Category Archives: Glendale-Burbank

My Sunday Column: Ara Najarian Ouster speaks of modern politics — Money, Power and the Cabal at the MTA

Posted on December 15, 2012 by

he way that Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich and the cabalists of the San Gabriel Valley cities treated Glendale Councilman Ara Najarian over his Metropolitan Transportation Authority board appointment because he opposes the 710 Freeway tunnel project is symptomatic of a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013 LA Elections, Glendale-Burbank, Transportation | 27 Comments

My Sunday Column: A termed-out 2-percenter — the political education of Assemblyman Anthony Portantino

Posted on December 8, 2012 by

Ask just about anyone who has hung around the state capitol a while — reporters, lobbyists, staffers — and they will tell you that 98% of our legislators forget who they are and why they are there within two years … Continue reading →

Posted in Glendale-Burbank, Hot Topics | Tagged , | 9 Comments

My Sunday Column: Trying to extend a 5-second spotlight, Glendale looks to Kim Kardashian for its Rose Parade Float

Posted on December 2, 2012 by

If you ever tried to spot the Glendale Rose Parade float on television on New Year’s Day, you know you had to stay glued to your set and never blink — you only get a passing glance. So what do … Continue reading →

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

My Sunday Column: A Question of Legislative Grease — The Truth About Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s Incredible Boast

Posted on November 18, 2012 by

There are no angels in politics, at least not for long. Power corrupts, even a little power, even the illusion of a little power can corrupt. That’s why everyone who gets in the political game becomes tainted to one degree … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 Election, Glendale-Burbank | Tagged | 4 Comments

My Sunday Column: Measure J loss is a victory for the people — a chance to demand a real public transit system

Posted on November 10, 2012 by

We can’t keep on destroying the public transit system in order to save it — that surely is the lesson we need to learn from the defeat of Measure J on Tuesday. We all want a real public transit system. … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 Election, City Hall, Glendale-Burbank, Hot Topics, Los Angeles, Transportation | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

My Sunday Column: Unraveling Measure J — Will It Actually Build the Transit System We Want?

Posted on November 4, 2012 by

Even if the outcome of nearly every race in California from president on down is certain, your vote still matters when it comes to ballot measures, most of which can go either way: death penalty, three-strikes law, competing soak-the-rich tax-increase … Continue reading →

Posted in Glendale-Burbank, Hot Topics, Los Angeles, Transportation | 2 Comments

My Sunday Column: Empty Desks, a New Way of Life for Fiscally Responsible Cities

Posted on October 14, 2012 by

The email from Moody’s credit rating service that popped up on my computer screen boggled my mind: Glendale was among 40 California cities that were downgraded or are facing downgrades, but Los Angeles and San Francisco could get upgrades. I’m an old … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 Election, 2013 Election, 2013 LA Elections, City Hall, Glendale-Burbank, Hot Topics, Los Angeles | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

My Sunday Column: Eyeing the Ballot Propositions — Follow the Money and Let the Buyer Beware

Posted on October 7, 2012 by

With absolute certainty, I am prepared a month before the election to predict the outcome in California: President Obama will carry the nation’s largest state and Democrats will maintain dominance in both houses of the state Legislature. Of course everybody but the most ardent … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 Election, Glendale-Burbank, Los Angeles | Leave a comment

My Sunday Column: Fun and Games at the MTA — Why Is It So Hard Just To Do What’s Right for the People?

Posted on September 29, 2012 by

In the climactic scene of director Ivan Reitman‘s 1993 political satire “Dave,” President Mitchell (Kevin Kline) tells a joint session of Congress he lost his way, forgot his job was to make people’s “lives a little better…care more about you than … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 Election, City Hall, Community Activists, Glendale-Burbank, LA County, Los Angeles, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

My Sunday Column: Money, power, public policy — The MTA, Infludence Peddlers and Ads on Buses and Trains

Posted on September 23, 2012 by

It was like stumbling into a convention of the Society of Influence Peddlers, with old friends and enemies schmoozing before the start of festivities. There were Hall of Fame lobbyists like Richard Alatorre and Mike Roos, and future Hall-of-Famers like … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 Election, City Hall, Glendale-Burbank, Hot Topics, Los Angeles, Transportation | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments