NEWS ITEM: The Anschutz Company says its subsidiary, the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) is up for sale. Reporters, wondering how this might affect the proposed building of a new football stadium downtown, approach Mayor Villaraigosa who just repeats that he knew about the sale because he’s the mayor, and a change in ownership won’t adversely affect the deal.
Comment: The City Council has been giving tentative approvals to the deal with AEG based, in part, on the assets and personal reputations of Phil Anschutz and AEG head Tim Leiweke. It would be foolish to finalize the deal without knowing who the new owner is. What if it’s someone like the McCourts who is leveraged to the hilt, or who has a greater concern for their own bottom line than for Los Angeles?
News Item: The City Council will be voting within a days to approve the Environmental Impact Report regarding the new stadium.
Comment: You have to wonder if Mayor Villaraigosa ever planned to tell the City Council about the sale of AEG before the vote. Entitlements – government’s granting of permits and permissions to developers – have a dollar value to sellers. What are the possibilities that AEG wanted to secure as many entitlements as possible before news of the sale leaked out? None of this is passing the smell test.
News Item: Councilman and mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti said, if elected, he would require all general managers to re-apply for their jobs.
Comment: General managers serve at the pleasure of the mayor. They have no job security. They can be hired without competing for the job, and can be hired without cause on a moment’s notice. Asking all of them to argue for their jobs is not a bad idea, but neighborhood councils should be included, in a meaningful way, in the interviewing and grading of the candidates, and in the mayor’s annual performance review process. This would be a great way for the councils to fulfill their City Charter requirement to monitor the delivery of city services.
News Item: To clear a path for the Space Shuttle’s trip downtown, 400 trees will be cut down.
Comment: In some other cities, dead and unwanted trees are not cut to the ground. About six feet or so of the trunks are left and turned over the artists who produce carvings that are relevant to their location. (See examples above.)
News Item: Most cities aren’t adequately prepared for major disasters.
Comment: If you want to a sobering experience, call the city’s Emergency Management Department and ask them how prepared we really are for the “big one.” Do you know where to go and meet your neighbors and get help if your houses are destroyed? Some cities have Reverse 911 systems. In the event of a citywide or local emergency, such as a wildfire or toxic fume release, city officials can use automatic dialing equipment to alert the people in the area. But not LA.
(Greg Nelson is a former general manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, was instrumental in the creation of the LA Neighborhood Council System, served as chief of staff for former LA City Councilman Joel Wachs … and occasionally writes for CityWatch. He can be reached at [email protected])
-cw
