Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

The alleged, former LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy's Astro Turf Blog "LA SMEAR DEASY's SCHOOL CRITICS REPORT (aka LA School Report)", commits journalistic malpractice via its now retracted, attack piece on longtime Civil Rights Activist and Education Observer George Buzzetti. 

......., or is it the "LA SMEAR DEASY's SCHOOL CRITICS REPORT"?

George Buzzetti speaking at a LAUSD School Board Meeting. 

Read more »

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Thursday

Twenty years ago today, Rodney King got pulled over on the 210 freeway in Lake View Terrace. About a year later, Los Angeles went ballistic.

Tonight, LAUSD Board Seat candidates Tamar Galatzan and Louis Pugliese face off once again. This candidate forum is co-sponsored by the 31st District PTSA and the League of Women Voters and is being held at the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, 18605 Erwin St., Tarzana. Showtime is 7pm.

Responsible Mountain Bike enthusiasts understand that you can't go around carving out BMX tracks on Open Space protected parkland. Unfortunately, one or more irresponsible knuckleheads thought it was a good idea to butcher up such an area in CD2 for their own entertainment. Kris Sabo and myself visited the site, reported the destruction, and thanks to the rapid response and assistance by Parks & Rec and Councilman Krekorian, the BMX track is no more, and precious open space is happy once again.

Wisconsin Governor Walker is going rogue and now is in defiance of a court order to open up the people's house. On a related note; Is there a link between illiteracy and conservative voting? I hope you're sitting down;  Why yes there is ya morans!

Richard Alarcon is trying to steal money from the Lopez Canyon Amenities Trust Fund, again. This time to the tune of almost half a million dollars. The Trust Fund was established in 1991 to benefit the residents that live adjacent to the now closed Lopez Canyon landfill.  Unfortunately, very few of those dollars have ever found their way to where they were designated, instead they continue to fuel Alarcon's pet projects in areas far from Lopez Canyon. Alarcon's motion goes before the City Council on Friday.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday

In what could be a striking example of why what Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin is doing to corral the gross power of public employee unions is a good thing, the re-election campaign for Councilman Bernard Parks is going tougher than it should. Parks, a popular and fiscally tough Councilman who came up the ranks in the LAPD, is going up an otherwise mediocre and ethically challenged candidate in Forsceen Rowles-Hogan who is the beneficiary of significant DWP and city employee union largess.  Parks has been a voice of sanity when it comes to the DWP, protecting ratepayers as well as fighting against more than generous bankrupting type pension schemes.  Rowles-Hogan, as noted by the LA Weekly, has a city career "fraught with controversy" including being forced to resign from the DWP retirement board after she was caught soliciting funds from money managers who wished to do business with the board.

Read more »

Pugliese Accuses "Desperate" Galatzan of "Mudslinging," Galatzan Campaign "Denies"

Candidate for School Board Louis Pugliese is accusing his opponent and current incumbent, Tamar Galatzan, of being "desperate" following an alleged phone push-poll made to voters accusing Pugliese of defaulting on a student loan.








Read more »

Free for All Friday

Huizar Whitewashing

All the stories are after the jump...

Read more »

Support Louis Pugliese for LAUSD School Board Seat # 3

Support a true friend of education Louie Pugliese in his quest to defeat Tamar Galatzan.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

UTLA Shoots Self in Foot, Then Bites Own Behind

Incumbent Tamar Galatzan

Challenger Louis Pugliese

Do you remember this Mayor Sam story? As it turns out, the UTLA did exactly as we predicted and made yet another bumbling endorsement for a school board seat. The Union backed insider Heather Hodge Kolodny, a UTLA loyalist and fierce opponent of reform. This time, we only had to wait two weeks before their decision bit them in the behind as Ms. Kolodny announced today that she is dropping out of the race. While this may make the incumbent, Tamar Galatzan, happy for the time being, a prompt shift of union support to Teacher Louis Pugliese may well pull them up from the certain nosedive they are in over the West Valley and send her campaign scrambling. UTLA, perhaps now a bit gun shy, and with a self inflicted pain in the ass, says it won't make another endorsement for School Board District 3 until January.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Thursday

Next time instead of tickets can I just get your ex-wife?

