Hooray for Marcia Selz and the CD5 Coalition for showing community groups how to pin down their City Council member and hold them accountable.
They conducted a survey of leaders of the 36 homeowner groups in the coalition on the performance of Councilman Paul Koretz.
Their Verdict: He’s certainly not Excellent, not even Good. Just Fair in almost every category.
That can’t be good news for Koretz, especially given the perpetual state of crisis the city has been in during his two years in office and the need for great leaders..On the upside, at least he’s not Jack Weiss.
“The findings were reviewed with Councilmember
Paul Koretz in October 2010, and again in February 2011,” Selz says.
“He was
receptive, and … has adopted some of our
suggestions and has responded to some of our concerns. In addition, we
have provided the Councilmember with some guideposts for this coming
year: our priorities and key items that still need his attention.”
What CD5 has done should be emulated by community groups and Neighborhood Councils in every district. Selz is willing to help set up templates and show others how to hold their Council members feet to the fire. You can contact her at <marcia.selz@gmail.com>
Here are some things to consider when casting your vote on Tuesday, March 8, 2011.
1. The current Los Angeles Council constantly violates their Council Rules as “Council Is Awaiting A Quorum” as usual due to arriving late to chambers.
In January 2011 the Council was able to start the Council meeting on time only once after Eric Garcetti cancelled a meeting because councilmembers were late. This is a ratio of 83% of the time the council arrives late, one out of 12 scheduled meetings, to conduct the peoples business.
In February 2011 again the council was on time only once. This is a ratio of 90% of the time the council arrived late to chambers, one out of 11 scheduled meetings, because the February 25 meeting was cancelled due to a funeral.
In March 2011 the council has already arrived late to chambers on their two scheduled meeting which is consistent with their habitual pattern.
The consequences for the councilmembers are that constituents continue to reelect these same councilmembers, but complain thereafter.
2. According to the Los Angeles Weekly, each council seat is worth $178,789 in yearly salary, plus subsidized health care, plus taxpayers provided CARS, GASOLINE, and $90,000 in plush funds for each to spend as they wish. If councilmembers remains in office for 12 years, the Weekly estimates, a Los Angeles City Council seat is worth $3 million.
Are these current councilmembers really worth this much money?
3. This council continues to rubber stamp the major’s over spending budget and serving special interest groups, including the mayor and council’s pet projects, with NO checks and balances or fail to cuts in wasteful spending while continuing to raise citation fees, parking meter fees, trash fees, DWP rates, etc.
Vote on March 8, 2011!
Here are some things to consider when casting your vote on Tuesday, March 8, 2011.
1. The current Los Angeles Council constantly violates their Council Rules as “Council Is Awaiting A Quorum” as usual due to arriving late to chambers.
In January 2011 the Council was able to start the Council meeting on time only once after Eric Garcetti cancelled a meeting because councilmembers were late. This is a ratio of 83% of the time the council arrives late, one out of 12 scheduled meetings, to conduct the peoples business.
In February 2011 again the council was on time only once. This is a ratio of 90% of the time the council arrived late to chambers, one out of 11 scheduled meetings, because the February 25 meeting was cancelled due to a funeral.
In March 2011 the council has already arrived late to chambers on their two scheduled meeting which is consistent with their habitual pattern.
The consequences for the councilmembers are that constituents continue to reelect these same councilmembers, but complain thereafter.
2. According to the Los Angeles Weekly, each council seat is worth $178,789 in yearly salary, plus subsidized health care, plus taxpayers provided CARS, GASOLINE, and $90,000 in plush funds for each to spend as they wish. If councilmembers remains in office for 12 years, the Weekly estimates, a Los Angeles City Council seat is worth $3 million.
Are these current councilmembers really worth this much money?
3. This council continues to rubber stamp the major’s over spending budget and serving special interest groups, including the mayor and council’s pet projects, with NO checks and balances or fail to cut wasteful spending while continuing to raise citation fees, parking meter fees, trash fees, DWP rates, etc.
“A Blueprint for Holding City Council Members Accountable to the Community” Vote them out of office.
Vote on March 8, 2011!
Nothing will change in City Hall as long as constituents continue to vote for the same councilmembers back into office as proven here by violating their Council Rules in 2010 and continuing in 2011.
October 14, 2010 Los Angeles Daily News
Tardiness is but one symptom of a troubled political leadership
The council’s lax attitude toward timeliness shows an implicit disrespect for the people the City Council is supposed to serve. It says to the men and women who take time off work, travel to City Hall and sit for hours waiting to speak to their city leaders, “My time is more valuable than yours.” It’s not.
http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_16332098
Koretz gets only one grade for his efforts: An F–. On the 101 East bound on ramp off White Oak, If one looks to the right past the stop/go track light, there is about 800 yards of GRAFFITTI that no one will take down! He also rubber stamps every developer’s crappy crap projects too. And of course, he LOOOOVVEES DWP rate hikes and believes every new tax is a new day for L.A.
The fact he gets a “B-” shows what BAFOONS the Homeowner’s Assn’s have become. He sits in CD5 now for one reason: He was sent by the Machine to stop Vahedi from sitting there, and it worked. It’s Weiss 2.5 for CD5.
Ron-Any chance you can post about the ballot measures? I’m a bit confused on those pension reform votes. Are they really reforms or just window dressing (given the authors)? I’d like to know your thoughts as well as those who post comments here.
Great job CD5. I’m noticing a trend here of many organizations fed up with the morons on council and either blasting it out and advising people of issues and many now speaking out. I think every CD should do this but make sure the council members groupies or kiss asses don’t do anything to threaten or intimindate people for taking the survey. It should be organizations within the CD who work or try to work with the council office and have been ignored.
To Wayne “Katersky” –
I was a supporter of Mr. Vahedi during the CD 5 election and I also donated to his campaign, but still I have questions as to what happened during the few days after the election and vote counting was taking place. The race and vote count was going back and forth and THEN out of blue Mr.Koretz has a 500 vote lead. Nobody could answer where they came from. I wrote Mr. Vahedi twice and no response, he basically disappeared. I have also talked to other CD 5’ers and they also have similar concerns.
In your 9:17 PM comment you mentioned “the Machine”. Could you expand your definition and does any of this relate to the above.
David2rb: The finally tally wasn’t known at least several weeks after the election date. This was an agonizing time for Ty and his supporters since Ty had to decide if he was going to challenge the final count. He retained legal counsel (as did Koretz)and explored the possibilities of demanding a re-count. Because of the cost (I believe you have to pay thousands of dollars per precinct) he followed the advice of his attorney not to contest the election. Ty didn’t disappear, he just knew it was time to call it quits for the benefit of CD5. Ty lost by 700 votes…mostly in one neighborhood.
Many of us don’t feel Koretz is that much better than Jack Weiss when it comes to standing up to developers. Or should I say standing with developers?
To March 5, 2011 6:28 PM:
Thank you for Responding. I hope a lot of folks will read your reply. I guess the only question that remains is: “mostly in what neighborhood”?
Everyone: please vote on Tuesday !!! We the Citizens of Los Angeles at least need as many run-offs as possible !!!