I only know what I know and I know others know a lot more than I. So let me share with you my ideas as talking points so you'll have time to think about it when we get together at the Saving L.A. Project's Town Hall meeting to turn this ad hoc group into an organization that will bring real democracy and change to our city.
We're shooting for Saturday Aug. 2 at a central location and a time to be announced.
For this to mean anything, for it to matter, we have to live and breathe the ideals of democracy and offer love and respect for each other, to find the common ground and strive together for something greater than ourselves.
That's what I believe, for what it's worth.
So as food for thought, I offer the best I've come up with as:
.Talking points for a Contract for a Great
To achieve an end to the dominance of narrow special
interests in our governmental institutions, we call on all our elected
officials to join with the people in signing the Contract for a Great Los
Angeles.
For too long, City Hall and the
To restore the faith and trust of the people, we put forth
these demands:
I. Full support for remaking the public school system.
II. Put the people's interest above all others by
officially recognizing that ownership of public institutions by the people is
necessary to create great schools and great neighborhoods;
III. Open all government records, actions and dealings to the
public in a timely manner.
IV. Toughen ethics and campaign finance laws and provide independent oversight and enforcement.
V. Expand the authority of neighborhood councils as the
first reviewer and responder on local issues.
VI. Reduce the salaries of elected officials by 25
percent and political staff by 25 percent to bring them in line with other major cities, and increase the council to make districts smaller.
VII. Working with community groups, develop low-cost immediate traffic congestion solutions that balance interests of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles while looking for longer term solutions that improve mass transit.
VIII. Create an independent Little Hoover Commission with
subpoena power and the authority to investigate any aspect of city operations.
IX. Require new development to be environmentally sensitive,
sustainable and consistent with the quality of life of the community.
X. Deliver real help to those who help themselves and place a high priority on home ownership and affordability of housing..
Ron Kaye is the former editor of the Los Angeles Daily News where he spent 23 years helping to make the newspaper the voice of the San Fernando Valley and fighting for a city government that serves the people and not special interests.
Twice in recent years, Los Angeles Magazine listed Kaye among the city’s most influential people, specifically in the area of politics. Kaye has been variously described in the media as the “accidental anarchist,” “the Patrick Henry of the San Fernando Valley” and a “passionate populist.” He is now committed to
carrying on his crusade for a greater Los Angeles as an ordinary citizen. Previously, Ron worked at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner,
Associated Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Australian as well as papers
in Fairbanks, Alaska and Yakima, Wash. He also wrote for Newsweek magazine, The Guardian in London and the National Enquirer.
Ron, I have a tremendous respect for what you're doing -- instead of enjoying just playing golf or getting involved on your own NC a couple evenings a week, you're trying to bring the whole city together and are providing a forum here for discussion.
I can't make tomorrow, business meetings and kids don't allow me to take the day off. (Plus, I have a problem with Bastille Day since beheading Marie Antoinette, a young girl sold to the French King by her family in the Austrian Court, and who wasn't responsible for French policy, isn't high on my list of high points of modern civilization.)
But I'll suggest revisions to a few of your points: V) Expanding the authority of neighborhood councils; some have been in the papers lately from MSM like the L A Weekly and Times, to blogs and local ones, e.g. Echo Park, Lincoln Heights, a couple in South L A, as being less than ready for prime time with leaders too interested in personal control issues or even misusing funds -- in most of these areas, the NC's sound like a big social privilege. Then there are the opposite, in one of the most affluent areas of town, where the community never shows up and it's pretty much the Board members to themselves, who can claim to represent the community while no one knows who they are or what they do. Some of these people have inflated senses of importance and control issues, too, actually thinking they can run the community without a Councilmember, like an independent township, that would be another story, but we're part of a messy patchwork fabric that takes a strong person to hold up our section of. (Sorry for the sloppy metaphor.) I actually feel I am better represented by the Council office, where at least I can reach a deputy and not have my life and front gates and shrubberies micro- managed by the kinds of people who serve on HOAs and NC's.
BUT I welcome their reviewing major land use issues, motions involving our neighborhood and development, public safety, etc. I think NC's should do more outreach and community education of that nature, but not take control. Hosting these educational evenings could bring the community together better than the ineffective general outreach of mass mailings, which people ignored so they're not even sent anymore.
