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ERIC PREVEN’S NOTEBOOK -
BREAKING: The LA City council canceled its Friday meeting confirming once again that the city is unable to conduct business fully under the influence. The city meets partially sober Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
How is it possible that the county measure shown below appears with no listed supporters—no names, no organizations, no nothing. And yet, if you look around on certain websites, there’s apparently a “massive list” of supporters standing behind it. So, why aren’t they listed here? Why are we hiding this list? It feels misleading, if not outright dishonest. Transparency is supposed to mean we see who’s backing what, so the public can have a clear picture of who’s pushing these policies and why, Lindsey.
Politely, "No" on G.
And on the topic of representation and image, I have to mention Eric Garcetti’s Diwali dance video making the rounds, with the tagline, “Let’s get hot and sweaty then jump in the Ganges.” [jk] The public deserves an All-Council Bollywood-style dance number for Diwali & Dodger Friday.
Thank you, I do have one precise question for the City Attorney here. Could you please clarify why Section 84308 of the Political Reform Act, which restricts contributions of more than $250 from those with business before a government agency to officials within that agency, doesn’t seem to be in play at city hall for our Council members?
At the County level, we’ve seen—even if reluctantly—that the Board has made time even with the lengthy land acknowledgment and speaker warning, they've started disclosing. The law is clear: if officials have received more than $250 from a party involved in a decision within the past 12 months, they’re supposed to abstain from the vote. It also prohibits accepting over $250 in contributions from these parties for a full year after a decision is made. So, why are we not applying this standard here in City Council with the same rigor?
Shut up about the Tax Credits:
Paul Krekorian told KNX that when productions leave California, it's the working-class folks—the grips, carpenters, electricians—who get hit, not the A-listers or big-name producers. Yeah, no kidding. But don't try to kid a kidder, that’s just political theater. The Hollywood big shots aren’t going anywhere; California is still their playground, no matter what Georgia or Canada throws at them in tax incentives.
The issue here isn’t about saving jobs or fighting for the "little guy." It’s about politicians pushing a narrative that sounds noble while sidestepping real reform. Meanwhile, every email, every statement—it’s signed “Paul Krekorian, Council President Emeritus.” Like, what does that even mean to anyone actually paying taxes here?
So, bottom line: if they’re serious about helping California workers, let’s see real solutions, not some flimsy legislation that basically hands over taxpayer dollars to studios without any accountability.
Look, these film tax credits—they’re just a money pit. Georgia’s burning nearly a billion dollars on these, getting only about 19 cents back on every dollar spent. New York’s program isn’t much better. And now, Newsom wants to double down, pumping $750 million a year into this black hole. It’s like throwing a big, sloppy one-night stand at Hollywood, hoping for a callback. All the while, we’re trading away public resources that could be put to way better use.
So maybe instead of financing Hollywood's bottom line, let’s think about the long game.
I like the idea of a Diwali Dodger Bollywood-Style Dance led by former Mayor and Ambassador to India...
World Series of Champions*
Uptown & Downtown:
Kevin De Leon received a tidy $7,000 from family members connected to World Harvest Family and Charity, which then landed a $2 million contract to deliver meals. Feeding the vulnerable is admirable, yes, but when you pair these donations with contracts, it’s a tough sell to say there’s no influence in play. At the same time, over on the other side of town, we’ve got the Harvard-Westlake Trustees—connected, powerful, and aiming to privatize public land for their elite academy's airplane hangar-sized athletic complex. How do they grease the wheels? Maxed-out donations to Mr. Krekorian’s prior campaigns. Here’s the kicker: these trustees, due to a long-standing loophole, aren’t even required to identify themselves as trustees. After a decade of knowing about this loophole, the Ethics Commission has done… nothing.
It’s a fantastic system, really: quiet, effective, and nearly invisible. Contributions that are fully compliant technically but fully opaque to the public—no disclosure, no transparency, no problem. A lot like a fancy VIP lounge at LAX—quiet transactions out of sight of the everyday taxpayer. We’re always told, ‘All donations are in compliance.’ But let’s be clear: that’s a compliance that fills campaign coffers but does not serve the public.
County Flash Mobbing:
Moderator: Our first participant is Eric Preven. Your line is open. If you are muted, please unmute and speak directly into your phone. You may begin.
Smart Speaker: Thank you. And obviously thank you to Mr. Pestrella, director of county public works, for squaring this away. A couple of resisters in Santa Clarita posted a no-thank-you comment on the item—dismal showing today, as this agenda is dry as a bone. You shelved the Hollywood Bowl hearing, and on Covington Burling, Item 12, page 9 says “Conclusion,” yet there’s no actual conclusion. Will there be an oral report on the fraud here at the county? I’ll take that as a yes, I guess. We'd like that report moved up. Thank you.
Sup. Lindsey Horvath, Chair: Thank you. Next speaker, please.
Moderator: Our first participant is Eric Preven, your line is up. If you are muted, please unmute and speak directly into your phone. You may begin.
Smart Speaker: Thank you. Wow, another Mark Pestrella—always great. When a small town like Maywood wants to join the county, we’re happy to take the job. Toss another log on the fire. It’s a great feeling. Supervisor Hahn you were a little Off topic, but I’d like to concur on the Rancho Palos Verdes issue; heartbreaking, but Pestrella does the work. Other utilities need to step up—hurt feelings and all that. With that, let’s find the conclusion to Item 12 because we can’t just have a conclusion page—
Sup. Lindsey Horvath, Chair: We are on Item 3; Item 12 comes later in the agenda.
Smart Speaker: Okay, Item 3 is in the third district, 3 out of 5 districts. Thank you.
Executive Officer: Next speaker, please.
Moderator: Madam Chair, there are no other remote speakers to address the board.
Moderator: Our first participant is Eric Preven, your line is open. If you are muted, please unmute and speak directly into your phone. You may begin.
Smart Speaker: Thank you. I’m conflicted—Barger and Solis aren’t here. Barger loves talking about the Hollywood Bowl’s $1 seats—not the classiest area. I went to the library, as this item is about library fees, to research how much it’d cost to go to the Bowl—almost $1,500 for four watchdogs to see Noah Kahan. Great show.
Sup. Lindsey Horvath, Chair: This is about the library facility's mitigation fee funds. If you can focus on Item 4, thank you.
Smart Speaker: Thank you, Supervisor Horvath. As I mentioned, I went to the library to check the costs, and I’m pleased with the setup—updating infrastructure is great. But maybe Barger should know it’s pricey. Moving this off today’s agenda is sneaky, frankly—not that cool. People care about the Bowl.
Sup. Lindsey Horvath, Chair: You can address that in general public comment, but this item is about Item 4.
Smart Speaker: I go to the library for infrastructure updates.
Executive Officer: Your time has expired. Next speaker, please.
Moderator: Madam Chair, there are no other remote speakers in the queue to address the board.
Moderator: Our next participant is Eric Preven, your line is open. If you are muted, unmute, and speak directly into your phone. You may begin.
Smart Speaker: Wow, Jackie Goldberg made things clear: she drew the line. This is an LAUSD vs. charter school issue. Supervisors are nervous about the decision: to support a new school that blocks a resident’s view and skirts compliance, or a neighborhood that’s besieged and would rather not have that school. Interesting, very interesting. Where’s the decision point?
Moderator: Our first participant is Eric Preven. Your line is open. If you are muted, please unmute and speak directly into your phone. You may begin.
Smart Speaker: Right, thank you. This is uplifting. We heard this item in August—Bodek came down, and there was a lot of, you know, carrying on. This proves that even in the snippiest epochs of the board’s history, here we are, working together and providing a shuttle—though sadly, not to the Hollywood Bowl. Barger pointed out that this RV park isn’t full of fully-resourced individuals. Maybe someone can explain that to Supervisor Hahn. By the way, what happened to the Hollywood Bowl hearing?
Sup. Lindsey Horvath, Chair: This item is not about the Hollywood Bowl. You can address that in general public comment.
Smart Speaker: I’ll talk about the jacked-up rates later, as a courtesy to the chair who should expect to face strong Measure G blowback. But I will say Item 7 brought hours of testimony. Thank you.
Executive Officer: Your time has expired. Next speaker, please.
Moderator: Our next participant is from the line of Eric Preven.
Smart Speaker: Thank you.
Moderator: Your line is open. If you are muted, please unmute.
Smart Speaker: That’s okay, thank you. Curious why the appellant only got two minutes. She didn’t even use it all. I appreciate the supervisors trying to hold the line here. Starting booze sales at 10:00 a.m. rather than 8:00 a.m. is something. I’d look closely at what Governor Newsom’s been doing. He came up with the 4:00 a.m. exemption, letting Intuit Dome folks party on. This sends a message: donate $1 million to the Governor’s anti-recall, throw in $250,000 for lobbyists, and legislators will do —Supervisor Mitchell’s dream for the county.
Executive Officer: Your time has expired. Next speaker, please.
Hours Later:
Sup. Lindsey Horvath, Chair: That was Corey Schmidt. I think that we lost Eric Preven, who was next in the queue.
Moderator: I do apologize. One moment, please. Well, we will go to the line of Lynne Plambeck. Your line is open. If you are muted, please unmute and speak directly into your phone. You may begin.
Sup. Lindsey Horvath, Chair: Lynne, are you there? Lynne Plambeck. Lynne. Okay. We’ll go to the next speaker, please.
Moderator: And that is from the line of Eric Preven. Your line is open. If you are muted, please unmute and speak directly into your phone. You may begin.
Smart Speaker: I suggest that we have a quick look at AT&T’s contract. I sat on hold for 15 minutes when they were pretending not to answer the call. Very, very poor form. I would like an extra minute. This has been a long time coming. I have to admit, Dan Shallman and the gang gave a perfectly PABA report. I honestly don’t think that any of the controls necessary are put in place. You can read this weakness and [expletive] deficiency language in county reports going back 25 years. What is not on display in this report is any details or anything concrete being done about it at all. Remember the job order contracts, Supervisors Hahn and Solis, “Oh my god, he was right!” Yes, and then the Long Beach fraud emerged and well, the point is we need to make public meetings accessible in a way that is meaningful and allows the sunshine in - which is public eyeballs - and that will dry up all the rain, or the corruption if you will. Shout out to Zev and Mr. Ridley-Thomas. Trust the people, I’m happy to review the Covington Burling invoices—all of them, pro bono. That firm charges a lot of money, and we would like to know how much we paid in taxpayer funds for such a whitewash. No disrespect. It is a very nice whitewash, but make no mistake, it’s a whitewash. We want actual repairs and real nuts and bolts improvements.
