Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Tuesday

As the candidates for mayor prep for today's "much-discussed debate on Education", Wendy Greuel supporter LAUSD School Board President Monica Garcia links to the controversial Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter School, may become a unwanted distraction.

 ....... but I also supported Charter Renewal for my campaign contributor Marcos Aguilar's controversial Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter School, which continues to stonewall LAUSD's Office of Inspector General Audit requests.. 

But despite Garcia's "bullhorn devotion" (aided by timely contributions) to Marcos Aguilar's (and wife Minnie Ferguson) educational collective, the LA School Report Blog is reporting that LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy and Garcia may be on a collision course, again, regarding possible Charter Revocation of the El Sereno Indoctrination Collective. 

Superintendent John Deasy responded directly to the school: “If you can’t comply with this, then I can’t recommend that school’s renewal,” said Deasy. “It looks like we’re heading in that direction.” Deasy said he didn’t know of any other examples of a school flouting district regulations like Semillas has done.“It always troubles me when a school is not consistent with our expectations and transparencies,” said Deasy, referring to Semillas. Deasy also said that he’s asked LAUSD attorneys about “other steps,” including the possibility of revoking Semillas’ charter.“I have to see if this falls into that category,” said Deasy.Deasy and his team at LAUSD didn’t recommend the renewal of Semillas’ elementary school last year, but they were overruled when the School Board voted, 4 to 3, to give the school another five years.

But while "Gorda Boo Boo" may be oblivious to longtime "Waste, Fraud and Abuse" at Academia, look for newly-reelected School Board Member Steve Zimmer to be the swing vote in the other direction this time around Then watch for Marcos and Minnie's supporters to make some uncomfortable disclosures regarding the likes of Garcia, Councilman Jose Huizar and Mayor Antonio Villar.

** Via LA Weekly's Patrick Range McDonald, both Mayoral candidates have seen the light and found common ground on the contentious Parent Trigger Issue, after a trip to the 24th Street School

** The reigning Editor of the Downtown News and "Scribe of Wit" Jon Regardie channels a "Pravda Editor of Note" in his latest Regardie Report on the CD 1 Campaign between Gil Cedillo and Jose Gardea. We excerpt "Media Commissar Regardski" below as he channels a Soviet perspective to a recent Gil Cedillo comment.

“City Hall is like the old Soviet Union,” Cedillo remarked. “It’s about protecting itself and there’s not going to be change from the inside.”The line is as fantastic as it is farfetched. Is Cedillo, who first won a State Assembly seat in 1998, comparing Reyes to old bloc leaders like Nikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev? Does he think Reyes is settled in the First District equivalent of Red Square building up a nuclear arsenal to hand over to Gardea.Even more interesting is what the comparison means for Cedillo himself. If he’s the change agent, then he’s probably a CD1 Mikhail Gorbachev, who introduced the openness concept of “glasnost,” which made him adored by the West and hated in the fading USSR (though there is little evidence he could become “Gorby II”). Maybe he’s salty Boris Yeltsin. Or perhaps Cedillo fancies himself a Los Angeles Vladimir Putin. The mind boggles.After the debate I asked Gardea about the remark. “You’ve just been compared to Soviet Russia,” I said. “Do you agree?”He responded with a bemused smile.“Nyet.” 

"Nyet", may be the Russian translation for Gardea's chances of becoming CD 1 City Councilman "Mini Ed" Gardea on May 21.

** We join CD 9 City Councilwoman and former Mayoral Candidate Jan Perry in prayers and meditation that she endorse City Attorney Carmen Trutanich for a second term. In the spirit of joint reflection we provide the following inducement to help bring about this needed political union (or cutting of the endorsement bread).

Never leave the Office of City Attorney to a Politico Hack.

Your thoughts ...............

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Mid-Day Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Scene for Thursday

CD 2 City Councilman Paul Krekorian (center) is not too quick in laying down the sod for a new NFL stadium.



What's the rush?

Ask the likes of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, LA County Labor Federation Leader Maria Elena Durazo, AEG's Tim LIEweke, City Councilwoman Jan Perry and the lessor cast of characters, who smell fiscal gold in the haste to move forward with AEG's latest scheme to expand their Downtown LA Entertainment Enclave.

But while the cast above choreograph their political dance for an appointment at the corporate welfare office, one lone voice of reason may of just calculated his next political slogan, that may lead upward on the City of LA political ladder.

CD 2 City Councilman Paul Krekorian cannot be accuse of being politically tone deaf, to the contrary he has exhibited a keen sense of political timing that has propel him from the Burbank School Board, with a pit stop in Sacramento, to his current seat in the Horseshoe, within half a decade. One should note that his rapid political progression has also been aided by his devotion to constituent relations, which help to create the political formula to dilute the monetary brew of IBEW, PPL and City Hall insiders, who's CD 2 political aspirations sank on "a vessel called Essel".

