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The Fight Does NOT End November 8th

ALPERN AT LARGE--Let's summarize this piece in one sentence:  After all the haranguing, polling, mind-abuse, debating, screaming and lecturing, it comes down to your vote (or your decision NOT to vote) … so figure out which battles you need to  fight on November 8, 2016, and figure out which battles need to be fought on November 9, 2016. And there are battles to fight on both days. 

What, you thought that the world ended on November 8, 2016? They've been predicting the end of the world for many millennia. But this election will end. There will be a new elected President, and a host of new decisions in the City and County of LA, and in our state. We will have a "new reality" to contend with, just as we have had new realities for many eras in our history. And there will be new battles to fight on November 9, 2016. 

Some will be rehashes of old battles: spending, budgeting, health and welfare priorities. Some will be new battles--in particular, the City of Los Angeles will have a few City Councilmember races, and the Big One ... the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative. It’s a daunting scenario.   

That the fight isn't over? Of course. But has the fight ever been over? And what say we all about spending a moment or two on those in the military who did and arefighting to allow us to have the  privilege of fighting here at home? 

And what say we all about spending a moment or two on those who've fought for efforts that will be addressed long after they are dead and buried? 

And what say we all about spending a moment or two trying to educate our kids (and their kids) about the privilege of voting, debating, fighting for causes that are worth that struggle. 

Through my years of civic involvement, I've only really feared one thing:  APATHY. There is nothing that will destroy a society more than apathy. So perhaps some of us who fought the good fight for the past election cycle will need to "change gears". As in ... form a committee, or end a committee.  Start a movement, or end a movement. Write a book.  Spend more time with family. Run for office, or DON'T run for office. But the sun will rise, and set, on November 8, 2016, just like it has for billions of years. As the old expression goes:  "Man makes plans, and God laughs". 

God might not be laughing right now, what with all the rage going on in the world, but He does have a plan to make  November 9, 2016 a reality.  And maybe your new plan, starting on November 9, 2016, is part of His plan. But for now, let's just make November 8, 2016 the best November 8, 2016 we can. Make your stand to vote (or NOT to vote, if that is your solemn conclusion, and one by which you'll make your stand). But there WILL be a brand new day come November 9, 2016.  And the opportunity to make a brand new YOU. And that is "hope and change" to which we can all look forward to.

 

(Ken Alpern is a Westside Village Zone Director and Board member of the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC), previously co-chaired its Planning and Outreach Committees, and currently is Co-Chair of its MVCC Transportation/Infrastructure Committee. He is co-chair of the CD11Transportation Advisory Committee and chairs the nonprofit Transit Coalition, and can be reached at  [email protected]. He also co-chairs the grassroots Friends of the Green Line at www.fogl.us. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Alpern.)

-cw

Social Media Shaming: Criminal Charges Filed Against Ex-Playmate

SNAPCHAT SNAFU-When former Playboy playmate Dani Mathers “snapchatted” a photo last July of an unsuspecting 70-year old in the shower area of an LA Fitness center, social media observers set Facebook and other sites abuzz with angry comments. Mathers fired off a lukewarm apology for the “mean girl” act, claiming the photo, which she captioned, “If I can’t unsee this then you can’t either,” was meant as a private message on her Snapchat account. (If a tree falls in the woods and only one person is supposed to see it on social media, does it still make a sound?) 

The LA City Attorney seems to think so. Last Friday, Mike Feuer filed a misdemeanor count of invasion of privacy against the 29-year old, alleging she furtively pointed her smartphone to snap an image of the naked woman. This case could have far-reaching implications as prosecution for “body shaming.” Invasion of privacy charges aren’t at all uncommon for voyeurs and those who hide cameras to take sexually suggestive images of unsuspecting women. However, legal experts note that these charges are rarely used for body shaming, especially on social media, where it has become a hot button issue.

Mather’s attorney, Thomas Mesereau, commented, “I am disappointed that Dani Mathers was charged with any violation. She never tried to invade anyone’s privacy and she never tried to violate any laws.” Unless, of course, we consider snapping nude photos of an unaware stranger to share on social media to be a violation of privacy. 

Holding people accountable for social media bullying and invasion of privacy is a move in the right direction. Ms. Mathers attempted to shame a woman who should have an expectation that she would not be photographed naked in a gym locker room, whether there’s a lascivious motive or not.

 

(Beth Cone Kramer is a Los Angeles writer and a columnist for CityWatch.) Prepped for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates Meet LA Housing, Push for Affordable Housing

On Thursday, October 26, Budget Advocate Barbara Ringuette from Silver Lake Neighborhood Council (NC) with members of her Housing Committee met with the Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department (HCIDLA) to inquire about the outlook on revenue for affordable housing for fiscal year 2017-18. The following is an excerpt of the meeting: 

“Nationally, Los Angeles is the most rent-burdened place to live in the country,” commented HCIDLA Executive Officer, Laura K. Guglielmo. “There’s a mismatch between what people earn and what they spend for rent in this city; they’re paying more than 50% of their earnings for rent. At some time, it will restrict the workforce. We have to make a choice to improve the problem.” 

Housing Development Bureau
Assistant General Manager Helmi Hisserich said that she doesn’t want to view development as a “piggy bank.” On the other hand, Ms. Hisserich finds that when development creates an impact causing the need of affordable housing, “it’s only appropriate for it to help support that need.” 

“We want to be mindful that every time the city puts a fee on development, it affects the cost of development,” said Hisserich. 

Linkage Fee 

The linkage fee will contribute about $30 million or less to affordable housing, and the benefit of that will vary upon the amount of development since it’s tied to the market trend, said Hisserich. “It’s a revenue stream that has the potential of growing through time.” 

Guglielmo elaborated that large development that has a housing impact will pay a Linkage Fee. Say, in the case of a developer building a skyscraper or stadium and employing many workers at minimum wage who cannot afford to live in Los Angeles. Then that developer is creating a demand for affordable housing, and development now has to create a resource, even though, normally, the people [taxpayers] would be paying for it [through public subsidies]. 

Guglielmo re-stated that it's a link between development and affordable housing. If a developer is employing workers who are earning at or below the area’s median income, such as a household of four earning $50,000 or less, the developer is contributing to the need for affordable housing. 

“With a linkage fee we create affordable housing,” she said. 

Assistant general manager Luz Santiago said that HCIDLA is presently working on a study with the Department of City Planning. “The team is looking at the various types of developments, their relative contributions to affordable housing and trying to find a balance. Perhaps they’ll consider the square footage of a development to calculate the fee.” Soon the team will present a proposal to the Mayor regarding the Linkage Fee, she said. 

Cap-and-Trade Program 

The Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program is statewide under the cap-and-trade spending plan which provides revenue generated from the permits sold to industrial polluters in California. Proposals for funding must be used solely for projects that reduce carbon emissions. 

HCIDLA, with a group of developers, submitted a funding proposal for the competitive grant, requesting about $75 million to be used for affordable housing linked to transportation. “We were awarded $64 million. We’ll continue to apply for affordable housing grants though the total cap-and-trade fund seems to be declining,” said Guglielmo. 

“Affordable housing is linked to transportation. Getting people out of their cars, reducing vehicle-miles traveled is the single biggest way to decrease carbon emissions,” said Guglielmo. “Lower income families tend to eliminate cars when living near public transit, resulting in a higher reduction of carbon emissions.” 

Ms. Santiago said that HCIDLA is getting ready to submit a proposal requesting a position for fiscal year 2017-2018 to coordinate the application of the cap-and-trade grant with multiple city departments -- Department of Transportation, Department of City Planning, LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), and Bureau of Street Services. 

Preserving Affordable Housing 

“The objective of the HCIDLA Recapitalization policy is to preserve affordable housing through the extension of the time period of affordability covenants,” as per CF 16-0085 adopted 2/03/16. 

Affordable housing is linked to a covenant “where the occupancy is restricted to households with income equal to or less than a specific income level,” said Hisserich. A covenant may fall into one of two categories. The first category “is a big concern to us,” she said. “There are 13,000 existing affordable units with covenants that will be expiring in the next five years. A lot of these units we inherited from the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA) that closed down. HCID has a proactive team of two who are doing outreach to owners to extend the affordability. When the covenants on the units expire they could be rented at market rate.” HCID offers assistance with refinancing or rehabilitation of the physical building. Covenants are legal bindings that are tied to the property for 50 years. 

The second category of affordable housing is less of a focus for HCID. Presently the department has 20-Recaps (affordable housing projects with loans for capital improvements) in the queue, explained Hisserich. “These are not at risk of converting into market rate anytime soon. Through a needs assessment, review, and evaluation of certain affordable housing developments, we offer financial assistance with city funds and tax exempt bonds. It varies from project to project.” Then if a property owner needs funding to renovate or repair units, we provide them with the capital to renovate resulting in a capital cost, she said. “Every time we do substantial capital improvements we extend the covenant another 50 years to provide affordable housing. We become financial partners, using public funds and bonds.” 

Guglielmo explained that housing under the Rent Stabilized Ordinance (RSO) is rent stabilized housing and not necessarily affordable because an RSO property might not be under the restrictions of a covenant. RSO units could be renting at market rate. 

LAUSD Partnership 

HCIDLA manages 13 Family Source Centers in the city. It’s a 50/50 dollar-partnership with LAUSD where $1 million comes out of the city’s general fund. Through LAUSD-PSA, teachers work with students whose families are at risk. “We address the family side,” said Guglielmo. She added that HCID is broadening their relationship with LA County to increase the funding for the Family Source Centers with social workers and mental health services, including domestic violence. In summary, she said our Family Resource Centers are “a one stop shop.” 

Health Department Vouchers 

According to Guglielmo, the County Health Department has recently put millions of dollars into a new voucher program to assist the homeless that are in county hospitals or facilities, stating, “It’s been very valuable.” The vouchers are worth a $1,000 a month in rental subsidy as long as the rental unit is in an area with access to a healthcare facility. 

This reduces the cost of “keeping them [the homeless] in a county hospital costing a $1,000 per day,” said Hisserich. “There have been a lot of people who are benefiting from this program. We’re coordinating with the use of these vouchers … Vouchers alone aren’t the solution. They are only part of the solution because a person may have a voucher but have no place to go.” 

Budget Advocate Barbara Ringuette commented that she is hopeful substantial additional affordable housing will be built in Los Angeles and that existing resources will be maintained. 

Ms. Ringuette added, “My concerns are the enforceability of existing and new housing covenants and mitigating the impacts that increased density, height, and parking can bring to our neighborhoods.”

 

(Connie Acosta is a member of the Budget Advocates Housing Committee and often reports on the neighborhood council system and other topics.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

Latinos will Decide the Election on Tuesday

LATINO PERSPECTIVE-For the past 16 years pundits have been saying that Latinos will decide the Presidential election. But I think that, for the first time, and for real, Latinos will decide the 2016 election. 

Not only are Latino voters set for record turnout this year, but a new poll on Sunday shows Latino support for Donald Trump may be lower than for any Republican presidential candidate in more than 30 years. 

According to the latest Noticias Telemundo/Latino Decisions /NALEO Educational Fund poll, Hillary Clinton has support from 76% of the Latino electorate. 

That's a higher level of support than President Obama won in both of his elections. Latino Decisions' survey showed 75% of Latinos backed Obama in 2012. Exit polling put his support at 71%. 

Just 14% of Latino voters backed Trump, the survey found, That's about half of Mitt Romney's 27% showing with Latinos and fewer than the GOP's low-point when Bob Dole won 21% of the Latino vote in 1996. 

Polling in California found similar results, according to the final statewide USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times survey. Clinton was winning 73% of Latino registered voters compared with 17% for Trump in a two-way match up, the poll found.  

Exit data compiled by the Pew Hispanic Center shows no Republican candidate faring worse with Latinos in presidential elections dating to 1980. 

This past year there has been a surge in Latinos with permanent residency applying for citizenship, and a surge in voter registration as well. Almost 15 million Latinos could vote this year and many of them so worry that Donald Trump could become President that these new citizens are already voting early in Nevada, Florida, California, Texas, and other states. 

Our country is going through a transformation; according to the U.S. census the white majority will be gone by 2043. It’s the latest in a series of reports that have signaled a major, long-term shift in the demographics of the United States, as non-Hispanic white Americans are expected to become a minority group over the next three decades. 

For years, Americans of Asian, black and Hispanic descent have stood poised to topple the demographic hegemony historically held by whites. 

I think this is a good thing for our country, but adaptation will not be easy as we have already seen with all the turmoil surrounding this 2016 election. The Republican Party’s future will greatly depend on what it does when the voting is over on Tuesday. 

The United States is better and stronger when it has two great parties shaping our country. For the Democrats, they have to make sure they don’t take Latinos and other minorities for granted. Hopefully for the GOP, it will adapt, learn and become once again the party of Lincoln.

 

(Fred Mariscal came to Los Angeles from Mexico City in 1992 to study at the University of Southern California and has been in LA ever since. He is a community leader and was a candidate for Los Angeles City Council in District 4. Fred writes Latino Perspective for CityWatch and can be reached at: [email protected].) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

LA District Attorney’s Collusion with LA City Hall

CORRUPTION WATCH-While Eric Garcetti is largely responsible for the criminogenic nature of Los Angeles City Hall, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has also been complicit by ignoring City Hall crimes. 

At the outset, one needs to distinguish between the City Attorney’s Office and the County District Attorney’s Office. The City Attorney’s Office is forbidden to investigate criminal charges against the mayor or any City Councilmember no matter how criminal their behavior may be. The City Attorney is just that, the City’s attorney, and thus, owes confidentiality to the Mayor and City Councilmembers.   

The Los Angeles County’s District Attorney’s Office is an entirely different animal. The District Attorney is under an affirmative duty to investigate possible criminal behavior and then to prosecute people if and when he or she finds probable cause that criminal behavior has occurred. The D.A.’s duty to prosecute extends to the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles and to all City Councilmembers.   

For years, the Los Angeles County’s District Office has failed to prosecute any of the criminal behavior in the Mayor’s office or that of any City Councilmember, with the exception of City Councilmember Alarcon who allegedly had his residence in the wrong part of the San Fernando Valley. It is interesting to note in passing that after Councilmember’s Alarcon’s conviction was set aside, the District Attorney has decided to re-try him rather than use her leverage over his dubious residency record, in order to obtain his cooperation regarding the various criminal behaviors of the mayor and other councilmembers when Alarcon was councilmember for District 7. It is also interesting that the D.A. has been silent about Council President Herb Wesson’s decision to declare himself temporary councilmember for District 7 due to the resignation of former CD7 Councilman Felipe Fuentes – even though Wesson owns no home anywhere in the Valley. 

Long Standing Public Complaints about the Criminogenic Nature of City Hall 

On June 26, 2012, CityWatch published an article on the criminogenic nature of Los Angeles City Hall, especially in Garcetti’s Council District 13. CityWatch also ran a series of articles on the criminogenic nature of Garcetti’s “Cesspool” on Vine. 

What did the LA County District Attorney know or should have known since 2001, when Eric Garcetti first took office? Any law enforcement agency has powers far greater than any citizen or any news organization. The D.A. can convene a grand jury to question possible witnesses. If they lie during an investigation, witnesses can be criminally charged. I call this the Martha Stewart Rule. Her prison term was for lying to the SEC, not for insider trading. 

Also, anyone who watches Law and Order or any other TV crime show knows that law enforcement “flips” underlings to testify against the bigwigs. There are hundreds of staffers for Garcetti and for the various councilmembers over the last decade who have enough information to criminally prosecute virtually every single one of them. 

We will only focus on a few of many instances in which enough information has seeped out to the public and the various District Attorneys looked the other way, to show that the inaction by the LA County District Attorney’s Office is a major reason that Los Angeles City Hall is a Temple to Criminogenics. 

  1. Garcetti’s Appraisal Fraud at Cesspool on Vine 

CityWatch and other news sources covered much of this story. Due to his use of developer appraisals, Steve Ullman, friend of CM Eric Garcetti, was not a favored person at the Community Redevelopment Agency [CRA/LA]. When he wanted to sell his property at 1601 N. Vine to the CRA/LA, which is part of the City of Los Angeles, it was decided that Hal Katersky would front as the property’s owner. (When later questioned about who actually owned 1601 N. Vine, CRA/LA said, “Steve Ullman” and not Hal Katersky or his business Pacifica Ventures.) 

On May 25, 2006, the developer got an appraisal for 1601 N. Vine at $5.4 million, but on May 23, 2016, the CRA/LA itself had obtained an appraisal for only $4 million. Eric Garcetti presented the $5.4 million developer appraisal to the City Council as the only appraisal and then duped the City Council into unanimously agreeing to purchase the property for $1.4 million more than the CRA/LA’s own appraisal. Of course, Garcetti was under an affirmative legal duty to disclose that the City’s own $4 million appraisal was $1.4 million lower that of the developer’s appraisal. 

This appraisal fraud was brought to the attention of the District Attorney and was the subject of hearings at City Hall in 2010 and 2011 when Garcetti wanted the City to re-sell the property to the developer for only $825,000. People had made a Government Code § 6250 Request for Public documents to the CRA/LA, which did not disclose the lower $4 million appraisal. One day, however, while a person was at the CRA/LA building, someone from CRA/LA came to this person and said, “Here, you want this. Leave now.” Once outside, this person opened the envelope that contained an unknown appraisal for 1601 N. Vine for only $4 million. 

The public widely publicized the fraud, but the DA did nothing. On October 21, 2010, Ron Kay LA published “UPDATED: Demand for a Criminal Investigation of the CRA Deal for 1601 N. Vine St. It was also mentioned in CityWatch on June 25, 2010, CRA Has LA’s Council in a Mind Wrap.” 

In 2010, the City said that no one who knew anything about the transactions back in 2006 was still around. That was a bold lie. There was Eric Garcetti, CRA/LA’s Tom Breezy (who seemed to have gone into hiding,) CRA/LA’s John Prefitt (who was then working for the City of Downey,) the owner Steve Ullman, Garcetti’s aid and then CRA/LA employee Allison Becker, and project front man Hal Katersky. Since other workers at the CRA/LA knew enough to slip the hidden $4 million appraisal to the public, there had to be a host of other CRA/LA employees as well as other members of Garcetti’s council staff who knew. Did the District Attorney bother to question a single person? There was far more than probable cause to indict those people who committed appraisal fraud on the City of LA. Yet, nothing was done. 

  1. Garcetti-La Bonge, Hollywood Sign Bait and Switch Scam 

From all evidence, this $12 million “Bait and Switch Scam” over the Hollywood Sign’s imminent destruction was run out of Tom LaBonge’s Office (CD 4), while Garcetti was CD 13’s councilmember and City Council President. 

One could say that this scheme exemplified how the road to hell is paved with good intentions. On the flip side, LaBonge involved Hollywood school children. Is it wise to teach children that a criminal Bait and Switch scam is an OK way to make money? 

LaBonge wanted to purchase the 140 acres of Cahuenga Peak, a barren peak to the west of Mt. Lee. As Hollywoodians know, Mt. Lee’s south slope is the home of the Hollywood Sign. For reasons which are not pertinent for this story, in 2001, shortly after 9/11, LaBonge had allowed Fox River Financial from Chicago to purchase Cahuenga Peak for $1.67 million despite the fact it overlooked the LAPD communications installation on top of Mt. Lee.   

In 2010, LaBonge decided that it would be nice to spend $12 million to buy Cahuenga Peak as an addition to Griffith Park. The Peak still overlooked Mt. Lee’s telecommunications center and for Home Land Security reasons, it was non-buildable. No one has explained why property worth $1.67 million in 2001 was worth almost ten times as much in 2010, when we were in the depths of the real estate crash. 

When LaBonge could not raise the $12 million to buy the property, the Save the Peak Campaign was born. The H Sign was draped with huge letters saying SAVE THE PEAK. The worldwide news story was that developers were about to destroy the famed Hollywood Sign and people had to donate money to Save The Peak as the only way to save the H Sign. 

Even the Hollywood school children whom La Bonge enlisted in his Save the Peak campaign knew that the H Sign is not on Cahuenga Peak and that it was in no type of danger. People living in South Africa, Europe and Australia, however, did not know that this was a Bait and Switch fraud. The District Attorney knew about the fraud since it was well publicized and members of the public expressly complained to the DA about this scam. 

La Bonge had photo-ops in front of the H Sign and Governor Schwarzenegger came and gave a speech about how much the Hollywood Sign meant to him and what an honor it was to help save it. 

  1. Garcetti’s Millennium Earthquake Towers and Raymond Chan’s Money Laundering 

During the fiasco of Garcetti’s attempting to construct the Millennium Towers over the Hollywood Earthquake Fault Line, the key person at Los Angeles’ Department of Building and Safety was Raymond Chan. During this time, The Millennium’s law firm hired Raymond Chan’s son, who was a law student, to work as a “law clerk.” Hiring the son of the mucky-muck in charge of the Millennium’s earthquake assessment seemed a tad shady. Of course, the City found no earthquake threat. But, wait, it gets worse. 

When the LA Times found that the law student son had made thousands of dollars of contributions to Garcetti’s campaign, people started asking where the kid got all that money. People suspected that since the law student son worked for the law firm, he was an illegal conduit from Millennium to its lawyers to the son to Garcetti. 

At that point, Raymond Chan announced that he had given his son the money to make the campaign contributions to Garcetti. That diverted suspicion away from The Millennium. As we learned in the LA Times Sea Breeze article, relatives funneling money to politicos is as illegal as developers funneling money. Raymond Chan was later promoted by Garcetti. All the District Attorney had to do was walk into the Grand Jury room, slap down the LA Times and the other news article and say, “Indict this ham sandwich.” But oh no, nothing that might tarnish golden boy Garcetti. 

  1. The Missing Half Billion Loss at the Hollywood-Highland Project 

It cost $625 million to construct the Hollywood-Highland Project and in 2004, the project was sold to CIM Group for only $201 million. That was a loss of $424 million; then the City made some sort of $30 million deal with CIM to subsidize the transformation of the new Kodak Theater, which had been expressly designed for the Academy Awards, so that it would be appropriate of Cirque du Soleil. Thus, the overall loss on the Project approached $500 million. 

From the District Attorney’s perspective, the important element was not whether the original developer lost close to half a billion dollars, but how much money did the City of Los Angeles (including its Community Redevelopment Agency, CRA/LA) lose in the transfer of Hollywood-Highland to one of Garcetti’s most favored developers? There is good reason to believe that this deal cost the City $100 million. Who really knows, when the public is left to reading the tea leaves? 

(5) Corruption Kills, LA County D.A.’s Own June 2013 Findings 

In June 2013, the Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury found that when the LA City Council under the leadership of council President Eric Garcetti took millions of dollars away from the Los Angeles Paramedics, they knew that people would die and that people did in fact dies as a result of those budget cuts. As others proved, Garcetti based the under-funding of the paramedics on a false deployment report. Taking money away from paramedics with knowledge that people will die as a result is criminal fraud. It is no different than hiding peanut butter in food in a school cafeteria knowing that some kids have lethal peanut allergies. At the same time, the City was giving hundreds of millions of dollars to developers. 

Has Garcetti fixed the situation? On November 3, 2016 a toddler choked on a grape at the LA Zoo and it took the paramedics 14 minutes to arrive. Six minutes of the delay seems due to the LA Zoo’s unwillingness to call 911, but it took the paramedics eight minutes to reach the zoo after the 911 call was made. Why doesn’t LA have paramedics stationed at the zoo like other cities? Although Garcetti and others know that the downsized paramedic workforce is causing needless death and this child has been turned into a “vegetable,” giving money to developers like the $17 million Garcetti gave to CIM Group for its project at 5929 Sunset is more important. 

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has likewise shown a conscious disregard for the life and safety of Angelenos. The District Attorney’s own June 2013 Grand Jury report shows that it knew that the “corruptionism” at LA City Hall was killing people and it did nothing.

 

(Richard Lee Abrams is a Los Angeles attorney. He can be reached at: [email protected]. Abrams views are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of CityWatch.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

Hate Crime Rears Its Ugly Head in Boyle Heights Anti-Gentrification Battle

DIVIDED LA--The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating three incidents of vandalism at art galleries in Boyle Heights as possible hate crimes. In at least one instance, "187" and "Fuck White Art" were painted on a building in Boyle Heights, according to police. The number 187 is the California penal code for murder.

The heavily Mexican-American Eastside community has been a cauldron of tension between locals and a handful of mostly newer art galleries, which are seen by critics as the leading flank of a wave of white gentrification. In September protesters gathered outside the opening of a new gallery, Artist Space, created by Beverly Hills–based United Talent Agency, which represents A-list actors and, now, up-and-coming artists.

And earlier in the summer the group Defend Boyle Heights demanded that "all art galleries in Boyle Heights ... leave immediately." Anti-gentrification activists say the galleries, new restaurants and new housing serve as tools to displace Boyle Heights residents who, in a market where median rents exceed median income, will have nowhere else to go. 

The vandalism took place between Oct. 8 and 11 and again on Oct. 15, according to LAPD Capt. Rick Stabile. Seeing the "187" marking as a threat, and noting that the graffiti targets white people, police started a hate-crime investigation, he says.

"We are so neutral on the gentrification part of this stuff," he says. "But to me there's a way to protest legally, especially in LA, and that doesn't mean you can vandalize people's property."

City Councilman José Huizar, who represents the community, described the graffiti as particularly out of order given the history of Boyle Heights as a kind of Ellis Island of L.A. — where generations of immigrants of Jewish, Japanese and Mexican backgrounds have found a landing place.

"As Americans, we all have the right to peacefully assemble and express our opinions," Huizar said in a statement. "However, hate speech graffiti, property damage or other illegal acts are crimes and cannot be tolerated.

"I think the issue of gentrification is something that the Boyle Heights community should address, given what’s happening throughout the city of LA. But at the same time, there’s a way of doing that. I really don’t support the tactics that some of the anti-gentrification groups have used in Boyle Heights. To have this kind of racially based exclusion of people is not right, given the history of Boyle Heights. It’s not right on its own, but it’s even worse when you think about the history of Boyle Heights."

