LA WEEKLY REVEALS CITY THEY ARE PURPOSEFULLY CREATING HIGH DENSITY TO MAKE TRAFFIC SO BAD YOU WILL TAKE THE BUS: Is That What YOU Want?

It seem the City of Los Angeles, under Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, with his pal Council President Eric "Garshady" Garcetti has a bad habit of kinda deciding what we want for us. According to the new LA Weekly article, which reveals the City's plans to create a community of 40 story skyscrapers, where single unit residents -- and driving your car, are a thing of the past. In fact, the plan is to create so much traffic congestion, that people will be FORCED to hop on the bus. They talk about a lot of proposals for "subway to the sea" and all this new "high speed magic bullet trains" and "light rail", but like I said, "proposed". And as I learned from my LA Weekly article on SCAG, coming up with the idea; then getting everyone to agree; then finding the money are not always the same thing.

LA WEEKLY ARTICLE ON CITY’S (DUMB) “SMART GROWTH”

The article is an mega-anvil that I will be forced to savor, piece by piece, since it is so prodigious in scope, scale and volume; and because I have the worst case of A.D.D. in human history, and no dinero for the “tobacco con loco” – it’s gonna take me a while to finish it. (A while to get the money for my Prop 215 A.D.D. medication, not to read it.)

But here’s what I took out of it, so far:

THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, YOU BIG DUMMIES. If you read Zuma Dogg’s article on SCAG, which allows all of this bad planning to happen, you can see the City is at it, once again, with their “cart-before-the-horse” Planning Strategy”.

But this time, it’s a real matter of public safety. Actual elected City officials admit that the plan to steam roll all the single unit, automobile driving dwellers; build forty-story condos until the only nature is the green moss growing between sidewalk cracks; which will cause the traffic to become such an unmanageable, intolerable, gridlock nightmare – that people will jump out of there cars, and into the busses.

They call it, “the problem will be the solution”. In other words, it will get so bad, it will force people to take the bus, rail and subway systems, that they admit are not ready to handle the solution – and won’t be for a long time after the problem maxes out???

I love the NYC lifestyle, where you walk to work, take the subway or train in from Jersey/Long Island. The City was BUILT that way, from scratch. AND NYC is only a few miles long, from end to end.

THE PROBLEM WITH LOS ANGELES, IS IT IS WAY TO GEOGRAPHICALLY LARGE. Unless you make two or three transfers, you have way too far of a walk, in most cases once you get off the bus. And the subway to the sea isn’t gonna go to Van Nuys or Agoura Hills. And you can’t fire everyone who works in the City of LA who lives in Agoura Hills, just because they didn’t move into your congested “mixed-use” fantasyland.

So here’s the plan: Build way too much density, first; which will create such a bad traffic problem, people will be forced to take the busses, stuck in the same traffic mess; they are going to (try and) build new rail, subways and bus lines (and even if they can pull it all together and create a George Jetson transportation system) – it is based on the premise that society will change as a whole.

That the auto-centric region of Los Angeles will switch to the metric system, end poverty, love one another in harmony, stop using transfats, give everyone raises out of the goodness of their heart, eat all their broccoli, exercise everyday and stop driving.

Meanwhile, every condo still has two parking spaces, anyway. It is not for the City to create policy based on the speculation that society will reform. People twenty years ago made zoning laws to protect the community and prevent this from happening. Now, Eric Garcetti keeps making all these liberal appeasements that allow the political hammer to crack down on anything in his and his developer-friends way. After all, there is no money to be made in NOT building 40 story condos. Right, Eric? Right, Antonio? Right, US District Court?

THIS WHOLE CITY IS ONE BIG, F*CKING RACKET!
LAWeekly.com for David Zahnister's article how we are so screwed.

HOMEOWNER ALERT: SELL YOUR HOMES AND GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN. They are preparing the City for all the international money that will be moving here, and preparing the second-class transportation system for all the low income workers who will have to commute in to serve the wealthy who can afford to live in this Garcetti "Elegant Smartass Growth" world.

Zuma Dogg
ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program)
zumadogg@gmail.com

Click here for Mayor Sam (Inside City Hall blog) that I contribute to.

CAROL BAKER THARP AND 912 REVIEW COMMISSION: WE DEMAND AN INVESTIGATION INTO GLASSELL PARK NC ILLEGAL BULLY TACTICS: SEE YOU IN COURT!

EXCUSE ME...MAY I GO ON THE RECORD AND SAY THE IGNORANT POMPOUS, UN-INFORMED, CRYBABIES JUST UNLEASHED ZUMA DOGG AND ZAP ON THEIR ASS. ESPECIALLY THAT MORON IN THE BASEBALL CAP. THEY ALL NEED TO GO...THIS IS A FUCKING OUTRAGE!!! CAROL BAKER THARP...I DEMAND A TRAINING AND EDUCATION SEMINAR BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING. I WILL PRESENT IT FOR FREE TO SAVE EXPENSE.



I have already given the presentation, many time, to many city officials and police supervisiors -- and as u can see if you do a youtube search YOU ARE ALLOWED TO TAPE.

THANKS FOR KILLING THE WHOLE NC SYSTEM YOU IGNORANT DUMBASSES SUNSABITCHES AT GLASSELL PARK NC.

YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE SYSTEM, DEMOCRACY AND THE COUNTRY.

We'll see how you like seeing each and every one of your inferior minded names on a civil rights violation FEDERAL lawsuit, which I'm sure a few vampire attorneys won't be able to keep away from.

NOW GO JUMP INTO THE LA RIVER -- AND TO THOSE WHO DON'T -- I'M BRINGING MY REALITY CAMERAS TO THE NEXT MEETING...

AND IF YOU WANT A COPY -- YOU CAN BUY A COPY OFF ME...OR WATCH IT ON YouTube.

AND CONGRATS TO THE LADY WHO WAS BEHIND THE CAMERA AND BEHIND DEMOCRACY. FANTASTIC JOB REPRESENTING JUSTICE AND UNCOVERING CORRUPTION. WONDER WHAT ELSE THEY HAVE BEEN DOING IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW. Maybe they'll all end up being named as defendants in a "racketeering" suit. Cause that's what NC is...a RACKET!

NOW FIX IT!
MORE CITY HALL COVERAGE AT MAYOR SAM'S BLOG

I AM DISENFRANCHISED WITH THE ENTIRE NC SYSTEM!

I AM DISENFRANCHISED WITH THE ENTIRE NC SYSTEM!

I took time out of my busy day (and remember, my time is money) to attend the Boyle Hts NC meeting, this evening -- after I was done filming a new public access show at Time Warner for East LA.

It was pretty exciting, because I got to meet a lot of people, who knew me from the TV 35 appearances.

What was most exciting was to not only see the 30, or so people who showed up; but they were swearing in some new members, so that was cool, cause NCs need new members, since they are trying to do more outreach and generate more participation.

They had someone give a long presentation about some stupid magic train that is gonna get you to San Francisco or San Diego, really fast. It'll cost billions, and the guy admitted "emenent domain" would have to be a part of the project -- and I wondered how many people in the room have trips to San Fran and San Diego as a priority? Hopefully, the people will never vote to pay for it. (It has to be put to a vote in '08.)

But it was time for the swearing in of the new members. So they took a roll call...

OOPS...NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE FOR A QUORUM!

OOPS...can't progress any agenda items. Sorry people who showed up to get sworn in. Come back next month...we'll try it again.

They let us have public comment anyway, even though there was no need to, since it wasn't an official meeting.

So, I was at least able to notify everyone that if they wanted to complain that their CM's Planning Deputy ALSO sits on the Eagle Rock NC board, they can complain
to the 912 Review Commission to investigate -- BUT she sits on that, too. [BIG LAUGHS IN THE ROOM ON THAT! STAND UP COMEDIANS, EAT YOUR HEART OUT.]

SO I THINK IT'S TIME TO PULL THE PLUG ON THIS SHAM OF A RACKET THE CITY IS RUNNING.

(I found out so much sh*t today about NC, I wish I was just worried about it being in-effective again.

MAN, LOTS OF AGENDAS WERE REVEALED TODAY. WHAT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE STAFFERS ARE ON REVIEW COMMISSION?

REMEMBER THAT DUMB ASS LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTER "PROP R" NOISE? [ZD knew an NC member, who was acting as though he were AGAINST it (along with his fraudulently elected associate). Meanwhile, I just figured but they were really 'in cahoots' withLeague. [ZD calls it a "controlled burn", so they can control the opposition.]

Heard today, there are 2 sets of by laws??? [Can I see a copy of the bylaw?]

Different NCs have different standards. Some require you to be registered. Some let
you vote if you just hopped off the plane, or drove over theCanadian border as an illegal, undocumented immigrant.

And,oh no...when you check into financial issues and see the relationships and who is contributing to the City, it's enough to make you hope the City claims your house under the new CRA eminent domain law and move out of Cahootsville, USA.

Anyway, thanks to Time Warner/Boyle Heights producers for inviting ZD to be special guest for the public access show -- coming to all 15 districts and youtube. (It was on the realest, dough.)

And on behalf of the City of Los Angeles and DONE -- Zuma Dogg apologizes to everyone who showed up, not only to attend the meeting, but to be sworn in; only to cancel the meeting for lack of quorum.

DON'T BE DISENFRANCHISED. JUST COME BACK IN 30 DAYS, AND MAYBE THE MEETING WON'T BE CANCELLED AGAIN.

And Councilmembers...maybe you can send some staffers out to these NC meetings to help meet the quorum. [SEE STORY BELOW HOW COUNCILMEMBER HAS STAFFER ON NC BOARD -- AND THE 912 REVIEW COMMISSION...WHAT A JOKE!]

GREAT LA POLITICAL BLOG: Mayor Sam's Blog
contact: ZumaDogg@gmail.com

CITIZEN'S ALERT: The EMINENT City of Los Angeles Claims Their DOMAIN This Friday

File Number
07-1417

PROGRAM TO ACQUIRE REAL PROPERTY BY EMINENT DOMAIN
Initiated by: Your Shady Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)

Subject: Communication from the Community Redevelopment Agency 5105, dated March 3, 2007, relative to various actions [gotta watch those unspecified "various actions", y'all] related to,

"The Program to Acquire Real Property by Eminent Domain," pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 33342.7, Senate Bill 53 (2006). [IT'S A MATTER OF HEALTH AND SAFETY, Y'ALL...SO HAND IT OVER NOW, PLEASE -- NO QUESTIONS AKSED!]
Date Received
05/07/2007

Revised bullsh*t from the Community Robbers Agency (CRA) 5105, dated May 3, 2007, relative to various actions related to "The Program to Acquire Real Property by Eminent Domain," pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 33342.7, Senate Bill 53 (2006), is attached to file.

...A draft ordinance adopting The Program to Acquire Real Property by Eminent Domain for all current redevelopment project areas of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, pursuant to SB 53.
5-29-07 - Ref to Housing, Community and Economic Development Committee.

HELL NAW, ********?!?! Y'all need to register at a medical marijuana co-op to get the good stuff so y'all won't trip on your eminent greed and corruption.

BETTER HAVE THE FIRE MARSHALL AT CITY HALL ON FRIDAY FOR THIS ONE...NEIGHBORHOOD COUCNCILS -- HOMEOWNER'S (NOT BUSINESS) ASSOCIATIONS -- ACTIVISTS -- I WOULD SAY THIS IS THE DAY OF THE YEAR Y'ALL NEED TO TAKE THE DAY OFF WORK, OR GET A BABYSITTER FO YO KIDZ...AND GET YOUR AZZ DOWN TO COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND LET THEM KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THOSE COMMUNITY ROBBING, CULTURAL GENTRIFYING, IN CAHOOTS WITH THE SHADIEST OF SHADIEWS, NON-LOAN REPAYING, COMMUNITY ROBBING ASSHOLES (CRA) TAKING YOUR HOMES FOR THEIR UN-NECESSARY, HIGH PROFIT, SCHEMES.

And I hope there are no RICO violations on THIS one?

City Hall...Spring Street 9:30am FRIDAY. Bring someone else with you. SEE YOU IN CAHOOTSVILLE CENTRAL!

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

PUBLIC COMMENT on Los Angeles Councilmember Jose Huizar Staffer Potential "Conflicts of Interest'

FEATURED COMMENT FROM MAYOR SAM BLOGGER:
Original Story

It's pretty funny that Councilmember Huizar is willing to hire staff and then not force them to remove themselves from potential conflicts of interests in their community due to their new role. It's also pretty funny that in Jessica Wethington's bio on the Neighborhood Council Review Commission (http://www.ncrcla.org/default.asp?PID=9) doesn't mention that she works for him.

It's not about "oh, well it doesn't matter what we do, some people will never like us". It's about making sure that the public has confidence in those who were elected to represent them and their ability to let the community have a voice that represents the values and the principles of those who live within it without the fear of having it be directly influenced by the Powers At Be.

Jessica Wethington needs to resign both her roles - Member of the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council and Member of the Neighborhood Council Review Committee. If the Councilmember was going to clean out some of the staff that weren't cutting it, he should have also cleaned out some of his staffmember's extracurricular activities.

JACK WEISS TRIES TO SPIN HIS RE-CALL CAMPAIGN WITH TELEMARKETER PHONE BANK CLAIMING TO BE A "SURVEY"

Dear Editor:

I have co-owned a home in the mid-Wilshire area for almost 15 years. During that time, I have seen a lot of changes in my neighborhood, some of them for better and many for worse.

Regardless, I have never served on a neighborhood committee or taken any political action either for or against any council member or developer or than voting in local elections.

Today, I received a phone call from a woman who claimed she was taking a survey for an independent company concerning quality of life issues affecting my neighborhood.

Although reluctantly, I agreed to take a few minutes to participate in her survey as I thought it might benefit my neighborhood.

Although her initial questions were indeed about the quality of life in our neighborhood, she began asking questions relating to the recall effort against Jack Weiss. Since I have observed Weiss sell out our area to developers over the past years, I did not mind expressing my support for the recall.

However, I soon noticed that the survey-taker kept asking the same questions about Weiss's recall but simply phrased differently. I assumed then this was a survey being taken to determine the popularity of this recall effort.

However, the surveyor suddenly started to ask if I would still support the Weiss recall effort if I knew that... and then she began making statements discrediting the purpose and intent behind the recall. Among the allegations were the claims that it was disgruntled developers behind the recall and as well as neighborhood association leaders on the take by those developers and these same neighborhood leaders were now punishing Jack Weiss for not paying them off 50 million dollars they had demanded to go away.

I immediately realized this "independent survey" was obviously being funded by people in Jack Weiss' camp and not a legitimate survey at all. More importantly, I knew her allegations were simply ridiculous.

I told this alleged survey-taker that, given her obviously loaded "questions," it was apparent to me she was not an independent survey but was offering further evidence of Weiss's political corruption by her transparent disinformation tactic. I thanked her for removing any doubt in my mind as to his dishonesty and desperation.

I asked her to please tell her employers that she has done a great service in removing any doubt in my mind to Weiss's culpability and that, thanks to her, I would not only ensure my recall vote is counted but inform everyone in my neighborhood how low Weiss will go to save his greedy, guilty ass.

The survey-taker hung up on me and yet I had not finished taking her survey.

I am guessing others will be contacted by the same "survey-taker" and hope they will be likewise inspired.

Most sincerely yours,
Reader

FOR THE RECORD, I COVERED THIS ANGLE ON MAYOR SAM, LAST WEEK. SO I RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF ANTONIO'S FAVORITE "MARKETING WARFARE" SOLDIER. I HOPE THE RE-CALL PEOPLE HAVE A HIGHLY ORGANIZED PHONE BANK, TOO.

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

Is This A Joke: Villaraigosa & City Council To END Poverty?

Although it sounds like a great "warm and fuzzy" campaign issue, you cannot END poverty. So, at least say, "reduce" poverty. Secondly, you have the power to end poverty every day, as the mayor and city council. You do it through policy and legislation that reflects this goal.

And from what I have seen the past year, the mayor and city council's actions are in direct conflict of this goal, when you factor in the way they are over-taxing residents who can afford it least and have caused rents to skyrocket. Plus, HUGE concerns of "fraud, waste and abuse". (Especially in the non-profit grant money area.) So, now -- after making it nearly impossible to afford to live in this City, they have to resort to another money wasting measure. "ENDING" poverty. Can't wait to see how much all the ad hoc committee studies are going to cost.

COMMUNITY SURVEY AND HEARING ON POVERTY: CAUSES & SOLUTIONS

in support of the

COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

Mayor Villaraigosa and the City Council have stated their commitment to end poverty in the City of Los Angeles. Your thoughts, comments and recommendations are important as they make and approve plans for the City.

More immediately your comments are required as the City prepares its bi-annual Community Action Plan (CAP). The CAP is the application to the State for the Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) that compliments our funds from the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The plan also outlines the City's priorities for reducing and eliminating poverty for the next two years. Resources are dwindling. The Federal government reduces CDBG and other federal funds each year. The City of Los Angeles has about $5.5 million/year in CSBG to spend on services. Therefore, what should we focus on? What should we eliminate? What has helped people the most?

We need input from the public. We use this information to report to the Community Action Board, the Mayor and City Council and to make sure that CSBG is either providing the services or nonprofit organizations that we fund, know who provides the services and how they can be sure low-income residents know how to get the services.

Please take a few minutes to fill out one of the surveys linked below. You may submit either form by email (provided within the forms) or print and mail to CDD 6th Floor, 1200 West 7th Street, Los Angeles CA 90017.
Poverty Survey Press Release
Survey - 3 pages

The City of Los Angeles invites members of the public to a hearing on the causes and solutions of poverty in the City of Los Angeles. The hearing will be held on Wednesday June 20, 2007 at the Community Development Department, 1200 West 7th Street, 4th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Two hour validated parking in the building will be provided for those attending the hearing. For more information please call 213-744-9700.

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com
(310) 928-7544
Zuma Dogg's blog www.zumadogg.blogspot.com

PUBLIC ALERT: VILLARIGOSA AND HUIZAR INFILTRATE EASTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL WITH DEVELOPER CRONIE "MOLES"

ZUMA DOGG DISCUSSES THIS TOPIC ON KTALK 1150 AM w/ MARK "MR. K" GERMAIN (6p hour)


CD 14 COUNCILMEMBER JOSE HUIZAR'S EAGLE ROCK PLANNING DEPUTY ALSO SITS ON EAGLE ROCK NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL AS NC 912 Review Commissioner -- AS WELL AS REGULAR MEMBER OF NC.

* Jessica Wethington Mclean: Worked for Universal while she was an Eagle Rock NC member. She quit Universal to work for CD 14 CM Jose Huizar as his Eagle Rock Deputy of Planning this past October.

She is ALSO on Eagle Rock NC: Communications and Govt Relations member as well as a regular NC member.

I guess it is only unethical, but not illegal for CMs to have their paid staff members sit on NC. MAYOR ANTONIO, I'LL GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND SAY THAT YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT AWARE THIS IS HAPPENING, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT SITTING THERE MICRO-MANAGING NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS -- BUT I WILL BE SURE YOU AND YOUR STAFF IS AWARE THIS IS AND CAN HAPPEN. I'M SURE YOU ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF HAVING PAID COUNCIL STAFFERS ALSO SIT ON NC. Real Estate Agents and Developers are sitting in, as well. More on that next.

* Someone just posted that Fifteen's Steve Fink (See Wyvenwood Apts & Huizar contributions and expense reports) SON, Elliott Fink is on Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council? This cannot be true, because it is so obviously corrupt, I don't know how they think it ain't gonna come back to bite 'em in the ass. And I PROMISE YOU...ZAP (Zuma's Action Program) will be ZAPPING yo azz over this. And remember...I got NOTHING to lose...what do y'all have at stake, except Federal inquiries and named as "Defendant" on a Federal Trafficking/Rico/Corrupt organization lawsuit? NOW GO HAVE A FUN NC MEETING!

HAS MAYOR ANTONIO LOSEROSA AND CD 14 CM JOSE WEEZELAR INFILTRATE EAGLE ROCK, MT. WASHINGTON, ARROYO-SECO & GLASSELL PARK NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS (AND VARIOUS OTHER NCs & HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION IN L.A.) WITH TREASONOUS, DEVELOPER MOLES. (This way, they can steamroll the development projects through without NC opposition.)

HEY FOUR TIME FLUNKEE OF THE PEOPLE'S COLLEGE OF LAW -- NOW YOU ARE ON THE PEOPLE'S TURF...AND ZUMA DOGG IS GONNA FOCUS ALL EFFORTS ON GIVING YOU THE "JACK WEISS TREATMENT, bro! WE ARE GONNA KICK YOUR ASS BACK INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR -- AND CLINTON AIN'T GONNA TOUCH YOU, LATHAM AND WATKINS AIN'T GONNA TOUCH YOU, AND THE VOTERS AIN'T GONNA TOUCH YOU. (The FEDS...They might touch you.)

AND SINCE YOU WANNA GO STATEWIDE AND NATIONAL, ******, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO, AS WELL. BECAUSE MY SOLE PURPOSE, FROM HERE ON IN, IS TO MAKE SURE YOU AND YOUR LITTLE PAL WEEZEL ARE NEVER -- EVER -- EVER IN A POSITION WHERE YOU ARE REPRESENTING PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC FUNDS.

AND NOW THAT YOU STEPPED INTO THE PUEBLO'S TURF...I AM GOING TO HAVE TO SHOW THE COUNTRY WHY! Story on ZD's NC blog

***** KEVIN JAMES DEBUTS TONIGHT AT 9PM ON KRLA 870. MAYBE I'LL START THERE! *****

Contact Zuma Dogg of ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program): zumadogg@gmail.com

DID ONE OF VILLARAIGOSA'S LAUSD MAYORAL BACKED CANDIDATES DITCH HIM ALREADY?

Did Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa just spend around $2 million of privately raised money (that LA Times says may be tied to City projects needing approval) to buy this month's LAUSD school board election, only to have Tamar Galatzan pull an "Antonio" herself -- by betraying supporters who put you in office and deciding NOT to vote current LAUSD President Marlene Kanter out, and vote lead muppet Monica Garcia in?

I hope not. It would be a shame if all those City projects were approved in vain.

ZUMA DOGG SUMMER PREVIEW OF ISSUES & LAUSD STUDENT SHOWDOWN AT THE WEBCAM CAFE.
[WARNING: TURN THE VOLUME WAAAAAAAAAAY DOWN.]

The Importance of A JACK WEISS RE-CALL Has CityWide Implications

Everyone in the City of Los Angeles must come together and help give word of mouth to the Jack Weiss re-call campaign. If you know someone in his district, tell them to sign a petition and go to www.RecallJackWeiss.com.

HERE'S WHY THIS IS A CITYWIDE ISSUE:

LOSer Angeles Mayor Antonio Villariagosa currently has 8 muppet, non-independent, non-leader City Councilmembers on his cast. So when the community gentrifyer, and backstabber of his own people wants to steamroll something past the community -- he'll give it to Jackass Weiss and he'll write the legislation and make it happen for the absentee mayor. (Absent not only geographically, but morally and ethically.)

Besides that; if you kick that Jackass out of office (as you should if you care about public safety, since he clearly doesn't based on his development policy -- Mayor Villaraloser will be one vote short when he wants to pull a shady jack-move on the City, State and Nation.

So visit www.RecallJackWeiss.com, think of who you know who lives in his district, and make them sign the petition. Email them this blog, too.

RECALL WEISSASS AND WEAKEN LOSEROSA.

ZUMA DOGG SUMMER '07 PREVIEW

Thanks to LAist.com for doing a story on "Zuma's Top 20 Summer CDs. Ah yes, it IS that time of year...hell yeah.Zuma Dogg Coverage in LAist blog: ZD’s Top 20 CDs

ZUMA DOGG VENICE BEACH SUMMER PREVIEW '07 (May '07)


Here are some other links for your summer entertainment:
Zuma Dogg Video Search on Dogpile (Best Start)
Zuma's Podcast Site: Radio Calls and Original Music
ZD on Mayor Sam (political blog)
Zuma's myspace page
ZD on YouTube
ZD Videos NOT on YouTube (search "zuma dogg" and scroll)

Contact: zumadogg@gmail.com, (310) 928-7544

KEVIN JAMES BACK ON-THE-AIR: Monday May 28 at 9pm KRLA 870

"The Great" Kevin James, as I like to call him, is a former Federal Prosecutor and failed to renew his membership in the "Antonio Viagraosa Fan Club".

Everyone knows Kevin's "Red Eye Radio" show from KABC. (He recently got bumped in a NYC ABC corporate sales department move, that caused a domino effect, and the station lost two of their top three hosts.)

SO THEIR LOSS IS MORE THAN OUR GAIN, BECAUSE NOW...IT'S THE NEW KEVIN JAMES SHOW -- AT THE MUCH MORE DESIRABLE TIMESLOT OF 9PM!!! (As opposed to his former 1a-5a slot.)

Do you know the difference between a 9pm slot, and a 1am slot? A HELL OF A LOT!

CONGRATULATIONS KEVIN JAMES, KRLA MANAGEMENT, AND THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES WHO CAN NOW HEAR THE "MAYOR SAM" PERSPECTIVE -- LIVE ON-THE-AIR -- WEEKNIGHTS AT 9PM ON KRLA 870: STARTING THIS MEMORIAL DAY MONDAY. AND EVERYONE WILL BE IN THEIR CARS FOR THE BIG DEBUT!

Sorry Villagrosa. (Price Is Right "Loser" Stinger): Whomp, whomp, whomp, whomp...(deflated) whoooooooooooomp...)

GRIFFITH PARK EXPANSION MEETING: PUBLIC NOTICE

***** GRIFFITH PARK EXPANSION PUBLIC NOTICE *****
The City's approval process for Autry to relocate the Southwest Museum to Griffith Park has begun. This is not a "done deal", even if Autry makes it sound so.

PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING ON AUTRY NATIONAL CENTER'S AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR EXPANSION IN GRIFFITH PARK

Attached is the notice from the Department of Recreation and Parks announcing the first Public Scoping Meeting of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process for the proposed expansion of the Autry National Center. (May 29, 6:30 pm, Autry National Center). The Autry, a privately held institution, is situated on 10 acres of public land in Griffith Park which it leases from the City of Los Angeles for $1 (one dollar) a year. Both its location on dedicated parkland and its potential environmental impacts on its host, Griffith Park, make the Autry's expansion a matter of public interest. [CLICK READ MORE -- THERE IS MORE]

The letter and conceptual plan diagrams provided indicate that the institution is seeking to increase its built area by 129,000 square feet. Additionally, it is seeking to move a large portion of its parking to the south and east portion of its existing South Lawn thereby obliterating half of this green space and eventually, in Phase II of their conceptual plan, constructing an additional building above this newly created parking lot.

At first look, this seems to contradict assurances from the Autry that they do not intend to increase their footprint in Griffith Park, as was reported in the L.A. Times. The word footprint," however, which is commonly understood to mean the space a building occupies on a parcel of land, has been redefined admittedly by the Autry to mean the land itself -- all 110 acres of their leasehold. Contradicted as well, it seems is the Autry's longstanding and oft-repeated public promise never to remove the green space afforded by their South Lawn. By relabeling the leftover section of turf as "South Lawn" on the diagram, the reality that half the lawn has been lost is obscured.

Because this is a matter of public interest, the project will require various approvals which may include an amendment to its existing ground lease, a conditional use permit with a height allowance (does this mean a zoning variance?) and more. The potential environmental impacts are listed and they are considerable.

We urge you to attend the meeting and to voice and mail in your comments to the Environmental Supervisor.

Remember when the powers-that-be said the Cornfields would become warehouses... that the deal was done? Today, due to a determined group of community leaders, Los Angeles is blessed with a new State Park.

Take a close look at the environmental analysis just posted online today by the Dept of Recreation and Parks for the proposed Autry expansion project in Griffith Park. Object? Oppose? Attend the Public Meeting. A second meeting was just added for June 11th and the comment period extended until June 28.
http://www.laparks.org/environmental/environmental.htm

Contact Zuma Dogg, ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program): zumadogg@gmail.com

Academilla Semilla Del Pueblo: Questions Regarding Potential "Conflicts of Interest" Between Property Owner, School Board, Administration and Charter

Many of you have heard about the LAUSD Charter school "Academia Semilla Del Pueblo".

ACADEMIA SEMILLAS DEL PUEBLO: In Care of MARCOS AGUILAR, LOS ANGELES, CA 90032-1942: IRS Subsection 501(c)(3) - A religious, educational, charitable, scientific or literary organization. Exempt Since 12-2001 Form 990 Amount $2,104,241

Previously, the school has been surrounded in controversy over it's separatist cultural agenda, and it's low API test scores. The API scores are the lowest in the State. So until now, the story about Semilla has been whether the school should have it's Charter re-newed by LAUSD, or not.

Well as of March '07, it was first denied -- then after a promise that the school promised (with sugar on top) that they would raise test scores, they were given approval for not only another five years of LAUSD "gravy train" money; but will be allowed to accept 600 students (up from an initial approval of 200, for which they got $2,000,000).

So with 600 students, not only can they rake in a lot more LAUSD AND State Education money (cause they are paid per head), now the school has to look for a bigger building; which also means they will probably need more rent money from LAUSD and the State.

I heard the school is already looking for a new location, to build a big, new school -- somewhere on the Eastside. Exact location is still trying to be negotiated. Rumor had it that they had $13 million to work with, but they are having a tough time striking a deal. Word is, they tried to get some Park space in Rose Hill, El Sereno (and possibly elsewhere), but nothing has panned out as of yet.

[GREAT...so let's give them more money, for more kids, when they can't even get 200 right?!?! What if in five years the scores are still the same? Do they give the money back? Do the kids have to repeat the grades?]

Semilla does not own the school, itself: They rent it from a separate company called TZICATL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: In Care of Name MARCOS AGUILAR, LOS ANGELES, CA 90032-1942. They are listed as an IRS Subsection 501(c)(3) - A religious, educational, charitable, scientific or literary organization.
Classification Community, Neighborhood Development, Improvement (General).

In June 2002, TZICATL CDC acquired a blighted commercial structure to be rehabilitiated and utilized as the site for a non-profit charter school.

The real estate tax was $193 and zero cents. The land cost $503,152; the building cost $300,000; and the loan fee was $5,000; for a total of 811,152.

And oh yeah...RAZA DEVELOPMENT FUND, INC. provided $808,000 (7% interest rate) on 06/06/02 (maturity date: 06/05/07), with repayment terms of $25,000/yr for '02-'03; $30,000/yr for '04-'07. It was secured by a first deed of trust on a home on Huntington Drive to purchase and renovate the building.

The list of officers, directors and trustees included; Marcos Aguilar, Chairman; Antonia Viteri, Secretary; Minnie Ferguson, Treasurer and Norm Apostal, Abel Aguilar, Erica Friedman, and Irene Vasquez, Directors.

To facilitate the purchase of TZICATL's first development, Boardmember Erica Friedman advanced $25,000 toward an open escrow in June 2002, that was repaid in October 2002.

When the IRS asked RAZA, INC., "Is the organization related through common membership, governing bodies, trustees, officers, etc to any other non-exempt organization; the answer is "Yes, National Council of La Raza (exempt)".

RAZA claims exemption BECAUSE they support NC of La Raza -- and RAZA put up $808,000 for the building, that was renovated and used for the school.

RAZA Development Corp. borrowed $185,000 on the property on Aguilar's Huntington Dr. South last year.

The property was purchased in 2001 for $800,000. It was an ALL CASH purchase from a William Vasquez. Mr. Vasquez only owned this property for 6 MONTHS, AND HE ONLY PAID $250,000 for it!!!

Vasquez made a tidy profit of $550,000 IN A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS.
CLICK READ MORE FOR A WHOLE LOT MORE...
COST PER STUDENT: There sure seems like a whole lot of money being spent for 200 kids.

In 2004, you had teachers making $58,355 (plus $4,814 in benefits);

In 2003, Marcos was making $90,295 (plus $9,409 contributions) AS SECRETARY! Minnie Ferguson $91,427/$7,543. Isidro Nunez (business manager) was paid $68,000/$7000. Total Education Solutions (Special Ed services) was paid $54,874, too.

HEY LAUSD: Was Marcos taking a salary as Board Member AND Principal? I don't see the salary as principal? It doesn't show up on my batcomputer if he took under $50,000 as principal. (Which would be shady, cause the teachers make more.)

Here are some issues:

Bet no one on the board complains about the principal...you have a board member, who is also the principal, who also owns the building (that was basically donated to him by Raza). The building sure did skyrocket in value in one-year's time. (They must have an AWESOME real estate appraiser!)

LAUSD provides money to pay the rent for the school, and the school pays itself, since it owns the building, and Marcos gets to set the amount of annual rent he pays himself. (Nice!)

The list of Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter School donors and supporters, besides taxpayers include:

National Council of La Raza Charter School Development Initiative
Raza Development Fund, Inc.
Glendale Nissan/Infinity, Inc.
California State University, Los Angeles
Pasadena City College - MeCHA
The Latino Museum of History, Art and Culture

So you have Marcos Aguilar who is principal, board member (along with his wife) AND owns the separate company that builds and owns the school, so Marcos gets to decide how much rent money he's gonna charge himself, then pay himself with LAUSD and State money. (Niiiiiiiice!) And when you run a Charter school, if your test scores are not high enough you can lose the right to use the land your school sits on. Well, luckily, Semilla doesn't own the school or the land, so they can't lose lose it. (Even though the principal/board member actually owns it.)

But let's just say for arguments sake, you want to yank your kid out of LAUSD and pop him/her into a Charter school, that is supposed to produce higher levels of student achievement: But you hear Semilla has rock bottom test scores. So you figure, "Gee, I'll complain to the school board and have him replaced." Except he and his wife and cronies ARE the school board. So forget that!

You gotta go one level higher now, and talk to the landlord, and tell them to kick this under-performing school out of the building, and replace it with a more responsible Charter operator.

SLIGHT PROBLEM: Remember, Aguilar and his wife/compainion (not sure if they are legally married) ARE the landlord/building/land owners. (So you're not gonna have much luck there, either.)

It's called a conflict of interest, and could very well be in violation of LAUSD/State Charter rules.

And now, they have been approved for another five years. But this is bascially the "preface" of the story, because it is a deep one and a wide one. I am told there are a lot of familiar names associated with the Semilla/Tzicatl posse.

Some have warned ZD that there is a lot of shady impropriaties involved with the back and forth selling of the building; the escrow appraisals (big jumps in value), there was a whole lot of improvement money spent on the school -- what are the improvements; they are looking for land to build a big, new school, but no one has reported that they are looking for a new school.

Of course not, they want to get all the state and city construction budget and build it themselves. [Can't argue with that? Who WOULDN'T want to? I want to!]

And I am told, by the time the entire story unravels (which it is pretty close to doing), a few local and state politicians may be working on the construction site themselves, cause they'll be out of elected life. (But as of now, I'm still waiting to see the paperwork.)

However, you may have heard that Doug McIntyre of 790-KABC sent reporter Sandy Wells to the school to investigate the school. Well there must have been something they didn't want him to find out -- or maybe he DID find out...because, FIRST someone tried to run him over with a car (which means he was willing to risk killing him, cause Wells had to jump out of the way); then his audio was stolen.

And that's when some folks figured this story was about more than counting on a system of twenty, learning languages like Mandarin, and a whole lot of Azteck singing and dancing. (More than a mere culture clash.) So that's when Semilla was looked into a little bit further, and all this stuff about the building, who supports/donates to them, associations with local/state politicians, and the whole enchilada fell into ZD's lap.

So this is a good stopping point, for the starting point. Just a little appetizer to familiarize everyone with the school besides the cultural aspect. And I would like to add, whether I agree with the culture or philosophy of the school isn't an issue I was covering until now. This is important because Villaraigosa has control of LAUSD school board, at the same time Eli Broad is funding a Charter School movement in Los Angeles. So that's a lot of City and State Education money that will be given out over the next several years. And although I support the concept of Charter schools to help raise student achievement...there are some serious concerns over fraud, waste and abuse of the funds.

Cool Website that compares Semilla with other schools in the area and district.

MORE TO COME...

DAILY NEWS HEADLINE: WATER WELLS THREATENED -- DWP WANTS ACTION AS CHEMICALS CREEP INTO RESERVOIR

Kerry Kavanaugh scores a HUGE Sunday front page story in ZD's book with her story on how Los Angeles has big problems if they think they can "Manhattanize" Los Angeles with unlimited, new high-density housing projects -- because as u can see, an unlimited water supply is NOT a given.

Maybe Clinton's Villaraigosa needs to take some of that pension money he wants to invest into speculative alternative engery technology and invest it into making "synthetic water" for all high-density, "building UP" projects.)

ZD's High Density Housing Water Supply Alert 1
ZD's High Density Housing Water Supply Alert 2

Water wells threatened -- DWP wants action as chemicals creep into reservoir
BY KERRY CAVANAUGH, Staff Writer
LA Daily News
05/26/2007

More than four years after being warned that a creeping chemical plume was threatening Los Angeles' water supply, the DWP has shut down at least one drinking-water well because of contamination of the San Fernando Valley aquifer.

The North Hollywood well closure means that, for the first time, Los Angeles will be unable to draw its full allotment of groundwater, forcing it to import water at a cost of $7.3 million.

But more troubling than the cost, Department of Water and Power officials say, is the possibility that the contamination will spread and ruin Los Angeles' only local water supply - the gigantic San Fernando Valley underground reservoir that can serve residents in an emergency.

TA DA, *******! READ IT AND WEEP CITY HALL...WE NEED THE WATER!
Daily News WATER SUPPLY ALERT

Zuma Dogg and Daily News...like Snoop and Dre! ZD hears the 411 from the pueblos, and blasts it on a predictive, speculative basis -- then people without A.D.D. (like Daily News reporters) back it up with "the realest, dough!"

So, thank goodness for perfect timing with this vindicating story: Cause last week, in response to Ed Reyes and the City of Los Angeles' LA River (aka: Condorodo River, because of the high density housing projects that they don't really mention when address the project publicly), I was asking how they are going to provide water to all these housing projects when the water supply is not a constant? And it kinda feels like you are going into "Art Bell conspiracy territory" when you speculate on environmental concerns.

Contact Zuma Dogg, ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program): ZumaDogg@gmail.com

Delays In The Prop. R Court Case: Appearance of Impropriety?

To: David Hernandez
The Judicial Council of California
The Judges of the Superior Court
… other interested parties

Gentlemen:

Below is a statement from David Hernandez which notes
the several dates set for this hearing.

I was in the court building on April 11, 2007 hoping
to see Judge Janavs hear the case. That date was
well before the City Election (March 6, 2007) and the
decision, which could have effected the results of the
election, was not made. That is Public Loss #1.

The delay and reassignment of Judges was, apparently,
justified by an agreement that Judge Janavs was
“prejudiced against the city.” Whether true or just
the “appearance of impropriety,” the reputation and
qualifications of Judge Janavs were challenged. If
she is “prejudiced against the city” should she be
allowed to sit on this or any cases? If she is not,
shouldn’t her reputation and qualifications be
reconfirmed and the case litigated promptly in
meaningful time?

Then the case was rescheduled with Judge David Jaffe
to preside on (or about) May 15, 2007 only to be put
off again to June 7, 2007. Possible reasons include a
full docket, counsel’s need for more time to prepare,
etc., etc., etc. What justified this further delay?
Public Loss #2.

I am no attorney but all of us know the principles:
1. “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
2. “In public life, the appearance of impropriety IS
impropriety.”

Judge Jaffe has ruled against actions taken by the
City of Los Angeles in other cases. Is he to be
“disqualified,” too. Were those rulings “illegal” or
just unpopular with the involved elected officials?
If so why was he suggested for and why did he accept
juridiction over this case? Why wasn’t the question
of his fairness answered before he was appointed to
replace Judge Janavs? Is it possible to “rule against
the City of Los Angeles?” Don’t justice and the legal
rights of the citizens of the our city trump the
interests represented by the legal counsel of the City
of Los Angeles? Did we witness a necessary delay or a
real need to change the judge or was this just a
method to delay the process? Public Loss #3.

Who oversees the propriety of these actions? These
changes of judges? These repeated delays in dates?
If it is the involved courts, only, then the fox is
watching the chicken coup. Is there an
“administrative” structure to the Superior Court?
Does it have policy making and practice review
responsibilities? Public Loss #4.

Who is competent to and willing to respond to these
questions?

The People of the City of Los Angeles have a right to
know. Some of those elected on March 6, 2007 may be
serving improperly already.

Here is a web-page from the Superior Court of Los
Angeles. It promises a F-A-I-R policy. It does not
provide an email address where questions like those,
above, can be directed (only non-descript telephone
numbers). Can anyone reading this email help get
these answers?

Daniel Wiseman

CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLYMAN FABIAN "NUCKELHEAD" NUNEZ & ANTONIO VILLARIAGOSA YouTube PRESS CONFERENCE

HILLARY CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIR FABIAN "NUCKLEHEAD" NUNEZ DECLARES YOU NEED THE HISPANIC VOTE TO WIN: "ASK ANGELIDES...AND IF YOU WANNA ADVANCE AN AGENDA FOR AMERICA YOU GOTTA INCLUDE THESE (LATINO) THINGS IN IT." - Nunez


COMPLETE CLIP TRANSCRIPT: "This is the most important gathering of Latinos across the country since the civil rights movement of the late 1960's. And what comes out of this conference, the positions that people take on issues with respect to housing; with respect to jobs; with respect to health care...all these things are going to be very, very critical...the environment...to the political agendas of those who want to "rub shoulders" with the Latinos in this country. And in California, in particular, I can tell you, ask Phil Angeledis and he'll tell you; if he has the Latino vote, he'll win. Ask Governor Schwarzenegger and he'll tell you; if he gets 30% of the Latino vote, he thinks he can win the election. So the political power of "our" community has grown exponentially. [I didn't know he was elected to the Assembly to represent a "certain" community!?!] It's time for use to not only look at the politics, but look at vehicles within...we can say, these are cohesive platform points that are important to Latinos...and if you want to advance an agenda for America, you gotta include these things in it. And the beautiful thing about it is; there's no difference between the Latino agenda and the working class agenda for people in this country. So I think this is gonna set a very important precedent for the future, for not only the political movement of this country, but the particular platforms of the particular parties. So I'm excited for it." - California State Assembly President/Clinton Co-Chair, Fabian Nunez

VILLARIAGOSA HAS TO DO INTERVIEW WITH NAACP (Doesn't look too comfortable. Watch HIM end and interview and walk away from a camera for the first time ever.)


MAYOR, ERIC GARCETTI, KEVIN DELEON AND NUCKLEHEAD NUNEZ AT MCARTHUR PARK:
("Without justice there will be no peace" - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa)


AFTER MEETING WITH BILL CLINTON IN NYC, VILLARAIGOSA SLAMS CURRENT WASHINGTON LEADERSHIP (PERHAPS BUSH) -- OVER THE NEW "GREEN UP IT'S ACT" INITIATIVE.]

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: (Besides slamming Bush) "We have an LA River Master Plan, 52 miles of river creating an "emerald necklace" around that river. We have made a $100 million investment and when we are done and when we're over investing [that's over, investing...not over-investing] in this initiative, we'll have spent some $7 BILLION dollars." - MAV [Ooops, I DO think you meant "over-investing".]

"First of all, as you know, Los Angeles is the "gridlock" capital of the United States of America. It's also the capital City of dirty air and smog. It's the quinnisential "City of Sprawl" -- which means most of our housing is in the outer-core and the jobs are in the inner-core. A City that has relied...over-relied on the single passenger automobile to the detriment of a built out public transportation system." - Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (Nice PR for the City, pal!)

MANNHATANIZATION OF LOS ANGELES: "Instead of building out, we're gonna build up . Transit villages along transportation corridors to grow ridership for our public transportation." -MAV

[Yeah, then we'll switch to the metric system, everyone will recycle all their beer and soda cans, quit smoking, end poverty, donate 10% of all income to charity, spend time doing more community outreach...HELL NAW...Damn it City of Los Angeles...It's a HUGE mistake to make actual plans when the formula factors having to transform society as a whole. (Get them out of their cars.) IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. TOO LARGE, GEOGRAPHICALLY. Besides, every home comes with two parking spaces.

PENSION FUNDS INTO RISKY SPECULATIVE FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES: "We are going to be giving away 50,000 energy efficient refrigerators to low income families. [Who's paying for them?] We even have an initiative, the only one in the world, to transform bio-solids into energy. The need to "green" California, invest in the environment. And to the critics who say, "When you go green, you inherently undermine the economy and lose jobs...There is a whole new industry that comes with going green. The technology we use for alternative fuels; for energy efficient appliances; for all of the very important initiatives that we are doing here in Los Angeles and the State of California...those are the technologies that we can export around the world. Because every City around the world is grappling with the issue of "global climate change"." - MAV

[Oh really...can I see those statistics -- on every City who is "grappling" and the fact that we are, indeed, factually going through "global climate change"? Cause you are talking about investing people's pensions into your speculation.]

"We are looking at our pension funds and identifying ways to invest our pension funds into green economy; citing green businesses in parts of the City that has been left behind; where manufacturing has left and there's a great opportunity to provide good jobs. Jobs that pay a decent "living wage"; jobs that are part of the green economy." - MAV

[ZD: I'm all for that, EXCEPT the part about taking "our" pension funds and investing them in your speculative, alternative, energy business. Cause from a "marketing strategy" analysis...again, you are not going to get society as a whole to switch to alternative energy sources enough to make a meaningful impact. For example, hybrid cars are gonna stay a novelty for quite some time. Develop these technologies and try to implement them, yes! But do it with private money...not pension funds...WAAAAAAAAAAAY to speculative and risky. Meanwhile, I think educating the general public to things they can do, personally, everyday (empower them with the knowledge) to do more to "pitch in" everyday on a practical level, cause not everyone is gonna by a hybrid or install solar panels and stop driving.]

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

GLASSEL PARK/CYPRESS PARK WALKABOUT WITH ZUMA DOGG, Garcetti, Reyes and Huizar

GLASSELL PARK/CYPRESS PARK WALKABOUT

Saturday, June 9, 2007
8:00am to 3:00pm.
Glassell Park Community Senior Center
3750 N. Verdugo Road
Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Glassell Park Improvement Association, the Greater Cypress Park
Neighborhood Council, ZAP's Zuma Dogg and Councilmembers Garcetti, Reyes and Huizar are sponsoring the Great Glassell Park and Cypress Park Walkabout.

The walkabout will conduct a Walk Audit of the major streets in both
communities to review the current build out of the street, the street
designations, land use and urban forms. Community volunteers are needed.

A Walkabout collects and documents information to inventory elements
that contribute, or detract, from the health and viability of a
community. The information collected will be collated into a book for
political representatives, city departments, and especially community
members to reference when determining the direction of improvements for
the area.

If you would like to volunteer or need more information, please contact
Zuma Dogg at ZAP (Zuma's Activist Program): zumadogg@gmail.com

Councilmember Jose Huizar INTITES PUBLIC TO DISCUSS HILLSIDE DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS

COUNCILMEMBER JOSE HUIZAR INVITES YOU TO A PUBLIC FORUM TO DISCUSS CUMULATIVE IMPACTS, CEQA and the CITY OF LOS ANGELES

Friday, June 8, 2007
7-9pm
Carlin G. Smith Recreation Center
511 W Ave 46, Los Angeles, CA 90065 (Mt. Washington)

The impacts of hillside development are a concern for many areas of
our city and all stakeholders are invited to attend!

This community forum will discuss the issues, laws, and community
concerns related to the cumulative impacts of hillside development,
piecemeal development and related topics. This discussion will
examine the laws, and the ways in which the City of Los Angeles
addresses these impacts currently, as well as suggestions for changes
that will make processes and hillside protections better and more in
keeping with California Environmental Quality Act guidelines.

Councilmember Huizar has a motion on cumulative impacts which will be
coming back to the City Council Planning & Land Use Management
committee on June 19 which instructs the following:

* Move the Planning Department report back with recommendations for
quantitative thresholds for determining whether a Mitigated Negative
Declaration or a full Environmental Impact Report is required.

* Move that City Planning and Building & Safety report back on the
feasibility and implementation for a specialized environmental unit
which could service both departments.

* Move that determinations of "no impact" be documented to explain how
this determination was made on environmental forms for projects within
hillside areas.

* Move that relevant departments initiate and implement necessary
changes or upgrades to equipment and technology that will allow GIS,
ZIMAS or another technology to track and map related development.

* Move that the City Attorney report back on requiring developers to
disclose on application forms any development on parcels in a 2,000
foot radius with which they, or those related to them, have a
financial interest, or on which they have permits or an application
pending.

* Move that City Planning add an electronic subscription notice to the
Early Notification System to allow members of the public to subscribe
and receive electronic notices of MNDs and EIRs as well as receive
electronic notice of entitlement applications.

* Move that City Planning require notification of MNDs and EIRs be
posted in a publicly visible location on the subject property and that
notices be mailed to adjacent parcels.

* Move that Building & Safety, City Planning and City Attorney report
back on implementation of requiring a public hearing for all haul
routes related to hillside development, and on the feasibility of
limiting the number of project sites that can be active in an area at
the same time.

* Move that City Planning report back on re-evaluating the criteria of
ministerial actions in hillside areas.

Hillside development affects communities throughout Los Angeles, so
tell your friends and neighbors about the forum and attend ready to
learn and provide input on this important citywide issue.

Friday, June 8, 2007
7-9pm
Carlin G. Smith Recreation Center
511 W Ave 46, Los Angeles, CA 90065 (Mt. Washington)

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com (ZAP: Zuma's Activist Program)

Los Angeles Councilmember Jose Huizar Weasles His Way Into Elephant Hill Development Against Community Wishes Now That He Has Been Re-Elected

Although the tract was evaluated before to be safe; the people asked Huizar to ensure that it not be allowed because;

* beautiful hills
* very high
* unstable.

