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ERIC PREVEN’S NOTEBOOK - Dear Board of Supervisors, Quick question: do you want people to participate in your glamorous meetings? Because the way you run them makes it almost impossible.
Take today’s agenda. You start with a Closed Session, no clear end time, and zero info on when the public can jump in. Will it end before the 11:00 AM homelessness report? Who knows! For anyone with a job, kids, or other responsibilities, this setup is a total roadblock.
And those “Set Matters” on homelessness and mental health beds? Big issues, right? But who’s betting they’ll actually start on time? Or will they get shoved around to make room for random annexation hearings and pipeline approvals?
Insiders, of course, know exactly when to show up. Meanwhile, the rest of us are left guessing when—or if—our concerns will even be heard. Take those annexations in Hacienda Heights and Castaic—big decisions that impact local taxes and services. But are those residents here? I doubt it, because you made it impossible for them to know when their item will come up.
And let’s not forget public comment at the very end. By then, most people had given up or had to leave. It’s like you’re trying to keep the people quiet. Creepy.
Make more of an effort, and try to give the public clear schedules. Use text alerts or updates when things change. Make it possible for people to engage early and often. Right now, this setup is confusing, unfair, and just plain broken. Fix it. Please. And don't get me started on AT&T
A Championship Team: Lindsey P. Horvath, Hilda J. Solis, NEW Chair Kathryn Barger + Not-Emeritus Paul Krekorian.
Spin it!
Let's talk about the carousel of power that continues to spin in Los Angeles, constantly moving the same individuals in and out of roles, leaving the public stuck on a ride that seems to go nowhere. But unlike the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round, which once symbolized joy and excitement, this ride is fueled by hypocrisy and stagnation.
The word hypocrite originates from the Greek hypokrites, meaning “an actor” or “a stage player.” Ancient Greek actors wore large masks, interpreting characters from underneath those masks, pretending to be someone they were not. In many ways, the revolving door of Los Angeles politics—where the same faces keep stepping on and off the carousel of public service—is an act of hypocrisy. The faces may change, but the story remains the same: power protected, promises unkept, and reforms that never materialize.
Take Paul Krekorian, for example. He has moved from being a familiar face at City Hall to overseeing the Mayor's office for the big events, now managing the upcoming SuperBowl and Olympics and other grid-lock projects. While he’ll present his new role as a beacon of civic-minded leadership, in reality, it’s just another way for him to maintain a firm grip on power behind closed doors. There is no holdback on lobbying the city if you are working for the city. This is a man who built a legacy of evading scrutiny, spinning his time in office into deals that continue to serve those already in power. The carousel keeps turning, and Krekorian knows exactly how to ride it. Go Wolverines! [Which ones?]
Then there’s Mike Feuer, who once stood at the forefront of the city’s legal efforts, but whose tenure was marked by egregious LADWP fraud and the criminalization of homelessness. Now, he’s landed at the Inner City Law Center, a cushy role meant to support the most vulnerable. But how can we trust someone who actively disenfranchised the public for years? It’s a textbook case of hypocrisy—pretending to work for change while still benefiting from the very system that created the problems in the first place.
And let’s not forget Terry Kaufmann Macias—a figure whose name became synonymous with legal manipulation and Brown Act violations in Planning and Land Use PLUM. Appointed by Bob Blumenfield, Macias was complicit in pushing through backdoor decisions that kept the public out of the loop—protecting the interests of insiders like not-yet-indicted Paul Krekorian, and convicted figures like Jose Huizar and Mitchell Englander. Kauffmann Macias is a woman who, rather than promoting transparency, allowed corruption to thrive behind the scenes. And now, after virtually training Marqueece Harris-Dawson, she’s poised for yet another tour of duty, potentially at the Ethics Commission—where she'll continue to oversee the very system she helped evade.
This is the system we are stuck with a merry-go-round of power, where fresh leadership is perpetually shut out, and the same insiders keep coming back to take their turn.
Carousels date back to medieval jousting traditions in Europe and the Middle East, where knights would gallop in circles, tossing balls back and forth. The modern carousel evolved from these traditions, eventually becoming the whimsical if somewhat nauseating rides we know today, complete with painted horses and cheerful music. They’ve always symbolized joy, nostalgia, and motion (sickness). Yet, in the case of the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round, this once-joyful symbol has now become a metaphor for the stagnation we see in our local politics and legal systems.
For over 88 years, the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round has been a cherished part of Los Angeles, yet it now sits in legal limbo, ensnared in probate court proceedings. The ride has been closed for repairs, but instead of a swift resolution, the process has dragged on due to a broken system.
Smart Speaker: Where is Nithya Raman?
Probate court fraud might be to blame for tying up the decision, with hearings continually postponed. Instead of honoring the legacy of Julio Gosdinski, the man who kept the Griffith Park ride alive for so many years, the probate process continues to spin in circles—just like the power players in our city who move between public office and private industries without ever breaking the cycle of influence.
Smart Speaker: Which probate court are we talking about?
City Spin Cycle:
Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round shuttered for now.
Looking at today’s agenda, I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of items (72) that demand more attention. From confirming nuisance abatement liens across the city to approving salary figures for charter reform directors, it’s clear that we must have not only the time but the energy to process all this. The Public Hearing Items alone (1–22) range from property liens at a staggering number of addresses to debates over liquor licenses and public sidewalk designations. But amidst all of this, the Real Systemic Issues—like transparency in city spending and the efficiency of public funds—are buried deep within the noise.
Is it too much to ask for a thoughtful examination of how our resources are being used, or are we just too busy navigating these ever-expanding agendas to even notice the missteps and discrepancies?
The public deserves better.
