Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Tuesday

 Huizar's Winter Wonderland

Looks like former LAPD Chief William Bratton got out of town just in time - an audit showing under his watch the LAPD mismanaged millions of dollars in purchasing and contracting. The violations include contracts being issued without going out for competitive bidding and purchases lacking receipts.  The Daily News reports the fraud, waste and abuse potentially represents millions of taxpayer dollars.  The audit was completed last summer however the details were held until after Bratton's exit.

Legendary pro-marijuana activist-attorney Bruce Margolin thinks that elected officials concerns about the practicality and expense of enforcing regulations on medical marijuana lead to an eventual mood to legalize the drug.  In an op-ed piece in the Daily News Margolin, a local West Hollywood based attorney and real estate investor who literally wrote the book on marijuana laws, says beleagured state and local government could "benefit from the tax dollars brought in by above-board cannabis shops paying millions in sales tax, plus payroll and other taxes." Legal pot just might coming sooner than expected - activitsts are prepping a measure for the November 2010 ballot.

Even though the IBEW got a big fat raise for it's DWP members, we're still having lots of DWP problems. Nearly 3000 customers in Sherman Oaks were without power over the weekend.

Yet another dumb idea from Jose Huizar - a downtown trolley car - has captured some taxpayer money.  Whatever happened to HUIZAR'S WINTER WONDERLAND?

Good recap on the CD2 elections by Suzanne Lauer at the Village to Village Blog.  Despite the fact that a well past his prime, former Mayoral candidate turned also ran blogger (no not that one, nor that one, yes THAT ONE) was urging people not to vote, more people turned out to vote, during the holidays and in awful weather for the run-off than during the primary.  Lauer sees a positive and nascent movement locally against apathy that might have been further stoked by the hybrid grass roots victory of Paul Krekorian.  Let's hope she turns out to be right!