TRANSPORTATION POLITICS - In my last CityWatch article, I made it very clear who I was AGAINST:
Absolutely NO on Proposition A, Anyone but Greuel for Mayor, and Anyone but Zine for Controller! It’s time to focus on who we should be FOR: the only major candidate in this race who did not get LA into its current fiscal mess, and the only major candidate who’s really reached out to transportation advocates like myself: Kevin James.
It was my understanding that this was a non-partisan race, but as the Times keeps describing Mr. James as a GOP candidate—and chooses to not describe Greuel, Garcetti and Perry as Democratic candidates—it appears that there is a double-standard in profiling in this town, and that the Times is itself taking a partisan stance that should call into question its credibility in reporting this election.
Similarly, my support of Cary Brazeman for City Controller (who’s very active in Neighborhood Councils, and who’s weighed in the most on transportation and related issues before his run for office) shouldn’t be, and isn’t, partisan—yet his opponent Ron Galperin’s loud proclamations of Democratic Party support calls into question who will, and won’t, owe any Party favors to monied allies.
In the case of this upcoming March 5 elections, it’s the union allies who’ve made sure that City funds for roads and parks and police went somewhere…else. It’s the union allies who’ve made sure that City funds for sidewalks and utilities and alternative energies went somewhere…else. It’s the union allies who’ve made sure that funds for teachers and school facilities and arts/music went somewhere…else.
It’s inappropriate to proclaim that unions are no longer needed in this city, or in this country, any more than chambers of commerce or large employers are no longer needed…but just as Wall Street and Main Street victimized investors with crony capitalism in the private sector by misbehaving corporate practices, the City and DWP and teacher unions in this City and region have victimized taxpayers as well.
This victimization of taxpayers affects all of us because we’re all dependent on, and contribute to, the public sector for the essentials of civilization: roads, infrastructure, education, police/fire, sewage, utilities, etc. Democrats, Republicans, Independents—everyone depends on reliable, responsive and cost-effective government in our daily lives.
The Wall Street corruption that brought down our economy is no less damaging to our daily lives as is the Downtown corruption—yes, corruption—that’s brought our City and State to the verge of bankruptcy.
And for those who paper over our problems with flowery statements of “we’re in recovery”, then the question of why we’re being told we need a half-cent sales tax to avoid cuts in police, fire and other essential City services must be asked, and asked loudly.
So my support of Kevin James (a conservative) for Mayor, and my support of Cary Brazeman (a moderate) for Controller, and my support of Mike Bonin (a liberal) for CD11 Councilmember isn’t partisan, and these races shouldn’t be partisan. This isn’t the November elections…those elections are OVER.
These upcoming elections hit close to home, and should be tuned to hard, cold daily REALITY.
The fact that all three aforementioned individuals happen to be gay suggests, however, that they’re experienced in being outsiders to certain groups of people, and in bridge-building, and in confronting Reality on a daily basis.
I like Reality—Fantasy and Wishful Thinking are things I also like, but as a husband, a father, a Neighborhood Councilmember and as a physician I’ve been forced into confronting who is, and who is NOT, focused on Reality.
Kevin James is focused on Reality.
Like me, Mr. James’ life would be much simpler if he didn’t go into politics. Like me, however, he still hopes that this City can survive and offer its residents (particularly its children) with a better future.
Like me, Mr. James wants more underground parking and open sidewalk space to free up streetside parking and allow more pedestrian, bicycle and bus access with City money that’s already supposed to be dedicated for that sort of endeavor.
Like me, Mr. James wants to have a focused effort on the roads and infrastructure with money that’s spent well—we’d all be on our way to more solar roofs in the City if the IBEW hadn’t mucked it up with Proposition B, and we’d all be on our way to better roads and rail projects if we had City Planning working with Metro and communities to get things done.
Like me, Mr. James wants better right turn policies and bus/road policies that ensure smoother and safer traffic flow.
But mostly, Mr. James (like me)—doesn’t want Los Angeles to turn into another Detroit by a Downtown culture that’s detached, enthralled to union and developer interests who don’t give a damn about the average Angeleno, and that’s whistling past the graveyard while relegating those demanding reform and change to be extremist or crazy.
The conversation about the leadership of this City isn’t over after the upcoming March 5th elections, but it’s clear we need to demand reform by voting down Proposition A, and by voting down the worst of City Council/Downtown corruption and incompetence by removing Greuel from the mayoral race and ending Zine’s quest at being Controller.
There is also someone who we can vote FOR, however, someone who’s reached out to me and others on transportation and all other City issues more than any other candidate: Kevin James, who isn’t just AGAINST Downtown embedded interests but FOR turning this City into an economic powerhouse with innovative ideas to create better mobility and quality of life than we’ve seen in years.
It’s time to focus on Reality, and time to get past all partisanship, and time to vote FOR Kevin James as our next Mayor.
(Ken Alpern is a Westside Village Zone Director and 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 and chairs the nonprofit Transit Coalition, and can be reached at [email protected] This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. He also co-chairs the grassroots Friends of the Green Line at www.fogl.us. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Alpern.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 11 Issue 16
Pub: Feb 22, 2013