---

 [ LOS ANGELES ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=312)

#  City Hall and the Magic Money Machine

January 21 2016

Written by Ken Alpern.

<a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_button_print"></a>[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)

POLITICS--To my knowledge, the only times I've ever experienced magic is when I met my wife for the first time, and when my two kids were born. But I guess that love-at-first-sight isn't the only magic that abounds in the City of the Angels. After all, we've got gobs of magic money coming out of Downtown--police settlements, utility settlements, and lots of resources to give developers when we were told that we were running out of water, and that our infrastructure was going to Hades in a handbasket.

The only problem with all this magic, unfortunately, is that the average middle class Angeleno (for those of us who still exist) has to work with bank accounts that adhere strictly with the confines of math and science.

In other words, when we have no money to spend, we can't. And, unless we take a risk with our credit cards, we don't.

So when the police do something horrible and send [innocent men to prison](http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20160119/la-to-pay-24-million-to-two-men-imprisoned-for-decades) for decades, their need to be compensated (and is money really sufficient compensation?) raises the other question of how Angelenos are supposed to pay for it...because it's not the corrupt police officers who will pay for it, but rather you and me.

Ditto for the victims of the [Porter Ranch gas leak](http://abc7.com/news/porter-ranch-residents-want-their-voices-heard-amid-gas-leak/1167013/). They ARE victims, but will the SoCal Gas officials who should have prevented this pay the inevitable legal costs? Nope, you and me again.

So maybe we can add public sector/utility malfeasance to the list of problems we'll need to raise the torches and pitchforks about this fall.

And I am sure that, as with overdevelopment, City Hall corruption/collusion with developers, lobbyists, special interests, etc., we'll be told to just suck it up and take it. Never mind the fact that our police, utility and other dollars are going to this damage control instead of where our money is supposed to go.

And I am also sure that Council President Herb Wesson (you know, the guy who redistricts at whim, makes overdevelopment deals at whim, tells former Mayor Riordan to shove off and not even let him speak in front of the City Council, and considers Mark Ridley Thomas' county supervisorial district as his manifest destiny), will shrug his bossy, regal shoulders and tell us that this is all just life in the Big City. And not just the Big City, but "his" City.

And I am also equally sure that former Council President and current Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is by far more of a compassionate man that the current king occupying his former position, will fail to acknowledge the rape and pillage of Angelenos' wallets...and perhaps arrange for even more overdevelopment and LADWP revenue transfers to pay for the LAPD and other outrages.

So along comes the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, currently backed by former Mayor Riordan, and as [reported in CityWatch](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lead-stories-hidden/10281-riordan-endorses-neighborhood-integrity-ballot-measure-that-would-put-brakes-on-city-deals-with-developers)LA we will have an interesting ride to this November's ballot.

Because it appears that we WILL have to bring a ballot measure, and perhaps several others, to both challenge the City Council/Downtown oligarchy and demand their royal heralds and political appointees obey the law, and to respect the laws of financial responsibility when the magic money trees stop producing sufficient revenue to reverse the damage of City "leadership".

And among those ballot measures may have to be either a revisitation of who the City Attorney represents (he is NOT legally obliged to represent ordinary Angelenos, believe it or not, but rather he is the attorney who ultimately MUST represent Downtown City leadership), or to add a City Ombudsman answerable ONLY to Neighborhood Councils.

Because the magic sooner or later ends, leaving only the stark reality of a City on the edge of financial unsustainability and the cold, hard means we will have live within should we choose to address our financial, infrastructural, and governance problems.

*(Ken Alpern is a Westside Village Zone Director and Board member 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 CD11Transportation Advisory Committee and chairs the nonprofit Transit Coalition, and can be reached at*  ***<Alpern@MarVista.org>.***  *He also does regular commentary on the Mark Isler Radio Show on AM 870, and co-chairs the grassroots Friends of the Green Line at [**www.fogl.us.**](http://www.fogl.us.) The views expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Alpern.)*

-cw

CityWatch

Vol 14 Issue 7

Pub: Jan 22, 2016

 [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)")

 ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png)

## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays &amp; Thursdays

 Phone

 [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2")

