CITYWATCH - Two weeks ago the engineers out at JPL stuck the Mars landing. That’s Olympics talk for no stumbles, lookin’ good. A gazillion mile trip for the Curiosity rover at 13,000 miles an hour … through a busy galaxy … with a multiple step, incredibly complicated landing to negotiate … and the arrival just one minute late.
It was remarkable. And wonderful. And prompted a bunch of questions: If we can travel from Earth to Mars in nine months … all those miles and at that unimaginable speed … and arrive only a minute late …
… How come LA’s handsomely paid City Council members can’t arrive at council meetings on time?
… Or, get LA’s sidewalks fixed?
… Or, create a medical marijuana ordinance that will stand up in court?
… Or, figure out how many tax-paying parking lots there are in LA and where they’re located … so the city can collect fees and taxes?
… Or, provide an accurate report on LAFD response times?
… Or, get a Ratepayer’s Advocate office up and running in less than nine months? Same time it took
for Curiosity to get to Mars.
… Or, build a light rail line ALL the way to LAX?
… Or, build tracks downtown that light rail can safely negotiate?
… Or, honestly balance the City’s budget?
… Or … well, you get the idea.
I suggest some of the reasons why are because the system is broke and because a bunch of the LA’s electeds are simply not qualified for the job at hand. And, because we voters are in denial and keep putting them in office.
Tell me what you think.
(Ken Draper is the editor of CityWatch. He can be reached at [email protected].)
CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 66
Pub: Aug 17, 2012