Watch Your Wallet!

What is Measure J?

The Metro Board of Directors authorized placing Measure J on the November ballot.

If approved, Measure J will extend for 30 additional years the existing one-half cent sales tax that was approved in 2008 and is currently set to expire in 2039 (Measure R). The additional funds will be used to secure bonds, which will allow Metro to accelerate construction of transportation improvements.

The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation reports that the projects accelerated by Measure J will advance the creation of 250,000 new local jobs (direct, indirect and induced workers) by starting construction on seven rail and rapid transit projects and up to eight highway projects within the next five years, instead of the twenty years currently planned. Measure J will also provide an additional thirty years of continued funding for local city transportation improvements, countywide bus and rail operations, Metrolink and Metro Rail Capital improvements and administration.

Under Measure R, there is an annual independent audit and report to taxpayers, and ongoing monitoring and review of spending by the independent taxpayer oversight committee. This oversight will continue with Measure J.

Mini Pips for a Humpday Afternoon

How does a controversial local newspaper publisher with an extensive criminal record continue to publish his paper and serve as a "principal for the day" at a local high school? That's the question on the mind of many residents of Sunland-Tujunga; follow the reporting at Joe B's Mop and Bucket Blog.

The Chairman of the Democratic National Convention AKA 11% Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is coming after your wallet. He wants to extend LA's increased sales tax to pay for more transportation boondoggles. With news of the utter failure of California's goofy high speed rail plan, is this really the time to tie up much needed tax dollars in a down economy?

Congressional candidate and former MayorSam blogger Phil Jennerjahn details his property rights platform.

In case you missed it, last Saturday night Frank Sheftel, David Hernandez and I spoke with political consultant John Thomas about Carmen Trutanich's embarrassing court defeat last week over his ballot title.

Cool random photo shot by Joseph Mailander in Silver Lake over at this Street Hassle Blog.

By the way, if you haven't "liked" us on Facebook yet, please kindly consider visiting our page and doing so. Additional content and a great way to network with other MayorSam fans.

What Do Pols Who Just Got A Blank Check Look Like?

LA Pols "celebrate" the passage of the shady transit tax measure R and think we can get a subway to Westwood in twenty years or so.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

The Hollywood Shady Parade continues in 2008.  You may remember that last year the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced it was giving up sponsorship of the venerable tradition known as the Hollywood Christmas Parade and that the parade was taken over by the City of Los Angeles.  Franklin Avenue reports that Disney is going to have a significant presence in this years's parade. Nothing wrong with that but one again the parade will be produced by event producer Bill Lomas, an alleged associate of Councilman Tom LaBonge, whose company Pageantry Productions has planned what insisders have claimed and alleged are failed events including the previous incarnation of the Hollywood Parade.  This may be the reason for the parade's producer now being referred to as Hollywood Santa Parade, LLC, whose principal is still Lomas.

Steve Hymon talks with urban planner David Grannis who has good, practical solutions to Westside traffic that don't require the Mayor's transit tax scam, Measure R.  Changing meter cycles on freeway offramps on the 10 and setting up reversable street lanes are among the ideas.

It's been ten years since the City's experiment with a system of advisory Neighborhood Councils has been developed and their presence is being felt.  The Daily News' Rick Orlov reports that the latest move for the Councils may be for each of the panels to pony up some of their annual $50,000 a year funding to hire a lobbyist to influence the City Council.

The Transit Tax Is Not The Answer

Five well meaning but mistaken community activist organizations are holding a press conference Monday to come out in support of the Mayor's transit tax increase scam, Measure R.  The proposal on the November ballot will tax residents throughout Los Angeles County to primarily fund rail transit on the Westside.  Though supporters of the dubious measure have convinced these organizations that a subway will reduce automobile use and hence traffic and pollution, experience has been despite building more and more rail in Los Angeles, traffic has actually increased.

Considering the safety record of these rail systems - considered to the be the worst in the nation when it comes to collisions between trains and pedestrians, vehicles and other tranins - it is not wise to think about building more at this time.

The answer to gridlock in Los Angeles is not more rail but to puruse zoning and economic development policies that put the jobs closer to where people live and to allow for privtazation of transit which will allow market demand to create commuter buses, jitneys and other solutions (such as Personal Rapid Transit) as used in other cities, which are more approprirate for Los Angeles.

By the way, one of the shams the supporters of Measure M and other tax/bond projects try to run by voters is that the measure comes with an "oversight" board.  This is something politicians started pushing when they realized the people were no longer likely to vote for bonds and taxes that fund major boondoggles.  However the truth is there is no real oversight of the projects before the money is spent.  The oversight is after the fact not providing any circuit breakers to waste, fraud and abuse before or while it's happening.

With a number of other tax increases on the ballot, considering the declining state of the economy, raising taxes for this purpose is not wise at this time.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Sunday

The Los Angeles City budget outlook for 2009 is "bleak" according to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.  The Mayor told attendees at the annual "Budget Day" Saturday that the budget deficit could reach $400 million prompting deep cuts in City services and job layoffs.  Not good news for a Mayor going into re-election.

An organization the represents various cities in the San Gabriel Valley has come out against the Mayor's transit tax scam - Measure R - that would raise taxes on residents througout LA County to build projects in West Los Angeles. The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments voted unanimously on a resolution that opposes Measure R. La Cañada Flintridge City Councilman Dave Spence told a local publication “You just can’t take funds and tax the people in San Gabriel Valley to give the city of L.A. their transportation needs.”

LA isn't the only city in Southern California getting hit up for more taxes and bonds. A Santa Monica based community group, Friends of Sunset Park is opposed to a bond raising money for Santa Monica College on the November ballot.  Among a long list of detailed objections to the bond measure, a key issue prompting opposition to the bond is the fact that although Santa Monica's property owners will pay the full cost of the bill, only 15% of SMC students actually live in Santa Monica.

Fifth District City Council candidate, Adeena Bleich, is first in fundraising according to current reports.  Bleich, a former deputy to controversial incumbent Jack Weiss, has raised $150,000 with former Assemblyman and West Hollywod Mayor (carpetbagger) Paul Koretz just behind Bleich with $142,000 raised.  The old, dead Republican Mayor has yet to decide who he is supporting in the 5th District however Adeena holds a special place in my heart as she was one of the first folks to buy a Bob Hertzberg stuffed bear from the Mayor Sam Online Store.

School Board Member Tamar Galatzan writes in CityWatch that she's been trying to get the straight story on a previous agreement between the LAUSD and the DWP to allow pilot group of schools to install solar panels to generate some electricity.  According to District officials who spoke with Galatzan, the DWP cancelled all meetings with respect to the contract and didn't sit down to discuss it with the school district until after the agreement expired.

Don't forget our Fourth Birthday Party this Friday night at Casa Princesa in Highland Park, hosted in partnership with Zuma Dogg and the LA Daily Blog.  Also, stay tuned Monday for an announcement of a new blogger here at The Sister City.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

The Mayor's transit tax scam, Measure R could be in trouble in the November election.  Bob Stern, president of the nonpartisan Center for Governmental Studies told The Daily News "The timing is terrible. I think anything with money will have problems."  Measure R will likely get a majority of the vote, but a two-thirds vote is difficult to achieve, even in good economic times, Stern noted.  Additionally, a rash of rail accidents and the safety procedures of MTA and Metrolink being question will have a negative impact on passage.

The Los Angeles Unified School District has lost another court case against a charter school. New West Charter School in West Los Angeles had challenged the District when it did not provide New West with classroom space as per a voter approved state measure. The court ordered LAUSD to provide space for 285 students at Fairfax High school or another acceptable school facility in conformity with Proposition 39 by October 8, 2008.

CityNotes: The LA CRA approved A $3.2-million loan to help build a $24-million, 60-unit affordable housing project near Koreatown. *  Eric Garcetii is sponsoring "A Day at the River" on the LA River in Atwater.  Let us know if you find the river Eric. *  Dennis Zine was hand on to award free Hometown Buffet gift certificates to attendees at the West Hills Fall Fest on Sunday.
Yesterday we covered that Britney Spears' parents have barred her from having sex for six months and now we may know why.  Her former boyfriend, paparazzi Adnan Ghalib is trying to shop a sex tape he shot with Britney back when she has having her meltdown.  Her attorneys have filed a lawsuit to stop from Ghalib from releasing the tape.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

Ron Kaye's Saving LA Project met over the weekend to further solidify it's agenda and mission. According to Kaye, Heinrich Keifer agreed to be acting president, Nina Royal acting secretary and Tom Carter acting treasurer until further organizing activites are complete. In the meantime, the organization has chosen to focus on efforts to establish at "ratepayer advocate" at the DWP and to support the establishment of Griffith Park as a historic landmark.

In light of the recent economy and credit crunch Mayor Villaraigosa has called on all City department heads to start preparing for significant budget cuts in next year's budget. The cuts could lead to major cuts in services and lay-offs, in other words, the current situation could be forcing the City to get back onto a realistic spending plan.

Yet another screed positing the fantasy that transit tax scam being foisted on the County by Westside politicians can solve the traffic problems in LA is posted up over at CityWatch. It's been pointed out several times that you can't build enough subways and trains in LA to cut back on the traffic that plagues the City. In the meantime the measure, which must get 66% of the vote to pass, is running into oposition in the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley and eastern LA County.

Candidate for County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas is advancing a bill that would bring "congestion pricing" to road use here in Los Angeles. Simply put, you'd be required to pay to drive on the freeways you're already paying gas taxes for. Its just another way for the government to squeeze your wallet further in guise of solving some social ill. In other news, you can see Ridley-Thomas acting like a fool outside Saturday's Sarah Palin rally at the Home Depot Center.

In a shocking development Shelly Mandel, the President of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women, has endorsed the McCain-Palin ticket according to Greta VanSusteren of FoxNews. According to VanSusteren this may lead to a number of other feminist leaders who do not support the Obama campaign to come forward and throw their support behind Sarah Palin. This has caused the intolerant of opposing viewpoints Democratic party hacks who run NOW to go apolectic and issue renunciations of Mandel and calls for her head.

Something in the water at the Associated Press. They're claiming that Sarah Palin's criticism of Barack Obama for associating with 1960s Weather Underground terrorist William Ayers is "racist." Odd, considering liberals are hit for such associations all the time. How is it racist? Or is it racist that ANY attack on Obama is racially motivated because Obama happens to be "black?"

Britney Spears parents have banned her from having sex for six months. Jamie and Lynne Spears feel that having booty calls would have a negative impact on the pop princess' recovery from her previous troubles and could derail her current career comeback.

Banks Crashing Almost As Much As LA's Trains ; Tax Scam On Ballot

Someone remarked about the current state of the banking industry in US, that it's a "train wreck;" here in Los Angeles they've become a more than frequent occurrence from the "death machines" more commonly known as Metrolink and MTA trains.

For some time, in an effort to physically stimulate the transit nerds among us – but more importantly create new job opportunities for LA’s politically connected but otherwise useless public works contracting industry – the Mayor has pushed for a significant sales tax increase to build the ever so important “subway to the sea” to mollify Music Center bound Westside cranks but ship the bill to folks in Palmdale, West Covina, Agoura and East LA.

Now, as more trains run into each other, buses, cars and people, Measure R goes to the ballot with the same lack of foresight and non-corruption as a number of other shady tax increases on the ballot. The Governor has signed off on the enabling legislation.

In the meantime, the County’s Metropolitan Transportation Agency, hungry for new cash, has created a marketing campaign designed to pass the measure despite that the fact it is illegal for a public agency to spend taxpayer funds on political activities. However given how corrupt the system is, how inept our law enforcement bureaucracy has become and the fact that with the economy in a shambles anything local is way under the radar, don’t expect any repercussions for his shady move by the MTA’s bosses.

The only hope now is that a majority of the voters are smart enough to realize that LA’s killing machine doesn’t need any more cash nor is it a smart move to raise their taxes in the middle of an economic crisis.

Transit Tax: Deceitful and Deadly

The Mayor's and MTA's half percent transit tax scam has become even more fraught with fraud and abuse.  The MTA has been accused of spending public funds to advance the measure in violation of state law.  Following advice from it's own attorneys, the transit agency changed language on it's own website that appeared to support the ballot measure.  Still, MTA plans to spend over $4 million of taxpayer money to promote the tax, something that a number of officials, including County Supervisor Mike Antonovich find to be a potential misuse of public funds.

In the meantime, following the tragic crash Friday of a Metrolink train in Chatsworth, LA County voters may want to re-think the idea of rail transit and other similar projects.  Frequent accidents between Metrolink and MTA trains with vehicles and pedestrians may be a sign that Los Angeles just isn't built for rail transit, or even busways such as the Orange Line which frequently runs into vehicles at crossings (that do not have railroad style crossing arms at intersections) that are not really appropriate for LA's urban and car oriented environment.

