"Any Self-Serving Announcements?"

The replacement of a zoom link with the following message:  "Members of the public may also attend the Council meeting in-person. Live, oral public comment will be taken in-person, only, and not via teleconference" has been highly effective at culling the public comment down to the minimum. 

Oddly, John Lee aka Staff B John Lee, who runs the Arts, Parks and Stealing committee, took comments via zoom and his only co-conspirator was Herbert J. Wesson. What a pair.  They got special report backs on the Prop K leftovers. Bonin was a no-show.  

The lack of teleconferencing at council plus the mayoral directive stating, "indoor masking will be required regardless of vaccination status or proof of a negative test" is the perfect recipe for the permanent deflavorization of public comment.  

That's why the council had to fight hard to give the impression that people were participating in the vibrant democracy.  How to do that? 

Well, on Tuesday, the Council simply agendized the Justice Fund and the fraudulent actions of various notarios.  This brings out a dozen immigration attorneys minimum, who are smart and articulate, including, Talia Inlender Deputy Director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA. 

Talia Inlender, come on down! 

Talia worked for 13 years at public counsel and in January of 2017, Talia was among the first to arrive at LAX to help those detained by the “Muslim Ban,” earning the recognition of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti during his State of the City Address.  She probably had no idea she was being used as an EXTRA to give the impression of a vibrant community of masked articulates, eager for debate.  Rather, eager to beg for funding.  

The cherry on top, Nury Martinez still found time to bully a speaker who engaged in some kind of off-microphone dialogue with Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who is the councilmember from CD8, who runs the Planning and Land Use committee.   

It was reported, that Harris-Dawson, exercised his first amendment right to flip off the constituent. 

"Sorry, officers, you need to take care of him."  

I didn't see it, because, Council President Wesson Out of Focus.  

Hope the CitywatchLA link on that gem will be restored, or I resign.  

But, yeah, the Mayor didn't see anything and the public is insane and the political temperature is best taken by "the stickers pasted on lampposts near City Hall".   No announcements.  No Adjournments.  Meeting ended, 10:43am. 

County Culture:

Rudolph Michael Schindler was one of the seminal master architects who defined Modern architecture in Southern California.  Conceived as a semi-cooperative structure for housing two families his seminal King's Road House in West Hollywood was a groundbreaking new design, and proof that cohabitation is tricky.  

Until R. M. Schindler’s death in 1953, he shared the great double house he had designed in the early 1920s, with his former wife, Pauline Gibling. 

They communicated chiefly by letter through a mail slot in the walled-up door that had once linked their “studios”—chiefly about the welfare of their son, Mark, and various details of housekeeping and building maintenance. 

I would call the two-family an amusing sitcom plot, but both Schindler and Pauline before and after their attempted separation were civically engaged Angelenos. 

Pauline Gibling raised the question in 1934, (thinking about a civil war in Austria, easily imagined as Kyiv today) how could American leftists ignore the deteriorating situation in Europe, “The cultured supercedes the compassionate life,” she lamented. “While in the city of Vienna machine guns thunder in the official murder of its simple citizens, innumerable pleasant ladies in innumerable garden clubs of America are busily devoting themselves to the subtleties of flower arrangement.”  It was clear to Pauline that “a philosophy of calm detachment is a philosophy of irresponsibility.” 

Pauline insisted that a liberal "must take his living beliefs from the chimney-corner to the marketplace. He (including she and they) may no longer be passive, private, or withdrawn. [They] must expose the false values which confuse our generation. [They] must organize understanding, decision, and act. There is a new society to be conceived and prepared toward birth.” Liberals must become more radical and seek to influence and control schools, public forums, universities, magazines, newspapers and news services, publishing enterprises, political parties and government." 

You might have thought, "Mission accomplished" at the LA County Board of Supervisors ONE day of budget hearings, on Wednesday. It lasted, TWO hours. 

 Sheila Kuehl, who is graduating this year, and not seeking re-election, suggested, "today is the... listening session. This is not pro forma, though you wouldn't know it, because we're all talking." 

Sheila, who has done a lot to shorten public speaking, went on to say, "public input has made a very large difference. I have to say we are listening." 

One of the first speakers, and sixty nine others said,  "LA County’s budget was introduced in a manner that is unfriendly to community participation. Budget hearings, allegedly open to the public, were never announced to the public and remain difficult to access. Community input should be a top priority as the County works through how to spend our tax dollars." 

Chair Holly J. Mitchell, piped up "Mr. Moderator: There will be one minute, I didn't want people to think they will get two minutes. One minute per speaker." 

"Any self-serving announcements?"

The city's $11.8-billion budget committee, which handles a budget that is approximately 30% the size of the county's $38.5-billion mutha, just completed 39 hours of budget hearings. 

The county budget hearing was over in two hours.  

And at 12.22pm the City of Los Angeles announced that they had agreed to a settlement in the long-simmering alliance lawsuit. 

Once the document is finalized it will be filed with the court.   

Senior Fraud Day... Paul Koretz, made it very clear that under normal circumstances he would drag people down to City Hall and put on an elaborate presentation, for older Americans Month... but, given his various bans and restrictions that also apply to Koretz, "I'd just like to recognize older Americans, and May 15 is Senior Fraud Awareness day (and Eric Preven's birthday) Bill Rosendahl, and Adrienne Omansky and her volunteers have been shining daylight on trickery used against our seniors, and teaching older people how to recognize the schemes.  He even blew an imaginary kiss to Karen Bass.  

Kevin DeLeon, who is running hard for Mayor,  had one quick announcement: This Saturday, my district, Hank's Organic Market, has great prices because it is owned by a Latino. "At Erewhon they are gouging you...  We have a sense of pride, in working in the Arts District, 661 Imperial Street in the Arts Disitrict. Those who buy organic food come on down."   

Nury Matinez read a prepared statement adjourning in the memory of Eve Kurten Steinberg... wife of Dr. Michael Steinberg, Beth and Drew, Lev Liam and Micah, longtime Steven Wise Temple, dedicated, vibrant and joyful, singing at services. Jewish Federation, working as a leading healthcare executive and investor. Graceful, fought for the people she believed in." 

The victims of Rick Jacobs were amazed that Mayor Garcetti seemed pleased, now that the partisan  "he likey knew or should have known" report is out, 

his nomination can now move forward.  

What kind of lunacy is this?  Is there an endless, bottomless supply of fake confidence that the whole city is going to ignore what is becoming a creepy sociopathic belief that Eric Garcetti is being victimized?  It's the partisan hacks... who created this Rick Jacobs cesspool or maybe Steve Lopez came up with something better, after deadline.   

Speaking for myself and my 36,000 or so Angelenos, we are offended. India deserves an ambassador whose claim to fame is NOT blaming victims. 

CANDIDATE STATEMENTS:

Good link for County Candidate Statements:   [NOTE to Registrar-Recorder: Great work! Consider a separate link for the 30 Superior Court Judge candidates and add City of Los Angeles candidates.]

Supervisors 3rd:

Los Angeles County government has come up short in many ways. The county has squandered state funding that Bob Hertzberg says, he worked tirelessly to bring home. He wants to fix the mess. He wants you to hold him accountable and then throw him out of office.  He's "a high-velocity wonk".  

Jeffi Girgenti advocates for the rights of equestrians and against the constant infringement on their property rights due to overdevelopment. 

Lindsay Horvath says humbly, "the current system has failed us.  Residents feel less safe."  She's going to take on the broken system that keeps us from making real progress.  

Craig Brill is a Canine Recreational Provider, who believes 14 cities have ended homeless and "We can too!" 

Henry Stern taught high school civics and climate change law. He's worried about bottlenecked taxpayer funds and a vicious cycle of hospitalization and incarceration for unhoused Angelenos facing mental illness and addiction.  He wants to bring more integrity, humility and bravery to fix LA   

Roxanne Hogue wants to fight corruption that she says, "is sadly endemic in our county governance." She wants to protect the vulnerable, like seniors, and not punish the voiceless. 

Los Angeles County Sheriff: 

Cecil Rhambo: 

Crime is on the rise.  

Corruption is rampant.  

Dysfunction has stalled progress.  

Transparency is non-existent.  

The status quo -- isn't working.    

Britta Steinbrenner, who did the intake on my allegation that Mark Ridley-Thomas was retaliating by offering county workers opportunities to make farfetched claims about me, wants to create environmentally friendly, community-friendly stations with athletic fields, community rooms, exercise equipment, and walking tracks. 

Alex Villanueva wants to Reform, Rebuild, and Restore trust while dismantling the Homeless Industrial Complex.    

Robert Luna says, "our service always needs to be effective, respectful and constitutional."  

Eric Strong, wants to "Increase training and establish new protocols for force and shootings."   

April Saucedo Hood, came up as a Police Officer, School Resource Officer, Community Policing Team, Investigator and Parole Agent."  

Matt Rodriguez has a  "Policy of Respect"  Responsibly, Ethically, Sensibly, Empathetically, Civilly, and Transparently (RESPECT)!  

Oops, he forgot the P.  P is for passion! or Professionalism or Proofreading. 

Eli Vera is focused on turning around the lives of at-risk youth. That means high–quality after–school programs like LA's Best and partnering with local nonprofits and businesses to provide young people with jobs, training, and mentorship   

Supervisors 1st:

David Argudo, wants to fight against the increase in crime, reduce homelessness, streamline mental health programs and not tolerate corruption 

Hilda Solis has allocated tens of millions of dollars to build thousands more affordable, interim and permanent housing and shelters, and to invest in mental health services to get people off the streets and into care. 

Kevin Dalton will fight any attempt to roll back graduation requirements as a convenient method to wash away the effects of keeping our kids out of school. 

Assessor:

Jeffrey Prang brings enormous credibility and the highest integrity to the office of the Assessor.  

Mike Campbell says "Big Donors and Special Interests are routinely given special treatment on their property taxes, and it’s costing the County millions of dollars each year." 

Sandy Sun says, In 172 years we have never had a female Assessor. She wants to establish a FULLY TRANSPARENT office, embracing diversity. No secrets. No closed doors. WE SERVE YOU!  Not the other way around.  

Ethics Meeting Schedule:   

The tentative regular meeting schedule for 2022 includes meetings on February 16, April 20, June 15, August 17, October 19, and December 21.

(Eric Preven is a longtime community activist and is a contributor to CityWatch. The opinions expressed by Eric Preven are solely his and not the opinions of CityWatch)