The Ticketgate scandal continues for Mayor Villaraigosa.  While Walter Moore details a laundry list of laws that the Mayor have broken by allegedly taking tickets to many events and failing to disclose them, the normally very left of center Latino Politics Blog takes aim at Villaraigosa saying that when the City is laying off working class folks it may not sit very well for the Mayor to be camped out in corporate suites ingesting foie gras and Veuve Clicquot.  Rounding out the pack Phil Jennerjahn isn't thrilled,  but will take, that perhaps it will be easier to recall the Mayor over a ticket scandal than Villaraigosa's budget destroying socialist ways.  If you're really interested in the potential depth of this mess, Mulholland Terrace at Griffith Park Wayist has posted a list of all the tickets at least that it is known that the Mayor allegedly accepted.

It gets more fun.  The City Council voted to override their boycott of Arizona to allow a contract with a Grand Canyon State based company for red light cameras to continue unabated while learning the City is actually losing money on the cameras.  Boycott leader Councilwoman Janice Hahn was clearly frustrated saying "It just seems to me it's wrong when the state is making money, the county is making money and it's costing us money."

Paul Hatfield reports the LA Board of Education voted to boycott non-union car washes. The sole vote against such silliness was Valley rep Tamar Galatzan who does not take a district car nor charge her car washes to LAUSD considering that perhaps in times like these those funds are better served paying teachers or buying books.  Imagine that! Though a registered Democrat Galatzan continues to make common sense votes that make us think she's slowly moving to join us on the dark side.  Given that she is in her early 30s; she's right on schedule.

While the Board of Education is voting on car washes, including member Nury Martinez, the area around Pacoima based Maclay Middle School (in the heart of  Martinez's district) is in a war zone of gang violence. 13 people have been murdered within a one mile radius of the school since 2007.  14 year old student Francisco Valles says he plans to leave the community as soon as he can saying the gangs are "Pure violence, pure shooting, pure drugs. Pure hurtful stuff."

Technology has allowed welfare recipients to receive their cash via debit cards cutting out the need for them to cash checks and carry cash and cut administrative costs for social service agencies.  However the LA Times has discovered that the welfare EBT cards are accepted in ATMs in more than half the casinos and card rooms in the state. What about strip clubs?

Tamar Galatzan Condemns Chris Essel

Also:

Text of Galatzan statement
Jewish leaders to condemn Essel mailer

Saturday Morning Funnies

Chris Essel's proposed development plan for Sunland-Tujunga - Illustration by Ben Cartwright

Every now and then a comment posted by one of our readers is so informative, entertaining, or amusing it warrants a bump up to the full blog and becomes it's own post.  The following is from Joe B's story on the KRLA radio debate between CD2 candidates Paul Krekorian and Chris Essel, hosted by Kevin James Friday night.  The comment followed Krekorian's announcement that CD2 primary challenger Mary Benson has endorsed the Valley Assemblymember and is a parody on the vindictive press release issued by Essel upon the earlier news Friday that another major CD2 challenger, Tamar Galatzan, had announced her backing of Krekorian.  Blog away dum dums!

Since John Shallman is having a bad night. I took it upon myself to write his press release denouncing Mary Benson's endorsement of Paul Krekorian.

October 30th, 2009 – Sunland Tujunga politician Mary Benson announced today that she will support California State Assembly Leader Paul the Armenian Krekorian in the 2nd district City Council special election.

Benson's endorsement comes just a few weeks after a meeting with Council candidate and Valley businesswoman Christine Essel. In the meeting, Essel asked Benson to consider supporting an effort to turn Foothill Blvd into an all dirt road like it was in the 1920's. Benson was not supportive of the idea and detailed a litany of reasons as to why reform would be impossible.

“Christine Essel never asked for Mary Benson's endorsement. Instead, she asked her to think about supporting a plan to break up the large dysfunctional Horse properties in Shadow Hills,” Essel spokesman John Shallman said. “Unfortunately, Mary wouldn’t even consider it. Now she’s trying to protect the the fat and lazy horse owners by issuing a political endorsement of a fellow off the boat professional politician who opposes sodomizing all horses.”

Essel has been on record as a supporter of turning Foothill Blvd into a dirt road throughout the campaign. Essel’s detailed plan to reform L.A. government, “Big Ideas for a New L.A.,” contains recommendations to reform the tare down all CD2 streets so sewer lines can function more effectively by running openly in the middle of every street, so the children of the CD2 rabble can also use them as swimming pools.

###

For more information contact John Shallman in his mansion in the hills.

Krekorian Announces Endorsement by Mary Benson on Kevin James Show

Just moments ago, on the Kevin James Radio Show, Paul Krekorian announced that he has been endorsed by former CD2 candidate Mary Benson. If this is true, this could be very significant, as Paul just picked up the endorsement of former CD2 candidate Tamar Galatzan earlier today. Tamar and Mary came in 3rd and 4th place, respectively, in the primary race.

UPDATE: We have spoken with Mary Benson and she has confirmed that she is indeed backing Paul Krekorian. She stated that she will release a formal announcement soon.

Galatzan Endorses Krekorian; Essel Starts a Cat Fight

Former CD2 candidate and school board member Tamar Galatzan has endorsed Paul Krekorian for CD2. But that's not the big story.

The Not Ready for Prime Time Players at the Chris Essel campaign do it again. After writing her wrong home address on Frank Sheftel's petition, not knowing the schools in her District and most amazingly, palling around with holocaust deniers, Essel and her team have pulled a really big boner.

They have issued a pre-emptive press release with a vindictive attack on Galatzan that just isn't seen, even in the rotten old world of Los Angeles Politics. In the John Shallman (Essel's consultant) crafted piece, the Essel campaign accuse Galatzan of not wanting to discuss LAUSD reform and offered the following:

“Christine Essel never asked for Tamar Galatzan’s endorsement. Instead, she asked her to think about supporting a plan to break up the largest and most dysfunctional school district in America,” Essel spokesman John Shallman said. “Unfortunately, Tamar wouldn’t even consider it. Now she’s trying to protect the bloated LAUSD bureaucracy by issuing a political endorsement of a fellow professional politician who opposes district reform."

Galatzan's support for Krekorian will not doubt cement his support amongst community leaders actually in the District leaving only developers, Downtown interests, Hollywood studios and a few disgruntled folks in Camp Essel. Expect a cascade of new support for Krekorian to be announced next week.

Anyone want to stick a fork in the Essel campaign? It's done.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce also known as the Downtown Interest Protection Racket has endorsed Chris Essel for City Council. Yes we know many of you are thinking "What a surprise." Considering Essel's previous positions supporting SB1818 and the Downtown view that Neighborhood Councils are pesky roadblocks to developer happiness, the Chambers nod to the "Queen of SB1818" is clearly consistent with Downtown's animosity towards the rest of the City.

It seems funny but Governor Schwarzenegger has appointed one of Mayor Villaraigosa's more controversial associates to the California Horse Racing  Board. Keith Brackpool - whose Cadiz Inc. wants to build a multi-million dollar water project for several Southern California water agencies opposed by environmentalists - will earn $100 per meeting ruling on the ponies.  Brackpool you may remember was reportedly part of the Mayor's recent retreat to Iceland to ponder what possible future Villaraigosa could have.

Good news for Billy the Elephant and those enlightened folks who believe that storing pachyderms in restrictive zoos is an idea whose time has come and gone.  A judge has ordered that lawsuit filed by opponents of the boondoggle multi-million dollar elephant pen may go forward.  Lets hope that both of the candidates for CD2 come out in favor of halting the project.

The mommies who write at the always excellent Beckford Parents Blog have an observation about the results of the CD2 election Tuesday: They're stuck with Tamar Galatzan as their School Board Member for another two years. Hopeful she'll get a clue they still speculate that Galatzan - who everyone knew would run for Wendy Greuel's open spot before she even got elected to the school  board - may try again for Council in 2011.  That means she'd have to give her school board seat and clear the way for a candidate more acceptable to the residents of her district.

Parsing the Vote

The folks at the Foothills Forum site have done an excellent job, using data from the City Clerk's office integrated with Google Maps to show how the candidates performed across CD2 yesterday.

You can see the live map here.

Judging from the per precinct performance Essel captured most of Studio City and Sherman Oaks and split Sunland-Tujunga with Krekorian. Krekorian, as expected, captured the heart of the district in North Hollywood, Valley Glen, Valley Village, etc.

Most remarkable to this old, dead Republican Mayor is how well Essel performed in Sunland-Tujunga.

Galatzan took three precincts in Sherman Oaks, and one in her own Studio City but couldn't expand north of Magnolia Boulevard. Similiarly Krekorian did not do well in Studio City, something his team will need to address for the run-off.

Mary Benson was able to take two precincts in Sunland-Tujunga and one (preumably her own) in Sun Valley. Pete Sanchez as expected performed well in his native Valley Village capturing two precints there.

Get ready to rumble!

Mrs. Home Depot for CD2. Not.

Given the volume of pro-Mary Benson comments from residents of Sunland-Tujunga I'm getting both in email and here on the blog I'm not sure that Tamar Galatzan will do well in that part of CD2.

And if anything it may be that you can put lipstick on a pig but in the end its still not kosher.

Residents of Sunland-Tujunga remember too well their valiant and succesful effort to block a behemoth, The Home Depot, from invading their valley. Too, they'll remember that a corporate lobbyist hack attempted to shove the big orange down their throats in a "bizarre" manner as described by the LA Weekly.

That would be Brendan Huffman - the husband of Tamar Galatzan. Upon Tamar's entry into the Council race one Mayor Sam blogger wrote the following:

Brendan, as you may recall from past Mayor Sam stories, is the outspoken and uninformed shill who showed up at several hearings pleading on Home Depot's behalf. At these hearings, Brendan predicted City wide meltdown if Home Depot was not allowed to open in Sunland-Tujunga. He wrote an article in the San Fernando Valley Business Journal where he mistakenly claimed that Home Depot owned the property, mislabeled the community fight as a fight by a competitor, blamed it all on day laborers (never an issue), and failed to understand that just because you are Home Depot, you can't open where you damn well please.

That writer was none other than (now) Galatzan supporter Joe Barrett. To be fair Joe expressed an open mind given Tamar's willingness to meet with him and other ST activists and her spin on the matter at an early forum. However Joe wisely pointed out that Galatzan didn't need "to have to drag around the baggage of a spouse that's never seen a proposed development that he didn't love."

Hometown candidate Mary Benson has street cred when it comes to Home Depot. So does Zuma Dogg. They may not have put in the hours of folks like Joe Barrett, Abby Diamond, Nina Royal, Lydia Grant but they were passionate advocates at many levels to stand up to the Georgia based monster that eventually left town with its tail between its legs leaving Huffman to say "I don't get it?"



On the other hand where was Tamar? Did she attend meetings? Did she speak to the City Council did she once speak out about the project's impact on neighboring Apperson Elementary School where small children would be subject to choking on diesel fumes and potentially getting run over by frequent delivery trucks rolling over the neighborhood's small streets? As an advocate for the community did she attempt to rein in her husband in uplifting a potential violent assault on a community? Not that I can find any evidence of.

Now Valley Doll tells me that she wouldn't want to be blamed for anything her husband does. Fair enough. But I also know that Valley Doll would speak up if her husband was doing something shady. So what did Tamar know, when did she know it and what did she do about it? Nada.

It seems to me if one is there with you in a fight you owe your allegiance to them more than someone who is a johnny-come-lately no matter how much you think its going to make one person win or another lose. I have tremendous personal respect for Joe but I can't agree with him here.

In my own personal, slightly uninformed, humble view, residents of Sunland-Tujunga would be better off voting for Mary Benson or Zuma Dogg (or any of the other candidates) than Tamar. If anything, based on experience.

Your thoughts?

Villaraigosa-Galatzan: Thick As Thieves Part Two

We reported last week a series of deep connections that CD2 Council Candidate Tamar Galatzan has to Mayor Villaraigosa. This is despite that Galatzan is telling supporters, most notably a group of activists from Sunland-Tujunga that recently endorsed her, that she has no one from the Mayor's staff working on her campaign and that she is on the outs with Villaraigosa.

So as Adam Sandler said if my first song didn't convince you here is a whole new list of people tied to Mayor V just like Tamar too.

Steve Kaufman serves as Tamar's attorney and has done extensive work for Mayor Villaraigosa. Kaufman recently did legal work when Galatzan was charged by her critics with allegedly using her LAUSD board member funds on mailers for her CD2 race. Kaufman also was the slick lawyer that tried to go up against Ron Kaye and the Solar 8 on the shady Measure B lawsuit, defended convicted City Councilman Martin Ludlow and also repped Clowncilmen Tony Cardenas and Alex Padilla in a campaign ethics violations case.

Haley Green is has been paid $2,000 to date for consulting work by the then Galatzan. Previously Green was on the payroll of Villaraigosa's Partnership for Better Schools, the Mayor's political committee that helped to elect Galatzan to the School Board with a $2 million boost.

Galatzan's day to day aide Devin Orisri is a former employee of the Mayor's Partnership for Better schools. Her Policy Director Pamela Burga is another former employee of the Mayor.