We've said it before and we'll say it again, you can't build enough trains to get Angelenos out of their cars and make a dent in LA's traffic problem.  Transit fans often cite cities such as San Francisco, New York and Chicago as excellent examples of public transit.  And that is true.  However, unlike LA, each of these cities are far smaller geographically and have a dedicated central core downtown.  As well, each of them have had a 50 to 100 year jump on LA in building transit.

The solution to reducing traffic in LA will come in more practical zoning, making LA more business friendly hence bringing jobs to dense population areas and allowing private operators to run commuter bus and "jitney" services letting the market respond with a solution where the need exists.

Until then, watch your wallet!

Related:

• Very similar but less deadly accident in which a Metrolink engineer failed to yield to warning lights (similar to the believed cause of Friday's accident) in a 2002 crash between commuter and freight trains in Placentia in which two people died. (The LA Times has compiled a list of some of the more significant previous Metrolink accidents)
  
• Here's a list of accidents on the Metro Orange Line in the San Fernando Valley.  Usually the fault of the accident is the driver of the vehicle the Orange Line buses crash into, but again, this is because the Orange Line is operating in an environment it really isn't made for, especially without grade separated crossings and/or crossing gates.
• According to Wikipedia, more than 87 motorists and pedestrians have been killed at Metro Blue Line crossings since 1990 and there have been more than 792 accidents making the the line by multiples the deadliest and most accident-prone rail line in the country

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Wednesday

Villaraigosa political operative Ace Smith (who I was once accused of being by the way) is taking over the campaign to gain passage of the half percent Westside transit tax scam favored by the Mayor. We'll say it over and over again, you can't build enough trains to solve the problems in LA let alone the Westside and this is a massive pork laden boondoggle. As most of the County is opposed to this measure they'll pay for and won't benefit from, Smith will have his work cut out for him. And he's further sunk should Governor Schwarzenegger place his one own one percent sales tax on the ballot.

Workers at Los Angeles' animal shelters packed Tuesday's City Council meeting to demand the firing of Department of Animal Services General Manager Ed Boks. Among other issues, the employees said the City's shelters are overcrowded and that animals do not receive proper food or medical attention. City Councilman Dennis Zine said he would schedule a hearing on the issue in his Personnel Committee. In the meantime, there is one example of how the private sector could do a far better job of running animal shelters than the City.

Los Angeles-based publisher Rich Perelman is leading the battle Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks' plan to criminalize smoking in Los Angeles. Perelman says "If Councilman Parks has his way, (LAPD) officers will be able to cite you, or even arrest you, for using a legal product: tobacco." Perelman has created a website dedicated for his effort, www.WeAreNotCriminals.com.

It took being embarrassed when he went on a junket to Israel, but Mayor Villaraigosa has finally done something about illegal dumping in South Los Angeles. A new task force will identify areas for clean-up, but first they had to get a $500,000 grant from the state to do what they should have been doing all along.

Local Republicans are invited to step up and make the difference for the McCain-Palin campaign. The LA County GOP is sponsoring "Super Sarah Saturday" at a location near you.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Thursday

Mayoral candidate Walter Moore reports he is very close to reaching the $150,000 contributions received threshold in order to qualify for matching funds in the 2009 election.  However, there's still an out for Mayor Villaraigosa.  When Walter reaches that threshold, the Mayor could decline matching funds for his campaign which would release him from a requirement to debate Moore or any other candidate who qualifies for the matching funds.

Though LAPD figures claim crime is at the level it was in 1967, Community activist David Hernandez makes a good point: 247 people in LA have been murdered so far this year, hardly a reason to celebrate.  Hernandez also adds up the numbers, nearly 1200 have been killed during Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's administration.

City Council President Eric Garcetti has announced that Albina Ferreyra has been appointed as his Field Deputy for Atwater.  Previously Ferreyra served as a deputy for 1st District Councilman Ed Reyes.

Even though there's no money for it and route options are considered controversial in various communities, the MTA plans to press forward with not one but two subway boondoggles for the Westside.  Let's hope that the sales tax increase scam on the November ballot doesn't pass and give this nonsense any more life.  As we know, you can't build enough trains to end LA's traffic woes.  The answer lies in allowing private operators to meet the market demand for commuter public transportation (as is done in New York) and to encourage the growth of new business around housing.

Though the City is facing a water crisis and has ordered drastic efforts to save water, various City agencies are still found wasting the precious liquid.  The LA Times documents Recreation and Parks Department employees hosing down tennis courts.  Maybe they need a water broom.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Wednesday

Franklin Avenue notes that the City of LA's birthday is Thursday but the City has apparently forgotten.  The city website still show's last year's events.  Oh well.  Most drugstores have belated birthday cards.

At the risk of getting a swarm of anonymous comments from Bart Reed and Zach Behrens, Governor Schwarzenegger has an opportunity to veto the Westside-centric transit tax scam to go on this November's ballot.  With the the Governor readying a sales tax increase of his own it's not likely voters will pass additional taxes that are paid for by the rest of the County but only benefit one side.  Though Schwarazenegger has promised to veto all bills until a budget is passed, he's already broken that promise on another transit related bill that came before him.

I wonder if Zuma Dogg addressed this in public comment.  Today the LA City Council voted to extend a moratorium on new medical marijuana facilities.


You can't hose your driveway off with a hose under the City's new water conservation rules however if you use something called a "water broom" you can do it that way.  Though the item retails for $200, LAist reports that you can get a rebate for $150 from the Metropolitan Water District.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Sunday

The Pasadena Star News reports on one of the reasons why Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was snubbed at the recent Democratic National Convention in Denver: the Obama campaign viewed him as being in the same league of another politician and philanderer, John Edwards. The News also slams the Mayor for turning his back on San Gabriel Valley transportation needs and the transit tax scam he and Zev Yaroslavsky are pushing for which will benefit the Westside but be paid for by the entire County.

Liberal blowhard filmmaker Michael Moore suggested that the likely landfall of Hurricane Gustav just prior to the start of the Republican National Convention was a sign that God favored the Democrats. Yes, Mike is a deep thinker. In the meantime, Republican nominees John McCain and Sarah Palin will be joining Mississippi Governor Hayley Barbour for a briefing from the state's emergency officials. The latest word from the Obama bin Biden campagin was that the Democratic nominee has no plans to visit the region but will give a phone call.

The annoucement of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate has proven succesful at least financially for presumptive Republican Presidential nominee John McCain. Friday, the day of the Palin selection, saw a one day total of nearly $7 million in contributions to the McCain campaign.

Michael Cohen writing at LA CityWatch disects the legal battle in last week's closing arguments in the case against Measure R, the shady term limits law in the City of Los Angeles. Cohen makes a good point that the court, should they hand a victory to the city and allow them to put measures on the ballot that cover multiple subjects, could be setting a bad precedent. Cohen rightly notes that the arrogance of City leaders in pushing this kind of fraud on the voters is what's helping to simmer a coming revolution against them such as Ron Kaye's Saving Los Angeles Project.

One of the best Britney Spears impersonators around is a man. Derrick Barry has been a professional Britney impersonator for five years and who was seeking to make the finals in the reality show America's Got Talent but was eliminated in the semi-finals when, according to Wikipedia, he failed to "wow" judge Piers Morgan.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

State Senator Jenny Oropeza is a hold-out on enabling legislation for the MTA's half percent transit tax scam. In an interview with Steve Hymon at the Fishwrap of record Oropeza denies claims of Mayor Villaraigosa she's seeking more pork for her district or wants to get the Mayor back for not endorsing her in her political races. Again, despite the flowerly claims of those who support this boondoggle, you can't build enough trains to get LA out of gridlock. We have more trains and public transit than ever and traffic is worse than ever. The answer comes in revisiting how we zone land in LA and letting the free market have a crack at public transit.

If you want to legally mount a windshield GPS unit in your car you'll have to wait a bit. The LA Times reports that a bill by State Senator Jenny Oropeza of Long Beach is being held back to avoid becoming collateral damage of Governor Schwarzeneggers's promise to veto any bill until California has a budget.

Britney Spears is denying reports that she will pay a murderous lesbian stripper in a remake of the 60s cult classic Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! to be helmed by Quentin Taratino. A spokesperson for the pop diva says Britney wants to concentrate on her next album.

Raising Taxes in a Recession: A Terrible Idea

I've posted several times that the idea of raising taxes in a recession is a poor one. It doesn't matter if its to balance out of control spending or worse to pay for boondoggles like the transit tax scam or the gang tax.  With Angelenos struggling to pay bills, buy gas and get by the last thing the economy can handle is more taxes.  And to top it off your DWP and trash rates were raised significantly again.