Defend Boyle Heights denied responsibility for the vandalism — but it didn't condemn it. "We don’t know who tagged up these galleries, but we certainly don’t condemn it," according to a statement from the group. "It is right to rebel! We are glad to see the community rise up to resist displacement, art washing and gentrification — however they see fit! Your anger is justified."

The statement described the possible hate-crime designation as ironic because police have fatally shot "men, women, boys and girls in our community."

LAPD's Stabile says he wants gallery owners and critics to talk it out, and he's asked the city Human Relations Commission to set up community meetings where both sides can air their issues. 

  • READ ALSO: Gentrification Protesters in Los Angeles Target Art Galleries (NY Times) 

(Dennis Romero writes for LA Weekly … where this piece was first posted.) Photo credit: LA Weekly-Timo Saarelma

-cw

Former LA Councilman Alarcon: Like Trying to Get Rid of Flypaper, Voter Fraud Charges won’t Go Away

THIS IS WHAT I KNOW-Voter Fraud. Talk about two words we never again want to hear mentioned in the same breath. However, an LA County Superior Court Judge, George Lomeli, ruled last week that the former LA City Councilman Richard Alarcon and his wife could still face voter fraud and perjury charges – this, while encouraging both sides to resolve the case, perhaps moving to a misdemeanor conviction. Judge Lomeli’s ruling comes months after their felony convictions were thrown out by an appeals court panel. 

The heat was turned up a bit as Alarcon announced he was challenging Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-Los Angeles) in the 29th Congressional District within weeks after his conviction was overturned. The caveat is, if he is convicted of a felony in a retrial, he’ll be barred from holding elected office under California law. It seems Alarcon is putting the whole thing on hold, as he hasn’t been actively campaigning. A misdemeanor conviction, however, would still allow Alarcon to hold elected office. 

A bit of backstory: Most of this hinges on residency claims. Prosecutors charge that Alarcon and his wife, Flora Montes de Oca Alarcon, lied about their residence to allow Alarcon to run for LA City Council. Per California Elections Code, candidates must actually reside in the district they aim to represent. Alarcon was termed out as a councilman in 2013. 

Alarcon ran to represent Panorama City while living in Sun Valley, which is in a different district. The defense attorneys for the Alarcons stated the couple had been staying temporarily in the Sun Valley residence during renovations of their Panorama City home and had planned to return once construction was finished. That excuse might have seemed plausible if Deputy Dist. Atty. Michele Gilmer hadn’t presented blueprints for turning the single family residence into a multi-unit complex. To top things off, a police officer testified about a squatter who moved in and even changed the locks. 

The jury wasn’t buying and Alarcon was convicted of three voter-fraud charges and one perjury charge while his wife was convicted of two voting charges and one perjury count. The couple was acquitted on other charges. Alarcon did his time under house arrest and his wife did community service, but the couple appealed. The conviction was overturned by an appellate panel that concluded there were improper jury instructions concerning residence requirements by Lomeli. A new hearing date is set for January 27. 

We’ll keep you posted.

 

(Beth Cone Kramer is a Los Angeles writer and a columnist for CityWatch.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

Charter School Movement: ‘Insidious Plan’ to Take Over Public Education

GUEST COMMENTARY--David Leonhardt says: “Charter schools -- public schools that operate outside the normal system -- have become a quarrelsome subject, alternately hailed as saviors and criticized as an overrated fad.” There is no such thing as public charter school. Period. And, they are certainly no “fad,” but rather, a ploy to end our public school system. 

It is propaganda about “public” charter schools that confuses the public. Our citizens are unaware of the plan and the ploy by the Educational Industrial Complex to end public schools by starving their budgets, using bogus tests to label them failing and then hand them over to those who want to do so much more than just make a fortune. 

I read and admire the writing of David Leonhardt, but it is outrageous, that once again, the New York Times perpetuates the absolute false notion that there are Public Charter Schools.  

Giving taxpayer’s money to charter schools that lack transparency and regulations does NOT make them PUBLIC SCHOOLS, and yet, this ploy is on the ballots in Massachusetts, Georgia, Pennsylvania and many states. 

Do not pretend that your paper is printing all the “news that is fit to print,” when you consistently promote the end of public education instead of printing the stories that could make our schools strong again. Make America great again by bringing back our schools so an ignoramus like Trump will face a nation of educated, skilled, working people who love democracy! 

 I have been an educator for four decades and I now write at Oped News and on the Diane Ravitch blog about the takeover of the institution of Public Education.  

Dr. Ravitch wrote, How Not to Fix Our Public Schools-Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools,” and you [LA Times] have  published her editorial, but you have learned nothing about the plan to takeover our democracy by  doing what every  dictator (and even the Saudi’s know)  get the children when they are young -- because they are not kids for long; soon they will be citizens who vote. 

The insidious plan is to let people like these guys rewrite history. “Get ’em young”… as they are doing in North Carolina, where the Koch Bros want to write social studies curricula.  

Read the Ravitch blog: Civics Lessons Financed by the Koch Brothers” | Diane Ravitch’s blog and you will see the end of public education.  

They also know that Democracy depends on shared knowledge, and they know how to end real knowledge by simply taking over the 15,880 school systems, and make sure the newspapers and media spit out lies.   

Fifty-two states and almost sixteen thousand separate school systems make it so easy for the puppet-masters who own all the media in this nation to hide this assault on American democracy, and the only road to income equality. 

We saw how privatizing heath care affected our people while enriching the corporate big pharma! 

There is a ton of money to be made when the salaries and benefits of experienced professionals are removed from the budget. Take the experienced professional out of a hospital and watch it fail, too. 

Yes, the hedge funds love charter $chools. Look at what the California Billionaires are doing to privatize education and be aware that this is a worldwide takeover of education by the oligarchs who know that taking over the education system wins the battle to take over any nation. This article by Justin Miller in the American Prospect seeks to demystify the strange confluence between hedge fund managers and the charter school movement. 

This is a great discussion, in which Amy Goodman of “Democracy Now” interviews Juan Gonzalez of the NY Daily News about the big money pushing charter schools. The discussion is based on this article.  

Look at the scam of “virtual” charter schools. Ariana Prothero writes in Education Week about the “Outsized Influence” of lobbyists for the virtual charter industry. 

Or, go to my series on privatization, using information that Diane Ravitch provides about the state legislatures which are taking over the local schools, with nary an educator on board, and giving them to charters, with not a shred of oversight! Here is a link to Diane’s posts on charter school corruption.  

(Susan Lee Schwartz has been an award winning public school teacher for decades. She is currently a freelance travel writer and photographer, but I also write widely, about real education reform in order to change the national conversation to where it needs to be. This was originally published as a letter to the Los Angeles Times.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

 

Why the Hefty Credit Card Fees on LA County Property Taxpayers?

DUNNING THE PROPERTY OWNERS-Those who didn’t pay their LA County property taxes on time -- the deadline was Tuesday -- have until 11:59 p.m. on December 10, when at the stroke of midnight, a 10% late fee will snap shut on them like a trap. 

In LA County, property taxes can be paid with a credit card, and many Angelenos struggling to make ends meet make use of that option, however fraught with costs and hidden risks it may be. 

LA County is not to blame for those risks and costs. But it is to blame for the fact that Angelenos who pay their property taxes with a credit card get charged a fee equal to 2.1% of their tax bill by the company which processes those payments. On a $5,000 tax bill that comes out to $105, not including the $5.95 fee.  

On what grounds can such an exorbitant fee be justified? It’s not the contractor who bears financial risk by processing tax payments. It’s the credit card companies.  

Why should the dollar amount of a tax payment affect the cost to process that payment? It obviously doesn’t, which is why the County’s arrangement with Fidelity Information Services, LLC, the company which charges -- and keeps 100% of the high fees -- needs rethinking.  

It doesn’t take a math whiz to figure out that Fidelity Information Services, LLC is making a fortune off its “nice work if you can get it” arrangement with the County.  

Time to renegotiate

 

(Eric Preven is a CityWatch contributor and a Studio City based writer-producer and public advocate for better transparency in local government. He was a candidate in the 2015 election for Los Angeles City Council, 2nd District. Joshua Preven is a CityWatch contributor and teacher who lives in Los Angeles.) Prepped for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

The Z-Man’s Election Special: Campaign 2016

RANTZ & RAVEZ--While you are considering the Presidential race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, don’t forget the many important issues that will impact your wallet on a local level here in Los Angeles City and County.   

The time has come to end the discussions and torrent of TV Ads and piles of campaign literature and all political mail and select the people we want to be our next President and Vice President; Members of the United States Senate and Congress as well as our California State Senators and Assembly members. Then there are the other items on the ballot. Like the Four Judicial Offices (who knows anything about any of them) and 17 State Measures, 2 County Measures, 1 Community College Measure and finally the 4 Los Angeles City Measures. 

I have reviewed all the items including the 223 page Official Voter Information Guide from my friend Alex Padilla, the California Secretary of State. I have my selection of endorsements. Since I am concerned with electing people that will work for all Republicans and Democrats and Independents, my endorsements cross-traditional Red and Blue party lines. In the end, we are all American and deserve to have elected officials that represent and care for all of us. I have not received any consideration or compensation for any of the selections. I truly believe that our votes should be for the betterment of our city, county, state and America. 

President and Vice President……Your Choice of Hilary Clinton / Tim Kaine or Donald Trump / Michael Pence. Since there has been so much controversy and discussion about the Presidential Office, I leave that one up to you to select. I know who I am voting for and believe that after all the research I have done I am selecting the person I believe can bring America to a new arena of Progress and Hope. I am reluctant to use the terms Hope and Change since I don’t believe that has really worked for America during the past 8 years. Is America Great or not so Great? I believe that America is the land of opportunity and promise for those that work hard and pursue their dreams. I pray that all parties in America can unite for the good of ALL people.    

Now for the United States Senator from California.    This is a critical position for many reasons. While President Obama is doing TV Commercials for California Attorney General Kamala Harris, that tells me something about her connections with Washington D.C. On the other hand, the other candidate is current Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. Both of these candidates are Democrats and my bet is on Harris. In examining the track record of both candidates, Harris has accomplished a number of significant programs while Sanchez does not have any real claim to fame for all her years in Congress. 

As for your State Senator and Member of the State Assembly, each district has different candidates. In my district I am supporting former Reserve LAPD Officer and business owner Steve Fazio. My selection for Assemblyman is Matt Dababneh. I know both of these candidates on a personal level and can attest to their dedication to the people of their respective districts and the people of California. 

The Judicial candidates are usually very confusing to most voters. Since voters are not generally involved in court matters, your knowledge of the Judicial candidates is very limited. With the Slates of Candidates that are mailed to your homes, you can read a few words and not know the true story about the candidate. I have done my homework on the Judicial candidates running for offices 11, 42, 84 and 158. I know two of the candidates personally and have done research on the other two. I can attest to their qualifications and ability to be honorable Judges of the Superior Court.   

Office 11. I am voting for Debra R. Archuleta. Debra is currently a Deputy District Attorney and well qualified for the position of Judge. 

Office 42. Efrain Matthew Aceves is my selection for this office.     

Office 84. I am going with Susan Jung Townsend. Susan is also a Deputy District Attorney. She is most qualified for the position of Judge. 

Office 158. Kim L. Nguyen. Kim is a Deputy Attorney General and my pick for this Judicial office. 

Now we have the State Measures ...

 

  1. NO. School Bonds. Funding for K-12 and Community College Facilities.  This measure will last for 35 years and cost us approximately $17.6 Billion Dollars.     
  1. NO. Medi-Cal Hospital Fee Program. Uncertain Fiscal Impact. 
  1. YES. Revenue Bonds. Requires approval from voters if Bond exceeds $2 Billion. 
  1. NO. Prohibits Legislature from passing any bill unless published on the Internet for 72 hours before the vote. Note…We elect our state representatives to do a job for us. This measure will cost millions to maintain and is not necessary.   
  1. NO. Extends by another 12 Years a former temporary Tax extension to fund Education and Healthcare initiative. This temporary tax was enacted in 2012 and set to expire in 2019. This measure will extend the tax until 2030. This is all about truth in government. TEMPORARY means TEMPORARY!     
  1. YES. Cigarette Tax. If you smoke, I am sure you are opposed to this additional tax. If you are a non-smoker like me, you most likely will vote YES.   
  1. NO. Criminal Sentences, Parole and Juvenile Criminal Proceedings and Sentencing. This measure will continue the release of Criminals in our Penal System. This will lead to more crime and a negative impact on society.     
  1. Yes. English Language Proficiency will be a requirement in schools. 
  1. NO. Corporations and political spending and Federal Constitutional Protections. 
  1. Yes. Adult Films, Condoms and Health Requirements. 
  1. NO. State Prescription Drug Purchases. Pricing Standards.   
  1. NO. Death Penalty. Repeals the Death Penalty. With all the murders of civilians and police officers, we need to continue the enforcement of the Death Penalty. 
  1. Yes. Firearms and Ammo Sales. This measure will require a background check to purchase ammo. Additional Firearms restrictions are contained in this measure. 
  1. Up to youMarijuana for recreational use. If you like to get high, you will vote yes. There are some serious consequences with the legalization of Marijuana. DUI Marijuana and related public safety matters.      
  1. Yes. Carryout Bags and Charges. When bags are sold in stores, the money will be required to be used for environmental projects. 
  1. Yes. Death Penalty Procedures. Streamlines the Death Penalty procedures to avoid the current years long delays. Prison savings will amount to tens of millions of dollars annually. 
  1. NO. Unless there is a local ordinance, Plastic Bags will be provided free of charge to consumers.    