Moderator: Thank you. Your time has expired. Next speaker, please.
Executive Officer: Madam Chair, no other remote speakers in the queue to address the board.
Staffer Marqueece Blumenfield-Lee:
City Clerk: Caller ending in 2616, please unmute yourself.
Smart Speaker: Thank you. It's Eric Preven. I would like to speak to the available items and general public comment.
Tania Ysaguirre, Deputy City Attorney: You have three minutes for items 14 through 27 and one minute for general public comment.
Smart Speaker: Okay. Well, first of all, I definitely support better public partnerships with CPOs for sure. And you're not going to hear me quibble about protecting 101-year-old trees. And I agree with the chair, the Olympics are about inviting the entire world to our front porch, and then gawking in disbelief as our leadership, prioritizes the wrong stuff so that the people who had hope become mired. So I think we have to try a little harder.
Now, the LAPD vending machine motion seems to be in good shape. I like the idea of an LAPD vending machine. I'm not sure who gets the vig, but nicely done.
But quick question, given all the renters and their attorneys down here today, whose idea was it to have so much VIP airport lounge revenue streams on today's agenda?
Tania Ysaguirre, Deputy City Attorney: Speaker, those items have been voted on, they're not available for public comment right now.
Smart Speaker: Okay, that's fair. I'll get back, Would you like me to finish my time or do you want to be specific?
Tania Ysaguirre, Deputy City Attorney: Speaker, your time is running.
Smart Speaker: Okay, that’s fine. Don’t be nudgy. I did my economic analysis here, and noticed the Government Operations Committee is all about those 100-point advisories—Urban Focus scored 79, but whatever. We have eager real estate consultants, but I want specifics, not just a giant pool of 38 to choose from. And congrats to Raman for getting HR & A on board; they’re apparently doing great work, though it’s still unclear what exactly they’re doing. I think they work on project visibility, project management, and the favorite of City Council of Los Angeles, community outreach and engagement, which in city parlance means: Block public comment. "That item is not open." "Sorry, we're only taking ten minutes" and all of the ensuing bullshit that the people of Los Angeles have to tolerate.
Tania Ysaguirre, Deputy City Attorney: You have one minute for general public comment.
Smart Speaker: One minute for general public comment. Okay. So yesterday at the County Board of Supervisors, Covington and Burling looked into the the Mark Ridley-Thomas—he was a City Council member and well-connected guy. We all respected his work. Well,they found that the county's oversight of the county contracting process is was as bad as it can get. The LA Times is busy with their own internal snit, so I'm not sure if you'll ever hear about this, but really bad and there's really no way to get through it.
Lindsey Horvath, in the meantime a little David Ryu-nik, is going hard for Measure G. I'm telling people of Los Angeles, NO on Measure G. That would be an expansion of the dysfunctional government that currently exists. We don't need to bring more supervisors we need to bring leadership into the existing government. We need 5 committed leaders who can help make departments comply. Out here in the public, we are trying ...but you have made it so difficult. First, under the pernicious and arrogant leadership of Sheila Kuehl...her north star was to make public comment... virtually impossible. Incidentally, Lindsey just canceled the regular board meeting on November 19th.
Tania Ysaguirre, Deputy City Attorney: Thank you, speaker, your time is up.
Bob Blumenfield, CD3: Okay, that concludes virtual public comment. We're going to start with item 26.
Nithya Raman, CD4: Yes, on item 26.
City Clerk: Mr. President, I believe Councilmember Price would need to recuse.
Councilmember Price: In that I do own private property.
Bob Blumenfield, CD3: So Mr. Krekorian and Mr. Price can be taken off the board.
Councilmember Raman: ...for this very important update to our anti-harassment ordinance, which has been at this point many years in the making. So thank you.
Smart Speaker: The California Community Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and Southern California Grantmakers are stepping in to “help” the City with homelessness. They’re bringing in HR&A Advisors—a consulting firm—to conduct a “robust study” on homelessness, map City operations, and assess best practices from other cities. And, naturally, they’ll coordinate with the County, LAHSA, and other entities, adding yet another layer of bureaucracy.
HR&A Advisors, Inc. Average score: 89
Sure, the foundations are covering the cost, but HR&A must do well. So, what’s the real payoff here? Influence? Access? A public relations boost for these “philanthropic” giants?
Council, the question remains: is HR&A here to solve homelessness, or is this just another cycle of costly studies with little action? When do we stop diverting funds to consultants instead of putting resources directly into services on the ground?
(Eric Preven is a longtime community activist and is a contributor to CityWatch.)
