Forced once again to spend 90 minutes of their precious time in circling around the issue of honest, open and thorough public debate on AEG’s NFL stadium/Convention Center deal, the queen of downtown subsidized development ended the discussion succinctly.
“It’s stupid,” said Councilwoman Jan Perry as she obliterated efforts by Bill Rosendahl to force colleagues to demand to know in public exactly what the Chief Legislative Analyst and City Administrative Officer are negotiating with AEG under an ultimatum and deadline set for what passes for Mr. Big in L.A. these days, Tim Leiweke.
Perry not only had the votes,she had a point.
Nimbly dancing on both sides of the debate, President Eric Garcetti — Perry’s wannabe mayoral rival — made a solemn promise that despite all the political gamesmanship going on, he would devote the entire session on Friday July 29 to a full and complete airing of where the negotiations are, what the terms are and allow adequate time for public scrutiny and debate as well as for the Council to thoroughly examine the deal.
Leiweke’s drop-dead deadline of July 31 for Council agreement on a memorandum of understanding will not be recognized by the Council, Garcetti assured.
CLA Gerry Miller went further and suggested AEG only wanted a tentative agreement with the negotiating team by July 31 and knew along the Council and the public would need more time, though a deal needed to be cut before the Council breaks for vacation later in August.
Even that might be hard to achieve with the city so far unable to get AEG’s billionaire owner and Denver Broncos fan Phil Anschutz to guarantee the city taking on some $300 million in new Convention Center debt in addition to the $450 million it still owes and costs $45 million a year from the general fund, money that would restore library, parks and fire services if the Convention Center ever was able to pay its own way.
In fact, the word around the Council horseshoe for the handful of us ordinary citizens who came to support Rosendahl was that nothing has been finalized despite six months of negotiations.
The lack of progress and the lack of the city’s preparedness to negotiate what Council members on both sides agreed was the most important issue of their terms as the nation’s highest paid elected city officials was dramatized by the need to approve up to $1 million for outside advisers on financial and bonding matters.
AEG is paying the bill and negotiators swore the company had no role in selecting the advisers although no one on the Council was satisfied with answers to questions about the who, what, where and why they were chosen.
In the end, Perry got her way to continue running her ad hoc committee on the stadium without the state open meeting law in force but remains committed to being transparent at the two meetings planned over the next two weeks.
Still, she buried Rosendahl’s motion in the wastebasket with the support of everyone but Krekorian, Koretz and Huizar. The majority included Garcetti and newcomer Mitch Englander who did his best imitation of Cardenas’ insulting questioning technique of asking bureaucrats really stupid questions to get really stupid answers because we the people are the really truly stupid ones.
Harder to get around is the problem of how often NFL stadiums are a financial disaster for local government, as the Wall Street Journal reported today and increasingly frequent questions asked even by the gadflies about what is in this deal for the city, direct benefits that will end the bleeding of city services and punishment of city workers.,
The IBEW and Building Trades Council shared none of these concerns, arguing to a receptive City Council that they know enough already to approve the deal sight unseen even if they know nothing except it will create temporary jobs for electricians and constructions workers.
They are undoubtedly right. This was a done deal with the mayor and key players a long time ago. The MOU — non-binding as they insist it is — will be approved and AEG in company with city officials will orchestrate adoption of the environmental report a year from now and the NFL will come back for a third try in L.A.
The Convention Center will remain a w
hite elephant bleeding the city dry and as Richard Alarcon noted, the Los Angeles Chargers-Vikings-Bills-Jaguars had better be winners on the field or the NFL will take leave of the city a third time.
hite elephant bleeding the city dry and as Richard Alarcon noted, the Los Angeles Chargers-Vikings-Bills-Jaguars had better be winners on the field or the NFL will take leave of the city a third time.
Friggin Jan Perry thinks she owns downtown, which affects people beyond the boundaries of LA. Why does this woman not care for her poverty stricken, gang infested south LA. When did you last see her do anything for the community she represents. It is time to get downtown out of the paws of these miserable councilpeople. It should be like Washington D.C. It should belong to the entire city with a say on its future.
I really can’t figure out why Rosendumb is so against the AEG deal? The Developer of the deal purchased the entire Council, Mayor, and DumbTanich too! He who owns the Politicians controls the votes. Right?
Think of the new stadium as the future home of the USC Trojans, because when the NFL flees L.A (again) and does truly go Bankrupt, USC will then buy the stadium for $1.00 and have the best stadium ever built in NCAA history!
GO USC!!!!!!!!!!!
Non-binding? You got to be kidding.
If an MOU is signed, it is binding. Any backing off or changes, would allow AEG to sue for the City of LA not negotiating in good faith.
Wake up people to Garcetti, the ultimate double-talker who was listed on Rosendahl’s motion.
He did this on the Rate Payer Advocate and on the City Transfer and on many other controversial items. He tries to be on both sides of the issues, then sides against the people.
