Neighborhood Council Blog

Zuma Dogg wants to keep up with you on Twitter

2009-07-10T21:29:00.001-07:00

Zuma Dogg wants to keep up with you on Twitter

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Los Angeles Times Interview: Mayoral Candidate David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg

2009-02-11T18:52:00.000-08:00

Please vote March 3, 2009 and look for your mail-in ballot TODAY!

ZumaDoggForMayor.com

David 'Zuma Dogg' Saltsburg: L.A. mayoral candidate

February 11, 2009

With the March 3 primary election drawing near, The Times asked all candidates for Los Angeles mayor to respond to questions about key issues facing the nation's second-largest city. Here are the responses from candidate David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg:

1) What distinguishes you from the other candidates in the race?

First of all, I consider my extensive training of Dr. W. Edwards Deming's 14-point management philosophy the single most important qualification that distinguishes me from the other candidates.

I am a firm believer that until the city of Los Angeles embraces these 14 points (methods for management of quality and productivity) under the leadership of the mayor's office, the city will continue to trip all over itself and waste immeasurable amounts of money; just when we need to do more with less.

My interpretation of Deming's 14 points was praised by Deming himself and published internationally in Quality Digest. So the fact that I have an actual 14-point plan (method) in which to operate the mayor's office distinguishes me as a candidate. As opposed to just pointing out problems with no method to achieve the goal of improvement.

Secondly, I am the only candidate who actually attends almost all of the City Council meetings (including a six-month-plus stretch without missing a single meeting), reviews each agenda, item by item; then speaks out "on the record" before council on the shadiest items.

So I don't think there is any other candidate on the ballot, including the incumbent, who is as on top of what is going on in the city on a day-to-day operational basis than myself.

And while attending all of these council meetings and other community meetings, I have met thousands of people (who see me on TV) who grab my ear and tell me about what is most important to them in their community. What issue is the city plaguing them with. These are truly heartbreaking stories from the most diverse socioeconomic and demographic crowd on the planet. The truest melting pot in the world is L.A. City Council chambers on any given day.

So I have sure been "schooled" by nearly all factions of the community in nearly all pockets of the city, from Marina del Rey to El Sereno. I am just as recognized in Highland Park and Woodland Hills. I am certain there is no other candidate who has spent more time in the streets and meeting rooms throughout the city, being educated on the most important issues in the city.

But the most important and unintended quality that I have taken on while connecting with so many people across the city is the actual importance of "compassion" in making decisions as mayor. It's easy to take an idealist, "perfect world" stance on citywide issues as a candidate. But then you have to deal with a real situation, with real people, in real time. And I wouldn't be prepared to be mayor of this city without seeing and hearing things from other people's perspective.

Everything I have ever spoken on or written about has been brought to me by a member of the community either by e-mail, phone or in person. And it has only been through this process of meeting thousands of people over the past three years as I attend these meetings that I am now ready to represent the voice and spirit of the community.

And they don't teach you how to run the mayor's office in an Ivy League textbook. So luckily, I have studied Deming's management philosophy extensively and have attended hundreds of council meetings and spoken with thousands of people, so I probably know what is actually going on and what to do about it more than any other candidate.

2) Los Angeles likely will face a deficit of $400 million to $500 million in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, as well as steep shortfalls in the years that follow. If elected, how would you balance the city budget? Specifically, what programs or services would you cut, what taxes or fees would you increase, and what other measures would you take?

I don't want to think about increasing fees and taxes until the city of Los Angeles does much more on its part to reduce the bureaucracy and inefficiency that is wasting much too much of the money in the first place. So by making "waste reduction" the fundamental priority for all projects and services, as mayor, I will be immediately doing as much as possible, right off the bat, at the most basic, fundamental level to help address the deficit.

Because it becomes very expensive when you have to redo everything two or three times. For example, I have heard complaints from city workers of sidewalks being built, only to have to be torn apart immediately and rebuilt again because of some problem no one had the foresight to see in advance. The city has installed left-turn "auto-sensors" all throughout the city that are not timed properly and is making traffic congestion even worse and even more unsafe. Imagine how much actual time and money will have to be spent to "fix" the problem. We could be talking a third of a budget reduction just by reducing this type of "triple effort" waste. And the method to achieve this goal are the 14 points that I will start to implement on my first day in office.

So after we address this unmeasurable waste that must be addressed, I will sit down with all the city department heads and see just how bad the balance sheet looks and if any other measures (like new taxes or fee increases) are really needed. Because as mayor of Los Angeles, any new tax or fee hike should always be the last-resort measure. Not the first thing you run and do to cover all of your wasteful spending.

Regarding what programs or services to be cut, I would go in and evaluate each program and see which programs are not providing the services to the community as initially promised and obviously cut those programs because one of my top two concerns in this economic crisis is the fraud, waste and abuse of federal and state money provided to deliver services to the community. The concern being the money is wasted by front-end loaded management contracts, the community doesn't see the money, the services are not provided, the community falls into further disrepair, then the mayor comes back and asks for more money in the form of higher fees, new taxes and bonds -- after the city just wasted the money that was supposed to provide those community services in the first place.

I know we will be having a serious discussion about these "special event fee waivers" where the city picks up the tab for these private events like the Academy Award and Grammy parties while talking about program and service cuts.

3) To cut costs, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is considering layoffs or offering early retirement to city employees. Do you support either or both of those alternatives? Given the increased need for government assistance in these bad economic times, is now the right time to reduce the number of city employees or cut hours at libraries and city parks?

Of course no one wants to cut library or park hours. But what if you found out that if you didn't cut back library hours, that when you call 911 for the Fire Department they might not be able to show up that day? Or what if we keep the parks open until midnight but the trash will be piling up all over your neighborhood? Given the economic crisis the city is faced with, I don't think we will be asking the question if now is the right time, but what is getting cut. And the job of mayor is to evaluate the entire picture and make the decisions that have to be made from a compassionate standpoint. Any candidate who says nothing will be getting cut in these economic circumstances should be running for Santa Claus, not mayor of Los Angeles.

Regarding layoffs, I think the city under Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has gotten pretty fat, with a lot of room for improved efficiency. I would think, through methods of management of quality and productivity, each department would be able to do more with less.

So maybe there will be opportunities to first offer early retirement if that is necessary as a first line of employee reduction. And since I agree that more government assistance will be needed in these bad economic times, I would look to see if there are people in certain "fatter" bureaucratic departments that can be moved into some of these other departments that will be needing more staff.

But we can't just let the city continue to operate so wastefully and inefficiently just because it is providing jobs. I think we have seen the result that philosophy produces. I know where there will be some massive layoffs however, on my first day as mayor: In the mayor's office. I hear there are about 90 extra people on the mayor's roster that I would not need to surround myself with.

4) Do you support Measure B, the city's proposed solar power initiative? Why? How do you believe it will affect Department of Water and Power rates?

Not only do I not support Measure B, if I have one message to get across to voters this election season, it is please vote "No" on Measure B. The measure was rushed onto the ballot without much discussion or input. It will drive up the cost of DWP rates. I think just about everyone in the city would agree that solar energy is good. But this is an extremely risky plan that reports say may cost at least double the initial proposed cost. It's a blank check for an aggressive plan that DWP is not ready to take on. But the worst part is that it is not really about creating a strategic solar plan for the city. There was no competitive bid for the program. Because Villaraigosa already decided this one, single plan must use a certain solar panel company in China and must be installed with the union workers of his choice. This Measure B will shut out private industry in the city from installing these solar panels. So what I think this is about isn't about solar, but helping the mayor secure his re-election by putting this deal together that is too expensive, too risky, noncompetitive, will drive up DWP rates, takes the solar industry out of private hands and requires blank-check spending. So that's a "No" on B for me.

5) Should the city controller have authority to perform both financial audits and performance audits on programs run by the mayor or city attorney?

The city controller should have authority to perform both financial and performance audits on programs run by both offices. However, as a citizen who has thought about this as it was discussed at a council meeting, you do not want the controller to be using the position as a tool to go after your political opponents.

Regarding financial audits, that can be done by the controller's office, because it shouldn't be subjective to interpretation, since you are dealing with numbers that should all be adding up. However, regarding performance audits, that is where there is room for a controller to slam a program's performance for politically motivated reasons. So you need to have an independent agency, even if it is hired by the controller's office, to perform the performance side of the audit to make sure you are getting a completely independent and impartial review.

6) In June, the city's contracts with police and firefighters unions will expire. Should police officers and firefighters be given raises or increased benefits? If so, how would you pay for those, given the city's current financial condition?

Even though I feel police and firefighters should be the last to be cut and the most important workers in the city with the toughest and many times most thankless jobs, I do not see how the city can afford to offer raises and increased benefits when the mayor is talking about firings.

As mayor, the first priority must be to ensure public safety throughout all 15 districts. And although I probably just lost the support of the police and firefighters union, I would hope that all city workers would prefer to remain at current salary and benefit levels, rather than have to fire people in the two most critical city departments.

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Vote Zuma Dogg For Mayor of Los Angeles on March 3, 2009

2009-02-09T13:41:00.001-08:00

Go to Zuma Dogg For Mayor.com for more information

Zuma's LA Daily Blog Hits Through The Roof Today!

2009-02-04T21:08:00.001-08:00

I sent out an email blast to 1000 people last night and some other blogs linked to my blog today, but I don't know what else happened, because I noticed my blog hits are through the roof today, at least quadrupling the usual daily views.

I think the email blast to 1000 people with embedded links to stories posted on the blog were opened up today by alot of people when people got on their computers, and perhaps a few people did an email "forward" blast to their contacts.

So the good news is, just when Zuma Dogg hit with a lot of good and exclusive stories about the mayor and city council and the agenda, a lot of people are seeing it.

And oh yeah, the mail-in ballots are out and we are a month away from the election, so the timing is good.

Plus, looks like more media interest is coming ZD's way as we are 30 days away. I was contacted by a major college newspaper today, and we already met in person Downtown and did the massive interview. And, listen for Zuma Dogg on the Pat Morrison show next Tuesday!

Plus, LA Times has sent those six question that I posted yesterday that I am currently typing up that they will include in their newspaper next week. And I am told Zuma Dogg's TV 35 three-minute campaign spot looks great (Zuma as "David" clean shaven without the cap and glasses) and will begin airing next week on the 10th of February (on City TV 35) along with the other candidates. (And yes, it will be posted on Zuma's YouTube site, as well.)

So for today, for whatever reason (and I think a 1000 person email blast is to blame), Zuma's LA Daily Blog hits are at an all time high, at just the right time.

But most importantly, Bruno of Ron Kaye's RonKayeLA.com mentioned Zuma Dogg in a positive light today on the blog! Click here for story!

And finally, after the round of recent media between City TV 35 appearances, ABC News Nightline, short KFI News segment, KNBC 4 News, Fox 11 News and LA Times mention in about a week's time...I AM REALLY FEELING AN ELEVATED LEVEL OF RECOGNITION (FEEDBACK) FROM PEOPLE ON THE STREETS.

Every now and then I'll say, "Damn, it feels like a whole new wave of street recognition has kicked in" at various times over the past three years. And I am happy to say, with thirty days to the election, last week and again this week, it's kinda been at a magical, overwhelming level of people stopping me in the street in places and in situations I wouldn't expect. And now, my worst nightmare...recognition of Zuma Dogg coming out of the library, without the hat and glasses or ZD shirt. This guy recognized "Dave" as "Zuma Dogg" and added, "You're gonna get more votes than Villaraigosa." I know you think I just made that up. But it is 100% completely true.

As I was walking back from City Hall after the council meeting, someone in a restaurant shouted out, "Zuma Dogg" and walked over to me and said that he heard me talking about Deming's 14 points and knew all about Deming from his job. SO THAT KNOCKED ME OUT AND MAKES IT ALL WORTH IT.

If you only had ANY idea how my day started at 5am, this morning...and somehow I made it from $.0.00 to the council meeting, ended up getting a lot of warm greetings from people as I walk the streets downtown back and forth from the meetings (including the Deming comment) and did an interview with a big college newspaper, was mentioned by Bruno on Ron Kaye's blog, had a great round of public comments ontop of my best month ever of public comments, my blog jumped into the Top 10 last week, and today is about the biggest day the blog has ever seen. And I can tell you, the story about the Firefighters and EMS workers was the most viewed story. VERY GOOD TO SEE!

ZumaDoggForMayor.com

Dennis Zine Statement on New Special Order 40 Training

2009-01-31T13:06:00.000-08:00

(Los Angeles) – As part of my longstanding commitment to public safety, I have worked over the past nine months to give the Los Angeles Police Department additional tools to combat criminal gang members. Last April, I introduced a Council motion asking LAPD to modify its immigration policy known as Special Order 40. This policy prevents officers from questioning people solely to determine their immigration status or arresting them only for violations of immigration law.

My proposal called for amendments to Special Order 40 to require that LAPD officers notify federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities of known gang members who are in this country illegally. The motion also affirmed that LAPD has a responsibility and duty to turn over criminals who are illegal immigrants to ICE.

Last October, my motion received a hearing in the Public Safety Committee. I invited former LAPD Chief Daryl Gates to that meeting to discuss the original intent of Special Order 40, which he authored in the late 1970s. Through his testimony and that of current LAPD officials, many common misunderstandings about the Department's policy were brought to light.

The truth is that Special Order 40 does allow Los Angeles Police Officers to inquire about immigration status if a crime has been committed. The order does not prevent officers from arresting a violent suspect or calling in federal agents to investigate a person they believe illegally reentered the U.S. after deportation. In fact, Department policy outlines how officers should work with ICE to enforce federal immigration warrants.

At that October hearing, LAPD representatives testified that all officers would be re-trained to clarify that Special Order 40 does not prohibit them from obtaining the type of information I called for in my motion. Department officials further stated that they would report back to the City Council in January with the details of their new training procedures.

I am pleased to announce that the LAPD has indeed issued new training documents regarding Special Order 40. However, we have reached the end of January and the Chairman of the Public Safety Committee, still has not allowed this critical issue to receive a follow-up hearing. The Department's modified training can only be successful if it is fully and openly discussed with the general public. That is why I feel I must share this information now.

I have posted the updated LAPD lesson plan on my website at www.lacity.org/cd3 under "Recent News." I also intend to introduce a Council motion next week requesting quarterly reports on the progress of personnel training and specific numbers of individuals reported and transferred to ICE. I am confident that these modifications, along with improved oversight, will strengthen officers' ability to protect and to serve all of us in the City of Los Angeles.

Dennis Zine

FOX 11 10 o'clock News Features ZUMA DOGG's Public Comment on $400,000 Academy Award Party

2009-01-31T11:37:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Fox 11 10 o'clock News for featuring Zuma Dogg's public comment regarding Los Angeles City Council's approval of $400,000 for an Academy Awards party.

During this economic crisis, where Villaraigosa's City Hall is cutting services all across the City, hiring freezes, firings, quadrupling of parking meter hourly rates, new fees and taxes always being proposed, seem kinda irresponsible to be taking $400,000 out of the city's general fund, to pay for an Academy Awards party under the guise of "Special Event Fee Waiver."

A couple week's ago, when LA Times quoted Los Angeles mayoral candidate, David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg on the Grammy Award "Special Event Fee Waiver," Councilmember Jan Perry said that the council wanted to whatever it takes to keep from losing these types of events to other cities.

As candidate for mayor, Zuma Dogg must remind City Council, however, that the Special Event Fee Waiver is not corporate charity and not intended as a private business stimulus package. It is intended for small community events, open to the public, of public benefit for those (non-profit) type events like a church festival or community event where expenses like trash removal services, parking barriers and whatever city services are required, would prevent the event from taking place.

So you can contact your council office, and they can grant you the "Special Event Fee Waiver." The amount was ranging between $500-$1000, maybe a couple thousand. BUT NOW, they are using it for Grammy and Academy Award parties and other private, commercial entities.

REMEMBER, the SEF Waiver stipulates, "open to the public!" So if they city has just picked up the tab for this party...you better let Zuma Dogg into the event.

I think a Federal racketeering case could be made regarding the abuse of the Special Event Fee Waiver under Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaragiosa's City Hall.

As Mayor of Los Angles, Zuma Dogg will put an end to the abuse of the Special Event Fee waiver, saving millions of dollars, each year on this item alone.

ZumaDoggForMayor.com

New Zuma Dogg Blog Posts: Nightline Video, Measure B, Mayor Zuma's 14 Point Plan & More

2009-01-25T19:57:00.001-08:00

These are the recent blog posts I would like you to be aware of. Email blast it. Thanks, ZD

Zuma Dogg For Mayor - Recent Blog Posts

Zuma Dogg For Mayor of Los Angeles: My 14 Point Plan on Citywide Operations

2009-01-25T16:19:00.001-08:00

ZUMA DOGG'S 14 POINT PLAN BASED ON DR. W. EDWARDS DEMING: First of all, here is a Google search for Deming so you can see the impact he has had on this global economy. Deming is the American from Washington, D.C, sent to Japan in the 50's after the war, to help them rebuild their economy because they were so bad off, it was even hurting the U.S., back home. So when you remember back to when Japan took over manufacturing from the U.S. by building all those cars and electronic stuff that didn't break down and was less expensive...that was through the implementation of Deming's 14 points. And now, Zuma Dogg, as candidate for mayor, says the City of Los Angeles now MUST embrace these 14 points and use them as the "Mission Statement" for all city operations.

I am here to tell you, that I can sit here and blog about every problem in the city for the next fifty years, and until the city starts operating under these 14 points, it will always take eight months to have your tree cut, you will always sit on hold for twenty minutes, only to be sent to voice mail by some city employee who is simply trying to pass the hot potato (your concern) to the next person.

So to start, here is a copy of "Interpreting Deming's 14 Points" that I authored in the '90's after attending one of Deming's famous four day seminars. I sent a copy of this to Deming, himself, because I was concerned there were some things that needed correction. I didin't want to misrepresent his life's work. Much to my surprise and delight, Deming faxed back a letter saying that it was well done and he thanked me. This shocked a lot of folks who didn't even believe me, because they claimed the cantacerous consultant didn't go around sending out letters of praise like that. (I, as most others were expecting a lot of red ink corrections.) This article was also published by Quality Digest in 1994 and publisher Don Deward said it was one of the finest articles he has seen on Deming's 14 points and especially liked my explantion of Deming's more controversial points.

As candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, I am telling you, the only reason I have the nerve to put my name on the ballot for mayor in the first place is because of these 14 points that I has guided me in my radio industry career and now as a city advocate. And as a concerned citizen and someone who is pissed off by what he sees enough to have atteneded a six month consecutive stretch of city council meetings to complain about the fraud, waste and abuse...

I AM HERE TO DECLARE...NOTHING WILL BE FIXED OR FUNCTIONAL IN THIS CITY UNTIL CITY HALL STARTS IMPLEMENTING THESE 14 POINTS. THE WORLD IS WAITING! IN THESE TIMES, WE ARE GOING TO BE FORCED TO DO MORE WITH LESS...THIS IS THE METHOD TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL AND MY 14 POINT OPERATION MAUNAL FOR THE CITYAS MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES.

QUALITY DIGEST/June 1994
Long after Deming's death, his 14 points will continue to transform U.S. industry.

Interpreting Deming's 14 Points
by David Saltsburg (Aka: Zuma Dogg)

[Editor's note: W. Edwards Deming died December 20, 1993. The following article analyzing his famous 14 points was written before his death. Fortunately, Deming had the opportunity to review this analysis.]

His name is W. Edwards Deming, the American who taught the Japanese about quality.

Back in the late 1940's and early 1950's, Japan was in an economic crisis. They had just lost the war and it was time to rebuild. They took Deming's methods for management and productivity and put them to use in industry. The rest of this economic miracle is history. They listened when no one else would.

How can WE bring our industry and our nation "out of the crisis"? Let's review Deming's 14 points of transformation:

1. Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service, with the aim to become competitive and stay in business, and to provide jobs.

Pretty complex point. What does it mean?

Think long-term. Set the course today to be in business tomorrow. "Doing your best" is not good enough. Everyone is already "doing their best". First, you must know what to do, THEN do your best. Know what business you are in, THEN commit to constant improvement of quality. Innovate continuously.

Take the vacuum tube industry, for example. Once the transistor was invented, the vacuum tube quickly became obsolete. Could workers "do their best" to produce a better tube? Of course not.

Those who fail to improve constantly and innovate will eventually find themselves out of business. To improve, you must predict customers' needs. Customers rarely point out the need for improvement. The electronics industry didn't ask for the transistor. Someone who was committed to improvement predicted that the innovation would be accepted.

2. Adopt the new philosophy. We are in a new economic age. Western management must awaken to the challenge, must learn their responsibilities and take on leadership for change.

What characterizes this "new economic age"? Rapid change, turbulent environment, constant technological breakthroughs. Consumers demand instant gratification. Technology changes so quickly that we don't even have time to catch up with the changes. By the time a new product hits the market, a new innovation occurs before you can get the old ones off the shelf.

It has become much tougher to predict and forecast in this turbulent environment. Today, predicting the future means shaping and controlling the future and adapting to what you cannot control.

3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for inspection on a mass basis by building quality into the products in the first place.

The United States builds the product first, then inspects for defects later. By then, it's too late! You've already spent the time, effort and money on production. Catch the defect after the fact, and you have to send it back to be fixed or scrap the whole thing. It's usually a lot tougher to repair a product than it is to build it right in the first place. Meanwhile, you've spent twice the time, effort and money.

We spend too much time defining what IS and ISN'T acceptable, then checking to see if and why the parameters were met. We chase out tails around, never exactly sure, always adjusting and readjusting; doing more harm than good.

SEEK PROFOUND KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROCESS. Understand what variations (defects) are inherent to the process (common causes) and work to control those variations. Improve the system. If a variation occurs outside the range of common cause, you have a "special cause". Only special causes should generate effort to uncover the reason variation occurred.

4. End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag. Instead, minimize total cost. Move toward a single supplier for any one item on a long-term relationship of loyalty and trust.

The bottom-line price tag doesn't always tell the whole story. Some one in my area started a local painting business. When he first started his business, he purchased the cheapest paint so he could make more profit.

Turns out he needed to double the amount of coats to get the job done. Therefore, he used twice as much paint, and it cost him twice the time and effort.

In addition, the paint cracked sooner than other paints. He lost the repeat business, as the dissatisfied customers spread the word to neighbors of the bad experience with his company. What advantages come from moving toward a single supplier?

* Customer and supplier work together to create a system of optimization for mutual gain and satisfaction. (Work with each other instead of against each other.)

* Customer and supplier can work toward long-term (constant) improvement of quality of design and service. (They can adapt to each others' changing needs.)

* Lower and lower costs occur by constantly improving quality and efficiency. (It's cheaper and more efficient if a supplier gets a higher volume of a customer's business. Both benefit.)

If you have five suppliers for one part, that's five times the amount of headaches that can occur. (Five times the ordering, five times the accounting procedures, five times the effort. This results in reduced efficiency.

5. Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs.

We set standards, run through the process and analyze the results. As long as we fall within the range of "what has been deemed acceptable," we did our job. If the output isn't falling within the specified range, management will "demand improvement." They'll say: "Do a better job!" "Less Defects!" Or, "Do a better job inspecting for defects."

How many people have been fired from jobs for unsatisfactory results only to have the problem persist with the new employee? Deming says, "Don't blame the individual, fix the system for them." Improving quality and productivity only comes by IMPROVING THE SYSTEM.

The customer of worker almost never tells you anything is wrong. Chances are, they don't know themselves. Management must strive to predict and uncover the need for improvement. Don't blame the individual, fix the system for the individual.

Some other examples of improving the system: The telephone is an improvement of the telegraph. The fuel injector is an improvement of the carburetor.

How does improving the system help decrease costs? If florists can predict how many roses will be needed next Valentine's Day, they can have the proper amount of inventory on hand, so as to fill every order; but not have excessive leftovers to spoil.

Continuous improvement is a cycle: Recognize the opportunity, test the theory to achieve the opportunity, observe test results, act on the opportunity.

6. Institute training on the job.

U.S. Management (and Government) is VERY BUSY. They don't have time for these kinds of details. Managers view training as an expense because they view employees as a commodity -- not an asset. When new employees show up for work on the first day, how many times does a coworker show them what to do?

Management wants the job done right. They institute the rules, regulations and procedures. Each time one employee teaches the next, more is lost in the translation. Mistakes are passes down the line. What gets left out? One person should be responsible for teaching everyone the same skill.

7. Institute leadership. The aim of leadership should be to help people and machines and gadgets to do a better job. Leadership of management is in need of overhaul, as well as leadership of production workers.

Deming on leadership: "What is a leader? As I use the term here, the job of a leaser is to accomplish the transformation of his organization. How may he accomplish transformation?

First, he has a theory, a vision of his organization as it would be if transformed. He understands why the transformation would bring gains to his organization and to all the people that his organization deals with.

Second, he is a practical man. He has a plan, not too difficult. A leader must guide his organization through the stages of transformation. But what is in his head is not enough. He must convince and change enough people in power to make it happen. He possesses persuasive power. He understands people." [ZD: Sorry Deming kept saying "he", ladies. He was born in 1900 and probably meant "he" as in "MANkind."]

8. Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company.

Fear is a cause of un-measurable waste and loss. Someone who is fearful takes whatever action necessary to remove the source of fear. These actions do not reflect the company's best interest. Fear robs people of pride and joy in their work and kills all forms of intrinsic motivation. It prevents people from thinking for themselves. They instead concentrate on removing the source of fear (getting the fear "off their back").

For example, a factory worker must build 100 widgets by week's end. His boss tells him, "If you don't finish all these widgets, you're fired!" So, of course the worker gets then done, and they're shipped off to the customer. (Twenty-five are defective, but the employee still hit the quota and has his job.)

Managers who rely on fear believe those working under them are not capable, and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Management must create a work environment where workers can take pride and joy in their work. Don't blame the individual -- fix the system for them.

9. Break down barriers between departments. People in research, design, sales and production must work as a team to foresee problems of production and in use that may be encountered with the product or service.

Have departments work together at all production stages. Everyone must share knowledge in a cooperative (not competitive) effort. In the United States, departments work independently of each other. In Japan, departments work interdependently at all production stages. It doesn't do any good to design a flawless product the sales department can't sell ot the production department can't produce. [ZD: Massive City Hall applications here.]

For example, an automotive design team makes a minor adjustment in the design of their 1995 model. This change would require the production department to make a major overhaul in their process that is not possible. So the design must be sent back and reworked. Meanwhile, production is delayed and time is spent reworking the project. Had both departments cooperated and involved each other from the start of the process, this inefficiency could have been presented.

10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations and targets for the work force asking for zero defects and new levels of productivity. Such exhortations only create adversarial relationships, as the bulk of the causes of low quality and low productivity belong to the system and this lie beyond the power of the work force.

Management likes to hang up a lot of posters with such exhortations as "Zero defects!", "Safety is YOUR responsibility!", or "Our goal is to please the customer at all times!" These slogans seem harmless enough, until they backfire.

How about the company demanding "zero defects", not realizing that a 12-to-15 percent margin of error (defects) is a built-in function of the system, no matter how hard the worker tries. Deming tells of a poster he saw claiming, "Safety is YOUR responsibility", next to a set of factory stairs that had no railing and steps that needed repairing.

To further illustrate, I look back to an experience I had with a rude salesperson. When I asked, "What about the sign over there that says, 'Customer satisfaction is our number one goal", he replied, "I don't know anything about that sign, my boss hung that up."

Management would like to think such exhortations take the responsibility off them and put it on the employee. However, there is no substitute for leadership. Defect elimination, a safe workplace, customer satisfaction, all start in the boardroom. [ZD: In this case, YOUR office, y'all.] It is management's responsibility to improve the system for the individual.

11a. Eliminate work standards (quotas) from the factory floor. Substitute leadership. 11b. Eliminate management by objective. Eliminate management by numbers, numeric goals. Substitute leadership.

Quotas and numerical goals are the leading cause of fear in the workplace. They rob individuals of intrinsic motivation and force them to work in a counterproductive manner.

For example, a research worker must fill out 15 surveys a night. Sometimes, this presents no problem. As a matter of fact, sometimes he finishes all 15 early and has time to roam around and do nothing. (Or even worse, bother other workers.)

Other times, it's close to quitting time on Friday, and the market research worker only has 12 surveys completed. How will they his the quota? It's easy. You call a friend (13), let someone through the screener who shouldn't have made it into the survey (14), and make one up entirely (15). (Have a nice weekend!) Either case (finishing early or not at all) hurts quality and efficiency.

If we remove quotas, how do we ensure the worker won't "slack off"? Again, there is no substitute for leadership. Eliminate fear, improve the system, create an environment where the worker can take pride and joy in their work. Employees are your organization's #1 asset. If you can't trust your workers, you are in for trouble.

12a. Remove barriers that rob people in management and in engineering of their right to pride and workmanship. This means, inter alia, abolishment of the annual or merit rating and of management by objective.

THIS IS THE TOUGHEST PILL FOR CORPORATE AMERICA TO SWALLOW. This point calls for eliminating ranking of individuals, grades, gold stars, incentive pay (bonus money) and commissions. Ranking and merit systems please the boss, not the customer. These forces create conflict, competition and humiliation. They rob the individual (and our nation) of intrinsic motivation, cooperation, dignity, self-esteem and joy of work.

If you rank workers, why help a new employee, or someone at the bottom who needs help? That low end MAKES YOU LOOK GOOD. Forget what's best for the company. It's a given that some people perform better than others. In ANY ranking system, you will ALWAYS have a top, middle and bottom. Ranking will not eliminate the middle and bottom, it will only demoralize the majority of individuals.

A grade is a permanent label, a branding. A grade tells children what is expected of them, the rest of their life. Students who get bad grades become demoralized, are viewed in a different light, experience fear and lose self-esteem. They become victims of self-fulfilling prophecy.

Again, there is no substitute for leadership. Fix the system for the individual.

What's wrong with a commission? It forces salespeople to sell customers the wrong items. When customers realize what happened, they will be upset and tell others of their bad experience. Some sales people won't even bother with a customer if the commission doesn't look big enough. If you get a $1000 bonus for selling 100 widgets a month. After widget 100, it's time to start "putting off" turning in new orders, and save them toward next month's totals. They can wait a few days.

13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement. Point 6 deals with training regarding "the skill and knowledge necessary to do the job." Point 13 addresses the need to encourage and provide resources so that people may develop. Just as we reinvest in other sources, we must reinvest in a company's most important asset -- it's people.

Management must make clear, in the beginning, their commitment to this concept. They must take time and make an effort to institute the continuous improvement concept into the system.

14. Put everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation. The transformation is everybody's job.

The transformation must start with top management, for they have the most leverage and influence. They are the leaders. Once the decision has been made, middle management, supervisors and workers must come on board. It takes training and removal of inhibitions (fear, competition, barriers and divisions). We must fully cooperate with each other to constantly improve the system. THINK HOLISTICALLY (systematically).

In order for the transformation to occur, management must see things in a new light. Don't be in the business of increasing profits. Be in the business of constantly delighting customers and workers. Then you will find your profits constantly increasing.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Dr. W. Edwards Deming, Ed Baker, Bill Scherkenbach, Kosaku Yoshida and Jim McIngvale for investing their time, effort and knowledge.

References: Deming, W. Edwards, Out of the Crisis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for Advanced Engineering Study (1982), Cambridge, Massachusetts.

NOTE FROM ZUMA: Thanks for reading this. I know this didn't relate to the city of Los Angeles, specifically, but this article sets it up. It's the first thing I would hand out to every manager and commissioner on day one as mayor. From here on in, I will be applying these 14 Points to the City of Los Angeles as I would as mayor. I've said a lot of things over the past few years about many, many city issues. If I can walk away from all of this and make ONE impact, or be known for ONE thing, or leave any type of "legacy" behind...at the end of the day, I would have to go with "hopefully raising awareness of Deming's 14 points and hopefully moving the city a little closer to the day when they finally do." Thanks, ZD (Zuma Dave?)

ZumaDoggForMayor.com
213-785-7272
ZumaDogg@Gmail.com

Zuma Dogg's 14 Point Plan As Mayor of Los Angeles (Zuma Dogg as Mayor DAY ONE)

2009-01-24T23:32:00.001-08:00

ZUMA DOGG'S 14 POINT PLAN TO RUN CITY HALL AS MAYOR: OK, it's Dr. W. Edwards Deming's 14 point plan. But Zuma Dogg plans on implementing it if elected mayor of Los Angeles. Here it is , "Interpreting Deming's 14 Points." I wrote it in the early 90's and Deming sent a letter of praise in repsonse to what you are about to read. (So you can read with the confidence of knowing that Deming signed off on this.)

It's the one, single most critical qualification that distinguishes me from all other candidates on the ballot, including the current mayor.

NOTHING WILL BE GETTING "FIXED" IN THIS CITY UNTIL THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES EMBRACES THESE 14 POINTS.

We can watch the city trip all over itself for the next fifty years. Do your research on Deming's 14 points. One good thing, Zuma Dogg knows a lot of the top level managers and workers in the city know about Deming, and are thrilled that Zuma Dogg knows about Deming. Quite frankly, it has already impressed the hell out of some city hall workers who have asked me how I got into Deming and why.

