---
[ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive)
# Apparently Easier to Get to Mars than to Get to City Hall on Time
August 16 2012
Written by Ken Draper.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
CITYWATCH - Two weeks ago the engineers out at JPL stuck the Mars landing. That’s Olympics talk for no stumbles, lookin’ good. A gazillion mile trip for the Curiosity rover at 13,000 miles an hour … through a busy galaxy … with a multiple step, incredibly complicated landing to negotiate … and the arrival just one minute late.
It was remarkable. And wonderful. And prompted a bunch of questions: If we can travel from Earth to Mars in nine months … all those miles and at that unimaginable speed … and arrive only a minute late …
… How come LA’s handsomely paid City Council members can’t arrive at council meetings on time?
… Or, get LA’s sidewalks fixed?
… Or, create a medical marijuana ordinance that will stand up in court?
… Or, figure out how many tax-paying parking lots there are in LA and where they’re located … so the city can collect fees and taxes?
… Or, provide an accurate report on LAFD response times?
… Or, get a Ratepayer’s Advocate office up and running in less than nine months? Same time it took
for Curiosity to get to Mars.
… Or, build a light rail line ALL the way to LAX?
… Or, build tracks downtown that light rail can safely negotiate?
… Or, honestly balance the City’s budget?
… Or … well, you get the idea.
I suggest some of the reasons why are because the system is broke and because a bunch of the LA’s electeds are simply not qualified for the job at hand. And, because we voters are in denial and keep putting them in office.
Tell me what you think.
*(Ken Draper is the editor of CityWatch. He can be reached at Ken@CityWatchLA.com.)*
CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 66
Pub: Aug 17, 2012
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/116 "USA Radio Museum - Wide")
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
Last Name
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33727-nithya-raman-won-city-hall-but-is-she-already-failing-the-first-test-of-leadership)
### [Nithya Raman Won City Hall But Is She Already Failing The First Test Of Leadership](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33727-nithya-raman-won-city-hall-but-is-she-already-failing-the-first-test-of-leadership)
THE BOTTOM LINE - Los Angeles voted for change, not another administration consumed by political confrontation while th…
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/voices/33723-how-stephen-miller-destroyed-trumps-second-administration)
### [How Stephen Miller Destroyed Trump’s Second Administration](https://mail.citywatchla.com/voices/33723-how-stephen-miller-destroyed-trumps-second-administration)
THE VIEW FROM HERE - On September 1, 2025, this column explained how the vile, anti-Mexican racist Stephen Miller was d…
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33704-nithyas-budget-buzz-saw)
### [Nithya’s Budget Buzz Saw](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33704-nithyas-budget-buzz-saw)
LA WATCHDOG - Nithya Raman, our new mayor, will inherit a budget that is a river of red ink. According to the First Fi…
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33733-congratulations-nithya-raman-as-our-new-olympics-pro-unity-mayor)
### [Congratulations, Nithya Raman, As Our New Olympics, Pro-Unity Mayor!](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33733-congratulations-nithya-raman-as-our-new-olympics-pro-unity-mayor)
ALPERN AT LARGE - The uncertainty is OVER. We now know who will be our next Mayor, and we need a Leader, and a Uniter…
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33726-can-raman-restore-and-repair-los-angeles-ten-challenges-that-face-the-la-mayor-elect)
### [Can Raman Restore and Repair Los Angeles? Ten Challenges That Face the LA Mayor-elect](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33726-can-raman-restore-and-repair-los-angeles-ten-challenges-that-face-the-la-mayor-elect)
WESTSIDE - Fresh off an impressive grass roots victory over Karen Bass, the first mayoral incumbent since James Hahn to…
---
## [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive)
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/15339-early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles)### [Early Intervention and Jobs are Key to Stemming Chronic Homelessness in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/15339-early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles)
### [Tucker Carlson and Gay Rightwinger Blame California Wildfires On Hiring LGBTQ People](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/18755-tucker-carlson-and-gay-rightwinger-blame-california-wildfires-on-hiring-lgbtq-people)
### [Anti-LGBTQ Veep Just Can’t Stop Talking about Mayor Pete](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/17690-anti-lgbtq-veep-just-can-t-stop-talking-about-mayor-pete)
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/15316-news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties)### [NEWS PULSE: ‘Corrupt System’ Reason for Not Voting in 2018 … Majority Wants More Than Two Parties](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/15316-news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties)
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/10245-dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles)### [Dead Dog Set on Fire … Sparks Fears for Strays in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/10245-dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles)