Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

"One down."

Recalling his abuelito and hoping for sunny days ahead Mayor Villaraigosa laid out massive jobs and budget cuts for the City in his annual State of the City address.  The event was indeed somber; the Mayor only drawing applause when he made reference to historically low crime rates in the City.  Villaraigosa also lambasted critics as "clucking pundits" who were proven wrong by voters who approved the controversial phone tax, Measure S. However Clucker-in-Chief Mulholland Terrace recalls a 2008 op-ed piece he authored for the Los Angeles Times clearly outlining the fraud that Measure S was and how the voters were duped by the grandson of Pedro Acosta.

What was promised to be a big kick-off to Phil Jennerjahn's attempt to recall Mayor Villaraigosa turned out to be a big thud.  Phil reported earlier Tuesday evening to have completed one petition which if the version we have access to online is correct, the two page document only has space for five signatures. Among the latest questions about this effort - which could distract from other efforts to bring about reform in Los Angeles - are 1) if this is not about anyone's ego why is Walter Moore being touted as the first signer of the petition and 2) If Phil's strategy for victory includes pulling in disgruntled City workers why does he post commentary that "public employees are killing this country?"

When you're a carpetbagger running for a statewide seat in a state you didn't grow up in what do you? Bring in your former boss who happens to be a former President of the United States.  Andrei Cherny, formerly of AD40 here in the Valley is running for State Treasurer of Arizona is hosting a big campaign event featuring President Bill Clinton, for whom Cherny was once a wonderkind speechwriter for.  And to prove he's a man of the people, if you can't afford the $840 to meet the former philanderer-in-chief in person all you po' folks can ante up $25 for the chance to win a raffle to get into the party.  An insider recently told me that Cherny has little chance to win the race for Treasurer, an insignificant position in Arizona state government, but he's setting himself up for a Congressional race in 2012.

Now that he has succeeded in getting the final phase of the controversial Playa Vista development approved, CEO Steve Soboroff is stepping down.  The LA Times reports that the move appears to be voluntary and quotes the former Riordan administration insider as wanting to move on to his next big challenge.

Sunday Morning Mimosa

JM, Birds on a wire, Rowena and Hyperion, 11.19.07

Malibu Corral Fire could be up to 50% contained today, AP reports. Forty-nine homes have been destroyed.

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Gated community? Playa Capital Company (which you know as Playa Vista) suddenly erected a six-foot fence on its south side, to keep Cabora Road hikers out. The development cites leashless dogs as the reason. But most dogs can't get over a three-foot fence---why six feet, one hiker wonders.

At the go-to Westchester blog, "Westchester Parents," a commenter says, "I just got back from a walk, and laid eyes on this fence for the first time. I nearly gagged. I had to temper my reaction because my kids were there… but this is COMPLETELY outrageous...." The blog says the fence purportedly went up because of the persistent complaints of a single person, a professor at LMU.

You're inclined to wonder: the City's leash law is not enforced in Pacific Palisades, in Woodland Hills, even on the sidewalks of Los Feliz---why should it be so strictly enforced on the bluffs of Westchester?

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That guy at the Westchester blog is also a bit of a water wonk.

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LAOpera: La Boheme opens today at the Dorothy Chandler, 2 p.m. curtain, for a run that will extend through December 16. Don Giovanni opened last night and runs through December 15.

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The Los Angeles Times ed and op-ed page will not dramatically change with the departure of Matt Welch. But the editorial department will be diminished by the fact that there is one less editorial voice at the paper who cares about local issues.

Before Matt's arrival, it wasn't unusual to see an entire Sunday paper devoid of local editorial commentary. That changed when Matt got there, and the City was a bit better off because of it.

Senor Welch from his libertarian POV also was one distinct editorial voice willing to look at the proceedings of the Mayor's office with a circumspect eye. Expect fewer qualms over supporting new costly city bonds issues from the Mattless Times.

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Finally, here's a retraction and a regret: I have implied in the past few days that the Daily News might be looking for a City editor. That's not true at all. By all accounts and every measure, Judi Erickson has been doing an enormously great job as City editor at the Daily News since her promotion in September; word even came that she was in on her day off yesterday to handle the Corral Fire story. I regret implying anything contrary to the fact that Everyone Loves Judi.