People want no development on the hills.

Huizar said "let planning check"...(after my election).

Now Huizar says...you asked me to have it checked, I did, planning STILL SAYS ITS OK. And adds, "The developers can build UNLESS you ask me to ask the whole Council, who may or may not approve."

[Hey Jose...common...you know all about the "Rule of 15". The other 14 will do whatever you tell them on this, cause there is the un-written council rule that other CMs don't mess with other CMs backyards. So go ahead and run it past the full council. I haven't seen an agenda item get voted down in the year I've been watching. ZD]


I think the Council will approve because Huizar owes too much to the developers of El Sereno and Alhambra who want that land. Then he can blame the council...but all the developers get paid off.

Environmentalists Have Filed Legal Papers Accusing the City Council and City Attorney of Taking Bribes to Approve Dangerous Development in Playa Vista

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com, www.zumadogg.blogspot.com

City Council Took Money, Then Voted to Approve Playa Vista; City Attorney Also Implicated

By John Davis
Full article in FREE VENICE - BEACH HEAD NEWSPAPER

NOTE: AFTER SHOWING THIS ARTICLE TO COUNCILMEMBER DENNIS ZINE, HE TOLD HE WAS THE ONLY CM (as mentioned) WHO DID NOT TAKE MONEY OVER THIS. Thanks Dennis!

After prevailing in their lawsuit against the Los Angeles City Council and the Playa Vista project, the environmentalist winners have filed legal papers accusing the City Council and its attorney of taking bribes to approve the dangerous development. The city is doing everything in its power to avoid following the order delivered by the California Court of Appeals.

Allegations that the California Political Reform Act of 1972 was violated by the City Council and City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo in their avoidance of the court order are supported by another California Court of Appeals decision that set the standard.

The council took money and voted for the project within 12 months, a violation. The City Attorney took money in his run for Attorney General and then advised the City Council to make decisions favorable to the development within 12 months, a second violation.

Responding to allegations aired on Channel 4 TV that has faithfully covered the story, a few councilmembers made statements but most did not. The network won a prestigious Peabody Award for its excellent and ongoing coverage of the issue. Only one Council Member did not dip his snout into the hog trough of developer money. All others did.

What else could a developer hope for? But a City Council in its pocket was not enough. In his run for State Attorney General, Delgadillo also dipped his snout in the PV money and then advised the City Council to vote for Playa Vista. He too appeared on TV saying the State Political Reform Act did not apply to him or the Council. The attorney for the environmentalists rejected his position, saying he had not read the case law.

The city did not even challenge the allegations in court but responded outside with desperate public relations bluster. [CLICK READ MORE]

The council understands that if the environmentalists prevail again all of the recent orders of the lower Superior Court Judge made in favor of the developers will be thrown out, as well as the Council decisions to support the project. This is the same lower court judge that was overruled originally. Worse may yet come for the Council and City Attorney. Violations of the Political Reform Act of 1972 are punishable as criminal misdemeanors, like drunk driving.

The environmentalists then discovered that even the judge who seemed unwilling to implement the order of the higher court used to work for the developer’s law firm before he became a judge. This immediately raised a red flag. Could he be impartial in the matter? The environmentalists believed not and asked him to step down, and before he did, to void all of his recent orders and decisions of the City Council. The legal papers also request the judge to reveal all of his financial dealings with the developers hired law firm, including if he was receiving retirement funds at the time of his rulings favorable to the developer.

At the most recent hearing, the judge made no ruling at all and said the next judge also worked for the developers hired law firm at one time and would probably have to step aside. Judge George H. Wu was then appointed to the federal bench by none other than President George Bush, himself. A second judge who worked for the developer’s law firm has since recused himself.

In summary, it appears Playa Capital Corporation had the City Council and the City Attorney in their pocket with indebtedness. The only ones not bribed by this dangerous development were the local environmentalists and their attorneys.

In the interest of disclosure I, too, have an interest in this case as I am one of the environmentalists who sued. Others include Dan Cohen, GrassRoots Coalition and Environmentalism Through Non-violent Action, both nonprofits.

Patricia McPherson of the GrassRoots Coalition engineered the successful lawsuit and we all followed her lead in the interest of protecting public health and safety. Other community leaders such as Kathy Knight, Rex Frankel, Leslie Purcell and Jeanette Vossberg, to name a few, were instrumental in this successful challenge.

Larry Teeter was the gifted lead Attorney for the group and filed the original papers before his passing. Local Attorney Sabrina Venskus made the final winning arguments to the Appellate Court. Now former U.S. Attorney Richard Fine is assisting the winners in enforcement of the Appellate Court order that has led to the new allegations of bribery and influence peddling."

Councilmember Jack Weiss Proposes Important Change In Way Environmental Impact Reports Are Prepared in the City of Los Angeles.

Councilmember Jack Weiss has proposed an important change in the way Environmental Impact Reports are prepared in the City of Los Angeles. This proposed change would make the City, as the Lead Agency, the contracting party who pays the EIR consultant who compiles and writes the EIR. The developer will reimburse the City for the full cost of the EIR preparation but the City will exercise ultimate control over the quality of the EIR work and the payment of the EIR consultant.

This would reverse years of developer-driven EIRs where the developer is allowed to retain the EIR consultant and directly pay the consultant. Such a contractual relationship gives developers such control over EIRs that they have seemed more like advocacy documents for the project instead of neutral evaluation of possible environmental effects.

The Mount Washington Homeowners Alliance applauds the proposal and calls upon Councilmembers Reyes and Huizar to endorse in concept this long-overdue reform of the City's environmental review processes.

Daniel Wright, President
Mount Washington Homeowners Alliance

Text of Weiss's press release follows:

WEISS PROPOSES MAJOR CHANGE IN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS FOR DEVELOPMENTS IN CITY
Planning Department would oversee firms conducting EIRs.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:

May 15, 2007

LOS ANGELES – To increase public confidence in the environmental review process for development projects, Los Angeles City Councilmember Jack Weiss today introduced a measure to explore giving the Planning Department hiring authority over consultants who would be paid by developers but report to city officials.

"My district has seen some very complicated development proposals in recent years, and residents have felt the EIR process is biased toward developers who choose their own consultants and pay for the environmental analysis," said Weiss. "I want to explore changing the equation to ensure that community members can trust the results of EIRs and know that the process has been fair and complete."

"This is an important step in creating a level playing field for responsible development. Communities are looking for accuracy not advocacy in an environmental review," said Laura Lake, PhD, President of Lake and Lake Consulting and a longtime Westside community activist.

"Jack Weiss is to be commended. This is a big step forward because it will separate the developer from the consultant and will bring about more honest environmental assessments that accurately reflect traffic and density issues. We are grateful that he is taking the lead to make the environmental review process more accountable to the public rather than developers," said Gerald A. Silver, President of Homeowners of Encino.

"The city’s planners, traffic engineers and other officials can only do their jobs based on the quality of information they are given. The credibility of the planning process rests upon the availability of objective planning data. Jack Weiss’ motion begins a long awaited process to ensure that planning decisions are less likely to be influenced by a developer’s wishes. Our homeowners association looks forward to working with him and the Council to craft a policy that will remove influence or the appearance of undue influence from the planning process," said Barbara Broide, President of Westwood South of Santa Monica Boulevard Homeowners Association.

The Planning Department is responsible for reviewing an ever-growing number of land use projects, including extensive analyses of Environmental Impact Reports submitted by the project applicants and prepared by their private consultants.

To provide more transparency and consistency in the environmental review process, the City should explore different approaches to the selection of environmental consultants, such as contracting directly with environmental consultants, rather than relying on the selections of applicants. In many other jurisdictions, a list of eligible environmental consultants, selected via a Request for Proposals (RFP), is developed and applicants choose from the list and reimburse the City for the costs of the environmental consultants.

The measure will be discussed by the Council’s Planning and Land Use Management(PLUM) Committee later this year.

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com, www.zumadogg.blogspot.com

ZUMA DOGG EXCLUSIVE: WYVENWOOD APTS SET FOR DEMOLITION IF THEY FIND LOOPHOLE TO DEMOLISH HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND CAN CUT DOWN PROTECTED OAK TREES

Original Story on Mayor Sam's Sister City Bloga
We'll see just how protected the dozens and dozens of oak trees are, and if Steven Fink's Fifteen Group's Wyvenwood Apts "Historic Building Consultant" can find a LOOPHOLE to allow developers to demolish the historic buildings, and if chopping down the oak trees can make it past an EIR. AND --- a "Tenant Relocation Consultant" has been hired.

So although no official plans have been presented to CD 14/Boyle Hts CM Jose Huizar. Fink's FIfteen has the plans in the works -- and ZD was told, if they can find the loopholes, they will do a demolition and build condos.

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

NC ALERT: Attend Hearing - Agencies to Report on Environmental Review for

From: "CJ Reagan"

* Action Alert * Action Alert * Action Alert * Action Alert * Action Alert *

May 8, 2007

Attend Hearing - Agencies to Report on Environmental Review for Elephant Hill

The report by City agencies investigating the need for a Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for the expanded development on Elephant Hill - Tract 35022 - will soon be presented to the City Council's Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee. Residents and other supporters are urged to attend the PLUM hearing at 2 p.m.,Tuesday, May 22nd in Room 350, City Hall.


On January 23, 2007, PLUM directed the Planning Dept. (lead agency), the Bureau of Engineering and the Department of Building and Safety with assistance from the City Attorney to develop this report.

Documentation obtained since the January PLUM hearing provides further details about the Tract expansion. A geology and soils report approval letter dated March 6, 2006 from Building & Safety states: "The referenced reports concerning recommendations for development of 52 lots for proposed single-family residents have been reviewed by the Grading Division.

Reports for development of Lots 1-24 of tract 35022 were previously approved in the above referenced Department letters. The current reports include those lots and several other lots as one development. " (Italics added.)

Because additional environmental review is allowed under state law when there is proof that a project has expanded beyond its original plans, concerned residents and organizations have formally requested that the report answer key questions including: What decision, law or authority allowed tract 35022 to be expanded? And, under what law or authority was the 1992 EIR applied to the expanded tract lots?

