‘Downtown’ to Constituents: ‘Shut Up’!

That's Downtown's job. ‘Downtown’ as in City Hall. 

Case in point, and I'm sure that they've got lots of smart, wisdom-laced reasons to "prove" me wrong and ill-informed:  the tripling of the fee for appeals to the Planning Department. 

Ooooooh, those pesky citizens!  Oooooooh, those pesky voters!  Oooooooh, those pesky Neighborhood Councils! 

Just shut up, you guys, proclaims ‘Downtown’ (and Sacramento truly empowers and sets the example to ‘Downtown’, which is run by a lot of current and former Sacramento insiders, right?).  You're lucky we even HAVE Neighborhood Councils. 

And, of course, we have the image of  former Sacramento power figure (and current Downtown power figure) Herb Wesson shutting up the champion and creator of Neighborhood Councils, former mayor and political outsider Richard Riordan because Riordan had the temerity to try to keep this City's finances in order despite Wesson's mismanagement and dictatorial style. 

So shut up, former Mayor Riordan.  Wesson's cool, and he's really smart.  And you, Riordan ... you're just a damned Republican in a town that's outgrown you and your "fiscal responsibility" and your "transparency" and your "accountability to the constituents". 

This is Wesson's town, damn-it-all, and don't you forget it--and you, too, Jan Perry and everyone else that questioned redistricting, legality, and fiscal sanity of how Boss Wesson runs Downtown. 

Because Wesson, and former Mayor Villaraigosa, and political climber Eric Garcetti, knows how to put the kibosh on you to show just how things get done in the City of the Angels. 

But if you really want to see what's all bad with Los Angeles, well, lookee there!  Look what Trump said, and what Trump did, and pay no attention to the man behind the curtain (and all of his cohorts) who have meetings when Angelenos work, and who have policies that destroy the blood, sweat, tears, and dreams of working men and women (of all races, and all localities) throughout this City. 

So Shut Up--if you were smarter, you'd understand that Downtown is running things just fine. 

So Shut Up--if you were smarter, you'd understand the Planning Commission is always right, and the appealing taxpayers and residents of the City are wrong. 

So Shut Up--you're lucky we don't tax you more...because look how great we're spending the money we already have! 

So Shut Up--can't you see that traffic and homelessness are getting better? 

So Shut Up--smile more, and take on a social cause that we've assigned for you. 

So Shut Up--we listen to you...kind of...and if you don't like it, then you're probably a racist, a xenophobe, a bigot, an elitist, a NIMBY, a monster, or some other kind of label that you so richly deserve. 

Really, just SHUT UP.  Or MOVE...because lots of people would love to take your home or condo or apartment.  Haven't you seen the cost of housing and living go up...even though we're fixing the problems?

(Kenneth S. Alpern, M.D. is a dermatologist who has served in clinics in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties, and is a proud father and husband to two cherished children and a wonderful wife. He is also 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 was co-chair of the CD11 Transportation Advisory Committee and chaired 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 Dr. Alpern.)

-cw