County Measures 

A.  NO. This measure will provide another tax increase on your home and business property. The measure calls for a 1.5 cents to be levied annually per square foot of improved property in all of Los Angeles County.  

M.  NO. This measure will increase the sales tax in all of Los Angeles County to at least 9.5 cents on all your purchases forever. There is no sunset clause in this measure. Some cities will be over 10 cents on all purchases. This measure is also being pushed to create over 465,000 jobs. How many of those jobs will be administrative? 

While we have massive traffic congestion in Los Angeles County, this is not the answer. Near $10 BILLION DOLLARS was sent on the 405-freeway improvement. Not much improvement to date. Combine this tax increase with the other ones being pushed for the November 8 election and your spendable cash will all be gone soon. 

Many of the proposed projects will not be completed until 40 years from now! While driverless cars are being developed along with battery operation vehicles, there is no vision in the future for this proposal.      

School 

CC.   NO. Los Angeles Community College District

The Community College District received increased funding a few years ago. Major improvements were completed and continue to be made at Community College Campuses. Valley College is still experiencing major construction along with many of the other campuses. This bond measure of $3,300,000,000 is not necessary.      

Los Angeles City 

HHH.   NO. This is another tax increase for Los Angeles residents. It calls for a $1.2 BILLION Dollar bond measure that will result in an increase in your property taxes. The funds are expected to be used for the Homeless population. Many homeless don’t want to reside in apartments or other structures. 

JJJ.   NO. This is the Affordable Housing and Labor Standards related to city planning. 

While this initiative may sound good, it will not bring about any significant affordable housing to Los Angeles. It will increase the cost of any housing that is done in Los Angeles.   

RRR.  NO. This is just another scam on those of us that pay for water and electricity with the DWP. The number of commissioners will increase to 7 members that will be PAID for their services. When the Rate Payer Advocate was established a few years ago, that was designed to improve the services and operations at the DWP. In the end, the Rate Payer Advocate cost us all more money with little positive results.   There is also a discussion about moving from a two-month bill to a monthly bill for DWP services. That is expected to cost $19,000,000 to begin the change and a recurring cost of $4,000,000 annually. RRR is a bad idea and should be defeated.  

SSS. Yes. This measure will permit newly hired Los Angeles International Airport Police Officers to join the City of Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension System. It will also permit current LAX Police Officers to join the Fire and Police Pension at their own expense. 

There you have it. I hope this assists you in understanding of the many items on the November 8, 2016 Ballot.

(Dennis P. Zine is a 33-year member of the Los Angeles Police Department and former Vice-Chairman of the Elected Los Angeles City Charter Reform Commission, a 12-year member of the Los Angeles City Council and a current LAPD Reserve Officer who serves as a member of the Fugitive Warrant Detail assigned out of Gang and Narcotics Division. Disclosure: Zine was a candidate for City Controller last city election. He writes RantZ & RaveZ for CityWatch. You can contact him at [email protected]. Mr. Zine’s views are his own and do not reflect the views of CityWatch.)

-cw

‘The World as We Know It has Ended’

GELFAND’S WORLD--The world as we know it has ended. The Cubs won the World Series. So said one Facebook commenter known to me only as Joel's cousin, and I don't even know Joel. But the night of November 2, 2016 links people across the states, the continents even, in our celebration of the assertion that the impossible can happen. I mean, Halley's comet had already appeared twice since the last time the Cubs won the Series. 

Was this victory unlikely? Well, as one of the most famous statisticians in the world pointed out a couple of days ago (back when the Cubs were down in games by 3-1), the likelihood of the Cubs winning the Series was less than that of Trump winning the presidency. Perhaps this comparison ought to make us a little nervous. 

Then again, we could look at it another way: What was the statistical likelihood of both the Cubs winning the Series and Trump winning the presidency? The odds of both things happening in the same year (or at all) must be incredibly low. So now, with the Cubs winning, it must be practically impossible for Trump to win. It's like Garp's comment in The World According to Garp: "We'll take the house. Honey, the chances of another plane hitting this house are astronomical. It's been pre-disastered." 

This victory undermines the basis of our civilization. As another pundit argued (also when the Cubs were down 3-1), it was a big relief that the Cubs were losing, because in threatening to win the Series, they were endangering something precious. After all, there is the Chicago spirit to conserve -- that is to say, the morbidly depressed view that whenever hope arises, it is destined to be dashed on the rocks below. It must be useful to have some fractional part of each civilization holding that point of view, lest the rest of us become reckless. The Cubs were endangering this foundational principle of our society. 

The 7th game: At first (or in the 8th inning, anyway), the Cubs looked like they were going to respect that 108 year old tradition. They built up a 6-3 lead and then squandered it by giving up 3 quick runs. 

Hope. Rocks below. Morbid depression. 

It was game tied at the other team's ball park on a cold, rainy night with your best pitchers looking worn out and ragged. 

It looked like the Cubs of old had returned. And then they had to go and destroy a tradition older than the 20th century (which, after all, was only given 100 years), a tradition that went back to monarchial rule over Europe and Asia, wooden airplanes, Giacomo Puccini, and Billy Goat's curse. All lost to history now. About all we've got left is Halley's Comet, and it's not due till the 2060s. 

Here's another odd item. The winning pitcher in the championship game of the 2016 World Series will go down in history as Aroldis Chapman. He came into the game with a solid lead and a runner on base, which means the victory would have gone to another pitcher if Chapman could have held. But he gave up the run (charged to the previous pitcher) and then a couple of his own to leave the game tied after the regulation 9 innings. Because the Cubs scored a couple of runs in the top of the 10th, Chapman gets credit for the win. Vin Scully used to dwell on the pitcher's status. Think of how many times we heard him say about a departing pitcher, "He could win it, could lose, or could have nothing to do with it." All of those were possibilities for Chapman when he entered the game, but who would have predicted the W? 

Addenda 

1) As I've mentioned here before, I started internet writing by doing analysis of the media, including newspapers and talk radio. At the time, Rush Limbaugh had made a name for himself by claiming that the mainstream media were biased against conservatism and in favor of liberalism. The term media bias became part of the language, and is repeated by right wing bloggers as if it is obviously true. In retrospect, mainstream media bias was no more nor less than an instinct to tell the truth once in a while about racial bias in our broader culture. Apparently it was also considered media bias when newspapers and television stations mentioned, however fleetingly, the argument that church and state are separate in our republic. 

I think it's obvious that whatever existed back then, media bias has swung badly in the opposite direction the past few election cycles. The mainstream media have failed to expose the nonsense behind supply side economics, no matter how many times politicians claim that a tax cut on the rich will stimulate the economy. The media also should have been pounding on Trump's penchant for lying from the beginning. Of equal importance, Trump's propensity for respecting and hanging out with bad guys, whether foreign tyrants or local mafiosi, was slow to emerge and even now is undercovered. The one thing we can credit the media for, Trump's sexual predation, was originally brought up by a Fox News personality during a presidential debate. Apparently you can get to the media by talking about sex, no matter which side the candidate. 

There is one exception to this story. The late night comedy shows are taking every chance to drill Donald Trump. Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers are doing their best to make him into a laughingstock. They are two of the more visible faces of two of the biggest on-air networks. 

The biggest difference between then and now is the development of the internet as a major source for public opinion. It's become the office water cooler of the modern age. 

2) Here's to Jessica Rosner, film history expert and long-time Cub's fan. I can remember you wearing that Cubs hat at film festivals over these many years. Congratulations. You finally did it. 

(Bob Gelfand writes on science, culture, and politics for City Watch. He can be reached at [email protected]

-cw

More Election Thoughts and a Little Re-Thinking: Props, Initiatives and Some Great Candidates

WORDS FROM THE BUTCHER SHOP-Recently I wrote in support of Proposition 62 to repeal California’s death penalty in the name and memory of my murdered son, Matthew Benjamin Butcher (March 17, 1983 – June 24, 2010). The support and love I have received as a result of this expression of opinion, This Mother of a Murdered Son Says: ‘Repeal the California Death Penalty’ by Voting YES on Prop 62  is surprising, humbling, and overwhelming. 

Within the Butcher family, there is deep division of opinion on the topic of the death penalty. I love that! Don and I are both originally from New York and New Jersey and we raised our kids to argue as a way of life. 

Since publishing my recommendations for the state initiatives, my son Steven Butcher has changed my voting recommendations on two of the props. I should have asked him about Prop 54 to begin with -- he's more knowledgeable than I about these things these days. His winning argument? I said “gut and amend.” Really? When he said, “Yeah, but good stuff sometimes happens at end of session that otherwise might not if it had to wait 72 hours.” He raised several other points that made good sense, closing with, “Plus, Jackie Goldberg's against it.” The kid still knows how to win an argument with me! 

No on 60, he says, as well. The industry is already closely regulated, and the San Fernando Valley is in danger of losing jobs to New Hampshire. Good points. I’ve changed my recommendation on that one as well. 

On Prop 51, I easily convinced him that while $9 billion in school bonds would be a great thing, it’d be better if they pass locality by locality rather than statewide (like Measure CC in LA and Measure O in Riverside, for instance.) That way the wealthier districts don’t get funding ahead of more needy school districts likely disadvantaged by a seemingly fair “first come, first served” schema. 

We have joyfully survived “the Move.” Note that I’m writing now from La Crescenta, 10.7 miles from “the kids” and “the baby.” Fifteen minutes up the 2. That’s us, here in Grandparent Heaven. 

Who knew there’d be ancillary political benefits fun enough to make me smile when I our absentee ballots arrived just as we did? 

First, I know Ardy! Ardy Kassakhian is a sincere, good man and I couldn’t be happier to cast a vote for him for Assembly. Ardy and I got to know each other as cohorts in Coro’s 2011 Executive Fellows program. He is driven by love, by service, and by the love of service and I know him to be thoughtful, visionary, and genuine. Plus I always love those candidates originally from the localest of government. 

I’ve known Anthony Portantino for a long, long time and he’s gonna be a phenomenal State Senator. The union formerly known as Local 347 vetted, tested, and supported Portantino like a Brother, and he worked hard for workers in local government and in the Assembly. Anthony Portantino is one of those few rare birds – an honorable, decent, and wise elected official. We’re happy to cast two Butcher votes for him here in our new home. (Never moving again, not ever!) 

Casting a gleeful YES vote for LA County Measure M, hoping LA can begin to fix its past transportation snafus. The word “infrastructure” is my own personal drinking game word. Imagine tons of infrastructure and transportation spending? Cool, huh? 

And finally, I was delighted to vote for Kathryn Barger for LA County Supervisor.  (Photo above.) When I was briefly assigned to the County part of the Union, Kathryn, personally and formally, welcomed and helped me. She’s smart – a badass who knows how to get things done. She will be an amazing part of Los Angeles County’s Board of Supervisors!

 

(Julie Butcher writes for CityWatch, is a retired union leader and is now enjoying her new La Crescenta home and her first grandchild. She can be reached at [email protected] or on her new blog ‘The Butcher Shop- No Bones about It’ Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

Jaw, Jaw, Jaw about Los Angeles Initiative JJJ

PLATKIN ON PLANNING--In response to a recent email for my take on Los Angeles Initiative JJJ, I explained why I continue to oppose it. (For those overwhelmed by this election’s ballot, JJJ calls for a small percentage affordable units in market projects, which would be constructed through local and union labor.) 

My reply: 

Dear T., the JJJ Initiative for inclusionary housing appears to be a remarkable advance in a backward city like Los Angeles. But first impressions can be highly misleading. This is because JJJ is so tainted by loopholes that it will only result in a tiny fraction of the affordable housing units it supporters envisage. In fact, I fully expect that if LA voters adopt JJJ, some new apartment buildings will not contain any affordable units or employ more than a token number of unionized or local construction workers. 

These are JJJ’s unfortunate loopholes, as Jill Stewart previously exposed in City Watch

1) The “We don't think this developer is making enough profit” loophole.

Under JJJ, developers’ projects can be spot-zoned and spot-planned as long as they include some affordable housing. But, the City Council can declare the developer is not making “a reasonable return on investment” and then undo the affordable housing requirement. (JJJ Section 5, A, g) 

2) The “Forget about building affordable housing; just pay City Hall an in-lieu 'fee'” loophole.   Under JJJ, no affordable units need to be built inside these new towers, as long as the developer pays an “in lieu” fee. This in-lieu amount is unknown to voters since it will be determined after the election  by the developer-friendly City Council. (JJJ Section 5, A, b3.) 