El Sereno residents deserve equitable and fair services from City agencies responsible for planning and overseeing the construction of residential developments. Developers who work in El Sereno should be required to follow the rules like everyone else.

What You Can Do:

1. Attend the PLUM hearing on the agency report investigating the need for a Supplemental EIR for Tract 35022 on Elephant Hill, 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 22, 2007, in Room 350, City Hall. The File Number for this item is #04-1413.

2. Write or call PLUM committee members to ensure that the report answers the questions asked by residents and others about the expansion of Tract 35022; mention File #04-1413. Thank PLUM members for directing City agencies to develop this report.

* Email: Barbara.Greaves@ lacity.org or write to: Planning & Land Use
Committee, City Hall, 200 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Individual Committee members can be contacted as follows:
* Ed Reyes, Chair: councilmember. reyes@council. lacity.org or 213-473-7001
* Jose Huizar: councilmember. huizar@lacity. org or 213-473-7014
* Jack Weiss: councilmember. weiss@lacity. org or 213-473-7005

3. For ongoing information about Elephant Hill check out these new blogs:
http://www.saveelep hanthills. blogspot. com/ and
http://latinourbanf orum.blogspot. com/

For more information contact: Casey Reagan at 213-804-2471 or
cjreagan@roadrunner .com

RENTERS FIGHT CONDO CONVERSION IN VIOLATION OF CHARTER: ROUND ONE VICTORY!

Yes folks, that's right. We won the appeal. (Well, the first round, at least).

We thought we had a good chance as we did have some solid legal arguments, but to our surprise The East Los Angeles Area Planning Commission voted unanimously in our favor to grant the appeal, thus
overturning the Planning Department's decision to allow the conversion.

The Commission agreed that the application was incorrectly accepted by the Planning Department to begin with, that too few tenants were willing or able
to buy, that the 3.8% vacancy rate was significant, and that the cumulative impact of this conversion and other conversions past present and future in the surrounding area was significant enough that the conversion should not have been approved in the first place.

This was a landmark decision, and an important precedent has now been set for future conversions that come before this Commission.

Slowly but surely the tide is turning and people are finally starting to sit up and listen - and to take note of the gravity of the situation.

Yesterday's decision will have a positive impact for future conversions that come before this
Commission (we especially hope it has an impact in areas hard hit by this conversion trend, like Silver Lake) and ideally it will have an impact at the first stage of the conversion process - when the application is made to the Planning Department.

However, it's not over yet as a second and final appeal can still be placed by the losing party, which we assume the developers will proceed with.

This appeal comes before the entire Los Angeles City Council.

The good news is that we enter this appeal with certain things in our favor already: it is an
advantage having the unanimous support of the ELAAPC behind us, and also the support of Council District 13.

Not only is Eric Garcetti our Council Member, he is also the President of the Los Angeles City Council, and his office have been incredibly supportive of our case.

We still have work ahead of us, who knows how this last appeal will go, but we'll all know soon. The window to place the second appeal is very short, and once it has been applied for the hearing must take place within 70 days,
so either way this will all be settled in the next few months. We will keep everyone up to date as the situation proceeds.

Once again we would like to thank every one of you who came out to support us and who spoke out on our behalf, your contribution and support was invaluable, so we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Clio and John
Renters
Edgecliff Dr, Silver Lake.

Posted on Mayor Sam's Sister City blog on May 12, 2007 6:59 PM (www.mayorsam.blogspot.com)

LA CITY TO "LEND" $1.75 MILLION IN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM "EMERGENCY" CRISIS

CM ALRACON SUCKERS LA CITY COUNCIL (AND THE REST OF THE CITY) FOR $1.7 MILLION FOR "EMERGENCY" MUSUEM MOTION

Congratulations to newly returned Los Angeles City Councilmemeber Richard Alarcon (CD 7) for testing the waters with Council, and proving no one can stand up to you.

You just suckered the other CMs into $1.7 million for your district's Children's Museum, which looks to ZD like nothing more than a "gift of public".

First of all:

a) Does construction stopping on Monday of a museum constitue calling for "EMERGENCY RULE 23 (motion)? Well that's how Alarcon blows a curveball past the pueblos like Neighborhood Council, a public hearing with proper notification AND I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS!!! Plus, the motion WAS NOT posted on the bulletin board on the side of Council Chambers after Garshady mentoined there MAY be a SPECIAL RULE 23. I FUCKING WENT TO LOOK FOR IT...THE BULLETIN BOARD WAS EM-F*CKIN-TY!

b) Here's the deal: The City is gonna "loan" $1.75 million to the Los Angeles Children's Museum near the Van Whatchamacallit dam (HANSEN Dam in Lake View Terrace), if they can get matching private donations (which OBVIOUSLY they haven't been able to do enough of). What's the big emergency? Construction workers may walk off the job money if they don't get the dinero. (I think we got way bigger emergencies, y'all...like smog, for one.)

c) This is being done without any knowledge of information as to cost over-runs. This isn't to FINISH the project; it's just to keep it going. Who's to say they won't come back and ask for more money later? What about cost over-runs? Does $1.75 million account for those? (Can I have that in writing please?)

d) It's an "un-secured, no-interest" loan. EXCUSE ME...THERE'S A REASON WHY CM HUIZAR STOOD UP TO WONDER WHY WE ARE DOING THIS, SINCE THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. (And for good reason.)

e) What if the loan isn't paid back? Then it becomes a "gift of public". Who says City Council has the right to essentially give away public money on a "non-secure, no interest" loan, with no guarantee they will get the job done and the California Supreme Court ruling against the "False Claims Act" means you will have no recourse over fraudluant cost over-runs.

f) Padilla is a big talker who didn't put any provisions in place to protect his plan from a diversion, as this. Padilla made promises to the district and the City, and he allowed AlarCON to go back on those promises. BECAUSE THERE IS NO LEADERSHIP OR BACKBONE IN THE HORSESHOE EXCEPT FOR ALARcon, I GUESS. So look at his motions, if you want to see which way the City is headed. [WAY TO STAND UP AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT ERIC GARSHADY! YOU BLEW THIS LIKE YOU BLEW LAX: TWO BIG PERFORMANCE FOR PROMISE INSTEAD OF PERFORMANCE FOR PERFOMANCE!]

g) LAURA CHICK ANNOUNCED AN AUDIT: THAT MEANS SHE SUSPECTS A LITTLE "FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE"...AND YOU'RE GONNA GIVE $1.75 MILLION TO THAT? SOUNDS LIKE A REAL SECURE INVESTMENT. (Oh yeah, it's "non-secure", I forgot.)

EXCUSE ME: WENDY GREUEL...YOU TELL THAT HILARIOUS JOKE ON A THURSDAY THAT YOU WANT TO BE CITY CONTROLLER, AND ON FRIDAY YOU VOTE "YES" ON THIS, WITHOUT CHALLENGING ALARCON ON THIS??? JACK WEISS, YOU WANT TO BE CITY ATTORNEY, BUT YOU VOTED "YES" FOR THIS???

HERE'S WHAT ZUMA DOGG WILL BE SAYING, NOW THAT HE MUST CHALLENGE WENDY GREUEL FOR CITY CONTROLLER, SINCE SHE CAN'T STAND UP TO ALARCON, AND CAN'T PROPERLY RUN THE PUBLIC COMMENT TIMER:

ZD SAYS...At a minimum, AlarCON should secure the loan with money from the museum property (collateral), all personal and real property). And I call on my colleague, Mr. City Attorney Rockard Delgadillo to recommend the property be secured with adequate means of repayment! And a ruling if Council has the right to give a "gift of public", like this.

I'M GLAD CM DENNIS ZINE WASN'T AROUND TO VOTE "YES" ON THIS!

contact: zumadogg@gmail.com

Re: FINK'S "WYVENWOOD" APTS? IS IT STAYING A RENTAL OR DEMOLITION, CM JOSE HUIZAR?

FIRST OF ALL, Y'ALL: Regarding Steven Fink's Fifteen Group (A Florida based developer with offices in Los Angeles);

Right now, it's an apartment; but Zuma Dogg has heard Los Angeles City Councilmember Jose Huizar has given the starting flag, to start preparing the plans to "demolish" the building and build a nice new luxury condos.

ONLY ONE PROBLEM Y'ALL...Those buildings are historic buildings, y'all...oh no! And there are way too many dozens and dozens of protected oak trees in the hood.

So first you would have to hire a "Historic Building Consultant" to look for a loophole to be able to demolish the building. And ZUMA DOGG's Bat Computer says...APPROVAL FOR SUCH CONSULTANT HAS BEEN GIVEN!

Secondly, you can try whatever shady tactics to try and find a loophole to cut down all them oak trees in the way of your high denisty, luxury condo demolition -- but you're gonna have to get THAT one past the SI-ERRA CLUB!!!

And if it's a demolition, then a "tenant relocation consultant" must be hired to assess the community impact. Oh no...ZUMA DOGG'S Bat Computer says one's been hired. (So if it's not a demolition, why was the consultant hired?)

And I heard there is person, living in the apartment building, who was AGAINST the secretive, potential demolition; who is now in cahoots with CM's office and is now FOR the demolition, and notifyed Huizar's office, to bow out of an NC meeting, where the pueblos were gonna show up and aks Huizar all about the secretive plan.

Of course, Mr. "Just Keep My Name Out Of It" Councilmember DID NOT show up at the meeting, so he can continue to say he knows nothing about the proposed apartment demolition that will kick many life long residents out into the streets, who sure as HELL won't be able to afford a Steven Fink "Fifteen" project near the Sears project.

So Huizar can continue to say he knows nothing about it. Well Zuma Dogg's Bat Computer is here to say he DOES know about it, because he told Fink to go ahead with the plans, hire the consultants, look for the loopholes, demolish the historic building, kick the people into the streets (that's not HIS problem), cut down the trees, and get the plan all ready...