There is a grand total for all liens on residents noted at $236,260.62.
Here are the districts ranked by the highest total liens:
- CD 7: $197,235.31
- CD 8: $19,794.97
- CD 11: $5,643.23
- CD 13: $3,744.63
- CD 14: $3,658.36
- CD 9: $2,354.44
- CD 2: $1,276.56
- CD 6: $1,276.56
- CD 10: $1,276.56
The Executive Director of the Charter Reform commission, Anna Hovaspian, will make a range of $147,579 - $215,794!
AgreedMENT:
Polarization—it's one idea that somehow unites people on both sides of the political spectrum. But here's another: pure, unadulterated anger over corporate greed. This isn't about left or right; it's about the outrage we all feel when the system prioritizes profits over people, leaving the public to pick up the pieces. And that anger? It's palpable, it's real, and it's high time we address it head-on.
Corporate Greed is America’s greatest export, second only to Taylor Swift, who, mercifully, gets a break now that her tour has crested the $2 billion mark. For comparison, that’s just shy of the $13 billion valuation on the massive advertising merger barreling down the pipeline. Go, capitalism!
Meanwhile, Google has been busy advising its team to destroy emails, with the oh-so-subtle instruction to copy a lawyer for “privilege,” even when there’s no legal reason. Lovely. And Apple? Oh, Apple. The gold standard of “Deny, Delay, Defend.” Imagine buying a laptop, only to have it handed off to an imposter. Confront them with, “Where’s my stuff?” and they smugly redirect you to law enforcement. Let me just say this loud and clear: Come forward, Apple, you motherfuckers.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because the County and City of Los Angeles run the same despicable playbook. Don’t believe me? Ask Zev Yaroslavsky if he’s read the epic novel penned by Diane C. Reagan of County Counsel fame: Deny, Delay, and Eventually Deliver… Eric Preven to the County.
[Round of Applause]
Let the record show that Apple is universally despised. My own mother’s iPhone blew up in Long Island. Elderly and alone, she couldn’t get an immediate replacement, even after we raised hell at the Verizon store where she bought it. Apple ghosted us—shocking and shameful. Months wasted. I even reported the fiasco at an IRE conference packed with reporters from the New York Times and LA Times. The consensus? Apple has built an impenetrable firewall of unaccountability. Want justice? Better use—and good luck with that.
Shame, shame, shame!
Still Spinning:
Ah, the merry-go-round of cheerful helpers—a well-oiled machine of compliant types who toe the line without cracking the surface. Congratulations to Kerry Cavanaugh on securing her cushy new public affairs job, which is reserved for those willing to sidestep truth in favor of palatable narratives. The revolving door spins again, seamlessly transferring journalists into roles where their new job is to protect the very power structures they once claimed to hold accountable.
If you believe James Queally, who reassures us that the Los Angeles Times has always spoken “truth to power.” What truth is that, James? The one that avoids Probate Court fraud while breathlessly tracking Menendez merch? The Times’ bias meter is in overdrive, and yet somehow the editorial team still can’t distinguish between meaningful investigative reporting and fluff pieces about city hall handshakes.
Bias, you ask? I’m constantly trying to hide mine while saying what I think—unlike the cheerful helpers who proudly strut their skewed priorities. Former Times editor Christina Bellantoni noted this week that the public doesn’t even understand the difference between opinion and analysis.
We remember … Catherine Saillant, who went from covering political failures to shilling for them in City Hall’s public affairs apparatus. Or Yusef Robb, a former Garcetti mouthpiece who now profits from “crisis management” for the well-connected. And let’s not forget Jeremy Oberstein, who pirouetted from city service to Strategies 360, just like Krekorian’s fixer, Areen Ibrannossian, before him.
These transitions aren’t just convenient—they’re corrosive. They ensure entrenched interests remain in control, spinning narratives that leave the public uninformed and disempowered. The same faces, the same profits, the same policies—all while fresh leadership and real accountability are shoved aside.
Thank you, Councilmember Nithya Raman, for your unwavering dedication to distorting reality in Studio City. Your office's spin machine has truly reached new heights with the shameful, misleading narrative about the so-called "upgrade" to our beloved Studio City Recreation Center. When you can’t get the real story reported, just publish your own version—confusing enough to dull public interest and make people stop asking questions. Kudos!
Let’s call this saga Less Than Zero Reporting. According to the Nithya Raman’s Council District office, it was touted as a 3 million dollar upgrade. Read the fine print. Or ask Barry Johnson, a Paul Krekorian superfan and practical co-conspirator—the project started as a humble $3 million Proposition K line item. Somehow, an extra zero mysteriously appeared—ballooning the budget to over $30 million. Where did that extra cash come from? Great question. Link.
Certainly not 3 million but still not a clear budget for a gym upgrade, yet NEARLY more than City Animal Services annual budget.
A legacy of obfuscation.[Brad Sherman up top!]
Spoiler: It came from poorer districts, whose projects were never completed and so raided to fund this Net Zero fiasco. But who's counting? Certainly not the LA Times, despite persistent efforts to flag this Prop K scandal.
And yet, Nithya Raman’s CD4 office had no problem parroting Krekorian’s sentimentalized fluff. “This has been my family’s park since my kids were small,” Krekorian gushed, conveniently ignoring his role in shepherding this fiscal trainwreck.
This project is the poster child for bad government: $3 million turned into $30 million, years of performative outreach, rejected bids, and endless excuses—pandemics, inflation, you name it. Community trust in public processes? Decimated.
So, here’s a thought: Instead of spinning fairy tales, how about a dramatic scene where (wait for it) you tell the truth?
(Eric Preven is a longtime community activist and is a contributor to CityWatch.)
