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ERIC PREVEN’S NOTEBOOK - There have been plenty of unsavory problems at City Hall in recent months. Following the pandemic and the indictments every day seems to present a new challenge that needs sorting out.
When a public agency is in this type of disarray as with a parent / child relationship, an intervention is often warranted.
The problem has been that Paul Krekorian the city council president who took over when Nury Martinez (CD6) resigned is entirely focused on harvesting federal dollars not public intervention.
He’s gutted public comment by nixing virtual testimony at committee meetings. He canceled last Friday’s city council meeting that would ordinarily come with an opportunity for public comment and replaced it with a budget hearing that in Bob Blumenfield’s delusional world, only requires that he open the window to comments once.
Nonsense.
Rather than hearing from the city constituents, the city council prefers to tout the upcoming Olympic Games (that no other city wanted) and all the… concomitant benefits.
Benefits for who?
Great question.
Casey Wasserman and NBC Universal!
The people who have steadfastly looked away from the proposal to adda rest room at the Universal subway stop?
Are any of those so-called benefits aimed at ordinary Angelenos or are they intended to serve the many international jet setters eager to pay through the nose to attend a global sporting event?
Both.
Well, our beloved (+Shameful) USC and iconic (+Pritzker) UCLA will certainly benefit from hosting the games. There is no chance that they are putting up the money to house thousands of international athletes.
As for the public works and transportation projects that are essentially a series of expensive ramps into Sofi and other stadiums, leave all the traffic and construction headaches to the public.
Enjoy!
Because the public have not been able to speak on the budget at all, since Bob Blumenfield (CD3) infuriated everyone with his idiotic new - one time only - rule and draconian limitation, we have had to bob and weave.
Public Chat Group: Caution
Here is a window into the dialogue among real Angelenos who all share an interest in the government of LA and an inclination to delivering withering broadsides to corrupt politicians.
The following dialogue was intercepted and posted for your edification.
Curren D. Price (CD9), called Krekorian "Madame President.”
Lol
Father Greg Boyle has adopted a Rob Reiner look!
I wonder if Padilla (CD6) understands, a dignified life is not on the table.
Right.
Blieb Bliewbenblield has been at it since 9:30 am, but no public comment allowed.
This is an outrage.
Lawless:
Is that city council meeting cancellation for Friday, new?
These fuckers will do a Special Budget meeting instead at 10am, therefore NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
Sneaky.
Meeting today, 8 HOURS no p.c. because it was "recessed" yesterday at 5:45 pm....
Listen to the FRAUD artist recess instead of adjourning so public comment is blocked.
Uh oh.... Bob forgot at lunch to say the word RECESS! Then he returns to "establish quorum in one hour.
Traci Park (CD11) gave PUBLIC COMMENT!
She's NOT a member of the Committee AND not a staffer on the agenda.
County Comps:
What's the equivalent Gov Code or charter section for city budget hearings? The county has GC 29080 and 29081.
We sent it to Dave Demerjian (former PID) when Mike Antonovich (former SD5) said to the only speaker in the hall, "give him 90 seconds"...
The pushback was swift, “We the residents of Los Angeles County want our elected leaders to honor the government codes that were enacted by the legislature. We want what is provided by GC 29080 and 29081 that any 'member of the public' may comment on 'any item in the budget.' That opportunity was willfully denied by our county leaders at the May Public Hearing on the budget, which was shortened by Mayor Antonovich to 120 seconds of testimony on a confusing 23 billion dollar budget. [The Budget has since doubled.]
The County's budget hearing begins Wednesday May 15, 2024.
Blieb tossed out several people WITHOUT A WARNING just now at the start of the Budget meeting and stated that the toss-out is for "ALL BUDGET meetings" upcoming,
I thought this was “One meeting!!!!"
Gotcha! Blieb!
Bob looks unhinged on the YouTube feed.
He's doing Paul Krekorian meets Ralph Fiennes doing Amon Goeth in Schindler's List!
The tipsy Nazi Commandant.
To me, Staffer B is the one who seems quite drunk, as it relates to slurred speech.