THAT makes it easy to blow it past NC, local planning committes, public hearings, sierra club, and the City Attorney's office. SO LOOKS LIKE IN ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO, LOOK FOR THIS ONE TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL ON APPEAL FROM FIFTEEN GROUP, ASKING CURRENT CM (CAUSE HUIZAR WILL BE MOVING ON, BY THEN, ZD PREDICTS) TO OVER-RIDE CHARTER, AND THE PROCESS AND TEAR DOWN THESE WALLS, AND CHOP DOWN THESE TREES.

Better plant those million little tree buds (they look like weed clones), PLUS the hundred or so vintage oak trees you gotta cut down, so the cement trucks and campaign contributions can roll. (OOPS! They already have, and that's why this project is gonna ultimatley be steamrolled through. UNLESS ZUMA DOGG AND HIS ZAP (ACTIVIST NETWORK) CAN BE LIKE PUBLIC ENEMY AND -- SHUT 'EM DOWN...GOTTA SHUT 'EM, SHUT 'EM DOWN!

And watch out for Bill Rosendahl's Xenon condo-conversion appeal. (Has been rejected by local planning committee, Michael Zenon is filing an appeal and hoping CM Rosendahl and the other 14 cave in.) Xenon is the developer that a complaint was filed against, last week, with Department of Building and Safety for submitting for building permits on "Dirt" Burnell in Mt. Washington with substantial mis-statement of facts with intention to mislead City into avoiding EIR. (CEQA violation)

Plus, misrepresented the numbers and the kinds of trees that were in the area. PLUS, gave the illusion it was an existing street, not a dirt area. (To read full complaint, see ZD Mayor Sam story below: "Dirt Burnell".)

SO I GUESS WE'RE GONNA SEE WHO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE REPRESENTING, NOW!

ZUMA DOGG FOR CITY CONTROLLER!

Another Questionable DWP-Contractor Link Merits Probe

FROM ZUMA DOGG'S "ZAP" INBOX: zumadogg@gmail.com (Zuma's Action Plan) 310-928-7544

Zuma,

Read more corruption in city hall. From DailyBreeze.com:

Another questionable DWP-contractor link merits probe

Fleishman-Hillard overbilling scandal cast the city department as an unwitting victim --- new case undermines that notion.

Somehow, officials at the Los Angeles DWP survived the Fleishman-Hillard overbilling scandal a few years ago, when they should have been prosecuted just like the public-relations firm's executives.

....The DWP officials who approved the contracts and worked with the firm got a full pass...Now a new, very similar contract irregularity emerging at the utility has a striking resemblance to the Fleishman-Hillard affair. And it could very well expose the whole truth — that the powerful city department is not the unwitting victim of sinister forces, but a willing co-conspirator in fleecing the public.

In this new case, an independent auditor found that CH2M Hill, a Denver-based engineering firm with a large, politically connected Los Angeles office, appears to have overbilled DWP for $3.3 million as part of an eight-year, $96 million contract for dust control services in the Owens Valley...The parallels to the Fleishman-Hillard case are clear...Both are contracts with large firms that do regular business with the city, operated by political players who have friends at City Hall. Both are firms that gave generously to the campaigns of the city's top politicians.

Hill's former main man in L.A., Jack Baylis, is a big political contributor. Employees and the firm have collectively donated more than $22,000 to L.A. politicians in the last six years.

DWP officials can't simply blame the contractors again this time. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

The audit found, among many discrepancies, that the city was paying labor rates 10 percent higher than the firm's proposed rate and lacked cost analyses. But two previous DWP audits somehow failed to uncover any of these problems.

This is more than a case of city workers being careless with public money. This smacks of collusion and wanton misappropriation of public funds. The District Attorney's Office needs to look beyond the contractors into the department itself.

MAJOR VICTORY: LOCAL PLANNING COMMITTEES ENFORCE VACANCY RATES OVER CONDO-CONVERSIONS

LOCAL PLANNING COMMITTEES ENFORCE VACANCY RATES OVER CONDO-CONVERSIONS
Forces Developers To Appeal To Council -- Will Now See Who Is In Whom's Pocket

by Zuma Dogg

It's called 12.95.2 (Vacancy Rates) and it's Villaraigosa, Council and the shady developers worst nightmare. The un-checked steamrolling of the City may be having the brakes slammed down -- but it's probably too late, anyway.

IF YOU ARE A LAND SPECULATOR WHO BUYS AN APARTMENT AND PLANS TO CONVERT TO CONDO; THEN SELL SHORTLY THEREAFTER...NOW YOU ARE SCREWED!!!

Thanks to Noel Weiss, who Zuma Dogg heard talking the "vacancy rate" law (according to City Charter), during public comment, that prevents an apartment owner/land speculator from converting to a condo unless there is more than 5% vacany in the area.

And as Wesson and Garcetti can tell you, I picked up on Noel's comments and ended up going on to believe it was the biggest steamroll bamboozle in town that needed way more attention.

So, we started going to committee meetings and started speaking about it relentlessly in from of Council (which puts it on the record), but more importantly, it was going out on TV 35...and now the City Attorney was forced to inquire as to why vacancy rates were being ignored for so many years (a sidestep of the Charter and therefore sidestepping the law).

AND NOW...local planning committees like Rosendahl's West LA and Garshady's West Hollywood local planning committees and NC's are now paying attention to, and enforcing the vacancy rate issue (and other Ellis Act issues), and are saying "NO" to the high density, bullsh*t projects, because the roads are way too crowded, schools are way too crowded, the mayor cannot hire enough police to keep up with the rising demand, DWP may not be able to supply water to all these high-density environmental killers; and you can expand the 405 all you want -- or run the 90 freeway into Lincoln Blvd in Marina Del Rey...BUT YOU AREN'T EXPANDING THE SIDESTREETS AROUND THEM. YOU AREN'T REDUCING CLASSROOM SIZE...YOU AREN'T HIRING NEW COPS...YOU AREN'T DOING SH*T...EXCEPT IGNORING THE LAW -- AND WORSE, AND NOW THE STATE AND COUNTRY HAS TO SPEND MONEY INVESTIGATING YO AZZEZ...

SO NOW, these shady developers who are getting rejected by the community, because Villaraigosa and Clowncil igorned all that above mentioned stuff, and more,
have to put an "appeal" on the agenda -- and make all 15 Councilmembers sign the conversion permit with their own blood, from their own hands.

The first two, Rosendahl and Garshady's are up on the agenda soon. Basically, the shady, crybaby developers will be aksing Council and the Mayor to not only igonore the City Charter (and therefore the law), but ignore local planning committees, and be like Nike and, "JUST DO IT".

SO WE ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT IF THESE COUNCILMEMBERS MEAN WHAT THEY SAY, WHEN THEY SAY THEY ARE FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO ELECT THEM -- OR JUST A BUNCH OF SPINELESS, GREEDY BASTARDS WHO ARE IN THE BACK POCKET OF THESE DEVELOPERS.

ZD THINKS IT'S GONNA BE VERY HARD FOR COUNCIL TO STAND UP TO SHADINESS, CAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY LEADERSHIP AMONG THE FIFTEEN, CURRNENTLY IN OFFICE. ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE JUST A BUNCH OF LAPDOG LOSERS WHO ROLL OVER FOR THE MONEY. AND TIE UP ANY GOOD SH*T FOR A YEAR IN COMMITTEE.

I WISH Y'ALL WOULD GO JUMP INTO THE LA RIVER...AKA: THE CONDORODO RIVER. Cause that's all it is...a bad, expensive CRA excuse to build a row of high density housing along the river. [ZUMA DOGG SAYS SECTION 8!]. And CM Ed Reyes was forced to admit isn't even a watershed, so it doesn't even actually serve a purpose, except to allow the City/CRA/short list of preferred contractors to spend and make a lot of money, not only on the "river", but on the row of high density housing to follow. Hence, "The CONDORODO RIVER". SEE YOU AT THE HEARINGS, ED!"

zumadogg@netzero.com

How about a Charity softball special event for the kids, this summer. Zuma Dogg's ZAPPERS vs The City Council LAPDOG LOSERS!

LOS ANGELES DEVELOPERS/LAND SPECULATORS BEWARE: East Los Angeles Planning Commission Voted Unanimously To Grant Condo-Covnversion Appeal

MORE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL COVERAGE AT www.mayorsam.blogspot.com

Yes folks, that's right. We won the appeal. (Well, the first round, at least).

We thought we had a good chance as we did have some solid legal arguments, but to our surprise The East Los Angeles Area Planning Commission voted unanimously in our favor to grant the appeal, thus overturning the Planning Department's decision to allow the conversion.

The Commission agreed that the application was incorrectly accepted by the Planning Department to begin with, that too few tenants were willing or able to buy, that the 3.8% vacancy rate was significant, and that the cumulative impact of this conversion and other conversions past present and future in the surrounding area was significant enough that the conversion should not have been approved in the first place.

This was a landmark decision, and an important precedent has now been set for future conversions that come before this Commission.

Slowly but surely the tide is turning and people are finally starting to sit up and listen - and to take note of the gravity of the situation.

Yesterday's decision will have a positive impact for future conversions that come before this Commission (we especially hope it has an impact in areas hard hit by this conversion trend, like Silver Lake) and ideally it will have an impact at the first stage of the conversion process - when the application is made to the Planning Department.

However, it's not over yet as a second and final appeal can still be placed by the losing party, which we assume the developers will proceed with.

This appeal comes before the entire Los Angeles City Council.

The good news is that we enter this appeal with certain things in our favor already: it is an advantage having the unanimous support of the ELAAPC behind us, and also the support of Council District 13.

Not only is Eric Garcetti our Council Member, he is also the President of the Los Angeles City Council, and his office have been incredibly supportive of our case. [ZUMA DOGG SAYS WATCH TO SEE WHICH WAY HE VOTES BEFORE YOU PRAISE HIS SUPPORT. ZD KNOWS THE GUY.]

We still have work ahead of us, who knows how this last appeal will go, but we'll all know soon. The window to place the second appeal is very short, and once it has been applied for the hearing must take place within 70 days, so either way this will all be settled in the next few months. We will keep everyone up to date as the situation proceeds.

Once again we would like to thank every one of you who came out to support us and who spoke out on our behalf, your contribution and support was invaluable, so we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Clio and John
Renters
Edgecliff Dr., Silver Lake.