LAX head Lindsey on a collision course

By

on May 1, 2008 9:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The new head of the LAX airports, Gina Marie Lindsey, has made a lot of friends inside City Hall's power structure -- which is no larger than a walk-in closet -- and a lot of enemies outside the system and among the L.A. World Airports staff.

Supporters say she has brought fresh eyes and strong leadership to LAWA and is strengthening the organization by adding outsiders to her managment team. But inside the massive LAWA organization, there's nothing but complaints.

The most serious allegation of cronyism, reported Saturday in the Daily Breeze already has prompted the city's clean government crusader, Controller Laura Chick, to send in a team of auditors to check out charges that Lindsey manipulated the award of a $25 million contract to DMJM over Bechtel, which was higher rated by the airport's contract selection committee.

Lindsey has close ties with DMJM, which got the contract for improvements to the Seattle airport, where she last worked.

Insiders say Lindsey has played hardball with the LAWA staff with sharp criticism of their performance and passed them over to bring in pals from outside.

With billions of dollars in contracts at stake for the controversial LAX expansion plan and Lindsey's tepid support for air traffic regionalizaton efforts at Ontario and Palmdale, the controversy swirling around her is certain to get a lot more intense.

0 TrackBacks

Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: LAX head Lindsey on a collision course.

TrackBack URL for this entry: http://ronkayela.com/MT/mt-tb.cgi/33

Leave a comment

Catch Ron on the Kevin James wShow on KRLA 870 at 9:30 p.m. this Wednesday night and as a regular commentator on NBC's innovative news sho "The Filter with Fred Roggin." "The Filter" is broadcast on NBC's Raw Channel 225 at 7:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

Here's links to the latest appearances on The Filter http://tinyurl.com/25b79k2 and http://tinyurl.com/2bk2kan and http://tinyurl.com/27esc63 and http://tinyurl.com/23b4h4v and http://tinyurl.com/25latgt http://tinyurl.com/28jn4l3 http://tinyurl.com/38zyylc http://tinyurl.com/33ffpv4 and . Here's links to the last appearances on Kevin James show http://tinyurl.com/334kejy and http://tinyurl.com/y2d4tew and the link to Councilman Zine's response to Ron's criticism http://tinyurl.com/yyac5oa.

Upcoming Events

More of ronkayela's events

Support the "LA Clean Sweep" campaign to end corruption at City Hall by electing candidates who will serve the public interest -- not special interests. For too long, concerned residents throughout Los Angeles have fought their own separate battles against the powerful forces that run City Hall and control our elected officials. The city's financial crisis, cuts in core services, layoffs of city workers, selling valuable assets, massive subsidies to insiders -- we have reached the point of no return. Only you can save LA. Join the Clean Sweep campaign and come together with people from all over the city to make a difference. Get more information on volunteering your time or contributing to at lacleansweep.com http://lacleansweep.com or contact me at ron@ronkayela.com..

This Sunday, Aug. 29, LA Clean Sweep will provide training sessions from professional politicial consultants to help you become a more effective activist and help candidates mount successful campaigns in the March 2011 or future elections. The sessions will be held at the Mayflower Club, 11110 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood. The morning session from 9 a.m. to noon is for activists; the afternoon session from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. is for potential candidates. Lunch will be provided to all participants at noon. For more information or to register for this invaluable training gohttp://lacleansweep.com/#/events/

Ron Kaye

is the former editor of the Los Angeles Daily News who has become a community activist, helping to found the Saving LA Project. He writes on city issues in Los Angeles and is a frequent speaker at community groups on the need to get informed and involved in the effort to make LA a city of great schools and neighborhoods, a city with a healthy business climate and good jobs, a city where the people are respected and have a seat at the table of power.

Email Ron at ron@ronkayela.com