Blieb loves a good war, as his grandfather was a great war hero during the big one* He may or may not have seen combat, but must be credited with blocking and limiting public comment from anyone who would tarnish the… brand..
Is it just me, or should Blumenfield recuse himself in perpetuity for his wife’s prior role in the Cube Museum or whatever?
Great question.
What the fuck, Traci Park (CD11) is giving comments?
She did yesterday too!!!
Maybe she hired a lawyer to demand public comment.
It makes no sense that she should be given a special opportunity to address the committee - it's not agendized!
And now Park (CD11) is ordering budget memos from the bleachers!
I assume she'll be ordering lunch as well.
Hope she isn't illegally politicking on public property while on duty. Shit like that could be an Ethics violation.
Aspirational:
Great now Blieb (CD3) is greeting young visitors from a school featuring sixty-five 4th and 6th students... unbelievable. So sweet.
The PDF agenda the Clerk sent out said: "Please Note Public Comment Will Be Taken In-Person Only.
Pretty sneaky and very wrong. I’d hate to have to haul them in again but might have to.
Blieb (CD3) bunched Park (CD11) p.c. on multiple budget items. wtf
I am afraid this is going to result in another declaration of emergency.
We need to thank FEMA for ANOTHER opportunity to speak.
I think it's time to do a little drug testing.
De Leon (CD14) should show up and make comments in Committee if Traci Park (CD11) can.
Yes! A procession of activist council members demanding public comment on each item!
De Leon (CD14) should ask for a report back on why he's suspended from all committees while Price (CD9) and Staffer B (CD12) are not.
Yes! A budget memo on the cost to his constituents related to Krekorian's (CD2) totally inappropriate and arbitrary ban. He does worse than De Leon (CD14) every day on Channel 35.
We're hearing Raman (CD4) wants Gaza to get its own agenda item.
Where the hell is Yaroslavsky (CD5)?
Been missing all meetings!!!!!
Interesting. Hope she's okay.
I'm calling other CDs to rat out Park (CD11)
Maybe Yaroslavsky (CD5) is on another international boondoggle?
The others will be pissed😡 when they learn Park (CD11) has been getting way ahead in the category of getting her “cut.”
The rich get richer.
Bob (CD3) just rattled off a dozen budget memos.
This whole thing is descending into a criminal enterprise! These are "substantial amendments" and Park (CD11) can’t request shit until the item is COMPLETED at committee and sent to Council!
Agreed, we should notify Mayor Bass, 🚨that her city is being dragged deeper into a morass… with David Michaelson.
Michaelson thinks the people haven't noticed that he's still Englander’s (former CD12) best boy, even though he currently works for the Olympics, sorry, Mayor Bass.
Office Holder Lunch
Blieb (CD3) also yesterday at the end said HE will provide LUNCH today for staff and committee. HOPE IT COMES FROM HIS OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNT and not the City general!!!
Let's get more information about the lunch. Koretz (CD5) liked the middle eastern place for a falafel over at the mall.
Blieb (CD3) has homeless living in the Etiwanda Tunnel under the 101!!!! in Tarzana.
Koretz (former CD5) lost a fair amount of weight. Hope he and Yaroslavsky (CD5) are okay… where is she?
Let's hope it's Mendocino Farms and a BIG ASS ORDER.
Rodriguez (CD7) gave Padilla (CD6) the new CM playbook re: lunch. She's a good student.
Moomoo Monica (CD7).
Romero is a wily old city cat... she’s everywhere, up in the rafters, down in the basement.
OK CM Rodriguez (CD7) is actively eating during this friendly fire inquisition. Disgusting.
She mentioned Portos at end yesterday!
Porto: PRA for all Cubanos ordered, I’m happy to look over the receipt for benchmarking. I love that place. Can you call Portos and ask for a screenshot lol. If they don't produce a receipt... why not? 🚨
Clean LA:
Fun fact---Huizar’s, De Leon (CD14) sent in a request for $$$$$ for trash cans!!!!! Busted.
Now lots more shit coming in now from other CMs.
Blieb (CD3) says next Friday Energy committee will RAISE sewer fees. He is such a piece of shit.
