Passover in September: Four Questions for LA’s Wannabe Mayors

These questions not only are timely but tell volumes about those asking the questions, and with so many Jewish connections to be found in our mayoral candidates, I felt that—even in September—the questions were worth paraphrasing and connecting to the 2013 LA Mayoral race.

Question #1 (The Wise Child):  What are these problems for us to study?

This question will be asked by two groups—those already tied into City politics as concerned residents, business owners, and/or active neighborhood councilmembers, and by those who (probably after the November elections wear off) will want to focus on local politics and figure out how best for our city to proceed.

The issues are numerous, but probably the most urgent relate to the budget and economy of the City of Los Angeles.  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes the unemployment figure of Los Angeles to be over 12%, which is approximately 2% higher than the rest of California. However, it is not difficult to conclude that the “underemployment rate” of individuals with insufficient employment/remuneration/benefits to achieve their fiscal goals is much higher.

Perhaps it’s realistic, perhaps it’s overly pessimistic, to lump unemployment with underemployment in order to best determine the quality of life of Angelenos, but the suggestion that 20-25% of LA City residents don’t have the salaries and benefits to make them satisfied and secure is hardly a stretch.  Who knows how high that number is if we add individuals who are insecure (and are miserable) in their jobs, or who hate but are trapped in their jobs (and are miserable) in order to best know how unhappy residents are in the City of Los Angeles?

Add to this economic/quality of life-related misery of the reduction of City services while public sector unions dig in their heels against further compromise, and many residents feel that their civil servants and elected leaders have failed them, or are tyrannical in nature as city, county, state and even federal taxes and other expenses (either in taxes, health care, or utility rates) are threatened, and you have Angelenos who are now even more unhappy.

Should the inability of City Hall to balance their budget while shortfalls of hundreds of millions of dollars are so glaringly obvious, then the frightening (but…necessary?) option of Chapter 9 bankruptcy—to follow the examples of Stockton and San Bernardino—weighs upon us all.  This is particularly true for all “wise children” who wish to confront the huge issues that will dominate and surround the 2013 City elections.

Question #2 (The Wicked Child):  What are these processes and issues to YOU?

This question will be asked by those who don’t pay taxes (or don’t believe they pay taxes, even if they do), who don’t care about civic issues (and who mock those who care), and who just believe that one can’t fight City Hall so why would anyone be so stupid as to bother to try to make a difference?

Certainly, many Angelenos do not relate to the small but vocal groups in Holmby Hills and South Mar Vista who have raised the specter of secession, and/or do not relate to Westchester’s concerns about LAX smashing through its commercial district in a northerly extension because it’s not in THEIR neighborhood.

But what is happening to all of us, in all of our neighborhoods?  Lousy roads, sidewalks, tree-trimming, and park services, as well as the risk of reduced police/fire responsiveness due to current and future budget cuts—that’s what’s happening to all of us.  Rents and property taxes will continue to go up, and it will appear as if we’re getting less at the same rate we’re paying more.  Again … enough to make all Angelenos unhappy.

As for those who still mock those of us desperately trying to make a difference?  All we can do is prove them wrong, but certainly, the Downtown “powers that be” rely on “the wicked children” of L.A. to continue destructive and inappropriate policies as they’ve done for decades.

Question #3 (The Simple Child):  What is all this?

This question will be asked by the beleaguered and exhausted parent and/or worker bee who is so caught up with family and job obligations that the ability to absorb the details of a CCFO, or a DWP rate hike (with a backdoor transfer to City Hall coffers as an effective taxation-without-representation tactic), or the inability to distinguish between the City of L.A. and the LAUSD (and the inability of the former to affect operations in the latter) just isn’t there.

This is both the most understandable yet dangerous form of ignorance because it allows well-heeled and well-financed lobbies and elected officials to spin the truth in ways that might not reflect fiscal or legal reality.  Yet this type of person, who really isn’t “simple” as much as overwhelmed and perhaps even annoyed with the detail we’re all supposed to consume and understand on short notice, is the one who needs the most outreach from their more educated grassroots neighbors.

Question #4 (The Child Too Young or Unable To Ask)

This question really will be asked by children.  Children who don’t vote.  Children who don’t understand why their parks and libraries and playgrounds aren’t always open when they want them to be.  Children who don’t remember or know any better as to any bygone eras when a kid could walk or bicycle to their local park or school to play and have fun.  Children who are getting pummeled with homework (because of the shorter school year) and who hear stories about school classes and services getting shut down.

Some will be like my son, who is old enough to begin to understand there are problems and inequities in the City of Los Angeles. Some will be like my daughter, who is so young that she has no idea of the problems that her city has in store for her to deal with and pay for in future years.  But these L.A. residents are exactly the kind of individuals who need our protection the most.
●●●
These questions will certainly need re-addressing come next Passover, when the City election cycle will be at its most fervent and loudest pitch.  Yet now is not too early a time to start asking, because while the federal scene often attracts more of our attention, it is the local/city issues that truly affect the daily quality of life for us and our families.

(Ken Alpern is a former Boardmember of the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC), previously co-chaired its Planning and Outreach Committees, and currently is Co-Chair of its MVCC Transportation/Infrastructure Committee.  He is co-chair of the CD11 Transportation Advisory Committee, chairs the nonprofit Transit Coalition, and is co-chair of the non-profit Friends of the Green Line (www.fogl.us).  He can be reached at [email protected].    The views expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Alpern.)
-cw



CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 72
Pub: Sept 7, 2012