REAL ESTATE FIRM EXPOSES HOW SUBSIDIES MAKE THE RICH RICHER
David Zahniser in the Times tells the story of the real estate development firm, Bond Companies, which funneled $82,000 in contributions to city politicians and ballot measures and boasted in a 24-page brochure that it can generate huge profits. Its secret: Persuade city, state and federal officials to let them tap millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to subsidize their projects. In seeking investment capital from a city pension fund, the firm boasted that the $41 million in subsidies it's getting for Blossom Plaza, a mixed use development in Chinatown, will help it turn a 42 percent profit. CRA officials were red-faced and harrumphing about tighter rules. "It confirms my worst fears," said Robert Blue, who spent the last three years on the Hollywood Studio District Neighborhood Council. "Whatever the developers propose, whatever subsidies they request, it's all rubber-stamped."
DWP'S NAHAI DOES IT AGAIN: HOW TO NOT MAKE FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE
At a community meeting out in the High Desert, DWP GM David Nahai was booed and heckled when he tried to bull his way past opposition to running high-tension power lines near where people live instead of along Interstate 10. It's a long-running controversy and Nahai had to apologize for past DWP lies and deceits as he tried his usual technique of appearing to be sensitive to critics while trying to run roughshod over them. Here's a report from Ron's Log (no relation): "Mr. Nahai expressed some annoyance and frustration and occasionally became defensive at the fact that several people were not there to listen but only to say their piece, a piece which they may have mentally written well before this meeting and did not acknowledge what Mr. Nahai considers his own great openness and sensitivity to environmental issues. Mr. Nahai had better get used to that, or else just send PR flunkies to future meetings."
JITNEYS IN L.A.? WHAT A NOVEL (OLD) IDEA TO GET PEOPLE MOVING NOW
Mayor Sam ate at Dick Riordan's "Original Pantry" restaurant downtown and found inspiration to want to revive the former mayor's idea for jitneys to jockey people to wherever they want to go in a neighborhood -- an idea that's better than doing nothing for 25 years while the long overdue subway to the sea gets built.
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.
Naked City is a great addition to the site. I bet Nahai and his flacks thought nobody in LA would ever hear about his attitude problem in the desert. The guy really doesn't understand the meaning of the term "public servant." He's probably confused by the size of his pay check.
I am so frustrated when I read about our city revenues going for "Firm boasts about 'mining' tax dollars to make big profits"! My council member, Greig Smith, seems uninterested in hearing of my concerns. Where else can I turn? Has anything been done that may be illegal and thus be investigated?
You don't need to hear about Nahai's attitude problem in advance. You only need to hear him speak to an audience and answer questions from the floor. His elitism isn't playing well with the public or in City Hall. What will happen when his cronyism hits the light of day and the fan? Blog on Mr. Kaye!
Funny how past ideas keep coming to life...now jitneys. All Department of Transportation has to do is bring back the DASH system like they first envisioned. Regrettably, routes were combined, changed or stopped because ridership was so low when it was first inititated. Let's hope the DASH system is re-considered, and funds are made available.