VI, Speaking of Council Deputies: mine makes only $36,000 per the Daily News searchable database (I'm not crazy about subjecting all DWP and city employess to that by the way, but it's done), and sure can't take a 25% cut. The senior deputies make around $55,000. I assume they have cars and need them.
BUT I'd like to see the city AND COUNTY account for the 1400 take-home cars the County has, per the DN, of which almost 1000 were not reported as perks to the IRS. These people often also have inflated salaries, and I can't imagine why they need cars, too -- SLAP should demand an accounting of all the cars from COUNTY as well as city, since their perks (for the Supervisors, too, who also have drivers and other VIP treatment) make the City's honchos pale in comparison. So NOT a blanket yes on VI/25% cut.
VIII (You have no VII, by the way), Hoover Commission-type subpoenae powers: that gets dicey since who is going to ensure that this group behaves responsibly, and not just to harass the Council and other City officials and staff, as do some of those who show up daily for public comment?
X, high priority on home ownership and affordability of housing: with prop values down by upto 30% most places, the market's taking care of that. Any more, and even more will lose their equity and homes. PLUS this is just the rhetoric Alarcon/Reyes etc. use to mean that the Living Wage (which the city has no business trying to regulate, like janice Hahn at LAX area hotels) should be doubled, the city should pay to train at=risk youth (who couldn't even finish high school most often) for high-tech jobs, as though it were that easy, and the city should give loans to people in his area who either can't afford homes OR took out loans they shouldn't have. Plus it will feed right into the frenzy to build highly dense, low-income housing that communities are already fearing.
IX re: new development, sounds good! Bon chance~
Ron -
I can give you a straight up vote of yes on items 1-8. Items 9 and 10 need a little more definition. "Require new development to be environmentally sensitive, sustainable and consistent with the quality of life of the community." leaves a lot of wiggle room for interpretation. I'd like to see something about allowing the market and the needs and dynamics of the area dictating development. This could actually lead to less corruption if all the artificial restrictions of government are removed, hence taking the politicians out of the equation (an no need to be bribed).
Home ownership is great but it's not that it's all cracked up to be. For many types of people, renting is more beneficial. I think what we have to look at is looking at factors that raise the price of housing and eliminate them, so that those who wish to own a home (whether it's a condo or townhouse or single family home) can do so.
We also have to look at there are places that it makes sense to have density. For example why not let builders in places like Downtown, Hollywood, North Hollywood etc. build small apartments for those who want them. That will help to lower costs for housing and could be great options for housing for recent college grads, the homeless, senior citizens, etc.
Otherwise you are on track!
I really like VII!
Ron,
After reading your talking points, I think you should run for mayor against Villaraigosa.
Thank you for starting what I hope will be a landslide of people dedicated to your and our cause, rescueing LA. My wife and I are retired and taking car of her 97 year old mother, but I want you to know we are hoping to find some way to help your cause, please keep me informed and rest assured you have another supporter, thanks
I couldn't make the rally today, but was able to drive by city hall a little after noon. Looked like a good turnout. I'm looking forward to getting involved.
Was there any media coverage? Should we look for it on any networks?
Ron, Thanks for all that you do. Our elected officials won't stand up for us so you and others have to. I especially like talking point number 9 as we will be soon facing less water, electrical and liquid fuel. Our City just asks us to use less water but then the city approves more water hookups. Am I using less water so that the developers can continue to build? The drought that we are experiencing was predicted and expected so the City officials can't say they didn't know last year, two years ago, three years ago when developments were approved. The same with electrical power. We aren't going to get more water and power, on a consistent basis, than we have now. And what will the City do when liquid fuel becomes so expensive or the availability becomes so unreliable that the City says they can't pick up trash on a weekly basis? Of course, this won't happen tomorrow but we must plan now. Do they want people to be able to get to work? Why isn't public transportation high on their agenda rather than the Grand Avenue project?
Ron, an amazing start today!
I'm proud to have been witness to SLAP's incarnation.
Wanted to be there supporting you today but was in spirit.