Yet, lets not bloggin rush and annoit Councilman Krekorian as LA's reason statesmen with this post. Krekorian may have been a pupil of the late Consultant Joe Cerrell at USC, but he is still an relative political newcomer at 200 Spring Street, who recently sided with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's veto on DWP oversight.

Thus, for Councilman Krekorian, will his future stance on the AEG Stadium scheme, channel past City Councilman Joel Wachs or will we post someday "what was the rush" in coining a soundbite with no teeth?

MORE NEWS AFTER THE LEAP:
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Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

A school in Compton is the first to announce it's being taken over by parents as a result of the new Parent Trigger Law that was made possible by education activists such as MayorSam friend Lydia Grant.  McKinley Elementary, a horrible school noted for mega-poor results, saw 61% of parents agree to sign a petition to boot existing management.  Of course, reprobate school board members and culpable teachers' union leaders are crying in their beer and crying foul.  But the only thing that is foul is how they ran the school. Kudos to the parents!


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Mid-Afternoon Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Scene for Tuesday

Care to guess who is "Papi Villar" and IBEW"s Brian D'Arcy's "little buddy" on the City Council today?

Let me guess, "Papi" would of been mad and he needs IBEW's cash?

Quick summery, the City Council voted 10-1 to put on the March 2011 ballot whether the City council should have more oversight and power to remove the top DWP executive with a two-thirds vote. Bravo!!

But who was the lone no vote? None other than CD 14's own DWP, IBEW and Papi Villar's Little Huizzy. From the LA Times.

Councilman Tony Cardenas said the proposal would help create “checks and balances” at the DWP between the mayor and the council. Councilwoman Jan Perry, who also backed the measure, said it would help council members get more timely information from the utility, regardless of who is running it.

Two weeks ago, the council deadlocked 7 to 7 on the plan, with neither side prevailing. At the time, some council members said they feared Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa would veto the ballot measure.

When the matter was reconsidered Tuesday, the proposal sailed onto the ballot by a 10 to 1 vote, with only Councilman Jose Huizar opposed.

Once again, we in CD 14 can stand proud as Papi Villar says "Muy bien, Mijo Huizzy".
** EVENING UPDATE: Mayor Villar vetoes council action.
** DWP related news:
DWP board president says he plans to resign
DWP's green strategy could come with rate increases, the agency says
DWP quietly scales back Villaraigosa's ambitious renewable energy goal

OTHER AFTERNOON NEWS:

** Out-going California Attorney General and Arizona vacationer Jerry Brown's media stunt in the City of Bell is doing more harm than good. this after a judge denied his attempt to have a court-appointed monitor take over the day to day affairs of the dysfunctional enclave.

** This type of legal trigger-pulling needs to go automatic. From Patrick Range McDonald at the LA Weekly.

For the first time in California, and possibly in the United States, parents are poised take over a chronically failing public school through a new state law called the Parent Trigger. The action will likely send shock waves through education circles across the country.

The historic event will take place in Compton this morning when parent leaders drop off a petition at Compton Unified School District headquarters and utilize the trigger to assume control of McKinley Elementary School. Given behind-the-scenes access, L.A. Weekly will run an in-depth feature story later today on its web site.

** Kamala will most likely declare these drugs as being toxic. California now has enough drugs to conduct 175 executions.

Your thoughts..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Saturday Hotsheet: Jose Huizar Praises Rudy Martinez

“Rudy Martinez is someone who has provided quality services and improved the standard of living of the Northeast Los Angeles area and has demonstrated a willingness to contribute his time and financial services.”
- Jose Huizar

Politicians LOVE to give out proclamations en masse to anyone in their Districts these days.  Used to be you had to be quite distinguished to get a calligraphied certificate of recognition from the City; now one only need make a call to your local Council office to get a proclamation.  Indeed, it's not uncommon to go to a Chamber of Commerce installation, a Rotary Club meeting,  a church service or a Jaycees Convention and not see a parade of young, wet behind the ears aides de camp to local electeds with stacks of laser printed certs in faux leather folders in hand.

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Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Friday

Martinez, Huizar: Photo by LA Downtown News

The LA Weekly profiles CD 14 candidate Rudy Martinez - who is scaring some of LA's power brokers - and we learn a few interesting things.  Martinez is pissing off diva incumbent Jose Huizar.  Huizar campaign manager - fresh off the Janice Hahn and Measure B victories - Mike Trujillo doesn't know Martinez is Latino.  And apparently Huizar doesn't tip waitresses.  Should be fun!

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The Parents are Revolting! - Freedom Pub

The Parents are Revolting! - Freedom Pub

Our friend Lydia Grant is kicking ass on LAUSD and now even CNN is taking a look. Check it out!