Politicians Turn Their Backs on Public Safety and Will Want More of Your Money in November

LA’s taxpaying residents and business owners were ignored by city officials who continue to permit the city to turn more neighborhoods into homeless camps with expanding decay and rising violent crime trends.        

All but two voting councilmembers approved Garcetti’s 2020-2021 city budget which took $150 million from the LAPD and passed it to various organizations that serve minority communities in LA. Following the hatchet job on the LAPD’s budget, the council adjourned, canceling future July meetings in order to go on a near month-long summer recess. This is happening while our City is on semi-lockdown due to the coronavirus that is spreading and infecting more people in the region and other American cities. 

The FBI continues to investigate elected and appointed officials at City Hall, and two elected councilmembers have already been arrested; one has agreed to go to prison without a trial. A cloud of suspicion remains over the question of when the next arrest or arrests will occur as the investigation of illegal activity, bribes, and corruption continues to be conducted by FBI agents.  

While members of the council enjoy their extended summer vacation and annual salary of over $207,000, the taxpayers of Los Angeles continue to struggle to find jobs, pay bills and find funds to repair the damages caused by the recent riots in large sections of the city. The lack of leadership and support displayed by the Mayor and Councilmembers for the LAPD and people of LA is truly a sad situation for Angelenos.    

While the majority of the council voted to slash $150 million in public safety funds from the police budget, only two councilmembers had the courage to stand up to the anti-police groups calling for the financial reduction and redistribution to other causes. Councilmembers John Lee from the 12th District in the San Fernando Valley and Joe Buscaino from CD 15 in South Los Angeles and San Pedro. The rest of the council followed the lead of our spineless mayor and those pushing for the reduction in police funding. Keep this in mind when you call 911 in the future and there is a delay in the response time of officers.   

Remember the names of the councilmembers who have turned their backs on public safety for all people in Los Angeles. Remember them when they ask you to vote for new tax increases which will appear on future ballots. Since they have turned their backs on public safety for you and your family, they might be better suited to find jobs in the private sector. I will remind you of those names this November and in future years. They do not deserve your votes.   

On the subject of the November 3 election, let me share what Sacramento officials have in store for you and your wallets on the statewide ballot. There are currently 12 propositions that have qualified for the November election. 

1. Prop 14. $5.5 billion in bonds for stem cell research. 

2. Prop 15. Requires commercial and industrial property to be taxed based on market value and dedicates revenue. 

3. Prop 16. Repeals Prop 209 which prohibited the state from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, education, or contracting. 

4. Prop 17. Restores the right to vote to people convicted of felonies who are on parole. 

5. Prop 18. Allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the next general election to vote in primaries and special elections. 

6. Prop 19. Changes tax assessment transfers and inheritance rules. 

7. Prop 20. Makes changes to policies related to criminal sentencing charges, prison release, and DNA collection. 

8. Prop 21. Expands local governments’ power to use rent control. 

9. Prop 22. Considers app-based drivers to be independent contractors and enacts several labor policies related to app-based companies. 

10. Prop 23. Requires physicians to be onsite at dialysis clinics and consent from the state for a clinic to close. 

11. Prop 24. Expands the provisions of the Calif. Consumers Privacy Act and creates the Calif. Privacy Protection Agency to implement and enforce the CCPA. (A NEW Government Agency to spend your money.) 

12. Prop 25. Replaces cash bail with risk assessment for suspects awaiting trial.  

It is time to clean your guns and purchase fresh ammo. Be prepared to protect yourself and your family as we approach November and the state and national elections.                           

(Dennis P. Zine is a native of Los Angeles who retired from the LAPD after serving 33 years. Dennis remains an active Level 1 LAPD Reserve Officer. Dennis served for two years as the vice chairman on the Elected Los Angeles City Charter Reform Commission and was a member of the Los Angeles City Council for 12 years.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.