3) The “Forget the affordable housing, forget the fee, just pay a 'surcharge'” loophole. Under JJJ, developers can refuse to pay the in-lieu fee, and opt for a Deferral Surcharge whose price will also to be later set by the City. This Deferral fee amount, unknown to voters, does not have to be spent on affordable housing. The City Council could divert this revenue to pay city employees for running any housing-linked program. (JJJ Section 5, A, c2) 

4) The “L.A.'s Affordable Housing Trust Fund is a piggy bank” loophole. Under JJJ, the city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund does not have to be spent on affordable housing. The fund could be diverted into: “such other housing activities as that term shall be defined.” (JJJ Section 5, B, c) 

5) The “We say we'll create local jobs, but not a single local hire is required” loophole. Under JJJ, contractors need only “make a good-faith effort” to hire people living within five miles of a proposed massive luxury complex, a toothless and meaningless standard that will never be met. (JJJ Section 5, A, g). 

What then can be done? 

As you might know, I am an active supporter of the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative (NII), which has a totally different take on planning issues than JJJ.  If LA’s voters adopt the NII on March 2017, unlike JJJ it would bar the City Council from spot-zoning and spot-planning individual parcels unless they contained 100 percent affordable units. This would, therefore, stop all plush housing ventures in Los Angeles because they would remain illegal high-rise luxury proposals until the City Council legalized them through parcel-specific spot-zones and occasional General Plan Amendments. Even if these high-rise luxury projects contained a small percentage of affordable units as a deal sweetener, the City Council could no longer wave its magic wand to permit them. 

In contrast to JJJ, the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative also forces the City of Los Angeles to expeditiously update its entire General Plan, including the 35 Community Plans that comprise its Land Use Element. This Update process would then be based on mandatory evening and weekend meetings held in every part of Los Angeles.  This consultative approach will ensure that the new General Plan answers three parts of the affordable housing quandary: 

  • Which Los Angeles neighborhoods have the greatest need for affordable housing?
  • Where in Los Angeles is the greatest amount of parcels that could support by-right or density bonus affordable and low-income apartment projects?
  • Where is the existing network of public infrastructure and services sufficient to support greater population density? 

Once this General Plan update process takes off, I then expect the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative team to become a permanent watchdog body. Through careful monitoring of this voter-approved ordinance – and legal action when necessary -- the watchdogs will ensure to that the new General Plan’s elements are properly updated, implemented, monitored, and fine-tuned. 

But, some housing activists support JJJ
This is what I also replied to someone else who wrote me about JJJ. She pushed back hard against my critique and argued that since many affordable housing corporations and activists support JJJ, it deserves our votes. 

These supporters are, in my view, extremely well intentioned people. But, I nevertheless think they are mistaken. They have reached a point of total desperation because the government programs they once relied upon to build affordable housing ended up on the public policy scrap heap. So, without any other obvious alternatives, they are hoping against hope that JJJ, despite its crippling loopholes, will miraculously work. It will overcome the odds to build a modicum of affordable units by piggy-backing them on spot-zoned luxury projects, or it will recharge LA’s empty Affordable Housing Trust Fund through in-lieu payments. 

In effect, they have thrown in the towel on the public sector housing programs that once sustained affordable housing and that are the only real solution to the housing crisis now gripping every county in the entire United States.

As I have repeatedly written in CityWatch, the affordable housing crisis hammering Los Angeles since the Bradley Administration stems from the gutting of Federal housing programs. These cutbacks began during the second Nixon administration and culminated in the 1980s. Since then, one administration after another has never wavered. When faced with massive problems of homelessness, overcrowding, and affordable housing, from the White House to City Hall, they have resorted to the same old unsuccessful market-based housing programs. Their marketing campaigns succeeded, even though their products consistently failed. 

Unfortunately, these market incentive approaches, such as JJJ, are urban myths. As much as we might wish upon a star that they would work, they have not, cannot, and will not ever provide more than a small fraction of the affordable housing needed in this country. The reason is simple; the private market is governed by profit maximization, and the profits exist in market housing, especially luxury housing, not in affordable housing.

My conclusion: if the government does not build or heavily subsidize affordable housing, it does not get built. This point needs to be made again and again, especially when our developer-friendly elected officials foist real estate speculation as the secret sauce of affordable housing. 

Luckily, in this election there is an interim solution, Initiative HHH. It would directly involve the City of Los Angeles in the construction of supportive housing for the homeless, until the only real solution emerges, the restoration of publicly funded and operated affordable housing programs.

 

(Dick Platkin is a former Los Angeles city planner who reports on local planning issues for CityWatch LA. He welcomes comments and corrections at [email protected]

-cw

Handy Dandy Election Brief: Read What You Need … In 4 ½ Minutes

EASTSIDER-This weekend, I finally took a look at the General Election Voter Information Guide (222 pages), and the Special Municipal Election Voter Information Pamphlet (96 pages). It immediately occurred to me that unless you are a very heavy political junkie, the odds of any voter actually reading the combined 318 pages of information before making a decision as to how to vote is about as likely as Jose Huizar voluntarily resigning his job as Chair of the PLUM Committee. 

So I decided to take on the task and report my findings prior to the actual November 8 physical election date. I will give you my analysis of each measure, what it really says, and how I am personally voting and why. Hopefully this will help some voters who go to the polls on Election Day make up their minds as to how they will choose to vote. 

Feel free to check this article against your sample ballot, or print and take to the polls. A lot of these issues are literally life and death. Of course, some are horse puckey. 

Without further ado, here goes. 

LA MUNICIPAL MEASURES 

1) HHH - Homelessness Reduction and Prevention, Housing, and Facilities Bond 

This one is what it says, sort of. Buried in the seven pages of fine print, the $1.2 billion in bonds are to be funded by an increase in property tax on residents of the City. The funds are to build housing for the homeless. 

I have Neighborhood Council friends on both sides of this issue, and it is a passionate debate indeed. My personal take is that, first, the City let the developers throw people out of affordable housing, and now that many of them are on the street, they want us to pay the same developers to build housing for the homeless. Seems nuts, so I’m voting NO. 

On the other side, there is no question that homelessness is a serious and growing problem. Whether these bonds would actually have a significant impact on it seems to depend on who you talk to. Your call. This one requires a 2/3 vote to pass. 

2) JJJ - Affordable Housing and Labor Standards Related to City Planning, Initiative Ordinance JJJ 

This is an Initiative matter, which means that it was put on the ballot by getting enough signatures and bypassing the legislative system. It consists of some 24 pages of very dense language dealing with the building of projects with 10 or more units, and guaranteeing General Plan amendments/zoning changes for projects that meet the detailed criteria of the initiative. 

Although its name does not appear on the FOR argument, the initiative was largely sponsored by the LA County Federation of Labor and the Building Trades. You will not be surprised that the Chamber of Commerce is on the NO side. 

The good news is that the initiative would restrict the City’s ability to sell us out on General Plan amendments and zoning changes. The flip side is that the cost of building these projects would go up, as they would have to pay “prevailing wage.” It also creates an “Affordable Housing Trust Fund,” and has a lot of details in the text too complicated for my summary. 

Again, I have friends on both sides of the issue. Personally, I am going to wait until March of next year for Jill Stewart’s Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, which is a comprehensive and cleaner fix for the City’s planning process. I also find the City CAO’s representation on Fiscal Impact that “this initiative is not expected to result in any additional cost to the City or taxpayers” to be disingenuous puffery. 

This measure requires a simple majority vote. 

3) Charter Amendment RRR – DWP 

This amendment to the LA City Charter would modify the composition and authority of the Department of Water and Power in relationship to the City Council and the Mayor in a whole variety of ways. While the language of the amendment is “only” 11 pages in length, the references and list of ordinances which are mentioned in the ballot language are so indeterminate and unforeseeable as to make a rational judgment impossible. 

It is also the one municipal ballot measure that I unhesitatingly recommend a NO vote on. In a recent post to CityWatch indicating “Don’t Even Bother To Read The Ballot Arguments,”  the basis for my claim is that I can’t find a single compelling goodie for us the ratepayers in the entire proposal. It does require monthly billing instead of the current bi-monthly system, but that doesn’t change what we pay at all. And I’m a “when in doubt, vote no” kind of guy. This measure requires a simple majority vote. 

4) SSS - City of Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions, Airport Peace Officers 

This one is relatively simple. Currently, the Airport police are in the same City pension plan as are most City employees. They want to get into the very sweet (and expensive) Safety Retirement System that the City has for police (LAPD) and Firefighters. 

The proposal is that all new hires would automatically go into the LA City Fire and Police Pension fund, and also allows all current LA Airport police to “buy into” the fund. Finally, it would allow “new Airport Police Chiefs who are not already members” to enroll in the LAPD/Firefighter pension plan. 

Unlike tax measures, this one can pass by a simple majority vote. However, the fiscal impact to the City is estimated at 14% to 19% more than if the employees were to stay in their current retirement system. 

While your mileage may vary, I’m voting NO on SSS. The basis for my vote is that if we the voters want “real” LAPD cops at the Airport, then we should hire LAPD police officers, not allow a pension goodie to folks who, as far as I know, never were, or are, people who have gone through the LAPD’s rigorous hiring and training process. 

STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION PROPOSITIONS 

Wow! Seventeen Propositions in a staggering 222 pages. Are you going to read all of this stuff? I thought not. So here’s my quick and dirty analysis, together with how I’m voting and why. 

A lot of these issues are very fundamental and contentious, and the TV ads and printed materials clogging our mailboxes are so deliberately misleading as to give a normal person a migraine -- unless you’ve simply tuned out and thrown the stuff into the wastebasket. 

For those who want to ignore my thoughts on these measures, at least be sure to read pages 8 through 16 of the Official Voter Information Guide, which contains simple summaries of each proposition and what a YES or NO vote means. 

Proposition 51 - School Bonds 

This would authorize the State to issue some $9 billion in bonds for construction and “modernization” of K-12 schools and Community Colleges, including charter schools and vacation education facilities. The total cost over the life of the bonds would be about $17.6 billion dollars. 

For me, this one’s simple, at least in Los Angeles. The last time we did this in LA, the LAUSD ran around and built schools that they couldn’t even staff after they were built, because they didn’t have the ongoing budget to staff them. Witness the Sotamayor Learning Academies in Northeast LA. The only thing I know that it did do was launch the career of one Jose Huizar, who was in charge of the building programs for the LAUSD expending the money. Launched his City Council career, it did. 

As for the Community College District, don’t get me started. The LACCD Board promised a satellite campus at the Van de Kamps location on Fletcher and San Fernando, and then double-crossed the taxpayers by constructing the facility and then basically giving it away to a Charter school. I think they’re still in litigation on the misappropriation of public funds. I wouldn’t trust them with a dime. 

Depending on where you live and what schools your children attend, you mileage may vary. 

Proposition 52 - MediCal Hospital Fee Program 

This one’s technical. Since 2009, California has imposed a special charge on most private hospitals to (1) cover the state share of increased Medi-Cal payments for hospitals and grants for public hospitals, and (2) generate some state general fund savings. In turn these fees generate a federal Medi-Cal funding match. 

Those fees periodically expire, and are set to do so again in January 2018. This measure makes the fees permanent, and has an unknown impact since the federal government must approve any extension of the existing fees. The ringer in this measure is that it excludes hospital fee money from calculating the K-12 education funding level, and puts this exclusion in an amendment to the State Constitution. 

My take is that I get nervous when virtually everyone seems to support a proposition, taking into consideration the fact that the legislature has never failed to support these extensions since 2009. And I am simply leery of anything that permanently amends the State Constitution. 

While most of my friends are voting in favor of the proposition, I’m voting NO for that reason. 

Proposition 53 - Revenue Bonds, Statewide Voter Approval 

This proposition is a measure with a specific target -- the Delta Tunnel Project called “WaterFix,” and the High Speed Rail Project. It gets there from here by requiring statewide voter approval before the selling of revenue bonds for any project where (1) the bonds are sold by the state, (2) the bonds are sold for a project that is owned, operated or managed by the state where the bonds exceed more than $2 billion, adjusted annually for inflation. 

Of course no one can really say what the impact would be if passed, since no one knows if there will be other projects in the future which would meet these criteria. 

The lines are sharply drawn on this one. It’s really an initiative by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. The opponents are the California League of Water Agencies, the California League of Cities, the Chamber of Commerce, the California Hospital Association and, interestingly, the California Office of Emergency Services. 

The main thrust of the opponents is that there is no exemption for emergencies or natural disasters in the measure. They also note that groups of public agencies in different parts of the state often group together into a joint powers entity to fund projects that no one of them could afford alone, and that this proposition would give veto power to voters in different regions to block needed projects for other regions. I’m reading between the lines here that this really means that the rest of the state could veto big joint powers projects for Southern California, for example. 

I’m wobbling on this one. I would do almost anything to drive a stake through the heart of the bullet train boondoggle, and the Delta Tunnel project which is designed to bring water to us in Southern California has a lot of legitimate critics. At the same time, it is a historic fact that folks from Northern California have no fondness for Southern California, and I don’t think folks in the San Joaquin valley are exactly fans either.

