OCCUPYLA RESPONDS - LA has a 72 million dollar budget shortfall. They have a short fall every year. Wait till you see the sh*t hit the fan in 2012. LA’s projected budget deficit for the year beginning July 1, 2012 is about $250 million, while the cumulative budget deficit over the next four years is approaching $1 Billion.
One of two things is true, LA City Hall is either inept or criminal. No one is that bad at balancing the books and now we are supposed to overlook the bigger issue and focus on the negative press they have drummed up regarding the cost of Occupy LA. No need to take a long stroll, just a short skip down memory lane and we'll return to the present momentarily.
Flashback... In 2009 the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA championship parade cost the city in upwards of $1 million dollars. The same year [Michael Jackson] memorial events, cost the city of LA $1.4 million dollars. Council woman Perry said the cost of police protection for "extraordinary" events like the memorial is built into the Police Department's budget.
Flash forward. On Dec 6th 2011 at an LA City Council meeting, a crowd from Occupy LA met with council members in support of a proposal to hold banks more accountable (at least the banks with who the city does business). The OLA crowd held placards saying "We are the 99%" and "Hold Banks Accountable"... "Take Taxpayer Money Out of Wall Street Banks."..."Banks got bailed out!"... "We got sold out!". Despite the overwhelming demand for accountability in banking, the resolution was tabled and now one month later the City wants to sue the people who demanded they hold big banks accountable.
That's right folks, on Dec 23rd 2011, Councilman Dennis Zine, said he is not surprised by the [City's estimate to repair the lawns and deploy 1,400 riot officers to evict and arrest 292 peaceful protesters].
Zine said he was told that City Attorney Carmen Trutanich wants to look into a possible civil suit against Occupy LA. The City's number of the moment is $1.7 million dollars. No parades, no floats or celebration. Just a lot of hard work from the volunteers and supporters of OLA and one very scary, over the top, way too expensive of a raid, as the Mayor's finale.
Question for Mayor Villaraigosa, the City Attorney and the City Council; who do you people really work for? Anyone want to guess?
(PJ Davenport blogs at Occupy Los Angeles where this response was first posted.) -cw
Tags: PJ Davenport, OccupyLA, Occupy Los Angeles, Los Angeles, City Hall, Dennis Zine, Mayor Villaraigosa, Michael Jackson, LAPD
CityWatch
Vol 9 Issue 103
Pub: Dec 27, 2011