UPDATE: The City Council took up the bond issue Wednesday but Herb Wesson blinked at the rush to judgment on a problem that has been building for half a century because of City Hall’s neglectful policies. He gave the plans authors, Englander and Buscaino, until next Tuesday to come up with a plan to include Neighborhood Councils in the discussion. Apart from Jack Humphreville and two other community activists, the one-minute allowed each public speaker was dominated by cycling activists who were gung-ho for the bond as long as it provided more bike lanes.
The Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates, representing the 95 neighborhood councils regarding budget and fiscal issues, met with Council member Mitch Englander on Tuesday to discuss his proposal to tax property owners $3 billion to fix the city’s long-neglected streets.
The advocates, after hearing the council member explain the May ballot measure voted overwhelmingly to “demand” that today’s planned Council vote be delayed 60 days to give the city’s nearly 100 Neighborhood Councils time to consider the proposal.
“We ask each and every NC and NC member to contact your council member and request they respect the request of the budget advocates,” budget advocate Jay Handal said. “In addition, please ask your NC to adopt this motion, and if possible, file a community impact statement.”
On Saturday, the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition voted to approve the same motion.
Title : Resolution on Postponement of Proposed $3 Billion Street Repair Bond Measure
MOTION : RE: City Council File 13-1300-S1
Whereas the City Council believes that the Neighborhood Councils do not inform their stakeholders about Council initiatives; and
Whereas the City Council requests better participation in city issues by Neighborhood Councils; and
Whereas Councilmember Parks held hearings at his Education and Neighborhoods Committee regarding Neighborhood Council participation in city issues; and
Whereas the City Council recently approved a citywide valet parking ordinance without enough time for Neighborhood Councils to weigh in; and
Whereas yet again, the City Council, without any warning or advance notice, introduced a motion on January 4, 2013 to place a three billion dollar bond measure on the May ballot with a vote scheduled to be taken on January 10, 2013, thereby again silencing their Neighborhood Council’s voice in an important matter; and
Whereas the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition has already unanimously adopted and transmitted a position to the City Council on January 5, 2013 asking for 60 days time so that Neighborhood Councils are able to weigh in on issues affecting all of their stakeholders;
Therefore, be it resolved that the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates instructs the Chair to immediately transmit the NCBA’s opposition to the City Council’s predeliction for precluding the Neighborhood Councils and their stakeholders from weighing in on citywide measures.
Furthermore, the NCBA’s demands that a City Council decision on City Council File 13-1300-S1 be postponed for 60 days until the City can issue a financial impact report of the new debt, and the 95 certified Neighborhood Councils have an opportunity to hold a Brown Act compliant meeting and report back to the Councilmembers with their stakeholders’ views.
Our City Councilmembers, most of whom are residing comfortably inside the pockets of the public employee unions, do not want any extended discussion or debate on this. They want it on the presumably lower voter turnout May runoff election, so revenue (along with the sales tax proposal) can be available when contracts with the City unions are to be negotiated next year.
I oppose the Council’s plan to increase the sales tax, and I oppose paying for street maintenance and repair with bond funding. It’s time for “0″ increase contracts with the public employee unions, until we can meet all of our other obligations.
I note that “Two-Job” Bob Blumenfield has taken no public position on these two tax proposals. Actually, if you examine his website, he’s taken no position on virtually any issue facing the City.
I’m out here looking for support to make a major break with the past, and electing an independent Councilmember in our 3rd District. All ideas, comments, good wishes, and support will be welcome!
Steve Presberg
http://www.StevenPresbergForLACouncil.com
Here’s the actual language of the draft motion:
WHEREAS, all who buy a home and live in it are DUMBASSES<
WHEREAS, all who stay in L.A. when capable of leaving are FOOLS-
WHEREAS, It doesn't matter what they ask for, it ain't enough,
WHEREAS, Mitchell Englander is a CERTIFIED DWARF and SCUMBAG,
WHEREAS, Joe Buscaino is an Italian-American A-HOLE collecting those two SALARIES, like the Zine and Parks SCUMBAGS,
WHEREAS, we hereby OPPOSE any more taxes on land in the County of
Los Angeles!!!!
WHEREAS, we know Dogs, Cats, Felons on probation, Out of State and Deceased voters make up the majority of the City's Active Electorate,
THEREFORE, we demand answers,
BUT, we get nothing but shit from City Hall for our tireless efforts.
Here’s the actual language of the draft motion:
WHEREAS, all who buy a home and live in it are DUMBASSES<
WHEREAS, all who stay in L.A. when capable of leaving are FOOLS-
WHEREAS, It doesn't matter what they ask for, it ain't enough,
WHEREAS, Mitchell Englander is a CERTIFIED DWARF and SCUMBAG,
WHEREAS, Joe Buscaino is an Italian-American A-HOLE collecting those two SALARIES, like the Zine and Parks SCUMBAGS,
WHEREAS, we hereby OPPOSE any more taxes on land in the County of
Los Angeles!!!!
WHEREAS, we know Dogs, Cats, Felons on probation, Out of State and Deceased voters make up the majority of the City's Active Electorate,
THEREFORE, we demand answers,
BUT, we get nothing but shit from City Hall for our tireless efforts.
Bike advocates dominated public comment on a tax on homeowners? Are you serious?
Beginning to hate these guys.
Folks, don’t allow these recreational cyclists to take over our streets. We don’t have enough pavement for current vehicular needs, leave alone a bike lane. It was the idiot Mayor who gave in because he bumped his head into a cab. Expect the same from Garcetti.
I wouldn’t mind if the bike lane included a pedestrian lane. I sure do not want any pedestrian on “my” sidewalk. Now that I’m responsible to maintain the sidewalk, it’s likely I will be the liable person if someone trips and falls.
“…hold a Brown Act compliant meeting…” HA!
Bicyclists pay no taxes but want to hog our roads.
No one likes bicyclists, not even cyclists when they get behind the wheels of their cars.
We can’t get a freakin’ break from these idiot council members who’d rather waste their time and out money on these ridiculous matters when there are so many other urgent matters to attend to.
The motion from NCBA above, and the version submitted at LANCC on Saturday (with a little toughening up…I was so glad others agreed to amend to ‘Demand’ to the ‘Furthermore’ clause) shows that we can make some tactical impacts here and there.
Seems the meeting our Budget Rep was at (during our Winnetka NC Board slot on Tuesday) was the one above. Our agenda had already been posted when I forwarded this issue to their attention direct from Saturday’s meeting, so we couldn’t go on record with a CIS, but I’m glad Jack and others made the point in person (just as countless contacts to councilmembers cronies countered the cadre’s capers after the bat signal went out).
I’d like to think the elected pawns, their eSpecially Interested patrons, CAO and other staff don’t think it’s easier to persuade hundr…er, tens of…er, thousands of voters to sign off on opening their veins for this, than work to convince pensioners and employees to negotiate contract changes to actuarially move to sustainability…but I’m an optimist, not a fool.
We’ve bought some breathing room here, but we have to keep getting the word out, work to make sure that would-be supporters really understand the devilish details they’re being dealt, and speak with a loud voice next week: Even if it is only one minute at a time, it certainly made for film at eleven!
Then…in the run up to March and the march to May’s run-off, we need to do everything we can to change the faceplates around the horseshoe. Golly forbid this should go through without all the gory details being vetted first, but if it does, let’s try to get some Nay voters in before these funds start getting detoured.
“keep getting the word out, work to make sure that would-be supporters really understand the devilish details they’re being dealt,…”
‘Bless you LA Moderator and all who get the word out. I hope we succeed this time.
Who do NCs think they are? Well, a lot of them are now hired yes men for their councilmen and their donors who were smart enough to find or hire goons and thugs to take them over.
Poster child for councilmen and corporation take-over is what used to be called the Greater Griffith Park NC, now a New Jersey cesspit!