$2.7 billion outstanding on BONDS for water. Blieb (CD3) has to order fees on that raised or bond holders can demand full payment. FBI needs to step in.
BOE Bureau of Excellent Criminals are up now. Neil Drucker... Smoove move. Historic stealing hit a new high of $4.5 B.
Quick reminder, Prop K is not for Karadjian! Or Krekorian, for that matter!
Monica Rodriguez (CD7): Budget memo re: the clean LA program... where the deployments are, what's the tonnage? Who's doing the bulky item…
It's the same duplication as we see with Homeless outreach, we can't do it.
The Homeless Emergency Declaration has allowed the County to:
--Accelerate service delivery
--Cut red tape
--Jumpstart changes in processes to scale and fast -track work
The county is laser-focused on four key missions:
County is laser-focused on four key missions.
I'm taking a deep dive in... seriously, Sanitation, we deserve more with what we already fund. They will not continue if you are not producing the results. With all these clean programs, LA is none the cleaner. I'm going to take a deep dive on this... prioritization... contractors getting paid on time. Where are we going to take from... this is the McGyver moment, what paperclip, gum or whatever... are you going to use... we have to review the duplication...
Report on whether to put it in the UB.
Sidewalking:
Harris Dawson wants to restore the $40,000 to facilitate the sidewalk vending and outreach program, especially given the Willits lawsuit.
We have unfunded authority... but don't have the money without grants... so we have a chicken-egg situation. We can't pursue new ones when we have a backlog of what we need to fulfill.
Then CM Rodriguez had a coughing attack, which some suspected was introduced by a staffer who could have easily been put off by her constant kvetching.
How hard would it be to get some speed humps...?
Ok, well, maybe a special study... how we can move in that direction?
Tree Trims:
How many trees trimmed, stumps pulled... how many medians?
Tree trimming: we can trim 40,000 not including the on-demand budget... so a 17-year trim cycle.
If you had a kindergartener... when we trimmed it … we would be back to trim it again when your kindergartner graduates from college.
Pretty grim.
McOsker: “At least the kid got into college!”
The trees are going to fall on someone and hurt someone... and we'll say, God it would have been much cheaper to trim the trees.
Rodriguez clears her throat again.
Tunneling:
It's not acceptable to say we are going to keep fixing them, without stopping the problem replacing the lightbulb, $200 to $300, or could be more like $400, $500, replacing wire is $900... so the risk of having 60,000 lights...burning out, and theft, it's a risk for our lighting.
How are these outages affecting other services...?
MCosker was also excited to illuminate under the tunnels and underpass... a beautiful artistic color... we are going to do a ribbon cutting, can we do more?
Unfortunately, that was a one-off pilot program. We are very positive... improving infrastructure changes character mood, on a cheap basis... we and the rest of the bureau cannot sustain a program for a larger city.
Did you submit it to the mayor? We did submit it, but given the process... we await the next steps...
McOsker wants a budget memo on how we could work to continue... his tunnel pilot.
(Eric Preven is a longtime community activist and is a contributor to CityWatch. The opinions are of Mr. Preven and not necessarily those of CityWatchLA.com.)
ERIC PREVEN'S NOTEBOOK IN BRIEF:
- City Hall has been facing numerous challenges in recent months, compounded by the pandemic and indictments.
- When a public agency experiences such disarray, intervention is often necessary.
- Paul Krekorian, the current city council president, seems more focused on securing federal funding than addressing public concerns.
- Public comment opportunities have been restricted, with virtual testimony at committee meetings eliminated and city council meetings canceled.
- Instead of addressing constituents' concerns, the city council appears more interested in promoting the upcoming Olympic Games and their associated benefits.
- The dialogue among Angelenos reveals frustration with the lack of public input and concerns about corrupt politicians.
- There are suspicions of unethical behavior, such as council members receiving special treatment and potential conflicts of interest.
- Public works and transportation projects seem to prioritize stadiums and events over addressing traffic and construction issues.
- Despite the chaos, there are ongoing discussions about budget allocations and infrastructure projects, with concerns about sustainability and accountability.