Proposition 54 - Legislature, Legislation and Proceedings 

At last, a simple one. This would expand open meeting requirements to add a requirement that all state bills be posted online and distributed 72 hours before they can be voted on, require audiovisual recordings of all public legislative meetings (to be retained for 20 years,) allow any member of the public to record and distribute recordings of meetings, and make the legislature itself pay for any costs. 

The only real argument against the proposition is that it would give special interests more time to lobby. C’mon. Special interests already own Sacramento. I just love this one because it should make the tiny little hearts of our City Council tremble at what might overtake them in the future. I’m voting YES. 

Proposition 55 - Tax Extension to Fund Education and Healthcare 

This is the extension on what’s commonly referred to as the special tax on high income people, for a period of 12 more years. High income earners are defined as $250,000 for single, $500,000 for joint, $340,000 for heads of household. 

Normally this would be a no brainer for most of us, in the spirit of getting back at the 1%, and I’m leaning towards a YES vote. The drawback is this: Governor Brown promised that this was going to be a one-time deal back in 2012 and would expire in 2018. Just a temporary fix. 

Such an extension has a significant downside in that state revenues are already very robust – it’s starting to look like a permanent tax increase. The danger is that the state will become addicted to these additional revenues, and the second that there is a downturn in the economy, all the happy feel-good projects that this funds will come to a crashing halt. It is not good budgetary practice to construct budgets on temporary revenues, period. Your mileage may vary. 

Proposition 56 -Cigarette Tax to Fund Tobacco User Prevention, Research, and Law Enforcement 

This measure would increase the tax on cigarettes by $2 a pack, the tax on other tobacco products by $2 per pack equivalent, and add a new tax on e-cigarettes of $3.37 per pack equivalent. The proposition also amends the State Constitution to exempt these taxes from the state’s constitutional spending limits, and further exempts these revenues from school funding requirements. 

The devil, as it were, is in the details of who gets the money. From the Legislative Analyst, here are the entities: the State Board of Equalization, various state agencies for enforcement, University of California (physician training), Department of Public Health (State Dental Program), California State Auditor, Medi-Cal, Tobacco Control Program, University of California (tobacco related disease program), and school programs. The slicing and dicing is built into the legislation. 

For me, what tips the scales is the new inclusion of e-cigarettes being taxed as a tobacco product. I’m voting YES, although I can understand the opposition’s argument that little of the money goes to actually stopping people from smoking. 

Proposition 57 - Criminal Sentences, Parole, Juvenile Criminal Proceedings and Sentencing 

This is another contentious proposition. Clearly the proposal is designed to amend the State Constitution to decrease our prison population by increasing the number of inmates eligible for parole and adding a set of sentencing credits. It also would require that juvenile offenders first have a juvenile court hearing before their case can be transferred to adult court. 

The crux of the dispute is in what qualifies as a “nonviolent felony” offense. Readers will remember the aftershocks of 2014’s Proposition 47 which made changes to allow “nonviolent, non-serious property and drug crime” offenders to have their felonies reduced to misdemeanor, and get released from prison. That proposition, and its fallout, are still the subject of a very divisive debate among Angelenos, who saw a significant increase in released offenders in our neighborhoods. 

The law enforcement community is unanimous in their opposition to Proposition 57, as they were to Proposition 47. My friend Caroline Aguirre in Northeast LA, a retired state parole officer, is relentless in discussing her exposure to the atrocities committed by a number of people released under Prop 47. She has a point, and her articles are always factually accurate as to crimes committed by Prop 47 released offenders. 

The flip side of the question has to do with too many people in jail and increasing judicial intervention because of prison overcrowding. The short answer is that we can’t have it both ways with huge prison populations that are not adequately housed and cared for (read big bucks), versus crimes that may be committed by those who are released. 

Most of my friends will vote NO on this proposition. I’m voting YES because the increased number of people released into our communities will hopefully force us as a society to bite the bullet and either pay a bunch more money to fund the criminal justice and prison system, or deal with the aftermath of people released who have a snowball’s chance of ever getting a job with their record and skills. 

Proposition 58 - English Proficiency, Multilingual Education 

We used to call this one bilingual education and it seemed to work okay until proposition 227 (1998) came along and said that education had to be done in English. This measure would basically allow schools to go back to the old system. Schools would also have to talk with their communities about developing “language acquisition” programs and preserve the right of parents to have their children learn English by being taught in nearly all English. 

I could be wrong, but my educator friends seemed to like the old system and thought it worked well for Los Angeles. Don’t know about the rest of the world. Having said that, I do remember that this was a serious hot button issue for the body politic and the rhetoric was hot and heavy. Particularly outside of Los Angeles. We’ll see if 18 years has made a difference in attitudes. I’m voting YES. 

Proposition 59 - Corporations, Political Spending, Federal Constitutional Protections 

This proposition is specifically designed to reverse the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United by way of a constitutional amendment. That decision said that “independent expenditures” of money in politics was “free speech.” I call it the “one dollar one vote” decision. 

The measure urges congress to initiate an amendment to the US Constitution clearly stating that corporations do not have the same constitutional rights as human beings. 

The measure is essentially “snow in the wintertime,” since it doesn’t here, and California cannot pass an amendment to the U.S. Constitution or force Congress to do so. It’s a feel good free vote, so whatever floats your boat. 

Proposition 60 - Adult Films, Condoms, Health Requirements 

This is a weird one. CAL/OSHA already regulates condom use in the adult film industry, and in Los Angeles County, we have Measure B (2012) that requires condom use in the adult film industry. This measure would set up an entire regulatory and enforcement bureaucracy to license, regulate, and enforce use of condoms in the industry. 

Since I don’t know anyone in the industry, I’m not sure to what extent there’s a pressing necessity for the proposition, and I am extremely leery of setting up any additional state bureaucracies. Even though the proponents finesse the issue, the Legislative Analysts’ Office estimates it would result in lost revenues and costs of around $1 million a year to implement. I’m voting NO, but without enthusiasm. 

Proposition 61 - State Prescription Drug Purchases, Pricing Standards 

Prohibits state agencies from buying any prescription drug from a drug manufacturer at any price over the lowest price paid for the same drug by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Medi-Cal managed care programs are exempted. 

That’s it. And the measure has generated zillions of dollars in print and TV ads, to the point where I got a headache from just watching the ads. Underneath, however, the stakes are clear. If you look at the fine print in all the TV ads by some veterans groups and others, the fine print says, “major funding by Merck & Pfizer.” That should tell you everything -- and they are spending millions of dollars. Big Pharma does not do that unless they have something to fear. 

Between this fact and Bernie Sanders’ ad publically endorsing the proposition, for me it’s a no-brainer. YES on 61. We won’t know how much money we can save unless we give it a whirl, and the VA in general keeps pretty tight controls on drug costs. 

Proposition 62 - Death Penalty 

The title says it all. The proposition does three things: (1) repeals the death penalty in California in favor of life without parole, (2) applies retroactively to everyone already sentenced to death, and (3) states that murderers sentenced to life without parole must work while in prison, with a portion of their wages going to victim restitution. 

I should state that I’m a cost/benefit kind of guy, and the issue to me seems one of cost and chances of actually killing these folks vs. the “benefit” of executing them. There are about 750 death sentence prisoners in California at the moment with their legal appeals somewhere in the labyrinth appeals process. Further, since 2006, no one has been executed because of legal issues over our state’s lethal injection procedures. 

The most vocal proponents of keeping the death penalty are prosecutors, law enforcement, and corrections officers. Honestly, as ghoulish as it may sound, I think that for them it’s about jobs and budget. At least, I am unaware of any validated study that demonstrates that the death penalty is in fact a deterrent. 

If vengeance and retribution are more important than money, and I know that this is true for a lot of people, vote YES. I think we have better uses for our economic resources within the criminal justice system and am therefore voting NO. 

Proposition 63 - Firearms, Ammunition Sales 

This measure has some common sense stuff in it like prohibiting certain individuals from possessing firearms. 

Most of Prop 63, however, was already addressed by the legislature this year. For example, folks who sell ammo will have to obtain a license from the Department of Justice, and anyone who messes up three times will have their license permanently revoked. Also, ammo dealers already have to check with the Department of Justice and give personal information on the individual wanting to purchase ammunition. That information goes into a DOJ database, and there is a fine to the individual and/or imprisonment for failure to comply with the regulations. 

The proposition would add to these existing laws by requiring you and I to undergo a background check to even buy ammunition and pass a DOJ authorization in advance. 

You also would not be able to bring any ammunition in from out of state. Further, you and I would have to pay $50 to the DOJ to even get a 4-year permit to buy ammunition at all. 

At some point, this government intervention in our lives gets scary. I’m fine with ensuring that people who should not be able to buy weapons can’t do so. Ditto for background checks. But when you start going so far to hobble citizens from even being able to buy ammunition for their firearms, I’m out. All these regulations that you and I will have to go through to even buy a .22 caliber bullet are over the top. All these licenses, all these permits, all these checks, are going directly into databases that will be linked to all law enforcement, homeland security, the NSA, and big brother in the sky. I’m doubling up on my contributions to the EFF (Electronic Freedom Foundation). 

This is just bogus. I’m voting no, and if you value your privacy, you should too. 

Proposition 64 - Marijuana Legalization 

Pretty much as the title indicates, Prop 64 legalizes the use of marijuana by adults over 21 years of age, and provides for licensing, sale and taxation thereof. 

Most of the pushback against the measure comes, unsurprisingly, from the vested interests who have a stake in keeping pot illegal -- law enforcement, and the federal government. For them, it’s about jobs and budget, just like the death penalty. 

Last I checked, people are going to buy and imbibe pot whether or not it’s legal, and if I remember right, marijuana is the largest chunk of the economy of Humboldt County and a host of other places in California. 

I personally believe that limited law enforcement resources are better deployed dealing with their core functions. I’m voting YES, even though I do not personally drink or use at all. 

Proposition 65 - Carryout Bags, Charges

Proposition 67 - Ban on Single Use Plastic Bags 

Prop 65 ties directly in with Prop 67, so I will treat them together, even though they are out of order. Prop 67 flatly bans the use of single use plastic or paper bags. Those are the ones that are only sturdy enough to be used once, unlike the thick SuperA bags and sturdy paper bags with handles. 

As near as I can figure, the idea is that if both measures pass, we will have to pay for the thicker bags and the money will for “environmental programs.” What happens is, if Prop 65 passes, and so does Prop 67 (with more votes than Prop 65,) the stores get to keep the revenue. Otherwise the money goes to the state for environmental programs. 

There’s an alternate scenario for what happens if Prop 65 fails, but my eyes glazed over. Only lawyers could write this stuff. I’m voting NO on all of it. 

Proposition 66 - Death Penalty, Procedures 

Finally, we come to the second death penalty proposition. It is relatively straightforward in that it is specifically designed to “fast-track” death penalty cases. The less straightforward part has to do with dancing around what method of execution the state can use, and it indemnifies health care professionals from participating in an execution. 

Even the law enforcement community is split on this one. My take is that lovers of the show Law and Order will like it as a great threat to use in interrogation. For the rest of us, your mileage will vary. There are enough innocent people who have been executed under our current legal system that I am loath to do anything that will speed up the appeals process and produce more innocent inmates who get executed. We can’t fix it when someone is dead. Voting NO. 

(Tony Butka is an Eastside community activist, who has served on a neighborhood council, has a background in government and is a contributor to CityWatch.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.)

Hacked Clinton Campaign Emails Expose Iffy Relationship with Sensitive LA Mayor

THIS IS WHAT I KNOW-Regardless where you stand on the WikiLeaks issue, perhaps we can be proud that our own mayor got a mention. Carla Marinucci hooked us up with a link in Politico’s California Playback column on October 27, 2016. 

Apparently, some players in the Clinton camp believe that “He (Garcetti) has this reputation. Wants to be really courted. By the candidate. No one else. When you get him on the phone, he is nice, but then his staff comes back with this…” 

A June 2015 email thread details the mayor’s holdout for a longer meeting with the Democratic presidential candidate. When the mayor’s “Executive Vice-Mayor”/Deputy Chief of Staff Rick Jacobs called to say Garcetti “really doesn’t want to do this brief meeting at a fundraiser,” Podesta detailed his reply: “I was pretty cold and said we would consider a meeting sometime in the future. Maybe he can hold out to be MOM’s (Martin O’Malley’s) VP.” Even Huma Abedin weighed in. “He’s a tough one for us. Never really had a relationship.” 

For a bit of backstory, last November, Garcetti had endorsed Clinton in a written statement sent from the mayor’s office, a distinct no-no in election law. Thou shalt not use government resources to send campaign-related announcements or to electioneer. A second email fired off an hour later stated, “Today’s statement on Hillary Clinton was sent in error,” and a spokesperson for the mayor explained the statement should not have been sent from the mayor’s office. 

Back in June, the Wall Street Journal  had reported Garcetti was being floated as a possible HRC running mate but he told WKNX News Radio that he was staying where he is. “I’m not looking for a new job. I have a great one right now, and that’s being mayor of the city.” It’s hard to say whether the mayor’s prima donna reputation might have precluded that possibility. Garcetti is planning a re-election bid next year and word on the street is he may be considering a gubernatorial bid in 2018. 