Wednesday I had a conversation with a former elected official who now sits on an important local panel.  It doesn't matter who they are.  With respect to the proposed sales tax increase to pay for Westside transit projects the individual told me "investing in infrastructure is one way to stimulate a stagnant economy."

We've heard many politicians say this but it's never really panned out.  Did constuction of the Metro Red Line boost the economy in the late 90s? No, it came from the dot.com explosion and rising property values.  Indeed, the current downturn will naturally be well over before the first train is even run.

The best thing the City Council and State Legislature could do is to CUT taxes and fees.  That means they'll need to make some pretty painful spending cuts.  However very quickly they will see that revenues will increase the more they cut taxes and the more that private investment is stimulated.

It wasn't George Bush or John McCain or even Ronald Reagan who said that "It is a paradoxical truth, that tax rates are too high today, and tax revenues are too low, and the soundest way to raise the revenues in the long run is to cut the tax rates," no, it was President John F. Kennedy who in 1962 significantly cut taxes which led to a long term economic expansion that was stalled by the massive increase in social spending of Lyndon Johnson and his escalation of  the Vietnam War.

Arnold.  Antonio.  Anyone.  Want to follow the lead of JFK?

Citizens' Alert: You Can Kill the Transit Tax Scam

As reported here Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted against placing a half cent sales tax for Westside transit projects on the November ballot. This sales tax must be rejected because 1) It benefits only one part of the region but would be paid for by everyone in the County, 2) With the economy in dire straits the last thing people will need is a half cent sales tax when especially when the Governor is proposing an additional one cent sales tax, 3) You can't build enough trains to get us out of our traffic mess and 4) Mayor Villaraigosa is behind this.

In order to get this on the ballot, the MTA plans to spend more of your money including suing the County and potentially spending $10 million for an election of their own.

You need to contact the MTA board members and tell them to give it a rest. You do not want your tax money spent on lawsuits and elections in order to collect more taxes from you. Please email and call the following board members and tell them to vote to shelve the tax altogether. Feel free to send this post to your friends and neighbors.

These two board members voted against the tax the first time. Tell them to stand strong and continue to oppose it:

Michael D. Antonovich
Los Angeles County Supervisor
Fifth Supervisorial District
fifthdistrict@lacbos.org
(213) 974-5555

John Fasana
City Council Member, Duarte
fasanaj@accessduarte.com

These two members of the County Board of Supervisors either abstained or were not present for the MTA vote but voted against putting it on the ballot at Tuesday's Supervisors meeting. Call and email them to encourage them to vote against lawsuits and special elections:

Gloria Molina
Los Angeles County Supervisor
First Supervisorial District
(213) 974-4111
molina@bos.lacounty.gov

Don Knabe
First Vice Chair
Los Angeles County Supervisor
Fourth Supervisorial District
cpedersen@lacbos.org
213-974-4444

These board members voted for the tax the first time around but come from cities that the transit tax scam doesn't benefit. Tell them to stand with the rest of County and vote against spending any more MTA money on the scam:

Bonnie Lowenthal
City Council 1st District, Vice Mayor, Long Beach
(562) 570-6919
district1@longbeach.gov

Ara Najarian
Second Vice Chair
Mayor, City of Glendale
anajarian@ci.glendale.ca.us

The following are Mayor Villaraigosa's appointees to the MTA Board from the San Fernando Valley. Doubtful they'll cross the Mayor despite their reputation for being fiscally responsible but feel free to call them anyway and tell them not to screw the Valley:

David W. Fleming
City of Los Angeles Mayor Appointee
david.fleming@lw.com
(213) 891.7902

Richard Katz
City of Los Angeles Mayor Appointee
(213) 922-4605
Boardoffice@metro.net

The following board members are lost causes and are either shady or provincial or both:

Antonio R. Villaraigosa
LACMTA, Chair
Mayor, City of Los Angeles

Yvonne B. Burke
Los Angeles County Supervisor
Second Supervisorial District

Pam O’Connor
City Council Member, Santa Monica

Bernard Parks
City Council 8th District, City of Los Angeles Mayor Appointee

Zev Yaroslavsky
Los Angeles County Supervisor
Third Supervisorial District

County Supervisors play games with the transit tax

In a move that may leave taxpayers on the hook for additional printing and legal costs, the Los Angeles County Supervisors have voted 3–2 against consolidating a half-percent sales tax proposal into the November ballot.