Though Galatzan and others claim she and the Mayor have had a parting of ways - primarily pointing to a vote against benefits for part time LAUSD cafeteria workers - Galatzan has supported nearly every other initiative of the Mayor including his takeover of select local schools as well as plans to offer a significant number of LAUSD campuses to private operators. As a veteran campaign consultant recently told me "There is no falling out. Tamar's campaign is being advised and run by loyalists to Villaraigosa."

Villaraigosa-Galatzan: Thick As Thieves

"From Tamar's mouth 'My team consists of three people, none of whom have ever worked for the Mayor.'"
-Sunland-Tujunga Activist Tomi Bowling on Mayor Sam's Facebook Page

With all due respect to some of my friends in Sunland-Tujunga who recently endorsed School Board Member Tamar Galatzan, I have some bad news for you.

First, I'll let Denzel Washington, as Malcom X, tell you what Tamar has done to you.

Lets start at the top.  Kevin Acebo, is Galatzan's primary consultant.  (and if you don't believe a Mayor Sam reader none other than the minutes of a Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association meeting confirm the Galatzan-Acebo-Villaraigosa connection) According to City Ethics records, Galatazan to date has paid Acebo $12,000 to run her campaign.  Okay, so who is Acebo? Quite frankly a longtime Villaraigosa insider who served as a Deputy Mayor to Villaraigosa until last year.

Additionally Galatzan has secured the services of consulting firm Padilla and Associates who has done over $20,000 worth of work for Villaraigosa over the years and whose principal Katherine Padilla served as Villaraigosa's campaign treasurer.  Padilla has also secured contracts from the City of Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Review Commission to "facilitate" meetings.

But wait there's more.  Not only is Tamar's campaign staff full of Villaraigosa flunkies but so is her school board staff.  Director of Policy Pamela Burga previously worked on the Mayor's staff.  Director of Community Affairs Denise Campos was District Director for fellow Villaraigosa client, Councilmember Jose Huizar.

You've been bamboozled!

Morning Briefs and Outtakes on the Day After CD 2's Last Candidate Forum

"Can Tamar make a clean break from the Villaraigosa Machine??"

Breakaway!!

In reading Phil Jennerjahn's latest in his excellent coverage of the CD 2 candidate forums, one gets the impression that LAUSD School Board Member/CD 2 Candidate Tamar Galatzan has the "political winds" blowing her into the front position, leading up to the final weekend before next Tuesday vote.

Galatzan was endorsed by the Daily News. She picked up the support of prominent community members in Sunland-Tujunga including Joe Barrett and Abby Diamond of the potent "No Home Depot" coalition. And in the latest from the LA "Weekly of Record" Weekly, writer Paul Teetor keenly pens his observation that a Tamar victory would not be received favorably on Spring Street, a development that should help to reinforce Galatzan's "Valley Political Cred".

But as Tamar seeks to distance herself further away from the "Carpetbagging Two" of the "Big Three", one can't help to think, "can Tamar make a clean break from the Villaraigosa Machine??" I say this in reference to the above photo that accomplices Tamar's "This Election is About Us" post on her campaign website. Tamar is right to say that this election is about the future direction and preservation of the identity of CD 2. But the voters in CD 2 need to look beyond the symbolic verbiage and see the true intentions and political linkage of their future councilperson.

Galatzan, as she forges ahead in her quest to become the "temp" CD 2 Councilperson would be wise to study the past of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Tamar will find that Villar/Villaraigosa does not value those who are loose with their loyalty to him (think Gil Cedillo) and Tamar should not think that the Mayor will welcome her with open arms if she were to win the CD 2 race.

The best advise for Tamar in these final days would be this, make a clean break from your past linkage with the Villaraigosa Machine and forge a political path forward, for there is no looking back in the eyes of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, upon used up political goods. The informed masses in CD 2 deserved this from their future leader.

OTHER NEWS:

** KABC 790 AM Morning Host Doug McIntyre has the subject of "Mayor Villaraigosa's True Love" as the topic of his weekly column for the Daily News. Note to Doug, Villaraigosa would seek a divorce from the divorce process if it would advance his personal agenda.

** The Daily News editorialize on those "Political Punters on Spring Street" that keep kicking a solution to the budget problems at City Hall to the Unions for runbacks.

** Incarcerated Community Organizer Najee Ali favorite Congresswoman Maxine Waters, is the subject of a Congressional Ethics Investigation into her husband ties to a bank receiving federal bailout funds.