Garcetti’s cozy relationship with developers has earned him detractors, especially among neighborhood integrity activists, as detailed in Patrick Range McDonald’s CityWatch column earlier this week.

 

(Beth Cone Kramer is a Los Angeles writer and a columnist for CityWatch.) Prepped for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

Destitute and Homeless Vets in LA Still Wait for Promised Housing 

THE WAR AT HOME--In two weeks, on November 16, the Los Angeles VA will hold a public hearing to present a proposal for the "contemplated" first Enhanced Use Leases (EUL) that would consist of approximately 150 units of newly constructed permanent supportive housing on undeveloped open space located north of Buildings 336 and 339.  

The reason for these EUL's with non-profits is that the VA bureaucrats and politicians claim the federal government does not have any money to build housing for a few thousand war-injured and homeless U.S. Military Veterans. However, there seems to be plenty of money available to house and care for hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees.    

A written promise to settle the Federal Judgment against the VA's illegal use of Veterans’ legally deeded land included Secretary of the VA Robert A. McDonald, a defendant, as well as attorneys Ron Olson and Bobby Shriver (neither are veterans) who represent the plaintiff, homeless Veterans. In fact, it was guaranteed in writing by McDonald and Olson that they would end Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles by December 31, 2015.  

It's now nearly a year after the promised deadline and Los Angeles is still the nation's capital of homeless veterans, a city where thousands upon thousands of war-injured and impoverished U.S. Military Vets are forced to live in deplorable and inhumane conditions at skid row and in back-alley squalor.  

On June 5, 2015, less than six months after he "promised" to end Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles, Ron Olson received ACLU's Humanitarian Award "for his work on behalf of homeless Veterans."  

Did I mention Los Angeles is still our nation's capital for homeless Veterans? 

And the ACLU also awarded Bobby Shriver a Humanitarian Award "for his work on behalf of homeless Veterans," even though the City of Santa Monica was sued in 2009 for abusing and mistreating the homeless when Mr. Shriver was Mayor and a City Councilman. 

Nearly two years after the infamous written promise, the VA is now "contemplating" leasing land for the building of 150 beds by "non-profit developers," which is an oxymoron if ever there was one.  

Did I mention Los Angeles is still our nation's capital for homeless Veterans with thousands upon thousands of needy disabled Veterans exiled from this land exclusively deeded on their behalf? 

Moreover, the current illegal occupants adjudicated in the Federal Judgment were to vacate Veterans’ land via an "exit strategy" as promised by McDonald and Olson. That promise and the ending of Veteran homelessness promise, have as much credibility and validity as Richard Nixon not being a crook and Bill Clinton not having sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky. 

While Veteran housing was reprehensibly and shamefully neglected, the illegal occupants never exited but are well-entrenched with long-term sweetheart deals that will now make their illegal real estate agreements "legal," thanks to Humanitarians Olson and Shriver. 

Compare this article ... 

L.A. County Supervisors move ahead with a $2-billion new jail plan.

Recently, the LA County Supervisors moved ahead with a $2 billion new jail plan. Why doesn't the County follow the federal government’s lead and lease property for non-profits to build the jail for criminal prisoners -- or does LA County actually have more money than our Federal Government, which prints it endlessly?  

Think about this: LA County will spend $2 billion for 3,885 beds for convicted criminals while the federal government spends $0 for housing our war-injured homeless Military, yet still has billions to spend on Syrian refugees.    

Instead, the VA will lease this sacred land to non-profits to take care of only 150 of the tens of thousands of homeless Veterans in LA. 

Consider that Humanitarian Ron Olson and his law firm represent some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world, including mega-billionaires on the “Forbes 400” list (Warren Buffet: $65 billion) as well as wealthy CEOs from “Fortune 500” companies. Any one of these people could personally build seriously needed housing on VA property without an EUL, and it wouldn't make a dent in his or her individual wealth. 

Incredulously, Mr. Olson was entrusted to represent the plaintiffs – destitute and disabled homeless Veterans -- in the settlement that pitted poor homeless U.S. Military Veterans against the very rich and powerful non-Veteran elite. 

Ron Olson and Robert A. McDonald may have co-signed a promise to end Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles by December 31, 2015, but LA is still our nation’s capital for homeless Veterans. And the unlawful squatters – Mr. Olson’s wealthy and powerful non-Veteran cronies -- remain on Veterans’ VA property without providing one bed or even a blanket.

This is not being a humanitarian. This is a crime against humanity -- against disabled, destitute and disadvantaged homeless Veterans. 

How can the ACLU present Humanitarian Awards to individuals who have done absolutely nothing to help end Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles as promised? 

Bobby Shriver has children attending the wealthy, private Brentwood School, which is one of the illegal occupants on Veterans land. And as mentioned before, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the City of Santa Monica for neglecting and mistreating the homeless while Mr. Shriver was a prominent politician of this wealthy sea-side resort. 

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti sat next to First Lady Michelle Obama during a private luncheon in 2014 at the ritzy Hyatt Regency in fashionable Century City and publicly promised to end Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles by December 31, 2015. Later, he confirmed four months before the end of 2015, that this “wasn't going to happen this year.”  

All of this neglect and abuse by entrusted officials is illegal and immoral.  

On behalf of all disabled and homeless Veterans in Los Angeles, this is a demand notice to Robert A. McDonald that he must declare a "state of emergency" and immediately establish crisis humanitarian housing and care on the grounds of the Los Angeles VA. He must then begin the immediate construction and permanent maintenance of a new and modern National Veterans Home.

God Bless America and the Veterans Revolution!

 

(Robert Rosebrock is Director of The Veterans Revolution, Captain of the Old Veterans Guard, and Director of We the Veterans…and an occasional contributor to CityWatch.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

DA Lacey Kicks Off the Whitewash Cover-up of the Sea Breeze Corruption Scandal at LA’s City Hall

CORRUPTION WATCH-In the wake of the Los Angeles Times article concerning the corruption surrounding the Sea Breeze project in Council District 15, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey has announced her whitewash investigation to cover-up it up. The advanced draft of the final report allegedly concludes that poor beleaguered Mayor Eric Garcetti has been the victim of a plot by undocumented day laborers from Zacatecas, Jalisco and Chiapas. It seems that these day laborers have conspired to have their relatives unknowingly donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to Los Angeles City councilmembers and Mayor Eric Garcetti. (Photo above: Buddies. District Attorney Lacey and Mayor Garcetti.) 

Like any other Angeleno, when our trustworthy mayor discovered an extra $60,000 sitting on his front porch upon returning home one evening from a heavy schedule of TV appearances, he never bothered to ask: “From whence cometh all this money?” I mean, after all, whenever I find an extra $60K in my bank account, I never ask, “Hey, where did I get all this extra loot?” 

This scenario begs the question: What good would it do the philanthropic Mr. Leung to give Mayor Garcetti $60,000 in bribes if the Honorable Mayor had no idea who was lavishing gifts upon him? 

The LA Times article fails to explain how The Most Honorable Mayor would know that he was to reduce the number of votes on Mr. Leung’s Sea Breeze Project from 12 to 10 if he had no idea of the origin of the money? Maybe he thought it was just a periodic payment from the mayor’s favorite developer, CIM Group. 

But at this juncture, we have to spill the beans. Mr. Leung is not a villain. He is a patsy. Perhaps without realizing it, the LA Times Sea Breeze article paints the picture of Mr. Leung as the victim of City Hall extortion. Everyone else who has had any dealings with Los Angeles City Hall and the approval of development projects knows that every single project is unanimously approved. In fact, for a decade, the LA City Council has unanimously approved every project over 99.9% of the time. What would Mr. Leung benefit by Garcetti’s lowering the threshold from 12 to 10 votes if he was going to get unanimous approval anyway? 

Jackie Lacey, however, has a powerful ally in her whitewash – the public. Angelenos will believe anything. The chances are less than one in infinity that the LA City Council’s practice of giving unanimous approval to everything is not the product of a voting pact. For those educated by LAUSD, “one in infinity” is a small number. Since Angelenos apparently are not so good at math or logic, it must seem to them that 10,000 consecutive unanimous Yes votes in City Council is normal. Perhaps they do not know what “unanimous” means. Apparently, DA Lacey doesn’t either. 

Angelenos never notice that it is virtually impossible to flip a coin 100 times in a row and have it turn up heads 99 times. Go ahead. Try it. I’ll wait. Yet, they think that it is normal that 15 councilmembers simultaneously flipping coins 1,000 times in a row will end up getting “heads” 14,985 times. 

Let’s look at DA Jackie Lacey’s soon to be announced “deference” finding. She is going to find, based on no evidence whatsoever and ignoring all evidence to the contrary, that the one in infinity voting pattern at Los Angeles City Council is due to “deference.” 

The argument goes that each councilmember has so much respect for every other councilmember that he or she always -- over 99.9% of the time -- defers to another councilmember’s desires. 

But then we have Garcetti’s 2012 Hollywood Community Plan which received unanimous approval on June 19, 2012. This came after the City Attorney told councilmembers in March 2012 that the Hollywood Community Plan was based on fatally flawed data and the courts would reject it. In fact, the PLUM committee went into closed session with the City Attorney’s Office while considering Garcetti’s Hollywood Community Plan and the same information was conveyed to the PLUM Committee members. But after the closed door session, PLUM passed the Community Plan on to the City Council without any recommendation for approval. That’s right. Yet at the June 19 council session, each PLUM member voted YES for Garcetti’s Hollywood Community Plan. Why would the councilmembers who did not vote approval in PLUM then vote approval in council? This is not deference. This a criminal vote trading agreement in which all councilmembers must vote Yes. 

At the June 19, 2012 LA City Council hearing on Garcetti’s Hollywood Plan, Councilmember Richard Alarcon mentioned that the data was flawed and wanted to know whether City Planning could correct it in Garcetti’s Community Plan. In response, City Planner Kevin Keller, who had primary responsibility for the Plan, gave a long somewhat convoluted answer which boiled down to, “Yes, the Planning Department could re-do Plan with accurate data.” 

Thereupon, Councilmember Eric Garcetti insisted that his Hollywood Community Plan be approved, and within two seconds, it was unanimously approved. 

How does one pretend with a straight face that unanimous approval of Garcetti’s Hollywood Community Plan was based on a good faith deference when everyone knew that it was fatally flawed and would be rejected by the Court? 

In January 2014, Judge Allan Goodman rejected Garcetti’s Hollywood Community plan as based on fatally flawed data and wishful thinking. 

So let’s return to the plight of Mr. Leung and Extortion vs Bribes. 

Often one finds extortion and bribes as two sides of the same coin. A city councilmember lets a developer know that there is a serious problem with his project. After a few thousand dollars show up in the councilmember’s campaign war chest, the problem magically disappears. Whether we have extortion or whether we have bribery is often a Tweedledee Tweedledum situation. Let’s look at a quote from the Sea Breeze article: “At one crucial point, Garcetti invoked a mayoral prerogative – which he has used only twice – to make the number of council votes required to approve the project.” 

In a city council where each and every project receives unanimous approval, why would any developer pay $60,000 to reduce the number of votes needed for approval? This money has all the earmarks of extortion. Leung was buying something which was completely worthless – unless he was facing a threat that, unless the mayor got $60,000, his project was dead. When one is guaranteed unanimous approval, one does not pay $60,000 to have the number of votes for approval reduced by two. 

Let’s look at another absurd aspect of Jackie Lacey’s upcoming report. The councilmembers had no idea anything was amiss. Really? What person bribes a councilmember to the tune of $94,700 and then neglects to tell him who made the contributions?   

If $20K mysteriously appears in my bank account, I’m going to ask, “Where did this come from?” Apparently, Janice Hahn can get $203,000, Garcetti can get $60,000, Joe Buscaino can get $94,700 and then none of them asks the origin of all this loot? 

Let’s remember that each campaign check identifies the donor. Are we so naive as to think that in this day and age when compiling donor lists is a huge business, Garcetti never bothered to find out who just gave him $60K? 

The prime earmark of extortion is to let the “mark” know that there is a serious problem with his project and then after an appropriate amount of money appears in the mayor’s fund, that problem goes away. This is the pattern which the LA Times’ Sea Breeze article describes. (1) Problem (2) Payments (3) Problem disappears. 

Extortion is not rocket science. All it requires is complicit law enforcement and a very gullible public.

 

(Richard Lee Abrams is a Los Angeles attorney. He can be reached at: [email protected]. Abrams views are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of CityWatch.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

Controversial Gehry Project Approved: David Ryu Applauds, but Historic Preservation Suffers

DEEGAN ON LA- On Tuesday, November 1, the City Council approved Frank Gehry’s revised project at 8150 Sunset Boulevard. Gehry did not get what he wanted and David Ryu got more than may have been expected in a showdown over the project that the councilmember and many others objected to. Unresolved, just as it was when the City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) committee met last week, is the status of the Lytton Savings Bank, a Modernist building that has been nominated for Historic-Cultural Monument status by the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission, pending an approval by PLUM and the full City Council. It sits within the footprint of Gehry’s project. 

