a veteran repo man and star of the TruTV network reality show Operation Repo.


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