From here on in, I'll spend a little more time explaining what it would mean to implement these 14 points at City Hall.

But the FIRST thing I would do as mayor, on the first day on the job, would be to contact all the city managers and department heads and have a giant meeting, where Zuma Dogg and top experts explain/break down the 14 points for everyone in the room, and let everyone know this is how we will be operating.

(See "Interpreting Deming's 14 Points" at ZumaTimes.com)

Zuma Dogg feels we have so many genius level people working for the city in these departments across the city, but they are not allowed to "fix" the system, or do what's best for the customer (residents) because of a vindictive and retaliatory city hall under the current mayor.

I have had discussions with countless city workers who start nodding their heads up and down in agreement when I let them know that Uncle ZD knows they have the muzzle on and are not being allowed to do the right thing for the PEOPLE of Los Angeles.

So ZD doesn't have to start firing everyone and replacing everyone. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE PEOPLE ZD IS MEETING AT CITY HALL WHO WORK IN THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY...IT IS THE SYSTEM ITSELF.

And the first step to fixing the system is letting the top level managers know that Uncle Zuma Dogg as mayor WANTS to know how to improve (fix) the process. How to reduce the beuracracy. People are forced to "fudge" -- hold off on work some months, jam in too much work others. All these things that workers are forced to do to please the mayor, but not the people of Los Angeles. ALL THE THINGS PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO DO BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING UNDER FEAR!

So when city managers and workers understand that Zuma Dogg LIKES to hear how to improve the process...how to innovate...what needs to change (instead of fighting and resisting change/innovation)...they will feel a lot better about their jobs. And that is how people start to do a better job. It is VERY stressful for people to have to "fudge" and do things the wrong way, when they know how to do it the right way, "IF ONLY SOMEONE WOULD LISTEN."

THEN, you have to create a flow chart for every process. For example, if someone calls to have the tree trimmed in front of a stop sign at a school crosswalk...you make a flow chart of the process from the 3-1-1 call, until completion. THEN, you vet out the bureaucracy (intentional/fraud, and un-intended/waste). You question why the widget is moving from point A to point B.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE: I saw a DWP crew show up one morning in front of a home to cut a tree. There were a couple of those big trucks, and some regular vehicles with all the workers ready to do the work. (Several thousands of dollars of workers and equipment.)

WELP, unfortunately, there was some broken down pickup truck that I see in the same spot, every day, for weeks at a time, if not months. And it happened to be right where the crew needed to work.

So one of the workers asks me frantically, "Is this your truck?"

I said, "No, but it's there all the time, so don't plan on anyone coming out to drive it away."

SO THAT TRUCK THWARTED THE ENTIRE EFFORT!!! DO YOU JUST DOUBLED THE COST OF THE PROJECT BY SENDING THE CREW AWAY, ONLY TO HAVE TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY. (And I don't know if the next day would be different.)

ZUMA DOGG FOR MAYOR SOLUTION: Why wasn't a temporary "NO PARKING" sign posted in the area of work 72 hours in advance (like for movie shoots). THAT WAY, every regular resident that parks on the street would know about it and be able to keep clear of the area that day. AND, DWP would have been able to have the truck (which is parked their for weeks at a time) TOWED.

THIS IS WHAT DEMING'S 14 POINTS IS ABOUT. Innovation, empowerment, improving the process. It all adds up to reducing waste and improving efficiency. And that's how you cut the amount of time it takes to have your tree cut. (Cause if they have to come back the next day, that doubles the amount of time it takes to get to YOUR tree, too...those non-Deming embracing dummies.

I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE A HARVARD LAW DEGREE, OR NOT...IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO IMPLEMENT DEMING'S 14 POINTS, ESPECIALLY IN THESE ECONOMIC TIMES (having to do more with less), YOU ARE NOTHING BUT AN INFERIOR CLOWN TO ME.

ZumaDoggForMayor.com

Silver Lake N.C. Grievance

2009-01-20T00:50:00.001-08:00

I, Carol Knapp, stakeholder by reason of property ownership and residence within the boundaries of the Silver Lake Neighborhood council, am filing a formal grievance against the City of Los Angeles, a municipal corporation, Los Angeles City Council and Mayor, and City Attorney and The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council Board as agents of the aforementioned Los Angeles City Council. Certain members of the SLNC board have consistently violated the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, California law regarding ethics in government (Government Code SEC. 81,000 – Political Reform Act) as well as breached the duties expressed by the stated SLNC mission, purpose, by-laws and ethical responsibilities during their tenure.

First Amendment violations

Whereas, under Article IX of Los Angeles City Charter as amended in 2000, any and all holders of elected positions, paid or unpaid, must "follow all local, state and federal laws", the above noted parties have violated the inalienable "freedom of speech" right of this individual, as guaranteed in Amendment I of the United States Constitution.

Under the First Amendment and as decided in applicable federal case law, the people have the inalienable right to freedom of speech, a right not to be abridged by any government actor or agent. This right of the people includes the right to express "political truths" about government officials and to fully inform the public about any betrayals of the public trust engaged in by said officials. This right also prohibits any government actor or agent from intentionally suppressing such information or from limiting the expression of any political point of view in favor of another.

In addition, under the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech, there is a distinction between "protected" speech and "unprotected" speech, the latter of which applies to advocating unlawful action, obscenity defamation, untruthful advertising or inciting a riot. There is also a distinction between "time-place restriction versus "content-related" restriction, which is restriction based on the message being conveyed. Content-related restriction of speech by a government entity is presumptively unconstitutional. If a content-related restriction is to be upheld, the government must show a "compelling state interest" and the restriction must be "narrowly construed" to achieve that end.

The subject website links, www.redevelopment.com and www.freedomadvocates.org and www.ebonyshowcase.org/pals are all informational and fact laden. These websites are logically related to issues that frequently are considered by the neighborhood councils, such as redevelopment laws and facts relating to the practice of redevelopment. Since the City of Los Angeles has 34 redevelopment project areas, and the SLNC has, in fact, reviewed this issue and submitted a Community Impact Statement regarding eminent domain, this topic is of widespread concern to residents of the city.

Moreover, the Freedom Advocates website gives facts regarding the origination of stakeholder councils and the imposition of Sustainable Development by executive order.

Neither of these websites advocate for any political party or any political candidate.

Therefore, the right to freedom of speech is indispensable in a free society and is one of the most basic of human rights guaranteed by the Constitution. That is why it is the "first" amendment.

Certain of the SLNC board members consistently have denied equal access to this "stakeholder" because of "content-related" motives. The most recent violations occurred during May of 2008, and during May, June and July of 2006 where board members of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council have consistently violated the above right by refusing to post the above-referenced links on the SLNC website.

The request for these postings is an attempt to offer guidance and support to other stakeholders that may be threatened or abused by government officials, particularly in the area of property rights, since these abuses have been dispensed with alarming regularity to Los Angeles property owners during the past 30 or more years. One of the websites exposes the agenda and origins of stakeholder councils (1977 Soviet Constitution and 1992 United Nations Agenda 21), facts that have been hidden from the public, and invites SLNC stakeholders to join the Silver Lake chapter of "Freedom 21 Santa Cruz" and Silver Lake chapter of PALS. (People Against Land Stealing). The stakeholder council concept was devised for the purpose of advancing Agenda 21, which severely limits property rights and ultimately will destroy them entirely, according to the terms of the U.N. Agenda 21 for Sustainable Development.

Certain of these board members have responded to these requests with reference to a committee called "Government Liaison Committee" and have stated that this committee must "approve" of the requested links. The responses indicated that this committee was not meeting at present, and that probably would not even be able to address the request until autumn, 2006. This stakeholder advised these board members that such "approval" is unnecessary under the law and is an unreasonable obstacle to the individual right of freedom of speech and again requested the postings. These links provide important "political truths", which is precisely the type of speech that the First Amendment seeks to protect, according to relevant federal case law.

Nevertheless, the board refused to post either of the links, despite the fact that this stakeholder offered to provide technical assistance to relieve any board member of additional responsibility.

The SLNC website is replete with links for other organizations, including those that espouse a particular political viewpoint. (see below).

Another request was directly made to the two region 6 representatives of the SLNC to assist with this request. One of the representatives promptly responded stating that he did not have the technical ability to upload the links.

The other board member eventually responded, but stated that "no policy has been established with respect to website postings" (see attached). This stakeholder replied that such a "policy" is inapplicable to the current situation as no authority, federal, city or state, can supercede the authority of the United States Constitution. Moreover, the SLNC currently is replete with website links, links that uniformly express the one-sided political points of view (described below) of the established Los Angeles City Council, Mayor and City Attorney and the individual/s who placed the existing links on the website, thus refuting the claim of "no existing policy". There is also a link supplied under the picture of one board member that connects the visitor to a private blog site of this individual. This site, named "Silver Lake at Large", is filled with personal political views of this board member, endorses certain political candidates and is acting to promote the political agendas of City Council members, particularly in the area of implementing Agenda 21 on Sustainable Development.

**2008 Update – This stakeholder again requested that three links be placed on the SLNC website, but was told that no one had the technical expertise to upload the links.

This stakeholder then volunteered to provide technical assistance and contacted Sarai Molina, the Silver Lake Manager at DONE, who indicated that DONE would provide technical assistance and/or a list of competent webmasters for the board.

Nevertheless, the board…and in particular Laura Dwan whose name appears on the website as the liaison for the "webmaster"…refused to answer my question, "are you saying that I must get approval from the board for these links?" I have all electronic messages in my files to prove these allegations.

As of November 1, 2008, these links have not been posted although the first request was made in 2006.

Requested Remedy:

This stakeholder demands equal access to the SLNC website for the placement of links intended to advise SLNC stakeholders of their rights and equal access for any other stakeholder who should desire to place differing or contrary views to the approved monolithic "party-line views" described above. This remedy will not only return First Amendment rights to all stakeholders, but will also be a "source of information for the community on community issues and governmental matters", one of the stated goals of the SLNC (see below)

Violation of state law because of exemption from financial disclosure requirements

This section of the grievance is directed at the Los Angeles City Council. In February of 2003 the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to exempt neighborhood council board members from financial disclosure requirements, i.e. Form 700, the Statement of Economic Interest-abbreviated version, which merely requests a signature from each board member disavowing any monetary interest in holding the board position. This disclosure requirement is applicable for all elected officials, paid or unpaid… and is for the purpose of avoiding conflict of interest. Conflict of interest can cause decision-making entities unable to render unbiased opinions in the best interest of the public. This exemption is also a violation of the Political Reform act and against public policy as being contrary to the goal of transparency in government, and thus sets a dangerous precedent.

Requested Remedy:

Thus, this exemption granted by Los Angeles City Council members must be rescinded in the best interest of the public and neighborhood council board members should be required to submit the "Short Form" 700 along with all other public servants being entrusted with decision-making authority by the people.

Violations of SLNC Mission and Purpose Statement, By-laws, and Ethical Responsibilities of SLNC Board Members

The Los Angeles City Charter of 2000 provided for the institution of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment and neighborhood councils. The stated purpose was to "promote public participation" in the governance function and to make local government "more responsive to public needs". The grievance procedure from DONE also references a desire to "maintain independence from city hall".

Such a "neighborhood council" was established in the region of Los Angeles, commonly known as "Silver Lake" and established its name as the "Silver Lake Neighborhood Council". As part of the statutory provisions necessary for certification as an "official" Los Angeles agency, the SLNC established a mission statement and bylaws. The following are relevant excerpts from this statement and these bylaws:

Article II – Mission and Purpose

Mission statement: "The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council will work to honor diversity, build community, forge bonds with neighboring communities, and promote participation in city governance and decision-making processes to improve the quality of life for all of Silver Lake's stakeholders."

Relevant excerpts from by-laws:

" To fairly and faithfully represent the interest of all stakeholders",

"To be a source of information for the community on community issues and governmental matters",

"To educate, encourage, and facilitate in helping government work better for the community"

"To support the efforts of existing community groups"

Article VI – Ethics

B. "The SLNC board must comply with all local, state and federal laws…all applicable Conflict of Interest Laws, Political Reform Act, and the Government Ethics Ordinance"

C. "…will not discriminate in any of its policies, recommendations or actions against any individual or group on the basis of…political affiliation."

D. "..may not endorse candidates for political office."

Actions contrary to SLNC Mission Statement Goals and SLNC By-laws.

Since the inception of the SLNC these goals have been ignored and subverted by those unelected individuals who had control of the formation process and by some of the subsequently elected board members as described below:

1. "…to fairly and faithfully represent the interests of all stakeholders" and to "honor

diversity"

During the formation process, unelected facilitator Vincent Brook wrote this statement as part of the description of Silver Lake: "We are proud of our liberal political heritage."

This stakeholder requested a more inclusive statement be written, since obviously not all SLNC stakeholders hold the same political views, and this statement excluded some members, and thus did not "honor diversity", at least diversity of thought. It was then revised by Mr. Brook to read: "We have a history of liberal politics". This stakeholder again objected to the discriminatory statement. Mr. Brook finally changed it to, "We have a history of political activism", but complained, stating that this stakeholder was "the only person that objected", thus showing his reluctance to comply with the request and aggravation at being forced to recognize any views that did not conform to the majority opinion "party line" to which Mr. Brook apparently subscribed.

Another example of the failure of this and other neighborhood councils to "fairly and faithfully" represent the wishes of the people as opposed to the wishes of the politicians is the subject of the "density bonuses" that were forced upon the city during the last Master Plan Update. The vast majority of Los Angeles residents are opposed to density bonuses because of the obvious deleterious effects on quality of life that such density bonuses will cause. Yet the alleged "consensus" achieved by the SLNC and other neighborhood councils was to approve the density bonuses that the city politicians and corporate beneficiaries wanted. Thus, this alleged "consensus" is in direct conflict with the majority view of the people, as measured by informal vote-taking at other public meetings by this stakeholder. As a matter of fact, there were many objections to density bonuses expressed by Silver Lake stakeholders at a Town Hall Meeting in October of 2003 and these objections were filed with the planning department. However, those that were responsible for collecting the data and sending it to the planning department (Derek Ryder of SLNC and Bennett Kaiser of GEPNC) vastly minimized the objections and relegated them to the phrase a "vocal minority". (FYI: Mr. Ryder was an architect by his own admission, and thus had a personal financial interest in supporting redevelopment law, density bonuses, and government subsidized corporate welfare projects. He also did not own property in Silver Lake, so he had less concern for the effect on quality of life than would someone who owned property and was therefore less mobile).

It is this attempt to substitute this fraudulent "consensus" process for the individual rights guaranteed in the Constitution that is most dangerous. The City Council and corporate supporters had an agenda to add density well before any "Town Hall" meeting was planned. Therefore, the neighborhood council mission statement to be "independent" from City Hall has not been realized. That Town Hall Meeting was merely to give the illusion that our input mattered. They got the density bonuses and we suffer and that's that.

(2008 update: The predictions of those opposed to the density bonuses have been realized. The freeways and local streets all throughout Silver Lake have been so impacted that it can take a half hour to drive Silver Lake Blvd. in rush hour. These unlawful "density bonuses" are currently the cause of action of a recently filed class-action lawsuit by the "La Brea Coalition")

The same is true of allegedly "affordable", corporate welfare housing projects. The majority of Los Angeles residents do not want these projects in their neighborhoods, yet have been forced to submit to the wishes of the politicians and corporate welfare beneficiaries under the fraudulent claim of "helping the poor". Thus, this and other neighborhood councils have been instrumental in thwarting the wishes of the people in favor of the wishes of the politicians.

Additionally, in June, 2006 this stakeholder was advised of a meeting of the "Government Affairs Committee", which included an agenda item regarding the use of "eminent domain for private gain", i.e. allowing the government to condemn private property and transfer ownership to other private entities. There were two board members in attendance, and five other individuals at the meeting.

This stakeholder attended and presented objective facts and information regarding the inadvisability of this practice, i.e. the brochure entitled "Redevelopment: the Unknown Government" (Municipal Officials for Redevelopment Reform) and volunteered to write a statement of opposition to the practice. This brochure contained the only objective information submitted at that meeting. However, both board members in attendance (Jason Lyon and Elizabeth Sharkov) stated their support of the above eminent domain practices…despite the informal "consensus" of the rest of the attendees to oppose it… and refused to state any formal opposition to the practice, other than to perhaps request the clarification of the word "blight" in the current redevelopment law.

Nevertheless, this stakeholder wrote the letter in opposition to the above practice and forwarded to the chairperson of this Government Affairs Committee, who neither circulated it to other committee members nor submitted it to the City Council. This letter was merely ignored. The City Council was the intended recipient of such a letter as stated by Ms. Sharkov to "guide the Council" in their up-coming agenda item regarding eminent domain (as if the politicians actually listened to any opposition to their self-serving agenda.)

This inaction on the part of those board members evidenced their breach of the duty to "fairly and faithfully represent the interests of the stakeholders of Silver Lake" and also evidences undue influence on the part of Councilperson Eric Garcetti and/or other City Councilpersons on these board members, thus preventing the attainment of the stated goal of DONE to achieve "independence from city hall". The City Council subsequently voted unanimously to oppose any impending legislation that would limit their ability to transfer private property to private corporate entities. In doing so, the Council thus reflected the only opinion that the chairperson of the Government Affairs Committee" and chairperson of the Urban Design and Preservation were apparently willing to support, i.e. the predetermined decision of the City Council to continue their abhorrent practices of seizing private property on behalf of corporate interests and supplying such corporate interests public monies. Recent surveys conducted by Castle Coalition (Institute for Justice, Wa. D.C.) reflect overwhelming sentiment on the part of Americans against this type of eminent domain abuse, yet these SLNC board members supported the wishes of the City Council instead, thus demonstrating breach of the duty to represent the Silverlake residents.

2. "To be a source of information for the community on community issues and

governmental matters", and

"To educate, encourage, and facilitate in helping government work better for the community"

This stakeholder initiated a meeting to discuss the impending intrusion of allegedly "affordable housing" projects in Silver Lake and to present evidence to the community of the fraudulent and illegal actions of Los Angeles politicians, actions which have deprived thousands of "life, liberty and property" in the city. It was my wish to alert the community of these acts, since local media simply has refused to cover most of it.

Since I had received certain non-official emails from those in control of the stakeholder email list, such as invitations to "anti-war protests" and requests to declare one presidential candidate "the winner" of a recent debate, I assumed that this list was for the purpose of inviting stakeholders to community meetings of importance. I made a request for an invitation to be sent out for a meeting to discuss the impending allegedly "affordable housing" corporate welfare projects. I wanted to discuss this matter openly with my neighbors, without the interference of city hall. However, because those in control of the list stated their personal approval of and desire for such projects, they refused to honor my request, stating that the list was only for "official" use. Again, the duty to "fairly and faithfully represent the views of all stakeholders" and to "honor diversity" was breached, and guarantees of "equal protection" and "freedom of speech" were also violated.

Additionally, the duties to "To be a source of information for the community on community issues and government matters" and "to educate, encourage, and facilitate in helping government work better for the community" were breached. It is certainly important for the public to know facts regarding government abuse. Moreover, how can anyone "facilitate in helping government work better" if they are unaware of what the government is doing?

Therefore, the refusal to announce the meeting, and the failure to add the requested links (described above under "Violation of the First Amendment" is also a breach of the stated intentions to "fairly and faithfully represent…", to "honor diversity", "to be a source of information…" and to "facilitate in helping government work better…".

ETHICS

Conflict of Interest

This stakeholder also demands the disclosure of economic and political interest of all Los Angeles Neighborhood Council board members, in keeping with applicable California statutory provisions for all elected officials, both paid and unpaid. The continued exemption of these individuals from the "Statement of Economic Interest" (form 700) is a violation of state law, of the equal protection clause of the 14^th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, SLNC by-law Article VI – Ethics- B. Conflict of Interest – see above) and is against public policy as discouraging transparency in government.

Summary

The neighborhood council system was mandated by Agenda 21, a United Nations dictum that has thrust "Sustainable Development Goals" upon American people by executive order (George Herbert Walker Bush and William Jefferson Clinton) without the knowledge or consent of the American people. The stated goals of Agenda 21 include the ultimate dissolution of private property rights to all but the wealthy "elite" and "politically connected". The City politicians have refused to disseminate this etiology and merely claim that this is "state law".

My experience with the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council from the years 2002 until the present is testimony to the realization of these goals.

Moreover, the neighborhood council system was created by the 1977 Soviet Constitution as an effective means of controlling the Russian people by such historically effective methods as peer pressure, marginalizing "dissenters", including government-connected "plants" at the meetings and socially engineered "visioning meetings". All of these manipulative techniques have been implemented by the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council System in a fraudulent manner.

Therefore, I, Carol Knapp of 1817 Micheltorena Street in Los Angeles, am filing this grievance, in accordance with Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment guidelines, against the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council for breaching certain of the duties as stated in the "mission statement" and by-laws of said Neighborhood Council, and for violating applicable federal law, i.e. the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.

The complaint regarding the exemption of N.C. board members from applicable state "conflict of interest" laws is best addressed to the Los Angeles City Council as this governing body was solely responsible for the ill-advised exemption.

Remedies

This stakeholder demands equal access to post links on the SLNC website on pertinent community matters, particularly when relevant factual information exists that belie statements or claims of government actors. The continued denial of this access is a violation of my First Amendment right to freedom of speech and my 14^th Amendment right to equal protection under the law.

This stakeholder demands that all Neighborhood Council board members in the City of Los Angeles must file form 700, "Statement of Economic Interest", as all other elected officials…paid or unpaid…are required to do.

This stakeholder demands that no alleged "consensus statement" that has emanated from this or any other neighborhood council meetings be admitted into the public record under the guise of representing the wishes of the community. If "community input" is desired, a vote count by individuals is the only acceptable measure after a well-publicized opinion poll. "Consensus-building" in the experience of many knowledgeable sources including this stakeholder, means nothing more than bullying and destruction of Constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech, property rights and equal protection under the law.

Thank you for processing this grievance,

Carol Knapp (323) 660-2932

1817 Micheltorena St.

Los Angeles, California Carol_Knapp@hotmail.com

ZUMA DOGG on ABC News NIGHTLINE, Wed. January 14th at 11:35pm

2009-01-13T18:11:00.001-08:00

I just spoke with ABC News Nightline, and they confirmed that the segment featuring Zuma Dogg, Los Angeles Candidate for Mayor, will air this Wednesday, January 14th, 2009 at 11:35pm. And I will be included in the segment. If anything changes, check back here. Otherwise, tune in at 11:35pm or set your DVR. It will also most likely be posted on the http://abcnews.com website after it airs.

http://ZumaDoggForMayor.com

HUGE: Local Community Activists Kick Home Depot Out of Sunland-Tujunga

2009-01-07T10:54:00.001-08:00

THIS IN FROM JOE B AND "NO HOME DEPOT"
THIS IS A HUGE-HUGE VICTORY FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVISM!
THEY TOOK BACK THEIR CITY!!!

Tuesday, January 6, 2008-

The Biggest Breaking News Ever!
VICTORY!
Home Depot pulling out of S-T!
We just spoke with a high ranking HD official
(at 10:45pm) and he confirmed!
We are literally shaking (and celebrating)!
More updates tomorrow as they come in!
Congratulations Sunland-Tujunga!
WOW!
Thank You Home Depot! You did the right thing!

LA Times covers the story HERE!
Ron Kaye has the story HERE!
Street-Hassle has an optimistic mention HERE!
Mayor Sam has the Breaking News HERE!
NBC has the story HERE!

ELECTION '09: Beware Villaragiosa's Solar Ballot Bamboozle (NO on Measure B)

2009-01-05T12:38:00.001-08:00

This article appears in the January issue of Boulevard Sentinel newspaper. It is a summary of recent press regarding Antonio Villaraigosa's Measure B (Solar panels). I put this together to hopefully be something that sums things up for voters including quotes from LA Times, LA Weekly, RonKayeLA and includes the ballot measure argument that Antonio is suing over.

IF YOU LIKE THIS SUMMARY, PLEASE EMAIL IT TO ALL OF YOUR CONTACTS.

Thanks, Zuma Dogg

From LA Daily Blog.com

It may feel like we just got done counting votes in the last election; but the New Year means it is already crunch-time for the March 3, 2009 City of Los Angeles general election.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is up for re-election. And Zuma Dogg is challenging him, so look for my name on the ballot!

Two other big (and very important) elecions are for City Attorney and City Controller. Villaraiogsa's puppet, City Councilmember Jack Weiss, is running for City Attorney. (Even other councilmembers have told Zuma Dogg that they hope he loses. So please look into the other candidates and vote for one of them.

In the City Controller's race, you have constituent-loathed City Councilmember "Wicked" Wendy Greuel. So please vote for someone else, in that one, too.

Because, can you imagine the nightmare that this city would become if Villaraigosa is re-elected, with Jack Weiss as his City Attorney and "Greuesom" Greuel as City Controller? Ask around. Most people I have spoken with, think the City would be a scary place with those three in charge. (You could have a corrupt mayor working in cahoots with the city attorney and the controller will play the role of Hellen Keller.)

Ron Kaye blogged on his RonKayeLA.com, "The March 3 primary gives us the chance to change L.A., to elect candidates to the City Controller's and City Attorney's offices who can stand for the community. Villaraigosa, Wendy Greuel and Jack Weiss along with the 15 obedient council members will have nothing in their way if they prevail in this election."

But it is Villaraiogosa newest ballot-measure-bamboozle (Measure B, solar power bond) that has already generated the most media coverage and community discussion among the activists.

The avalanche of bad press on Measure B was triggered by an LA Times article that called attention to the "risky" nature of this half-cocked boondoggle that requires the blind public trust of the DWP and the City's blank check spending. Plus, LA Times reports that City Council President Eric Garcetti withheld an important report on the matter from other councilmembers, and more importantly, from the public.

And now, Ron Kaye informed the City through his blog, "Please be aware that the mayor's lawyer has dragged Jack Humphreville, me (Ron Kaye) and others who signed the "No on Prop. B" (opposition) ballot argument into to court today, challenging our statements. This is being done even as the L.A. Times reveals today that a critical report exposing this solar energy plan as costly and "extremely risky" was being kept secret from City Council members and the public even as the measure was being rushed to the ballot. The mayor's lawyer is demanding opponents pay court costs and legal fees when we don't even have a lawyer."

Zuma Dogg would like to remind you that this is not only a retaliatory move, but a scare tactic to try and prevent people from stepping up to write the opposition to the mayor's shady ballot measures and propositions. (And did you notice that Villaraigosa's City Hall just pulled the plug on the Time-Warner public access channel, just in time for election season?) Anything to silence public opposition.

Ron Kaye adds, "This isn't just an attempt to squelch the Solar Eight or the debate over this phony ballot measure but a direct assault on everyones' right to freedom of speech and to participate in the political and electoral process. We need support from Neighborhood Councils, homeowner and resident groups, service clubs, churches and every individual who cares about L.A. This is a defining moment. We need to come together and stop the political machine that is destroying the city. If we won't fight as one against these tactics and this dirty deal, I don't know that we ever will."

LA Weekly's Jill Stewart wrote in the most recent issue, "In short, City Hall and Villaraigosa have no idea how they are going to pull off the most massive, experimental, costly installation of solar panels ever attempted in the United States. It will require Angelenos to pour huge sums of their own money into Chinese solar-panel factories. Measure B wants the money from city taxpayers first with virtually no strings. The solar plan has the makings of yet another flubbed Villaraigosa dramaturgy."

LA Times' David Zahniser reports, "What they didn't discuss was an analysis by a city-hired consulting firm that called the solar plan 'extremely risky' and considerably more expensive than was being portrayed by the Department of Water and Power."

Adding, "Measure B, which calls for unionized DWP workers to install solar panels on rooftops and parking lots across the city, sailed onto the ballot with a unanimous vote. But days earlier, the council's top policy advisor was so troubled by the proposal that, in an e-mail to Council President Eric Garcetti, he recommended that the council delay it until a future election. Chief Legislative Analyst Gerry Miller warned Garcetti that the solar measure could result in "substantial increases" to the electricity bills of DWP customers. Neither Miller nor Garcetti made those findings part of the public record. Bottom line is they do not believe that the department can deliver on this program at all, and that the costs associated with the program are way understated,' Miller wrote in his e-mail to Garcetti."

Here is the opposition ballot argument to Measure B (Solar) that the shady, vindictive mayor is challenging:

There is a more efficient way to produce more solar power AND at a lower cost using better technology - but if Prop B passes - the City will be forced to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on outdated technology that benefits no one but the people who paid to put this on the ballot.

This multi-billion dollar plan was placed on the ballot at the last minute as the result of City Hall back room dealings. There were no public hearings and no engineering and operational input from DWP. The Council did not consider the impact on Ratepayers, the overall cost of this massive project, or the impact on the already burdened infrastructure. Our rates were just raised 24%! It is just another one of these tricky deals that says it's about solar energy and workforce development. The LA Times wrote, "This rush to the ballot has the scent of swindle about it." Don't be fooled by City Hall. Demand honesty and transparency.

Measure B and Antonio Villaraigosa's lawsuit against the authors of the opposition ballot argument, highlights the whole kit and caboodle of ballot bamboozlement.

The mayor KNOWS this will slip by un-informed, mis-led voters. (They says it's for one thing, then ends up being something else.) Unfortunately, it is you who ends up paying for all of this wasteful. experimental and irresponsible non-sense.

This is why I hope you join me and many other people from across the city to help clean up city hall. It needs more than a sweep...it needs sweeping changes.

It will take the efforts of almost everyone reading this; along with all the activists on the blogs who lead the information charge and get the word out to the public.

PLEASE JOIN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EMAILING ALERTS ABOUT THE MARCH 3, 2009 ELECTION, relating to the many city positions, and especially Measure B. Stop the City Hall shell game being run by the mayor and city council. Let's keep the risky gambling inside casinos and out of City Hall.

Get out the word, to get out and vote. If you go to LADailyBlog.com, you can find specific articles regarding the March election , ready for you to email blast to your contacts.

Zuma Dogg

ZumaTimes.com
ZumaDogg@Gmail.com

(213) 785-7272

P.O. Box 50616

L.A., CA 90050

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: Zuma Dogg To Appear on ABC News NIGHTLINE, Friday, January 9, 2009

2009-01-02T18:48:00.001-08:00

Los Angeles candidate for mayor, Zuma Dogg, will be appearing on ABC News NIGHTLINE on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 11:35 pm on the ABC television network. Even if you are out of town, you will be able to see it anywhere in the country, or around the world. So, Zuma Dogg is going national and international with the shadiness that's going down inside Los Angeles City Hall under Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Los Angeles City Council.

Hey Villaraiogsa and City Council...how did that illegal and unconstitutional Venice Beach ordinance, overturned by a Federal judge that banned the sale of incense and Zuma Dogg tshirts work out for you, losers? The fact that your ordinance was overturned, means you never should have passed it in the first place. Which means Zuma Dogg never even should have been to City Hall, even once. AND NOW LOOK YOU DUMB A-HOLE, LOSERAIGOSA AND SHITTY COUNCIL!!!

ZUMA DOGG IS ON THE BALLOT FOR MAYOR AND NOW ON THE HEELS OF THE LA WEEKLY ARTICLE YOU JUST GOT DONE READING, YOU CAN WATCH ZUMA DOGG ON ABC NEWS NIGHTLINE, FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2009 at 11:35 pm, you dumb a-holes.

TRY VIOLATING MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, AGAIN, LOSERS AND WATCH IT BACKFIRE IN THE MEDIA, EVEN MORE.

YOU DON'T THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE A RUN-OFF???

What are you going to do wrong next, you dumb loser Villaraigosa? You have really surrounded yourself with some sharp folks. They done real well for you. Gadfly Zuma Dogg is "the biggest challenger" according to LA Weekly, and that's before Nightlight. LOL!

THE MAYOR WANTS TO RUN THE CITY??? HE CAN'T EVEN RUN THIS CHRISTMAS TREE
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ZumaDoggForMayor.com

A MESSAGE FROM RON KAYE Regarding This Saturday (Solar Measure B)

2009-01-02T12:53:00.001-08:00

Everyone:

I'm sure everyone knows about the lawsuit against the "Solar 8" over the Prop. B ballot arguments. I'll be talking about the measure and the legal issues to the L.A. Neighborhood Council Coalition meeting on Saturday at the Hollywood City Hall, 6501 Fountain Ave. and those who are interested in being involved can hang out after the LANCC for an informal meeting of the Saving L.A. Project to discuss strategy for the March 3 election.

This is a great opportunity for us to help make a difference. The way City Hall is treating the community has reached a level of arrogance that is bringing people together from all over the city to work for change.

The LANCC meetings starts at 10 a.m. and I'm supposed to speak along with others about 12:30 p.m. so we should be able to hold our meeting about 2 p.m. or so. It's really just to bat ideas around about strategy and tactics and organizing various groups to get involved.

I've been writing a lot about the solar issue on my blog if you want to read in:
http://ronkayela.com/2008/12/the-solar-8-our-legal-defense.html

Many of the court documents and other material are available in those articles.

We're going to need to raise funds for the legal case and the campaign. The DWP Committee led by Soledad Garcia has set up a bank account to receive donations and the money is being handled by SLAP President Heinrich Keifer.

Send checks to "DWP Committee for advocacy," c/o of Secretary/ Treasurer Heinrich Keifer, 5669 York Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90042

Thanks to the commitment to the community of mayoral candidate David Hernandez who pledged $1,000 and City Controller candidate Nick Patsaouras who pledged $500, we are off to a good start. All donations are welcome and most importantly help get the word out to other groups you're involved with.

This solar plan is a fraud. It's not about bringing solar energy to L.A., which gets less than 1 percent of its electricity from the sun because the DWP and its union, the IBEW Local 18, have blocked development of solar energy. Prop. B is nothing but a payoff to the union so we can move forward with green power -- something we all want to see -- but the cost is too high and there's utterly no planning or studies to justify.

Even beyond that, the process of rushing this measure through the City Council in just three week with little or no serious public discussion, excluding Neighborhood Councils and the DWP Commission and keeping critical information secret says a lot about just how bad this measure is.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to City Attorney candidate Noel Weiss for stepping forward last Saturday to give us legal help in responding to the lawsuit.

Happy New Year to everyone, it's going to be an exciting roller-coaster ride.

Best, Ron

Community ROSE BOWL PARTY - New Year's Day in Lincoln Heights, CA

2008-12-29T14:25:00.001-08:00

LA Voters For Change

ZUMA DOGG

For Mayor

Thursday January 1^st, 2009

NEW YEAR'S DAY
Rose Bowl Party

12Noon - End of Game

DJs * LIVE Music * Food * Voter Info

USC vs. Penn State

Corner of

BROADWAY & DALY

2437 N. Broadway

Lincoln Heights, CA 90031

Meet and Greet

Zuma Dogg, Candidate for Mayor

Jesse Rosas, Candidate for L.A. City Council District 1

ZumaDoggForMayor.com

Rosas2009.com

LA Voters For Change.com

"Let's Clean Up City Hall"

Welcome to the Blog Los Angeles blog network!

2008-12-29T13:10:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the BLOG LOS ANGELES blog network!
Look for postings regarding the upcoming Los Angeles City general election on March 3, 2009.

All blogs are (Insert Name).blogspot.com.

Blog Los Angeles
LA Voters For Change

Los Angeles Voters For Change

LAUSD Update

Zuma Dogg For Mayor
Zuma Dogg 4 Mayor
Voters For Change
Villaraiogsa

Villaraigosa 2009

Villaraigosa '09
NOEL Weiss for City Attorney
Zuma Times
Zuma Press
Barack Obama Blog
Barack Blog
Los Angeles City Council
L.A. News Update
City Council Meeting
Blog New York
Election '09
Zuma's Blog
Election Press
L.A. City Council
Public Input
LA City Update
L.A. Daily Blog
Zuma Dogg
Election '09
Mayor '09
Election Info
Neighborhood Council Blog
Barack Talk
Villaraigosa 2009
Villaraigosa '09
Mayor's Blog
ZumaTube
LA City News

http://BlogLosAngeles.Blogspot.com

If you have content that you would like to see appear on the LA City News blog network, send you email to PublicInput@Gmail.com

And remember to vote March 3, 2009.

Recent Blog Stories Featuring Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraiogsa

2008-12-28T21:56:00.001-08:00

Neighborhood Council Blog: Recent Press About Villaraigosa's ...

...blic Access TVvia Google Alerts - zuma-dogg by LA Weekly - Los Angeles,CA,USA on 12/26/08By Rick Anderson By Patrick Range McDonald The day before Thanksgiving, Zuma Dogg, an outspoken community activist who has a comedian's sense of ... Neighborhood Council Blog - http://neighborhoodcouncil.blogspot.com/

Google Alerts - zuma-dogg - 6:15 PM (3 hours ago)

Recent Press on Measure B (DWP Solar Energy Bond/March 3 Election) VOTE NO!

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his team of lobbyists, strategists and pay-to-play cronies have sued the eight people who signed the No. on Prop. B ballot argument -- an attempt at intimidation under the guise of law.This measure isn't about solar energy and has nothing to do with the largest solar energy in... LA City News - 10:47 AM (6 hour...

LA City News - 5:32 PM (4 hours ago)

Recent Press on Measure B (DWP Solar Energy Bond/March 3 Election) VOTE NO!

LA City Update - 5:32 PM (4 hours ago)

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraiogsa Tries To Silence The Public Over "Risky" Ballot Measure "B" (Solar Energy BONDoggle)

...and Mayor Villaraigosa. The speed with which the Council moved to place the measure on the ballot led the LA Times to remark that it had the "scent of a swindle." "This rush to the ballot has the scent of swindle about it."LA TimesThe next turn in the story of a swindle was excellent reporting by the only reporter apparently...

LA City News - 5:32 PM (4 hours ago)

Recent Press About Villaraigosa's "RISKY" Solar Bond on March Ballot (Measure B)

LADailyBlog.com: Neighborhood Council Blogspot: ZUMA DOGG - THE ... - 5:27 PM (4 hours ago)

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraiogsa Tries To Silence The Public Over "Risky" Ballot Measure "B" (Solar Energy BONDoggle)

LA City Update - 5:17 PM (4 hours ago)

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraiogsa Tries To Silence The Public Over "Risky" Ballot Measure "B" (Solar Energy BONDoggle)

LA City News - 5:13 PM (4 hours ago)

City Hall Seeks to Silence Critics

It's amazing to me that this story has yet to show up in any of the local media when one considers the civil liberties implications of the Mayor of a major city taking opponents of a controversial measure to court to silence their dissent. In searching the net, the activist blogs are on the beat... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my webs...

Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics - 5:06 PM (4 hours ago)

City Hall Political Machine Tries to Intimidate Activist Community

LA City News - 10:47 AM (11 hours ago)

Prop. B Is for Bribery and Blackmail -- Political Power, Not Solar Power

This is pay-to-play pure and simple.The DWP and the IBEW union that runs it blocked solar energy development in Los Angeles for a decade, demanding that the utility own all major solar installations and that the work of installing the units and maintaining them belong to the IBEW.They blackmailed the city, held solar energy development hostage. And...

Ron Kaye L.A. - 12:26 PM (9 hours ago)

Forget Ethics Reform:Video Cameras, Bugs and Wiretaps Are the Way to Clean Up City Hall

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's point man to clean up the mess wants to have video cameras installed in the locomotive cabs so we can keep an eye on what's going on."We're talking about the ability to look into a [locomotive] cab in real time and see what's happening," said Metrolink board member Richard Katz, who Villaraigosa put on the panel afte...

Ron Kaye L.A. - Dec 27, 2008 (yesterday)

Volunteer to Help Los Angeles Neighbors in Crisis

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are encouraging local residents to join the City of Los Angeles Crisis Response Team volunteer program.Crisis Response Teams (CRT) are groups of trained volunteers on call to provide immediate, short-term on-scene support and guidance to families, neighbors, witnesses and survivors in their community traumatized by fir...

LAFD News & Information - Dec 26, 2008 (2 days ago)

[Zuma Press] Recent "Zuma-Dogg" Blog Mentions

...to Mayor Villaraigosa. ...Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home... - http://mayorsam.blogspot.com/Dwarl: Other blogs in Los Angelesvia Google Alerts - zuma-dogg by D.. on 12/26/08Zuma Dogg though, seems to have devoted his life to doing this - he tries to hold our elected politicians to account, but so much seems to slip and slide through the massive m...

Zuma Times Blog - Dec 26, 2008 (2 days ago)

[Zuma Press] Recent "Zuma-Dogg" Blog Mentions

LA City News - Dec 26, 2008 (2 days ago)

L.A. mayor looks to the future

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa found himself tested on almost every skill he has learned in his years in public life: Devastation with the Metrolink crash and wildfires and having to ...

*Los Angeles* News - Topix - Dec 26, 2008 (2 days ago)

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa tested in 2008

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa found himself tested on almost every skill he has learned in his years in public life.

News - Dec 26, 2008 (2 days ago)

Revolution by Newsrack

If the revolution that takes down LA's kleptocracy happens in 2009 it will no doubt be due in part to the excellent reportage of David Zahniser in the LA Times and the folks at the LA Weekly namely, Jill Stewart, Daniel Heimpel and Patrick Range McDonald. Indeed, Weekly helmstress Stewart offers... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my webs...

Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics - Dec 25, 2008 (3 days ago)

Christmas Eve news and notes

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, labor boss Maria Elena Durazo and Assembly Republican leader Mike Villines are among the politicos who sent letters of recommendation urging bail for Esteban Nuñez. Hector Tobar/LAT Looking back at a good year of change through the lens of L.A.'s left. Liberty Hill Art Talk's Edward Goldman and Arts Journal's Lee Rose...

LA Observed: Remember that name - Dec 24, 2008 (4 days ago)

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Christmas Eve

...drenched Mayor Villaraigosa's $24 million anti-gang program, be sure to read it here and here. According to Heimpel a "secret" panel doles out the tax money to various "anti-gang" programs; a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics - Dec 24, 2008 (4 days ago)

Chicago-style politics

...that Mayor Villaraigosa looks to him for inspiration.

Notes from Los Angeles - Dec 24, 2008 (4 days ago)

Recession Reality Check: Boxer Preps for Obama

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Boxer Staff Member: Adolfo Bailon Date Contacted: December 2, 2008 The City of Los Angeles currently has a budget shortfall of $130 million, primarily due to the weakening economy. Of the City's overall $130 million shortfall, $75 million is directly attributed to reductions in sales and business taxes, documentary tr...

LAist: *Los Angeles* News, Food, Arts & Events - Dec 23, 2008 (5 days ago)

Recession Reality Check: Boxer Preps for Obama

LAist - Dec 23, 2008 (5 days ago)

And Justice for Some

If you're a 19 year old charged with a heinous murder how can you get your bail reduced and be released from jail? Hope that your father is a well connected former Speaker of the California Assembly and that his powerful friends write letters on your behalf to the judge. That's what happened,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit...

Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics - Dec 23, 2008 (5 days ago)

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

...for Antonio Villaraigosa and Eli Broad and one against Zev Yaroslavsky and the taxpayers. Tom Christie writes at the LA Weekly blog that Tuesday Villaraigosa and Broad will join to announce the selection of a new CEO for LA's Museum of Contemporary Art and that the troubled MOCA has... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website fo...

Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics - Dec 23, 2008 (5 days ago)

LA City News Wire Monday Evening Update (NEW Stories you may have missed.)

LA Daily Blog.com - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Extra, Extra

...Mayor Villaraigosa wants to know what you think. The City is running a survey on their website about the current budget crisis. Give 'em your 2 cents' worth while you still have 2 cents to spare. So if you are underage and want to drink and/or get high--or just get high, period--at a concert, be forewarned, the Forum is so not the place to go ...

LAist - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Extra, Extra

LAist: *Los Angeles* News, Food, Arts & Events - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Scenario for Dictatorship: Los Angeles of, by and for the Special Interests

...behind Antonio Villaraigosa -- men like Ari Swiller and Keith Brackpool who have huge investments in water and power development companies -- have been raising millions in campaign funds for the mayor and the political machine he heads.They are part of the inner circle of strategists and operatives who see themselves on the brink of controlling ...

Ron Kaye L.A. - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Tell the Mayor That You Want Better Transportation

...Mayor Villaraigosa wants to hear from you! The Mayor's Office just released their annual survey to help them create their budget priorities for the next fiscal year, giving all transportation activists another chance to let our elected leaders know how we feel. Of particular interest to Streetsbloggers, the last one-third of the survey has to...

Streetsblog - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Morning Buzz: Monday 12.22.08

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa include Andrea Alarcon, daughter of Councilman Richard Alarcon, to the Board of Taxicab Commissioners and Christine Essel, formerly SVP at Paramount Pictures, to the airports board. You can tell Villaraigosa via the web what services not to cut. Rick Orlov/Tipoff City Controller Laura Chick will release a report on op...

LA Observed: Remember that name - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Your Mayor, trolling for a budget mandate

~Hey, kids, at last, here's your big chance to put yet another opaque layer of anonymity between you and your government:To ensure that the needs of your neighborhoods are voiced, my office has created a budget survey to help guide the development of the City budget. This survey asks you to make very tough choices regarding real decisions that I wi...

street hassle - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Lincoln High 90031- Quick Notes: The City "asks" for your advice ...

...Publicity For Villaraigosa/Garcetti's MEASURE B (Solar Energy BONDoggle) by LA TIMES (And They Are Supposed to SUPPORT VIAGRAOSA!) - ... Lincoln High 90031- Quick Notes - http://lincolnquicknotes.blogspot.com/

Google Alerts - zuma-dogg - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Streetsblog Interview: Steve Hymon

...Villaraigosa is a big player in local transit circles, chairing the MTA Board and such. I don't have to pay attention to the elephant debate, but there's still important stuff that goes on here. Streetsblog: So what was the big story of the year for LA County. I'm guessing you'll say Measure R and everything that happened during the ...

Streetsblog - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Ron Kaye's worldview growing darker?

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's fraudulent solar energy proposal leads straight to President-elect Obama, raising questions about whether all that talk of change and citizen participation and democracy was just so much lip service. Yeah, the whole world is questioning Obama's sincerity and integrity because of L.A.'s local solar initiative. More ...

LA Observed: Remember that name - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

At Sundown, Menorahs Come Alight For Hanukkah

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa scheduled to make an appearance. On Monday, Villaraigosa will light the City Hall menorah and the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Energy Alternative Menorah.

CBS 2 - KCAL 9 - Los Angeles - Southern California - LA Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports - Dec 21, 2008 4:28 PM

Los Angeles survey seeks input on budget crisis

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and city officials are giving you a chance to do just that.

Los Angeles Times - Opinion - Dec 21, 2008 5:38 AM

Los Angeles survey seeks input on budget crisis

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and city officials are giving you a chance to do just that.

L.A. Times - California | Local News - Dec 20, 2008 10:44 PM

Zuma's LA Daily Blog: MORE Bad Publicity For Villaraigosa ...

WE'RE TALKING "FRONT BURNER" LIKE THE DAYS WHEN ZUMA DOGG WAS BLASTING ABOUT CONDO-CONVERSIONS IN VIOLATION OF VACANCY RATES!!! HOW DID THAT GO FOR YOU HERB! MY NEW YEARS RESLOUTION IS TO KEEP YOU HONEST, HERB. NONE OF THIS DOUBLE-TALK, ... Zuma's LA Daily Blog - http://ladailyblog.blogspot.com/

Google Alerts - zuma-dogg - Dec 20, 2008 7:58 PM

MORE Bad Publicity For Villaraigosa/Garcetti's MEASURE B (Solar Energy BONDoggle) by LA TIMES (And They Are Supposed to SUPPORT VIAGRAOSA!)

LA Daily Blog.com - Dec 20, 2008 5:06 PM

L.A.'s Solar Energy Fraud: Is this what President-elect Obama stands for?

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's fraudulent solar energy proposal leads straight to President-elect Obama, raising questions about whether all that talk of change and citizen participation and democracy was just so much lip service.The mayor himself was named to Obama's transition team of economic advisers. Deputy Mayor Nancy Sutley -- architect of ...

Ron Kaye L.A. - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Jane Usher's resignation letter

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, chided him on several points and, as I said on the radio spot, "essentially called BS on the mayor's approach to letting developers build wherever a bus might someday pass, in the name of transit friendly growth." Usher urged the mayor to "please reject the careless, sprawl-inducing approach of adding density at every...

LA Observed: Remember that name - Dec 21, 2008 12:06 AM

The 'Secret' Solar Plan Document -- 13 reasons Prop. B is a Fraud

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's lawyer who is representing Mitchell Schwartz and the League of Conservation Voters political action committee which claims there are false and misleading statements. Rebuttals are due Jan. 5 and the next hearing is Jan. 8. We are seeking a lawyer and received several offers of donations.. At a news conference Friday,...

Ron Kaye L.A. - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

L.A. survey seeks residents' input on budget crisis

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and city officials are giving you a chance to do just that.

L.A. Times - California | Local News - Dec 19, 2008 5:05 PM

NEW: Welcome to LOS ANGELES VOTERS FOR CHANGE (March 3, 2009 Election Slate)

...where Antonio Villaraigosa is up for re-election, several Los Angeles city council and LAUSD board member seats are on the ballot; along with numerous ballot measures.Last mayoral election, no one had heard of YouTube or MySpace. Most of us had never even heard of a "blog", let alone read one. And although many of you had email accounts, this el...

L.A. Voters For Change - Dec 23, 2008 (5 days ago)

The Loneliest Mayor

Jm~The Mayor discovered Twitter two weeks ago, now he's reinventing LA through Facebook, looking for a thousand pals by year's end.Try it. Be B(FB)FF with the Mayor.

street hassle - Dec 19, 2008 4:12 PM

Century Plaza= Next Ambassador: Well, someone had to draw...

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other local politicians were all to ready to praise a developer's plans to demolish the Century Plaza Hotel for two new futuristic high rises.The history of the site seems lost on them. In fact, I'd say that the Century Plaza has been a late 20th century counterpart to the Ambassador Hotel, the 1920s era mid-Wilshi...

Curbed LA - Dec 19, 2008 4:03 PM

Mayor Passes New Rental Foreclosure Law

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

CBS 2 - KCAL 9 - Los Angeles - Southern California - LA Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports - Dec 19, 2008 2:23 PM

Los Angeles Times Exposes Measure B (Solar Energy Bond) As "Extremely Risky" While Council President Eric Garcetti Witholds Information From Public

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and council members have embraced the solar plan, which was spearheaded by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the union that represents DWP employees. Under the plan, all the solar panels would be owned by the DWP and installed by the utility's workers.Councilwoman Jan Perry, who heads the Energy and ...

L.A. Voters For Change - Dec 19, 2008 1:02 PM

L.A. Voters For Change - Candidate Slate (March 3, 2009 General Election, City of Los Angeles)

Mayor: David Saltsburg (Aka: Zuma Dogg)City Attorney: Noel Weiss, Carmen TrutanichCity Controller: Nick PatsourasCouncil District 1: Jesse RosasCouncil District 3: Dennis P. ZineCouncil District 5: David T. VahediCouncil District 7: Richard Alarcon is running un-opposed.Council District 9: Jan Perry is running un-opposed.Council District 11: To Be ...

L.A. Voters For Change - Dec 19, 2008 1:02 PM

BREAKING NEWS: Mayor Attempts to Censor Prop B Facts

The Mayor is dragging community activists and neighborhood council DWP Committee members to court today in an attempt to censor the facts associated with Prop B, the IBEW's $3.6 billion money-making March 3 ballot scam disguised as a "solar energy bond". From Ron Kaye: ...Please be aware that... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websi...

Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics - Dec 19, 2008 12:11 PM

Another Mayoral lapse in the making

~Community organizer Ron Kaye says he's being dragged into court by a Mayoral goon squad including Stephen Kaufman regarding the wording of a ballot measure argument, of all things. This has got to be reciprocity for the Hayes/Hernandez's efforts to overturn the Term Limits initiative, which Kaye reported very attentively to City Hall's embarrassm...

street hassle - Dec 19, 2008 11:31 AM

Baby Elefant: The Seat Exeo, retail

...Loser Mayor Villaraigosa at Ci... The actor of 'Borat' breaks into the parade of the... Da Ali G Show - Season 1 - "Law" - Ali G's part on... The market shares in Russia opened lower prices of. ... Baby Elefant - http://baby-elefant.blogspot.com/

Google Alerts - zuma-dogg - Dec 19, 2008 9:28 AM

Zuma's LA Daily Blog: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Wants To Know ...

PayPal Zuma Dogg. Call Zuma Dogg! ZD Cell Phone: 213-785-7272. Leave comment or story ideas on voice mail if I don't pick up. (Anonymity guaranteed. Call anytime!) LA Daily Blog Links. Zuma Dogg For Mayor Campaign Website · Zuma Dogg ... Zuma's LA Daily Blog - http://ladailyblog.blogspot.com/

Google Alerts - zuma-dogg - Dec 19, 2008 5:52 AM

Laura Chick Audit "SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT" Regarding L.A. City Councilmember Janice Hahn

LA Daily Blog.com - Dec 18, 2008 11:07 PM

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Wants To Know: What's Important To YOU, Sucker? (He Really Wants To Know, Please Don't Let Him Down)

LA Daily Blog.com - Dec 18, 2008 10:18 PM

Zuma Dogg Busts Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's In City Hall Christmas Tree Bamboozle (He Can't Even Run A Christmas Tree)

LA Daily Blog.com - Dec 18, 2008 9:30 PM

Los Angeles City Budget. What's Important To You?

...Mayor Villaraigosa and other City leaders are asking for your input on the performance and necessity of the services provided by the City and to help them place priorities on the levels to maintain.Mayor Villaraigosa and City Leaders are conducting an online survey, and all stakeholders are encouraged to take this survey to convey your concerns ...

LAFD News & Information - Dec 19, 2008 10:59 AM

Money, Money, Money -- Where Has All Our Money Gone?

...Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa while it gives raises of up to 6 percent to city employees on top of the endless step increases they get for doing the same job this year they did last year.Revenue is up 30 percent in three years under the mayor's leadership but spending is up even more. In laying out just how bad things are with revenue falli...

Ron Kaye L.A. - Dec 18, 2008 3:10 PM

Recent Press About Villaraigosa's "RISKY" Solar Bond on March Ballot (Measure B)

2008-12-28T17:24:00.001-08:00

VOTE NO ON MEASURE B.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraiogsa Tries To Silence The Public Over "Risky" Ballot Measure "B" (Solar Energy BONDoggle)

...S BLOG: City Hall Seeks to Silence Critics It's amazing to me that this story has yet to show up in any of the local media when one considers the civil liberties implications of the Mayor of a major city taking opponents of a controversial measure to court to silence their dissent. In searching the net, the activist...

LA City Update - 5:17 PM (5 minutes ago)

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraiogsa Tries To Silence The Public Over "Risky" Ballot Measure "B" (Solar Energy BONDoggle)

LA City News - 5:13 PM (9 minutes ago)

City Hall Political Machine Tries to Intimidate Activist Community

...blic Debate on Solar Energy Fraud Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his team of lobbyists, strategists and pay-to-play cronies have sued the eight people who signed the No. on Prop. B ballot argument -- an attempt at intimidation under the guise of law.This measure isn't about solar energy and has nothing to do with the largest solar energy in...

LA City News - 10:47 AM (6 hours ago)

[Zuma Press] Recent "Zuma-Dogg" Blog Mentions

...blic Access TVvia Google Alerts - zuma-dogg by LA Weekly - Los Angeles,CA,USA on 12/26/08By Rick Anderson By Patrick Range McDonald The day before Thanksgiving, Zuma Dogg, an outspoken community activist who has a comedian's sense of the absurd, ...Meet Your New Mayoral Candidate...via Google Alerts - zuma-dogg by Valley Doll(Valley Doll) on 12/...

Zuma Times Blog - Dec 26, 2008 (2 days ago)

[Zuma Press] Recent "Zuma-Dogg" Blog Mentions

...blic Access TVvia Google Alerts - zuma-dogg by LA Weekly - Los Angeles,CA,USA on 12/26/08By Rick Anderson By Patrick Range McDonald The day before Thanksgiving, Zuma Dogg, an outspoken community activist who has a comedian's sense of the absurd, ...Meet Your New Mayoral Candidate...via Google Alerts - zuma-dogg by Valley Doll(Valley Doll) on 12/...

LA City News - Dec 26, 2008 (2 days ago)

Sunshine on Solar Fraud: The City Council Debate

...bout things and make up their own minds but if I have to go back to the fateful City Council meeting on Nov. 7 and listen to these people prattle dishonestly about a half-baked solar energy plan, you should to.The debate started with President Eric Garcetti asking -- or more precisely answering -- what he claimed were the 13 questions distilled ...

Ron Kaye L.A. - Dec 25, 2008 (3 days ago)

Scenario for Dictatorship: Los Angeles of, by and for the Special Interests

...the people behind Antonio Villaraigosa -- men like Ari Swiller and Keith Brackpool who have huge investments in water and power development companies -- have been raising millions in campaign funds for the mayor and the political machine he heads.They are part of the inner circle of strategists and operatives who see themselves on the brink of c...

Ron Kaye L.A. - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Lincoln High 90031- Quick Notes: The City "asks" for your advice ...

...Blog- City of L.A.'s fraud, waste, & abuse · MORE Bad Publicity For Villaraigosa/Garcetti's MEASURE B (Solar Energy BONDoggle) by LA TIMES (And They Are Supposed to SUPPORT VIAGRAOSA!) - ... Lincoln High 90031- Quick Notes - http://lincolnquicknotes.blogspot.com/

Google Alerts - zuma-dogg - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

MORE Bad Publicity For Villaraigosa/Garcetti's MEASURE B (Solar Energy BONDoggle) by LA TIMES (And They Are Supposed to SUPPORT VIAGRAOSA!)

LA Daily Blog.com - Dec 20, 2008 5:06 PM

Some Good Reasons To Vote "NO" on Measure B (Solar Energy BONDoggle)

LA Daily Blog.com - Dec 20, 2008 4:29 PM

L.A.'s Solar Energy Fraud: Is this what President-elect Obama stands for?

...bility for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's fraudulent solar energy proposal leads straight to President-elect Obama, raising questions about whether all that talk of change and citizen participation and democracy was just so much lip service.The mayor himself was named to Obama's transition team of economic advisers. Deputy Mayor Nancy Sutley -- ar...

Ron Kaye L.A. - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

NEW: Welcome to LOS ANGELES VOTERS FOR CHANGE (March 3, 2009 Election Slate)

...candidates and ballot positions in the March 3, 2009 City of Los Angeles general election.The Power of LA Voters For ChangeWe The People of Los Angeles, have a chance to create some real change at City Hall during the March 3, 2009 general election where Antonio Villaraigosa is up for re-election, several Los Angeles city council and LAUSD board...

L.A. Voters For Change - Dec 23, 2008 (5 days ago)

L.A. Voters For Change: Los Angeles Times Exposes Measure B (Solar ...

...burg (Aka: Zuma Dogg); City Attorney: Noel Weiss, Carmen Trutanich; City Controller: Nick Patsouras; Council District 1: Jesse Rosas; Council District 3: Dennis P. Zine (Incumbent); Council District 5: David T. Vahedi ... LA Voters For Change - http://lavotersforchange.blogspot.com/

Google Alerts - zuma-dogg - Dec 19, 2008 1:04 PM

Los Angeles Times Exposes Measure B (Solar Energy Bond) As "Extremely Risky" While Council President Eric Garcetti Witholds Information From Public

...bitious L.A. solar plan 'extremely risky' An outside consultant says Measure B, which easily made the March 3 ballot, is more costly than portrayed by the city's Department of Water and Power.By David ZahniserDecember 19, 2008When members of the Los Angeles City Council agreed last month to put an ambitious solar energy plan on the March 3 ballo...

L.A. Voters For Change - Dec 19, 2008 1:02 PM

EVEN MORE Bad Publicity For "Measure B" (Solar Energy Boondoggle) On March '09 Ballot (See Also: Eric Garcetti/Wendy Greuel)

LA Daily Blog.com - Dec 19, 2008 11:53 AM

City Hall's Solar Energy Fraud Revealed

...oppose Proposition B -- the solar energy fraud measure -- into court this morning to challenge most of their argument on the March 3 ballot.Kaufman -- who has long represented the mayor and boasts his clients include the City Attorney, a majority of the City Council, powerful city unions, numerous Democratic Party politicians, several insider in...

Ron Kaye L.A. - Dec 22, 2008 (6 days ago)

Analysis calls ambitious L.A. solar plan 'extremely risky'

...consultant says Measure B, which easily made the March 3 ballot, is more costly than portrayed by the city's Department of Water and Power. When members of the Los Angeles City Council agreed last month to put an ambitious solar energy plan on the March 3 ...

Los Angeles Times - Top News - Dec 18, 2008 10:54 PM

Analysis calls ambitious L.A. solar plan 'extremely risky'

L.A. Times - California | Local News - Dec 18, 2008 10:28 PM

Vote "No" on Prop. B -- The Solar Energy Fraud

...March 3 ballot measure Proposition B is a fraud and must be defeated.A lot of discussion focused on the lack of strong candidates taking on the mayor or any of the six incumbents seeking a third term they are eligible for thanks to the ruse they used to undo term limits restrictions under the guise of meaningless ethics reform in Proposition R.M...

Ron Kaye L.A. - Dec 7, 2008 5:09 PM

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LA City Update for 3/4/08 (See Exclusive News Wire -- NEW!)

2008-03-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

Click here for new stories posted at LA Daily Blog.com.

Click here for Zuma Dogg's exclusive LA Daily Blog NEWS WIRE. Scan all LA City news, politics, economy, community and business stories, all in one with a "Zuma Dogg" filter. (Stories feed from LA Times, CNBC, CBS/NBC/ABC local affiliates, top Los Angeles blogs, Daily Breeze, Sacramento Bee, Zuma Times, Bloomberg, Drudge and many others.)

zumadogg@gmail.com

LA Daily Blog.com News for March 3, 2008 by Zuma Dogg

2008-03-03T08:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the over 1500 readers who have checked into LADailyBlog.com the first week! Spread the word...include a link to the blog in emails to your friends and contacts! thanks - zd

Go to LA Daily Blog.com

LA Daily Blog Launches Exclusive News Wire for LA City Politics & Local Neighborhood Issues

2008-03-03T07:46:00.001-08:00

NOTE: All my stories are now posted exclusively at LA Daily Blog.com so check out the site and sign up for a feedburner subscription. - Zuma Dogg

EXCLUSIVE LA DAILY BLOG NEWS WIRE: Alright...I got sick of scanning eight million websites all across the internet looking for the stories I want to read, each day. So I had the Batcomputer create a custom newswire with all the stories I want to read each day, with all the stuff I don't wanna read, filtered out. It is constantly update at LA Daily Blog.com

" Lemon Principals "

2008-02-10T07:49:00.000-08:00

Has your community been give a Lemon?
Well they say, "If life gives you Lemons, make Lemonade!"
Our community has a "Rotten Lemon."

Many Parents try to get rid of Principals, with no luck.
If you are successful, that Principal just ends up being another communities problem.
The Cycle needs to end.
Your Neighborhood Council can make things happen!

Here are a few Basics: I will give details later.
1. Set up a School Communication System
2. Set up a Community Oversight Comittee
3. When you have a list of issues/documentation take it to the Appropriate
LAUSD Comittee meeting. fill out a speaker card as soon as you get there.
Read your list during open comments.
4. Parents with Students are an important Stakeholder group to get involved. They are
concerned with the Health and Safety of the Children.
5. Parents want to spend time with their Children, Encourage parents to bring their kids with them to the meetings.

Bad Schools effect the Property values in your Communities. They should be everyones concern.
If you have no idea what's happening in your local schools It's time to find out.

What has D.O.N.E. done?

2008-02-09T18:27:00.000-08:00

Someone asked me that question today. That was a profound question.
Why? What did D.O.N.E. Do? Tip: answer questions with another question it confuses the heck out of people.

We were talking about Training, and how many Neighborhood Councils have been around for years trying to come up with the same answers.

D.O.N.E needs to train or encourage the sharing of information between Councils.
Let us use The STNC Education Position as an example.

What? Your N.C. doesn't have anyone representing your children? With the LAUSD / School Crisis, The N.C.s are in the best postion to help! Local School Accountability is the Key to fixing the schools. Many are out of control.

Unfortunately, problems aren't going to fix themselves. Students are not only Stakeholders in the Community, They are the Future!

Keep checking the Blog and we will help you along the path, to develop systems like the ones we are using.

Update us with the things that are working in your Community.

We are all here for the same purpose, to make things better!

STNC Education Rep.

New Blog and Website for LA City Issues: LACityUpdate.com

2008-02-09T12:02:00.000-08:00

With national presidential elections taking over a lot of local media coverage, time to fire up a new website and blog to cover all the local neighborhood council/community issues that affect your community. Go to http://lacityupdate.com to check it out. It links to this companion blog, http://ladailyblog.com. (Formerly Neighborhood Council Blogspot.)

Here are some things sent to my inbox. A lot of the stuff blogged here will be from the emails people send me. And if you go to the website (http://lacityupdate.com), I put together some links to the news stories I liked from other sites.

Court Rules on Blogger's Individual Rights: Where plaintiff served subpoena on Internet service provider seeking disclosure of identify of anonymous poster on financial message board who made allegedly defamatory comments about her, trial court erred in refusing to quash subpoena because online messages--while offensive and demeaning to plaintiff--did not constitute assertions of actual fact, and plaintiff therefore could not state a viable cause of action that overcame defendant’s First Amendment right to speak anonymously on Internet.
Krinsky v. Doe 6 - filed February 6, 2008, Sixth District
Cite as 2008 SOS 906
Full text

JUST WHAT IS NEEDED IN PICO RIVERA; AN EXPENSIVE SECOND ASSISTANT MANAGER: The city has hired a second assistant city manager to ease staff workloads and to provide new expertise during new development projects, City Manager Chuck Fuentes said.