Then no matter what side you are on, Garcetti can always say he was on “your” side.
And watch out for Mitch Englander. He was backed by IBEW and will go against Ratepayers in the end with a little training from Garcetti.
Koretz, Krekorian, and Rosendahl’s points were right on the mark and deserve praise today.
Agenda Item 31: http://lacity.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=130&clip_id=9350
I am very tired of this rather weird discussion. Why must our city be involved in a private venture?
Those who want the AFL or any other business here
can just doit yourselves and leave people like me and my family out of it. We do not want our
LA to invest in such a risk no matter how brilliant they think their ideas are.
Ditto and Good point.
Most if not all Stadiums that involved public funds did not work out in favor of the municipality.
This is why we must spread the word about how awful Downtown LA is for a stadium. I do not want to see football among burned out buildings and people in welfare lines. Ed Roski’s site in the city of Grand Crossing is so much better and was done with total transparency.
I almost thought OCbear is a shill for AEG is using Reverse Psychology.
I DO NOT agree with his insults about LA – burned out buildings which is BS about Downtown LA.
Agenda Item 20 discussion actually sounded pretty good for the City of LA on the CAO’s office’s explanation.
Eric Garcetti said to Mitch Englander, “You have to stop saying, You Are New At This” then he Winked at and blew him a kiss, then gave the #22 Gang Rule See: 6:54
OC Bear is gaining acceptance!
Where the hell are all the negative impact statements from the 95 Neighborhood Councils on this corrupt deal? Where are those reps who are suppose to be representing the People? Where is the LANCC and Citywide Alliance of NC’s statement against this piece of shit? We all need to expose Jan Perry and Garcetti and those other fools like Cardenas, Alarcon, and the rest who refused to fight for the people and want transparency. Can they really be so corrupt they will take orders from a low life developer like Lieweke? Where is the damn media exposing this bullshit??? Thank you Rosendahl, Huizar, Koretz and Krekorian for having the balls to speak out for the People. Lil Mitch Englander is only taking his orders from uncle Harvey the biggest lobbysist in the City. Lil Mitch doesn’t have his own mind. He was simply put in council to do what the unions want him to.
I just woke up and came to see what was
happening.
Wow – good opinions and it sounds like you hit a homer, Ron. Thank you.
Many people are learning the lessons of President Eric Garcetti. He said he would support Bill Rosendahl last Wednesday, and then yesterday failed to vote for the Motion. He didn’t say why he changed his mind. People get past, the boyish gay charm.
Did anyone consider that there is too much infrastruture in ONE place? Half of the year the Stadium is not used.
Put this on the ballot, just like Joel Wachs threatened to do.
GREAT IDEA JACK!! I AGREE PUT THIS TO THE VOTERS AND THE PEOPLE.
To July 13, 2011 6:24 AM:
1. Where the hell are all the negative impact statements from the 95 Neighborhood Councils on this corrupt deal?
Good point. Almost all the time under CIS (Community Impact Statement) you see the word “none.” Part of the problem is that not enough info has been released and it usually takes about 30 to 60 days to get something out because it is scheduled for a Committee and then the main board.
2. Where are those reps who are suppose to be representing the People?
Actually some were there. Jay Handle, Chair WLANC and also NC Budget alliance, Peter Thottam, Venice NC, a lady (sorry I missed her name) from Mar Vista NC, and a gentleman from another NC. Not to mention John Walsh blogging at Hollywood-Highlands.org
3. Where is the LANCC and Citywide Alliance of NC’s statement against this piece of s__t?
You need to ask them. Perhaps Jay Handle as NC Budget Advocate can cover some of that.
4. Where is the damn media exposing this b___s___t???
Only bloggers like Ron Kaye covered this and thank goodness for him – Thanks Ron.
5. Thank you Rosendahl, Huizar, Koretz and Krekorian for having the b___s to speak out for the People.
Absolutely! When these Councilmen do the right thing, they deserve our praise. If Garcetti didn’t flip on this, I would praise him too.
6. Lil Mitch doesn’t have his own mind.
Yes, and he should never say “I’m the new man” ’cause he was a Deputy Staff person for Smith for years, not to mention at lawyer. Don’t let him get with that anymore.
Garcetti is a wimp! He’d do great as a hospitality clerk for the Four Seasons.
Janis Hahn’s, aka chickenhead’s, win is AEG’s LOSS! Seems they FUMBLED on that one? Now they and the DWP have one LESS automatic yes vote! Could be a real LONG SUMMER for the two REAL owners of the Clowncil. Oh, Little Mitchell likes the term “Midget” over “Little People” to describes his People. Dumb ass voters in CD12 had a guy named Brad Smith (No relation to Mitch’s daddy Grieg) that would of been a likely NO vote on DWP’s increases and the Stadium Deal. But they gave the City, shall we say “the short end of the stick” on that election?