** The "Coalition of Unions" might want to contact "Deputy Chief of Staff" Matt Szabo and schedule a meeting with new City Hall enforcer "Mayor Vetovillar". No surprise here as once again the former Antonio Ramon Vilar/Tony Villar/Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa/Latino Tony Blair/ changes his persona and becomes "Mayor Antonio Vetovillar" the protector of the city's monetary integrity.

** Memo to LAPD Chief Bill Bratton, LA Weekly's Patrick Range McDonald has some salient observations about your track record on political endorsements. Hmm, with County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas under "federal" investigation for his ties to the Tyrone Freemon SEIU Scandal. Can you pledge your support of Councilman Jose Huizar in 2011, before leaving in October ??

** And lastly, what is in the DNA Chain of the Villar Family Clan that one must bend over backwards for the Anschutz Entertainment Group when they seek exemptions from public laws ?? We present this from LA Weekly's Tibby Rothman and Jill Stewart, "Mushroom Season in Poisonous Sacramento"

This year, one “mushroom” attracting headlines is by Assemblyman John Perez, who represents the Eastside of Los Angeles and is Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s first cousin. His Assembly Bill 813 would benefit just one Colorado billionaire, Philip Anschutz. First reported by the Los Angeles Times, AB 813 would waive a law that currently prohibits Club Nokia and other entertainment venues from slathering the interior of their spaces with ads that promote the alcohol companies whose products they sell at a steep profit.

Anschutz wants to sell big ad spaces inside the unattractive, boxlike Club Nokia, near Staples Center, to squeeze out more profit. The state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control this year ruled such liquor-ad peddling to be illegal.

Your Thoughts..................

Prominent Sunland-Tujunga Activists Announce Endorsement in CD 2 Special Election

"Tamar Galatzan making friends in Sunland-Tujunga"

Prominent Sunland-Tujunga community leaders have announced their endorsement in the CD 2 Special Election to complete the remainder of now City Controller Wendy Greuel's term on the City Council.

September 15, 2009

Dear Council District 2 Residents,

On September 22nd, 2009, we will have the opportunity to cast an important vote. We will choose who will represent us at the Los Angeles City Council in the Council District 2 seat. This is such an important vote, we the undersigned, feel we must come forward and announce our choice to you, our fellow community members. As diverse as we are, we have united behind one candidate and ask you to also consider voting for Tamar Galatzan.

We are impressed with Tamar’s honesty, dedication and her desire to serve the people of Sunland-Tujunga and CD2. We need someone who can hit the ground running, and Tamar’s experience as a prosecutor coupled with her knowledge of city departments and procedures will create a strong tool in the arsenal to protect our open space and way of life. We need a fighter with integrity and backbone and Tamar is that person. We have each spoken individually with many of our fellow stakeholders in Sunland-Tujunga and it is clear that Tamar Galatzan has strong support in our community.

Tamar’s public appearances at various candidate forums and her appearances at Neighborhood Council meetings have shown she is very aware of the important and unique issues of our community. Tamar has the ability to ‘straight talk’ and connects with any and all constituents in CD2. Tamar has shown her commitment to our community during the devastating fires by:

• Personally phoning the mayor to try to authorize overtime for rescue staff
• Ensuring that Verdugo Hills High School was opened and accessible for evacuees
• Working with KLCS to broadcast vital information about evacuation facilities
• Providing guidance for local residents to appropriate emergency services

We do acknowledge and recognize a few of the other candidates as very knowledgeable, intelligent and viable candidates for the CD2 seat. But overall, we believe Tamar has the best understanding of what it will take to make our streets safer, our schools better and improve the quality of life for all of us in CD 2.

Some of the signees include,

Joe Barrett, Sunland-Tujunga Alliance (STA) Co-Founder
Chairman of No Home Depot Campaign

Abby Diamond, STA Co-Founder
Secretary of No Home Depot Campaign

Dan McManus, President
Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council (STNC)

Tomi Lyn Bowling, Chairman
STNC Land Use Committee

Ed Novy, STNC Board Member

Here is a link to the entire letter with the names of the endorsers.

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

** Link here to Ron Kaye's report in "OurLA" on today's Sunland-Tujunga developments.

(organization names used for identification purposes only)

Sunland Tujunga to Issue Council Endorsment

Sources are telling us that leaders from Sunland-Tujunga will announce their choice to take the open Council Seat in CD2.  Stay tuned to this blog for more details.  Who is it? Well let us just say some people are going to be very happy and some others are going to be really pissed!