Monthly Archives: August 2011

LA’s AWOL City Council: 20 Percent Absenteeism Rate

Posted on August 8, 2011 by

Near the end of every City Council meeting, the clerk announces that there are “excuses on the desk,” meaning various members intend to be absent from future sessions. Usually, the stated reason is “city business,” which “meets Council policy,” and … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Hot Topics, Los Angeles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Political money is wreaking havoc — My Sunday Column For Glendale News-Press & Leader

Posted on August 7, 2011 by

“Money is the mother’s milk of politics.” — Jesse “Big Daddy” Unruh, California Assembly Speaker, 1966. With staggering sums from special interests pouring into campaigns for office at all levels, it’s become perfectly clear that political money is toxic, corrupting … Continue reading →

Posted in Glendale-Burbank | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Public Financing of Political Campaigns — An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Posted on August 4, 2011 by

Suddenly, campaign finance laws are a hot topic with Glendale looking at tighter controls and L.A. officials looking to find ways to keep wealthy, self-financed from standing a chance in Council and mayoral elections. Now comes the Center for Governmental … Continue reading →

Posted in Hot Topics, Los Angeles | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

AEG Stadium Critics Plead for Fair Share of Profits for the People — Cries That Fall on Council’s Deaf Ears

Posted on August 3, 2011 by

EDITOR’S NOTE: With Bill Rosendahl joining the chorus of supporters, Jan Perry’s Ad Hoc Committee unanimously voted Wednesday evening to recommend approval of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding with AEG for construction of an NFL stadium and the tearing down … Continue reading →

Posted in Hot Topics, Los Angeles, NFL Stadium | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Welcome to Blade Runner City — There’s No Turning Back

Posted on August 2, 2011 by

Editor’s Note: City officials released two documents Tuesday that answer some of the many questions about AEG’s stadium/Convention Center, including those posed by Councilman Bill Rosendahl (AEG-Rosendahl.pdf) and others that arose at Jan Perry’s ad hoc committee meetings (Questions-for-AEG-Addendum.pdf), including … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Hot Topics, Los Angeles, NFL Stadium | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

From the Lancer Trash-to-Energy Incinerator to Bulldozing the South Central Farm — Fighting City Hall for Environmental Justice in South L.A.

Posted on August 2, 2011 by

Fifteen years ago, a student at Jefferson High School wrote a paper about how the African-American community fought to kill the Lancer trash-to-energy project at 41st and Alameda a decade earlier. “Residents feel that South Central Los Angeles took a … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Community Activists, DWP, Los Angeles | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Socking It To Us: 40 % More for Sewer, 26 % More for Power, 21 % for More Water

Posted on August 1, 2011 by

By Jack Humphreville On Tuesday at 9 AM, the Energy and Environment Committee holding a Special Meeting to discuss a multiyear increase in our beloved Sewer Service Charge.  The CAO report was filed on late Friday afternoon. The timetable is for … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Community Activists, DWP, Hot Topics, Los Angeles | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments