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RANTZ & RAVEZ - Members of the Los Angeles City Council and city hall officials are currently reviewing the 2023/2024 mayor’s $13 Billion Dollar City Budget during budget hearings. Department heads and representatives from all departments from A to Z appear before the council and answer questions on the justification and use of the funds. Questions dealing with the expenditures of funds that have been established in the mayor’s overall city budget. While many of the discussions usually proceed smooth without in-depth inquiry, others face intense scrutiny from council members. I am sure when the $1,895,285,637 LAPD budget is brought up for discussion, there will be some very hostile questions from members of the “L.A. City Hall Crazy Train.” For those of you who have not heard or read about the “L.A. City Hall Crazy Train”, it is comprised of select councilmembers who are trying to Defund the LAPD and reduce the effectiveness of public safety enforcement throughout Los Angeles.
The budget needs to be approved and implemented by July 1, which is the start of the fiscal year. I am sure members of the “L.A. City Hall Crazy Train” will do whatever they can to undermine the Mayor and LAPD representatives with their united goal of increasing the number of LAPD officers in order to enhance public safety and security throughout the diverse and over-populated communities of Los Angeles.
As of April 22, the LAPD is staffed with 9,112 sworn personnel. This number includes everyone from the Chief of Police to the recruit in the academy and includes all personnel on vacation, in training, injured on duty or off sick. So, in reality the actual number of officers working is much lower than 9,112.
Members of the “L.A. City Hall Crazy Train” have demonstrated their indignation for law enforcement in general and the LAPD in particular. Members of the “L.A. City Hall Crazy Train” will do whatever they can to undermine the effectiveness of the LAPD and any other public safety agency operating within the City of Los Angeles. I will remain alert during the budget hearings and report the findings when they are final. We will see how the vote goes and who supports public safety in Los Angeles and what elected officials turn their backs on you, your family, friends, and neighbors with their calls and motions to reduce the LAPD budget and substitute police officers with un-armed Ambassadors and others to deal with the continuing violent crime trends throughout all communities both residential and business in Los Angeles.
Millions upon Millions of tax dollars have been dedicated to providing housing for the Homeless population throughout Los Angeles and all of California. Are the public funds having a positive impact on reducing the homeless population or just another long list of wasted tax dollars? You decide.
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The Los Angeles “Inside Safe program” was designed by Mayor Bass in conjunction with an Emergency Declaration to remove hundreds of homeless from the streets of Los Angeles and place them in motels until permanent housing could be located. It turns out that the “Inside Safe Program” located some run-down motels and placed homeless people at the locations to live. The problem is that the cost to the city for the run-down motels was between $3,600 to over $4,000 a month. The places were less than adequate for any human to reside. Some people believed that conditions on the street were better than the motels selected by city and other personnel dealing with the homeless.
While city and other personnel continue to address the constantly expanding homeless population, millions upon millions of tax dollars continue to be throwing at the homeless population with little if any reduction to the negative impact of the homeless camping on the streets and sidewalks of communities throughout Los Angeles and beyond.
How have the Homeless impacted your neighborhood and business community? Do you find the retail stores in your neighborhood hiring security officers and locking up items like laundry soap and personal hygiene products like they do at retail stores. If you live in a neighborhood with increased security measures, it is most likely because of the negative impact the homeless population has had on the business and neighborhood.
If you would like to share your experience with the homeless or other matters, please send your comments to the Valley News Group at [email protected].
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Election is coming to Los Angeles City Council District 6.
I attended a public meeting during the primary election where the candidates running for the open City Council Seat in District 6 appeared and addressed the audience and voters of the district. After reviewing all the candidates, I believed that Imelda Padilla was the best qualified person to represent the district. It turned that Imelda was the winner in the primary election. Since that time, I have observed Imelda campaign and continue to win endorsements from many elected officials and community people I know and respect.
I am giving my full support and Endorsement to Ms. Imelda Padilla for the Los Angeles City Council District 6 seat. If you live in District 6, I urge you to Vote for Ms. Imelda Padilla. Imelda is from the community and supports Public Safety and will be there to improve living and working conditions in District 6.
(Dennis P. Zine is the author of RantZ and RaveZ. The column is published twice a month to keep you informed of political and associated activities in and around Los Angeles. Dennis is a retired member of law enforcement and a retired L.A. City Councilmember and a regular contributor to CityWatchLA.com.)
