Jack Weiss Hates Palms

Dear voter:

If you need yet another reason to vote AGAINST Jack Weiss in the city attorney's race, consider his sad record in following up on a petition by his Westside Village constituents asking the city for help in moving out of the Mar Vista Community Council across the 405 Freeway to join up with the abutting Palms Neighborhood Council. He said on February 22, 2005, that he'd take some steps to resolve the boundary dispute.

He never did so, leading me to conclude that he is interested nAot in fairness but in looking around for influential people to support him in his political push to higher office.

Read about it at
http://www.palmsvillagesun.info/WV-old/WV.05/WV.05.03.html#WVCA-Meeting

But if you need a reason to vote FOR Jack Weiss, remember that his office was instrumental in maintaining the wide property setbacks that Palms residents have enjoyed for more than a century (since 1886). Greedy landowners wanted to build their big, clunky buildings without the generous front landscaping that have marked many Palms streets for so long. His staff argued to the Area Planning Commission against such invidious proposals, and Palms residents won by a close Planning Commission vote of 3-0 against the wishes of absentee landlords.

You can read THAT story at
http://www.palmsvillagesun.info/RealEstate.07.02.html

So take your pick on Weiss: It's a mixed record.

Sincerely,

George Garrigues

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

The LA Times reports that Mayoral candidate Walter Moore picked up a check for $43,000 of your tax dollars for the City's matching funds he's qualified for.  Walter may want to find a better bank as the Times mentioned the bank put an immediate hold on the funds but later releaseed $10,000.  If claims on this blog and an article by Steve Lopez in the LA Times are to believed the money comes just in time for Walter who has spent all of the $200,000 he collected from supporters on hats, bumper stickers and lawn signs.

Council Member Bernard Parks has stepped down from his spot on the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Transportation Agency after four years on the panel.  Likely replacements include Council Members Tom LaBonge, Bill Rosendahl, Herb Wesson and Jose Huizar.  The loss of Parks from the Board removes a decent voice of fiscal prudence in favor of free spending politicians who dominate the MTA now.

When the government witholds taxes from your paycheck every week, you are essentially giving them an interest free loan for up to a year.  As well you are usually loaning them more money that what your total tax liability is and hence upon filing your tax return you receive a refund that the government has you convinced is free bonus money.  It gets even worse - now State Controller John Chiang has ruled you'll get your money back when he gets around to it because the state is broke.  Call Chiang and give him a piece of your mind at (916) 445-2636.

Programming changes at KABC talkradio and though the station is heavy on syndicated national programming, the latest round of alterations actually add one hour of local coverage a day including giving Doug McIntyre - who does extensive coverage of local politics - an extra hour a day as well as extending long time local host Al Rantel to a five hour shift during the evening.

George Garrigues, publisher of the Palms-Village Sun has a new book out covering the history of the eclectic Westside community.  Not sure if it's another America's Suburb but Los Angeles's The Palms Neighborhood chronicles the community's start as a resort for tony 19th century Angelenos who wanted to escape the heat of Downtown.