According to Fuentes, Jeff Prang, mayor pro tem for West Hollywood and special public affairs assistant to Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, brings new skills to the city's management staff.

"We're looking forward to getting lots of good service out of him," Fuentes said.

Prang, 45, will be paid an annual salary of $136,716 for his services to the city, the entry-level salary for an assistant city manager. While Fuentes and Assistant City Manager Debbie Lopez say they believe Prang will be worth the extra cost to the city and that his services are necessary, some say the city does not need a second assistant city manager.

"I don't see a need for a second city manager," Councilman David Armenta said. "When you have a lot of construction, when we're building, you have a need. But the developments are pretty much coming to an end."

full article

City of Los Angeles Faces $600-$700 Million Budget Deficit Despite New Prop S Tax

2008-02-08T23:34:00.000-08:00

Hey Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Zuma Dogg's Batcomputer just crunched the City of Los Angeles' budget and it came up short $600-$700 million -- even with the new Prop S money.

Hope the City's bond rating doesn't drop over this. (Especially with the bond insurance crisis!)

Hey Laura Chick, perhaps an audit? Or, get Karen Sisson (Cheif Administrative Office) on the phone, Antonio. (She must know this already, if ZD's Batcomputer knows.)

LACER PENSION FUND ALERT: I hope LACER wasn't over-extended in risky investments tied to construction companies who are now stuck with a bunch of vacant housing units that are sinking in value as I type this. (Plus, whatever other investments I hope they didn't have, that I hope didn't take a huge hit in January.)

I hope the State doesn't have to end up bailing out these pension funds, since the bond insurers are having problems of their own; and the people planning on this retirement money will be outraged that all of this has been going on if this has happened. The party is over for all these risky financial deals, like subprimes and whatnot.

zumadogg@gmail.com

Hillary Clinton Invades East LA (The only place she has support) -- And Vote "No" on Prop S & 93

2008-02-03T08:28:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: LAist.com lists reasons to vote "No on S". (They mentioned all the important reasons, so yes, they included the Zuma Dogg take, y'all! Cause I'm a major factor, y'all!)Plus an internet poll. Also vote "No on Prop 93" so Nucklhead Nunez doesn't get to extend his term.

VOTER FRAUD UPDATE: Thanks to the people who sent ZD emails letting him know they will be sending people to polls with video cameras to watch for those bus caravans and to make sure poll workers keep their eyes open, instead of squeezing them shut. I hope there is no one reading this that would be upset if people are looking out for voter fraud?

CLINTON EAST L.A. RALLY: First of all, she wants to manage the country...she couldn't even manage to have a working microphone on hand. It was cutting in and out throughout the entire event. (Who's organizing these events?)

Keep Antonio off camera. He comes off like a screaming lunatic. He's worse than Hillary. Three years old like him though, because he only speaks in three word sentences, just like they do. (He should be on Sesame Street. He's already a bunch of peoples' Muppet.)

Janice Hahn, what a shame...if you watch it back on C-Span, she was looking at her watch, impatiently, and made a comment to Wendy Greuesome, just as they cut the the cute couple. (HER bad!)

I'm glad they brought out Magic Johnson to endorse Hillary, because I take my presidential cues from basketball players.

Maxine Waters came out to remind you, "I happen to be a black woman, and I endorse Hillary Clinton." (I guess she mentioned she was black for all the blind people watching.)

Gloria Molina was audibly booed when they announced her.

And of course, anyone who Nucklehead Nunez is endorsing, you obvious take your cue from that and simply vote for anyone else.

Bill Clinton must have had other plans..maybe he was cutting his deal with Obama, because he wasn't anywhere to be seen.

One of the actors from "West Wing" was in the audience. He worked on a TV set that was about the White House, so his endorsement is important. He was literally placed in the best spot, behind Hillary, like a prop, as though some idiots may think, "Oh wow! She has the endorsement of Jed Bartlett's Chief of Staff who is married to the mom from 'Malcolm in the Middle'. I loved it when Jed Bartlett was President. I'm going to vote for Schillary!"

Nunez said there has been a lot of talk about change, but he could barely talk, himself. He must have been screaming at the top of his lungs about something, cause his voice sounded like ZD's after singing "Hell's Bells" one too many times.

ZD's sings Hell's Bells and speaks on Villaraigosa.

HOW CLINTON COULD EVEN PUT NUCKLEHEAD NUNEZ ON STAGE AFTER HEARING ABOUT HIS WINE, TRAVEL AND OTHER LAVISH EXPENDITURES -- AND THE INVESTIGATIONS??? What an insult. And Nucklehead came off a little hostile and angry about his enthusiasm for change. Like when you know you are losing and are getting desperate, so you start getting "whiny" about it.

I'm glad Gray Davis was on hand to endorse Clinton! He did a great job as Governor. The people really liked him. Didn't he get kicked out of office? ARE YOU CRAZY!?!? WHY WOULD YOU EVEN LET GRAY DAVIS ON THE STAGE AT ALL???

The Mayor from Oakland gave a great civil rights speech (really, he was great), then introduced, "Gloria Molendez." Some of you also know her as Gloria Molina.

Now that I see Gloria speaking in a perfectly sane speaking voice; not shouting, screaming and coming off like a maniac nutcase as Villar, Nunez and Schillary do -- maybe they should hire her as their vocal coach. (Group discount)

DAAAAAAAAMN, even ZD has learned not to scream and shout from the podium. Between Clinton, Villar and Nucklehead, The Clinton campaign should be the party for deaf people.

Molina claims that the most polarizing political figure ever (Hillary) is going to "unite us all". Polarizers tend to divide people, not untie. That's why they are polarizing.

Anyway, Hillary just took the stage, and we all know what the sound of her shrill, shrieks do to ZD. Gotta turn her off, like the rest of her former supporters.

CAN SOMEONE FROM THE HILLARY CLINTON CAMPAIGN PLEASE TELL HER TO STOP SHOUTING LIKE A MENTAL PATIENT!!!

WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO FIGURE THIS OUT!!! I AM NOT KIDDING!!! SHE IS INTOLERABLE ON THE MIC. She's screams in monotone. No emotion in her voice. Just a cold, un-emotional tone, with no inflection. Take a listen next time and you will hear it for yourself. A cold, no emotion, no inflection voice. They should record her voice and use it for military interrogation. People would crack more quickly than water boarding. If anyone has the transcript from her speech, I would like to read what she said, cause I sure as hell can't listen to it.

Oh no, she didn't just use Bobby Kennedy in her speech? Did she hear who the family is endorsing? Thanks for reminding me Schillary.

Looking at Clinton and her cast of motley muppets, it's kinda sad that after eight years as first lady, that's all you could muster for support. (Why do you think Times and former supporters are jumping sides? Because THEY KNOW Hillary Clinton.

A basketball player, an actor who PLAYED a role about the White House, a shady-wino who spends public money on expensive wining and dining, Gloria Molina, and a mayor who has lost all support in the community and media alike -- and can only speak in three word sentences. LA Times is endorsing the other candidate. And her biggest assets (Bill Clinton) is now an albatross and they had to keep him off camera. Kinda sad.

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL SCHILLARY TO STOP SCREAMING LIKE A MENTAL PATIENT HAVING A TEMPER TANTRUM? (Where's Nurse Ratchett when we need her?) WHEN ARE HER CONSULTANTS GOING TO FIGURE THIS OUT? SHE'S STILL DOING IT!!! Inflection Schillary...learn about it!

And yes Schil...until you have actually BEEN President -- people ARE INDEED taking a chance on you, as much as any other candidate. (She keeps trying to mislead people into making it seem as though she already has experience as President???)

UPDATE: NEW VIDEO BASED ON MAYOR LOSING TO HUNT/DOWD AT VENICE BEACH
Zuma Dogg - "We Are The Champions, You Are The Chumpians"

CLICK "READ MORE" FOR "ZD's EQUAL TIME"...A comment by a Hillary supporter (if not paid political operative) and along with a reply by ZD's spin-debunker machine.

REMEMBER, IF YOU ARE A PAID POLITICAL OPERATIVE ON A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN TRAIL -- AND YOU POST ON A BLOG -- PLEASE REMEMBER TO DISCLOSE.

(Not as if anyone can't tell.)

And in possibly unrelated matters:

You say: "Obama has been openly and shamelessly pandering to the illegals and the way left, that's why. Which is why Hillary should be the better choice."

Um, excuse me...Schillary is rollin' with Antonio. Obama WISHES he could pander to the amount of illegals Antonio brings to the polls, I mean table.

You say, "He said at the debates that any claim that illegals were hurting the general economy, or blacks in terms of getting jobs, was scapegoating."

He may have said it, and she may not have...but first of all, since they are both pandering...looks like Schillary just lost that panders' vote to Barack. (LOL!)

Spinner says, "He just plain lied..." (Ooops, I forgot, you are the official chief economist who has the stats to claim unequivocally that he "lied.")

Funny, you are saying that Barack is going to lose big time, but he is using the strategy YOU, I mean the Clinton campaign is using. (Except he just yanked the rug out from under your strategy. HIS BAD!)

And of course since the Times finally can no longer be seen anywhere near your boss, I mean Villaraigosa -- any more than a travel agent wants to book customers on the Titanic as Kate is reaching for Leo's hand as he sinks away into the abyss -- you better take a shot at them, too.

WOW...you sure are anonymous.

[And in unrelated matters, will someone please tell Shit Romney that his business experience running Banes Capital is not the same business experience it takes to run country from an economic standpoint. (I'm not saying he wouldn't or couldn't do a good job, even though he is the Republican version of Hillary Clinton...but to say your business experience there is apples and oranges as President, y'all. Stop fronting you Lyle Wagoner-looking phony. You're the Tom Lebong of Presidential candidates.]

Community Outrage Over Proposed Las Villas Alcohol License and Arcade A Little Too Close To Home...I Mean School

2008-01-31T22:53:00.001-08:00

Here is a local neighborhood issue that people in the Lincoln Heights area have been contacting me about over the past several months. The issue is now before the community, and Carlos Morales, Publisher and Editor of The Voice Newspaper has this as the front page story this week.

PROPOSED ALCOHOL LICENSE AND ARCADE BREWS CONTROVERSY IN LINCOLN HEIGHTS

By Carlos Morales

A meeting was held on Wednesday, January 23rd at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church auditorium to inform the community of a proposed controversial project in Lincoln Heights that is being supported by Councilmember Ed Reyes.

In the middle of the controversy is Las Villas Inc. A proposed 21,950 square foot youth and family-themed restaurant facility to be built in Lincoln Heights on a 48,840 square foot lot on North Broadway. Here is the description THE VOICE found at lasvillasinc.com; "Villa Palacios is an 11,000 square foot event and meeting facility divisible into rooms from 4,000 to 1,000 square feet and designed primarily for large parties, events and business conferences. Villa Palacio relies on its in-house partners to supply additional event services such as video, floral design, and tux and gown rentals, photography, limousine and other products that will help complete your event needs. Villa Palacio offers food service. The food and beverages offered in this branch will resemble that of other banquet facilities (with a Hispanic flare) and will be available on a per plate or buffer basis.

Villa Cri-Cri is a 7800 square foot theme restaurant and children's entertainment center designed primarily for families and younger children. Villa Cri-Cri serves a limited number of menu items, featuring foods drawn from the culture of its target customers as well as pizza and other mainstream foods. Life-sized cartoon characters including Cri-Cri, the singing cricket will supply the entertainment. This location will feature piñatas, an arts and crafts section as well as different fun-rooms where children can enjoy and learn about the Hispanic culture. In addition, children can engage themselves in the Villa Cri- Cri's physical activity maze or challenge themselves in dress-up, art and video arcades.

Villa Cri-Cri offers for sale merchandise created around the Cri Cri character. Come have a pie and a beverage or celebrate your birthday party. We have arcade games for those looking for more challenging fun.

On December 6, 2007, Associate Zoning Administrator Larry Friedman approved numerous variances of the City's municipal code to facilitate the proposed construction of the project. These variances allow the backers of the project to construct what will be the tallest building in Lincoln Heights at 45' high, while permitting zero percent building setback from the sidewalk, the ability to erect a large overhanging advertising sign and less than 25% of the required parking needed for a building of this size All of these architectural elements are in direct contradiction to a series of Community Design Overlay regulations jointly created and approved in 2004 by Lincoln Heights stakeholders and the City Planning Department to improve the North Broadway commercial corridor.

Additionally, Zoning Administrator Friedman approved the sale and dispensing of beer and wine and a variance to allow 100 video games on the premises. The facility will also be able to stay open for extended hours on weekends and will be open for business during school hours - including the video arcade. This is the second time that such an approval has been granted for the 7 year old project that will sit on a site which once included two homes - one of which was part of the original architectural site plan.

THE VOICE found testimony from the Zoning Administrators determination letter of December 6, 2007 that the developer had utilized the services of a contractor who verbally stated that the homes contained hazardous materials. Shortly thereafter the homes were demolished without either a regular or hazardous materials demolition permit with little regard to the potential airborne exposure to children at the adjacent schools. After a previous approval almost 3 years ago, the developers had not been able to secure funding for the project outside of the original CRA-sponsored Community Development Block Grant of $1.5 million to purchase the property.

Recently, the project backers have secured a commitment from Wilshire State Bank as a lender based on Las Villas' successful procurement of a liquor license for the site. As expressed by attendees at the meeting held at the Sacred Heart Church auditorium, the major areas of concern are the location of the restaurant with it's proposed alcohol sales and video arcade environment next to three local schools. The project site is adjacent to Lincoln High School, Gates Street Elementary School and Little Flower Missionary House. The America Vietnam-Chinese Kwan Ying Buddhist Church is located within 500 feet of the Las Villas project boundary and within a 1000' radius of the project site is the Gates Street Early Education Center.

Given the close proximity of the project to their location and the listed hours of operation for the Las Villas facility, sisters of the Carmelite Covenant at Little Flower Missionary House have stated that if the project is built with it's beer and wine license, the convent may have to relocate for the safety of the school's 100+ pre-school and pre-kinder children. The Carmelite nuns have resided at their Lincoln Heights place of worship since 1943.

Parents of Little Flower students have organized in protest to the proposed project and the sisters have filed an appeal to the project. Next to the Las Villas site is Abraham Lincoln High School with a school population of over 2600 students. According to the LAUSD Superintendent's Strategic Plan for High Priority Schools report dated on December 13, 2007, the campus is a PI Status School with an API score of 593 placing it in the 17 lowest performing high school in the LAUSD system. Schools which fall into this performance index are in danger of take over by the California State Department of Education.

Opponents of the project have cited that the ease of entry to the video arcade designed in the Las Villas building plans would lead to increase opportunities for truancy during school hours, an increase in after-school loitering and the failure of marginal students to go home and do much needed additional studying. Directly across from the proposed project is Gates Street Elementary School with a student population of approximately 830 students. Community opponents have expressed a concern that elementary school children will be in danger while crossing Lincoln Heights' main thoroughfare of North Broadway during peak traffic hours enroute to the video arcade at Las Villas.

Included in the submitted application by Las Villas is a letter of written support by LAUSD School Board President Monica Garcia. Upon learning of Garcia's support for the project, THE VOICE attempted to contact her office for comment several times. As of press time, no return calls or email have been received.

Area crime statistics have also been a subject of great debate in the Las Villas fight. The project is located adjacent to a requested temporary closure and gate installation on Gates Street proposed by Councilman Ed Reyes and LAPD due to an increase in gang activity, loitering, vandalism, robberies and drug dealing activities. According to LAPD statistics, the adjacent neighborhood is plagued with various violent and problematic local gangs. Several gang injunctions are currently in effect in the area which includes noted gang territory within 1000' of the proposed site. Increased gang and criminal activity was confirmed by LAPD Hollenbeck Captain Todd Chamberlain's testimony at the January 23, 2008 City Council meeting regarding the denial of an alcohol license at another North Broadway location due to the high gang activity in the area.

At the October 15, 2007 zoning variance hearing held at City Hall and conducted by Zoning Administrator Friedman, patrol and vice officers from the LAPD Hollenbeck Division along with representatives from the City Attorney's office testified that the area does have significant challenges from gang activity.

Concerns were also expressed about issues seen in the community regarding alcohol consumption and increased drunk driving citations at other local establishments. Despite community concerns, political support for the project has been overwhelming. At the forefront of the Las Villas cause is Councilman Ed Reyes who has publicly stated that the project will spearhead the revitalization of the North Broadway corridor.

The Councilman and his staff have been advocates for the Las Villas project since its inception. The backers of Las Villas have been astute in their access to political support as evidenced by the various letters of support submitted in the project zoning application from State Senator Gloria Romero, Supervisor Gloria Molina, former Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, and former LAPD Hollenbeck Division Captain Paul Pesquiera.

In addition to political support, several key community members have also expressed their support for the Las Villas project including Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Juana Lambert, Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council members David Galaviz and Martha Riley, and incoming Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce President Richard Macias who stated at the October 2006 hearing that "there is no place to have a nice dinner in Lincoln Heights".

Recently the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council hosted an informational presentation by Las Villas backers Alice Corona and Teresa Duarte. Although not listed as an action item on the agenda, several board members rose in support of the project and it's backers attempt to build their themed restaurant in the community.

However, there were questions left unanswered including a concern for the project's location and alcohol service in what is being billed as a family-oriented restaurant. During her presentation at the sparsely attended LHNC meeting (which was attended by THE VOICE), Ms. Corona on several occasions indicated that "We are targeting families with children at this facility". When asked by LHNC board member Tony Bukta "If you can't get a beer and wine license is this project economically feasible?", Ms Corona replied " We wouldn't get the loan from the bank." A concern voiced by opponents to the project is that if the facility is closed in the future, all granted variances including the liquor license and gaming variance needed for the video arcade, will be transferred to the site's new owner who may not have such a family-friendly venue in mind. Ms. Corona and Ms. Duarte are local business women who operate Teri's Fashion, a garment manufacturing facility in the industrial part of Lincoln Heights.

In response to Associate Zoning Administrator Friedman's question as to whether either owner had any restaurant experience, Rick Kresser who identified himself as the Las Villas CFO stated no. THE VOICE was informed that Mr. Kresser may have been the Former Chief Financial Officer with the United States Small Business Administration. (SBA) Upon further investigation, the name of Rick Kresser also appears online in an inquiry into a potential conflict of interest:

rick kresser - 10:04pm Jan 14, 2007 (330. 506/522) "Stock Purchase Option"

I have recently resigned from a position with the federal government and my post employment activities are subject to certain ethics rules and regulations. One of the issues raised by the Agency I resigned from was a determination that I cannot have an ownership position in a company that I was involved with while I was a federal employee for two years from the date I resigned. I am allowed to be a paid consultant for this company and future ownership in the company after the two year restriction expires is being discussed. I would like to enter into an agreement with the company that specifies what percentage I could own after the restriction expires and how much that ownership interest will cost me. We have discussed signing a Stock Purchase Option Agreement that would specify the future ownership interest and the cost of that ownership. I believe that since I would not be an owner of the company until and if I chose to exercise the option and pay the agreed upon price for the stock that this arrangement would not violate the two year restriction on ownership in this company. Lastly, I would like to reference the Stock Purchase Option in the compensation section of the consulting agreement that the company and I are planning to sign. What are your thoughts? Can a Stock Purchase Option Agreement between the company that owns the stock and a consultant that receives the Stock Purchase Option as part of the compensation for consulting be considered as a legal ownership interest in the company granting the Stock Purchase Option? (Inquiry can be found at)
findlaw.com

Concurrent with Las Villas' request for a liquor license is the plight of the J & L Meat Market -a small local market displaced through eminent domain by LAUSD and relocated to Lincoln Heights. Whereas, J & L Meats previously held a valid liquorlicense, the owner's license transfer has been blocked through efforts spearheaded by Councilman Reyes and the City Council who cite similar issues raised by the opponents of Las Villas such as: the preponderance of gang activity, the number of alcohol licenses in Lincoln Heights, and the proximity of local schools and churches in the community.

This story will continue in the next issue of THE VOICE. The East Los Angeles Planning Commission meets on February 27, 2008 @ 4:30pm at the Ramona Hall in Highland Park. At the meeting, testimony in two separate appeals to the granted zoning variances will be heard and the public is invited to express their opinion on the future of Las Villas.

Carlos Morales
Publisher / Editor

Shady "Dirty Burnell" Project Shut Down After Local Adocacy Alliance

2007-12-28T11:40:00.001-08:00

If I were to re-cap the most triumphant victory I have seen against shady corruption this past year as a public advocate, the winner may have just snuck in under the wire in time for year's end.

Mayor Sam readers have been following Zuma Dogg's exclusive coverage of the fraudulent permits issued at "Dirt Burnell" in LA Councilmember Jose Huizar's district.

Previous ZD stories on Dirt Burnell

Got pretty uncomfortable for Big ZD in council chambers during all the time I was blasting away about it on TV 35.

ZD picked up on the story based on the brilliant work of Dan Wright of the Mt. Washington Homeowners Alliance. Some of you may also know Dan from his hard work regarding the Southwest Museum community battle.

So today, I was pleasantly surprised when my Batcomputer sent me this email:

Mt. Wash. Homeowners Alliance Advocacy Results In Developer Stop Work Order

More than one year after City officials unlawfully issued building permits to the developer of 1657 Burnell Drive, the Mount Washington Homeowners Alliance announces that the office of Jose Huizar confirmed today that the developer was issued Stop Work Orders last Friday,
December 21, 2007. On December 24, 2007, the developer's workers secured the building site and shut down construction of the unlawful house.

The community and democratic process owes a debt of gratitude to Daniel Wright for proving that one person can make a difference. I don't know for a fact, but my guess is that without Dan's work on this, hammers would be pounding as we speak.

zumadogg@gmail.com
zumatimes.com

As previously reported to NELA list, on December 12, 2007, the East Los Angeles Planning Commission granted the appeal of the Mount Washington Homeowners Alliance and revoked all planning approvals and building permits for the house being constructed at 1657 Burnell Drive. Dirt Burnell has been the subject of a controversy over how a speculation developer manipulated land titles and six house project applications to conceal or omit key environmental information from City planners in an effort to obtain planning approvals for the houses
without any environmental review.

The lack of environmental review, particularly where construction was proposed on an undeveloped dirt road, is a serious problem because failure to review and resolve potential negative impacts of road construction aesthetics, drainage, emergency vehicle access and other
issues remained unresolved while City officials allowed one of the houses to proceed to construction. The MWHA arguments and evidence fell on deaf ears of the City Planning officials, City Attorney advisors to the Council office, and Building and Safety officials
until finally, when reviewed by the citizen commissioners of the East Los Angeles Planning Commission, the obvious misleading project applications were found to be null and void.

It is truly sad that it took over a year of completely unnecessary administrative hearings and proceedings to overturn one preposterous claim after another asserted by City Planning, City Attorney and Building and Safety as excuses why they would not act. But in this case, when the case ultimately reached the citizen commission, the nonsense ended and the obviously misleading and omission-filled project applications were expressly found null and void. This case
illustrates to residents of the City how important citizen commissions are as a check and balance of the power of the City's bureaucracies. ?

Without review by independent and fair-minded citizen commissioners, there can be no hope of balance in land use and environmental decision making of the City. In this case, the bureaucracy refused to act and for more than a year coddled and protected the real estate developer.
This type of action cannot continue and the case warrants investigation by the City Council to strenghten the enforcement powers and duties of the City planning and building officials.

The Mount Washington Homeowners Alliance is not opposed to the ultimate completion of the house at 1657 Burnell Drive. As always, our organization supports property owner rights to develop within the sound parameters of applicable zoning and environmental laws. If the property at 1657 Burnell Drive can be properly mitigated to protect the surrounding community, then it should be completed.

This case is an important lesson for the real estate development community. Project applications submitted with fraudulent or missing information can result in a disastrous revocation of planning approvals and building permits. Efforts to skirt the well-known rules adopted by the City Council as our zoning laws can and should be properly enforced by our City officials including the City Attorney.

When those enforcement actions are taken, both the affected communities and the development community have more certainty about how to play within the rules.

Daniel Wright, President
Mount Washington Homeowners Alliance

PUBLIC NOTICE: Friends To Gather This Friday-SundayTo Protest Southwest Museum/Autry/Latham & Watkins/Huizar/Villariagosa Plans

2007-10-31T08:05:00.000-07:00

HERE IS A MESSAGE FROM A "FRIEND" OF THE SOUTHWEST MUSEUM: She is awesomely knowledgeable!

Hi, everyone

My name is Olga Hall and I am one of the coalition members for The Friends of the Southwest Museum.

Thank you very much to those sixty participants that joined us in our first protest in front of the Southwest Museum last Sunday.

For several years we have been listening to Autry, then to Mayor Villaraigosa and Councilman Huizar. Nothing has been gained by working with them instead Autry has had time to sell its agenda. So we feel it is time to come out in the open and declare the truth of what Autry is doing. To all of you that are True Friends of the
Southwest Museum and want to protect this city's treasure and history this is the moment to raise your voices. We hope you can join us at one or all of these protests:

Friday, November 2, 2007 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 3, 2007 10.00 a. m. to 12.00 p.m.

Sunday, November 4, 2007 10:00 to 12:00 p.m.

This is the second year the Intertribal Market will take place at the Autry, so we think it is a good time to make our presence known. We will meet in front of The Autry Museum, where the crossing from the Zoo to the Autry is. If your have any questions please send an e-mail to yosemite3231@yahoo.com

Please spread the word.

Olga Hall

DONE's "Congress of Neighborhoods"...The Who Said It Best..."Meet the new boss, same as the old boss! "

2007-10-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

LOOKS LIKE THE SAME OLD DIVERSIONARY TACTICS SENT OUT BY DONE TO KEEP THE MASSES RUNNING AROUND IN CIRCLES WITH A CARROT ON A STICK...LOL!

From Dr. Daniel Wiseman as sent to ZD by someone else. (It's makin' the rounds!)

To my FELLOW STAKEHOLDERS:

These pages have seen a series of emails titled "Bridgett Johnson at the Congress."
They are a "dialogue" between Bob Gelfand and Greg Nelson regarding a teaching session at the Saturday, 10/27, "Congress of Neighborhoods" on how to create (?influence) the news media.

These emails "broke down" into a discussion between Greg Nelson and Bob Gelfand of Ms. Johnson's political points of view. She is (apparently) very conservative on the subject of Income Taxes ... and has written in favor of eliminating the IRS. So what? How about discussing the $ 10,000 paid to the "professional" who have the four "Congress planning sessions?" Greg didn't answer Bob's criticisms but (in true "ad hominum" fashion) narrowed his focus to a request for an apoloty. I wonder; as a former DONE GM and as the DONE GM who created the "Congress of Neighborhoods" what is Greg's current role in the preparation of these meetings. He was at the planning sessions.

How irrelevant to NC priorities can we get?

The views of the "coordinator" and Greg Nelson seem to have prevailed at the planning sessions. How about discussing the multiple ideas and offers brought to these sessions by STAKEHOLDERS who were rebuffed and refused recognition? Was there really a transfer of control/planning for this "Congress of Neighborhoods" to the STAKEHOLDERS?

The REAL ISSUE raised by the noble ISSUESBOB is the manner in which the "Congress of Neighborhoods" was planned and the way it will occur: Not only Bob but also many others (myself included) who attended the four "planning sessions" came away very dissapointed.

This "Congress of Neighborhoods" was supposed to be very different from previous ones.

This "Congress of Neighborhoods" is the first one produced under the "new management" of Carol Baker Tharp and Bong Hwan Kim. Carol Baker Tharp and Bong Hwan Kim came into their office promising our STAKEHOLDERS a "new approach;" and much greater involvement of the STAKEHOLDERS (???of the NCs). Did we see that in the planning of the "Congress of Neighborhoods?" I don't think so. ...and... why is this argument between ISSUES BOB and GREG714? Where is DONE? What did DONE do? What had DONE done, lately?

First of all, this email has carefully characterized the "Congress of Neighborhoods" in quotes.

The words "Congress of Neighborhoods" are a caricature (an exagerated display, a satirical portrayal, a satire) of a "Congress." It is not a "Congress" ... it is not a place where representatives meeting to discuss and decide issues.

There was a "Congress of Neighborhoods" proposed in the 1999 Charter Revision. Article IX, Section 901(c) states that DONE shall "...arrange Congress of Neighborhood meetings, if requested to do so by recognized neighborhood councils." Never has there been a "formal" and "real" request from the NCs to hold these meetings. Now, I wonder, did the framers of this Article envision semi-annual convention-like meetings or were they leaving the door opened for a "real" Congress where the "recognized" NCs could gather, discuss, plan and propose solutions? In the past, I have called it a "Convention" but conventions are gatherings of like-minded people to meet and work with each other on common problems. This time, it is not even a meeting just a "gathering."

So... here we go again:
1. DONE promised but did not deliver on really involving the STAKEHOLDERS (one can not reallly hope to involve such diverse and intentionally-variegated groups like NCs) in organizing this year's "Congress of Neighborhoods."

2. This year's "Congress of Neighborhoods" will have a series of "break-out" sessions covering topics which will interest some, confuse some, bore most and leave us wondering what new and real ideas we took home from this day.

3. This year's "Congress of Neighborhoods" is the cheapest. Costing about $ 40,000 whereas last year's cost over $ 150,000. Ending at noon. Serving no lunch. Serving no defined educational or organizational purpose.

4. This year's "Congress of Neighborhoods" will have no exhibits; no way for STAKEHOLDERS to connect with the CITY's DEPARTMENTS, no way to talk to their staffs, no way to carry away their brochures. "NO WAY"... Also, the "non-Departmental" exhibits, City Watch, Your Neighborhood Council, etc., won't be there. This was the year when the exhibits should have been increased in number, variety and value. "NO WAY" says DONE. Well.... thaaaaaaaaaaaaaank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!

So ... as always ... this "Congress of Neighborhoods," mis-named as it always has been, mis-planned as it always has been and (probably) mis-managed as it often has been ... it will go on again.

The greatest value of the "Congress of Neighborhoods" is that it gives STAKEHOLDERS from all over the City a chance to get together at one time and place. It gives us a chance to meet others from all over the City and get to know how similar their problems (our problems) really are.

With all that said ...
1. I look forward to these meetings.
2. I hope to see YOU there.
3. It is true that they were "created" in a previous DONE administration ... and not in accordance with the City Charter (Article IX, Section 901c). ... but so what?
3. It is sad that the NCs have not yet taken full control (from DONE) of the planning and management of the "Congress."
4. It is sadder that DONE is proposing "breaking up" these meetings into smaller, regional meetings. (OK ... let's do that ...BUT... DON'T DISCONTINUE the big City-Wide Bi-Annual Meetings that we call the "Congress of Neighborhoods.")

Finally .... have we "been honest, here?"
what do you think?
are you going to the "Congress?"
why?

Daniel Wiseman

ZD's Fall Newsletter (Master Shady Report) now online at ZumaTimes.com2 -- or scroll down 2 stories on this blog. It is also posted here. (If it hit the ZD radar over the past quarter, it is posted on this one mega-thread.)

City Controller Hopefull Wendy Greuel Wants To Ensure "Honesty & Transparency" In City Elections (That WOULD Be a Novel Idea!)

2007-10-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

INCREASING TRANSPARENCY
by "Density & Congestion Engineer" Councilmember Wendy Greuel

In an effort to ensure honesty and transparency in City elections, I introduced a motion last month asking the City Ethics Commission to include ex parte communications with City Commissioners under the City's ethics code.

We must ensure that all City Commissions are operating in an open, ethical, and transparent manner. Angelenos have the right to know that decisions by their City government are being made on behalf of the people, not the powerful.

Ex parte communications are contacts made by an interested party - such as a lobbyist with a decision maker - such as a City Commissioner - outside the presence of other stakeholders. An expanded ex parte code would require City Commissioners to make public all such contacts before voting on a particular issue.

The City Ethics Commission does not currently have a citywide ex parte communications program for City Commissioners and groups conducting business with a Commission. Currently, City Commissioners could hold several meetings with lobbyists or community groups and receive private information without having any legal obligation to report these exchanges. Under the new ordinance, a Planning Commissioner, for example, would be bound by law to announce that he had met with a developer before making a land use decision relevant to the developer.

We are not suggesting that contacts between Commissioners and stakeholders are inherently wrong. I simply believe that the citizens of Los Angeles have a right to full disclosure of all the evidence used to reach a public decision.

I have found that most City Commissioners are eager for a defined set of rules on reporting and publicizing ex parte communications. The City Commissioners I have worked with want to ensure due process on all matters before them, particularly in the case of quasi-judicial issues.

Various cities and agencies across the State of California have implemented ex parte communications restrictions, including, the City of San Diego, the City of Santa Monica Planning Commission, and the California Coastal Commission.

In order to safeguard the best interest of Los Angeles residents, I am working step by step to clean up City government. In 2005, I led the effort to ban City Commissioners from fund raising or from participating in contracting. We also launched the effort to institute a "Clean Money" system for City elections, which would remove the influence of special interests in these elections, and helped to create the Waste, Fraud and Abuse Investigation Unit in the Controller's office. Fighting for transparency at the commission level is one more step toward an honest and efficient City Hall.