Los Angeles Times reports:

In a surprise move, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors denied a request today to place a half-cent sales tax on the November ballot to pay for up to $40 billion of road and mass transit improvements, including the so-called subway to the sea.

(snip)

Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder Dean Logan said the MTA must now pay up to $10 million for a special second ballot on election day or ask a court to force the measure onto the existing Nov. 4 ballot.

Supervisor Gloria Molina cast the deciding vote against the consolidation move in protest of Zev Yaroslavsky’s “back room deals.” The tax proposal may still appear on a separate ballot this November. A confident aide tells LA Observed:

Voters WILL still vote on the sales tax issue. It will just be a separate ballot that voters will get during the same election.

As mentioned earlier, the half-percent “transit tax,” combined with a one-percent increase proposed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would raise Los Angeles County’s sales tax rate to 9.75%.

Monday Hotsheet

Lord Broad Promenade

Would you pay $1.9 million for 2,500 square feet in the Eastern Columbia building? How about $5 million for 3,500 square feet in the Biscuit building? Okay, but what if I were to throw in a private elevator? Downtown penthouses are difficult to sell, in part, says the L.A. Times, because the downtown luxury market faces “hefty competition” from projects in Century City, Westwood, and Beverly Hills. I submit that when a Century City penthouse sells for $47 million before the buyer has even seen the view, there is no competition. Let’s judge downtown on its own merits.

Mayor Villaraigosa was all set to deliver a political speech at the Human Rights Campaign gala dinner last Saturday in San Francisco, when he bailed out last-minute. Spokesman Matt Szabo claims the speech would've required the mayor to cross a picket line. Joseph Mailander offers spot-on analysis of this latest calculation in Villaraigosa’s quest for higher office:

The Mayor's team typically hears pitches only canines can hear when it comes to identity politics. This latest fiasco-for-a-few is a case-in-point as to how far the Mayor's team is willing to go to troll for handfuls of Governor votes.

Three downtown parks, three critiques. L.A. Weekly savages the proposed design for Civic Park (pictured above), while the Downtown News heaps praise and pity on Vista Hermosa Park and Pershing Square, respectively.

Finally, 2008 and 2009 are shaping up to be Years of the Pig. Mayor Villaraigosa’s phone and trash taxes, Bill Rosendahl’s parking meters, Janice Hahn’s gang tax, and the M.T.A. sales tax. Now, for you unincorporateds, a Measure S redux; a new and improved L.A. County phone tax that includes text messaging and a trigger to tax internet services, if, and when, the federal ban sunsets. The kicker? You guessed it—it’s billed as a tax cut. Yet another, in a growing list of reasons, to support self-determination for East Los.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

Bad news for the Mayor and the LAUSD.  A poll commissioned specifically by the Mayor finds that at least 53% of Angelenos feel the City is on the wrong track.  It's even worse for the School Board as 73% of those surveyed feel the Board is doing either a poor or fair job managing the school district.  The poll also shows significant support for smaller schools and charter schools.



The MTA Board of Directors voted to place a sales tax increase on the November ballot in order to pay for Westside transit projects.  Board Members Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich and Duarte City Councilman John Fasana were the only two members to vote against the tax.  County Supervisor Gloria Molina abstained and County Supervisor Don Knabe was absent.  The measure must now receive the approval of the County Board of Supervisors and then a 2/3 vote Countywide in order to go into effect.  Significant opposition to the tax - which primarily benefits only West Los Angeles neighborhoods - exists in eastern and northern cities in the County which could derail passage.  Additionally, a number of transit activists were either disappointed at items not included in the measure or were outright opposed to the spending plans.



City officials are afraid the state may turn to tapping into local funds to help balance the state budget.  The City of Los Angeles is heavily lobbying against such a move considering the fiscal instability of the City at present.  However, representatives from the Govenor's office as well as legislative leaders say there are no plans to go after local funds at present.  But don't expect the Mayor won't use this as another reason to raise local taxes, uh, fees.



If you're looking for something fun to do next Tuesday in Boyle Heights, you can attend Councilman Jose Huizar's town hall meeting featuring the Councilmember and various City department heads.  6:00 p.m.., Tuesday, July 29th at The Puente Learning Center in Boyle Heights.