The PLUM committee sidetracked a decision about what to do with Lytton in their rush to approve the bigger – i.e. Gehry -- piece of the project. Now that the deal has been approved by City Council, demolition is probably what can be expected for the Lytton Savings Bank building, Kurt Meyer’s architectural gem. 

Councilmember Jose Huizar’s PLUM committee will consider approving Historic-Cultural Monument status for Lytton on November 22, in what may be one of the most mocking, irrelevant and posthumous hearings they have ever held. Short of Frank Gehry changing his mind about not wanting the bank to be part of his collection of buildings at 8150 Sunset, or David Ryu doubling down to what he has already done for the community on this this project, preservation of the Lytton Savings bank building looks doomed -- even if PLUM votes for historic-cultural monument status. 

There’s a nuance between saying you are supporting or you are preserving. It’s the latter that has gotten caught in the throats of those who will only go so far in their expression of support for Lytton. Everybody seems to like the bank building and want to give it cultural monument status, but very few want to save it. 

Keith Nakata, Co-founder of the Friends Lytton Savings, stated that “it’s disappointing that the city did not handle the items in a way that would be appropriate to come to an intelligent decision about the project.” 

What benefits have come out of this controversy? Councilmember David Ryu (CD4), who was at the center of the negotiations to change the scope of the project, explains, “When I took office, this project stood at 234 feet. Today, it will be reduced by nearly a quarter, capping the height of this project at 178 feet. Additionally, the density will be reduced, community benefits will be provided to the adjacent neighborhoods, parking and pedestrian access will be increased, traffic improvements will be implemented, and additional workforce housing units will be provided with increased affordability overall.”                                                                       

Ryu’s recap set the stage for his immediate pivot to what may be his next land use and development objective: “This project serves as a clear reminder that the city must revise its rules on how the State’s Density Bonus law (SB 1818) is applied. I strongly believe that we are disproportionately incentivizing developers and that this exchange is not equitable for our residents. We must approach future projects that include affordable housing units with more common sense solutions to achieve better results for our city.” 

Gehry had the last word, referring to the future of the seemingly-doomed Lytton Savings Bank, and he kept it simple, telling a reporter that “somehow, I’m going to figure out how to recognize Kurt Meyer as part of our project.”

 

(Tim Deegan is a long-time resident and community leader in the Miracle Mile, who has served as board chair at the Mid City West Community Council and on the board of the Miracle Mile Civic Coalition. Tim can be reached at [email protected].) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

 

Alert! Mega-Housing Developers Honing in on the City of Hawthorne

HAWTHORNE INSIDER-On November 8, residents in the City of Hawthorne will not only vote for their next President, they will also have an opportunity to voice their opposition to the mega-housing developers seeking to redevelop their community. The City Council will hold a Public Hearing at City Hall on Ordinance 2128 which seeks to increase the minimum lot acreage for high-density, mixed-use residential and commercial developments. 

In early 2016, the Hawthorne City Council adopted the Downtown Hawthorne Specific Plan. Residents rejoiced as it appeared that the decades-old defunct Hawthorne Mall would finally see development. The plan put forth by the Charles Company, the company working with land owner Arman Gabay, includes 600 planned rental units at the mall. (Photo above.) Many residents of the community currently oppose any housing at the Hawthorne Mall site.  

There are an additional several hundred housing units planned on the South Bay Ford site, further south down Hawthorne Boulevard. Two large-scale developments have surfaced in Hawthorne’s poorest neighborhood, Moneta Gardens. According to Councilwoman Angie English-Reyes, these were state mandated units. It is unclear if she is indicating that the Planning Commission and City Council had no option but to allow these developments. 

Residents from all communities in Hawthorne have come out en masse to oppose high-density housing projects. Overwhelmingly, residents support the Hawthorne Downtown Specific Plan which allows for a variety of housing and commercial development along the Boulevard. With the current changes made by Ordinance 2128, the minimum project size of any other project would be three acres, translating to a minimum of 135 units. This directly contradicts what so many residents have been advocating since the possibility of development arose. 

According to municipal code in the City of Carson, developers can “jump the block” and use lots that are separated by public streets to meet their site size requirement. Hawthorne’s Interim Planning Director and consultant, John Ramirez, says, “This is the intent of the changes made to Hawthorne’s zoning.” They are encouraging developers to acquire smaller parcels along the Boulevard to get the amenities of larger complexes. 

Unfortunately, that puts dozens of small businesses in jeopardy. Ramirez has suggested that these small land/business owners can sell out to big developers and then move back into the revitalized projects. What he fails to mention is the triple increase in rents by the developers, forcing several small businesses out of town -- or worse, out of business. 

The current Ordinance 2128 also increases the size requirement of living space in mixed use and single family zones, encouraging larger floorplans in each unit. This drives up the cost for builders to develop and thus, the monthly rent/purchase price on the units also increases.

“We estimate costs based on square footage. At $2.50 per square foot, we will be renting a two bedroom 1,200 square foot apartment for close to $3,000 per month,” says Bill Hassan, owner of KIG Properties LLC. 

By creating larger spaces at a higher cost, this Ordinance 2128 increases the potential for multiple families to cohabitate and overcrowd. These living arrangements increase car congestion, demand on utilities and public resources like police, fire and schools. 

The Hawthorne Police Chief, Robert Fager, has given two presentations on the hiring needs of his department in recent council meetings. It has also been made public through the Civil Commission that there is a lack of applicants for open positions in the Police Department. Additionally, close to 1/3 of the active duty Hawthorne police officers are set to retire in the next 5 years. There is a serious, inherently critical shortage of police officers to meet the demands of large units over three acres.

The City of Hawthorne also faces a huge parking crisis today. Because of poor planning in the 1960s-1980s, there are several smaller units all over the city that are not meeting the demands of modern living. For example, in the Ramona tract there are dozens of 2-4 unit buildings that are only required to have one space per unit no matter how many bedrooms the units have. Thus, a fourplex with 2-bedroom units is only required to offer four parking spaces despite most two-adult households having two cars each. That places a demand on the city to accommodate four additional cars for just one building. There are 1,035 apartment buildings in Hawthorne today. 

The zone text amendment approved by the Planning Commission 2016ZA12, which led to Ordinance 2128, seeks to increase this to one guest parking space for every two units -- a 33% increase in the guest parking space requirement. This places an economic burden on developers, causing them to reduce the number of living spaces in favor of parking spaces and does nothing to solve the current parking crisis.

Small to medium-sized mixed use development allows for a variety of home types to be constructed. The most vital of these smaller units are live/work spaces. As the City of Hawthorne’s Senior Planner, Chris Palmer suggested in his presentation at the October 19 Planning Commission Meeting that there are a variety of design options and industry choices that would be constructed in these smaller developments for tenants from artists to technology startups.

Liza Simone of Phantom Galleries LA has successfully created Gallery Row in Downtown Los Angeles. As a result, this living style has spurred a micro-economy of entrepreneurs who have both space to create and produce their own income. 

At a minimum of three acres, developers cannot economically build live/work units. The commercial space would be developed into large, high-profile retail and office space. These companies have a well-documented history of paying minimum wages and not offering room for professional advancement.

Additionally, by effectively stopping smaller projects from being constructed, thousands of construction jobs are lost. Dozens of professional contractors, their sub-contractors, material suppliers and laborers are without potential work, which pays at least triple minimum wage. 

Finally, these changes affect local builders who have been working with the city for decades to acquire land, work with zone changes and spend their time and money to create projects for resident’s approval. The current message that the Planning Commission is putting out to potential investors is that the rules can change at any time. This does not create a certainty that developers need to build. And our goal is to enhance economic development, not stifle it. 

Hawthorne has a history of pay-to-play politics. The Mayor’s office has been rocked with scandal, as two of the last three mayors were indicted on felony charges and the last mayor was evicted by two separate landlords. The corruption in local government has been attributed to wealthy land developers influencing elections with hefty campaign donations in exchange for political favors on their projects.

Mayor Alex Vargas promised an end to the pay-to-play corruption, while he touted the benefits of the Hawthorne Blvd. Specific Plan; however, recent introduction of Ordinance 2128 places the burden of mega-housing projects squarely on his shoulders. By crippling small- to medium-sized developments, Mayor Vargas is ushering in a new and deafening thunder of massive housing development in Hawthorne. 

Public Hearing on Ordinance 2128 will be held at Hawthorne City Hall on November 8, 2016 at 6pm.

 

(Amie Shepard is a local realtor and activist. She currently serves on the Board of the Hawthorne Economic Development Council and is Vice President of the Ramona Neighborhood Association. She was a candidate for Hawthorne City Council in 2015.) Prepped for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

A Welfare Tax for Developers: Why I'm voting ‘NO’ on Measure M

TRANSPORTATION CHOICE-I'm voting "NO" on Measure M for the following reasons: 

1) Measure M is like a welfare tax on us with the benefits going to land developers. 

If you own property in LA, you paid for the roads. The roads were built by the original developers and the cost was included in the price of the original homes. That cost was passed down to you (at a very inflated price) and you pay property taxes for their up-keep. For at least the last 30 years, the City has been giving your roads away to density-increasing land re-developers free of charge. 

Although the City claims it charges developers a "Transportation Impact Assessment Fee,” the City provides many ways for developers to escape such fees, such as allowing them to use Peak congestion Hour Trip Rates as an estimate of the number of commuters added by their projects. This accounts for only 25% to 30% of the actual number. Or exempting all residential development projects using the argument that the City needs to incent developers to build more housing. Yeah, right. 

So if developers are not paying their fair share toward the additional transportation infrastructure needed to accommodate the commuters their projects add to an area, why should we? 

2) Measure M would fund the wrong type of transit improvements. Since there's no room for new roads, the excess demand created by both past and (assuming it is allowed to continue) future unmitigated density-increasing land development must be accommodated on mass transit. But is "Light" Rail the best solution? 

The Expo Line cost $227 million a mile, but it takes an hour to go between Santa Monica and Downtown LA. Why? Because much of it runs at street level and has to slow to 25 MPH at every street crossing. It would have run faster if it was all elevated but that would have cost a lot more because "Light" Rail is still conventional rail, and conventional rail is not light in spite of its name. 

Metro should be planning to build all-elevated monorails because they: 

  • Run much faster than street-level trains and would make the SM to Downtown LA run in 25 minutes vs. 55. 
  • Run quieter. Monorails run on rubber tires rather than steel-on-steel wheels. 
  • Are much cheaper to build. It takes 40% less concrete and steel to elevate 15-inch-wide GuideBeams than 8-foot-wide conventional rail beds.
  • Are faster to build. The GuideBeams can be built offsite and installed at night.
  • Require much less energy to operate. Because Monorails run all-elevated, they can't collide with other vehicles. Therefore monorails are built much lighter than "Light" Rail trains and therefore take much less energy to move. San Diego's General Atomic is developing a frictionless passive-maglev monorail that requires no electricity to elevate after reaching 4 MPH.
  • Can't derail in earthquakes. Monorails straddle their track rather than sit on top of it.
  • Could be run over the parking lanes of major arterial streets, dipping down to street-level for passenger loading.
  • Would not take street space or Left-Turns away from private-vehicle traffic. 

There are already close to 50 urban-transit-class monorails running in the world.  The Wuppertal Germany monorail ran for over 100 years without a single fatality. "Light" Rail trains kill up to 100 people a year in LA. 

Another transit "improvement" to be funded with Measure M's tax revenue is "Bus Rapid Transit." This is the conversion of private vehicle lanes for bus-only use. While this may speed up bus travel, it will reduce the total people movement capacity of the arterial streets where lanes are converted to bus-only use. You don't improve capacity by forcing commuters out of small containers carrying 1 to 2 people that move by every 2 seconds and putting them into large containers carrying 40 to 64 which pass by only every 8 minutes or so. Do the math. 

3) Measure M will NOT reduce congestion by 15%. This claim is as bogus as similar claims made to con us into approving the Measure R Sales Tax increase in 2008. For example, Metro's 2008 Long Range Plan (upon which the Measure R tax increase was justified) shows that freeway travel speeds would decline from 34 MPH to 20 MPH by 2030 without Measure R taxes, but would decline to only 23 MPH with Measure R taxes, allowing them to claim that Measure R taxes would decrease congestion by 15% (a 3 MPH increase from 20 MPH.) So Measure M is unlikely to reduce today's congestion by 15%. It may only make future congestion 15% less worse than it will be if the City continues to allow density-increasing land development projects without making their developers fund the infrastructure required to accommodate the additional commuters their projects add to the City. 

4) Measure M has no end date. Providing any government agency with an open-ended revenue stream is a license to waste it. 

So I'm voting "NO" on any new tax for infrastructure until the above problems are fixed.

 

(Bill Pope is a former traffic consultant to neighborhood councils. He can be reached as [email protected]  Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.

Clinton! Trump! Pick the Winner

CITYWATCH READER POLL—On the brink of the 2016 Presidential Election, CityWatch is asking readers to predict the winner. 

Fifteen months of primaries, controversy, debates, endless ads, non-stop media coverage, at-odds polls and family disputes have prepared you. Click on to the poll below and register your pick. It’s easy as that. 15 seconds of your time to provide some election outcome perspective. Go for it.

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