 ---

##  Featured CityWatch Stories

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/e3/067m-e39a930e.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33250:missing-middle-la-city-plannings-new-approach-to-attainable-housing&catid=429)

### [Missing Middle. LA City Planning’s New Approach to “Attainable” Housing](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33250:missing-middle-la-city-plannings-new-approach-to-attainable-housing&catid=429)

MY TAKE - As if Sacramento’s relentless parade of housing-streamlining legislation hasn’t disrupted Los Angeles neighbo…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/ed/068d-ed5f9acd.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33261:zuckerberg-may-finally-pay-a-price-for-preying-on-our-children&catid=375)

### [Zuckerberg May Finally Pay a Price for Preying on Our Children](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33261:zuckerberg-may-finally-pay-a-price-for-preying-on-our-children&catid=375)

IN MY VIEW - As a mother of two children who has often been on the losing side of family battles against screen time, I…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/88/068h-88c43353.jpeg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33266:california-cant-insure-its-homes-now-sacramento-wants-to-insure-the-trees&catid=385)

### [California Can’t Insure Its Homes. Now Sacramento Wants to Insure the Trees](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33266:california-cant-insure-its-homes-now-sacramento-wants-to-insure-the-trees&catid=385)

INSURANCE EMERGENCY - California homeowners are struggling to find affordable coverage while Sacramento explores a new…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/a2/067c-a222052b.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33241:exclusive-john-mckinney-warns-city-hall-enforce-the-law-demand-accountability&catid=401)

### [EXCLUSIVE: John McKinney Warns City Hall. Enforce the Law. Demand Accountability.](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33241:exclusive-john-mckinney-warns-city-hall-enforce-the-law-demand-accountability&catid=401)

THE BOTTOM LINE - Los Angeles has laws. It has prosecutors. It has billions of dollars flowing through City Hall. What…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/5e/068b-5ea6d1bc.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33262:will-the-mega-merger-of-equity-residential-and-avalonbay-communities-hurt-tenants&catid=429)

### [Will the Mega-Merger of Equity Residential and AvalonBay Communities Hurt Tenants?](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33262:will-the-mega-merger-of-equity-residential-and-avalonbay-communities-hurt-tenants&catid=429)

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT - Corporate landlords Equity Residential and AvalonBay Communities have officially merged to f…

---

##  [ LOS ANGELES ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=312)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/068r.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33272:how-likely-is-an-all-la-super-bowl-next-february&catid=312)### [How Likely Is an All-LA Super Bowl Next February?](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33272:how-likely-is-an-all-la-super-bowl-next-february&catid=312)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/068q.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33271:flying-out-of-lax-its-time-to-streamline-your-airport-strategy&catid=312)### [Flying Out of LAX? It’s Time to Streamline Your Airport Strategy](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33271:flying-out-of-lax-its-time-to-streamline-your-airport-strategy&catid=312)

 [ ![Olympics and the Traffic](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/068o.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33268:la-wants-2-billion-for-the-olympics-taxpayers-deserve-answers-before-writing-the-check&catid=312)### [LA Wants $2 Billion for the Olympics. Taxpayers Deserve Answers Before Writing the Check](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33268:la-wants-2-billion-for-the-olympics-taxpayers-deserve-answers-before-writing-the-check&catid=312)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/066o.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33239:why-some-los-angeles-car-accident-claims-become-harder-to-prove&catid=312)### [Why Some Los Angeles Car Accident Claims Become Harder to Prove](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33239:why-some-los-angeles-car-accident-claims-become-harder-to-prove&catid=312)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/066n.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33228:lausd-demolishes-closed-schools-wasting-public-assets-and-community-hopes&catid=312)### [LAUSD Demolishes Closed Schools, Wasting Public Assets and Community Hopes](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33228:lausd-demolishes-closed-schools-wasting-public-assets-and-community-hopes&catid=312)
<div data-id="1" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-emailform eb-1 eboxContentLocker"
	data-options='{"trigger":"onPageLoad","trigger_selector":"","delay":3000,"early_trigger":true,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":1,"reverse_scroll_close":true,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":10000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"slideInDown","animation_close":"fadeOutDown","animation_duration":400,"disable_page_scroll":true,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #1 - Global Email Signup Form","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog eb-formVer" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog1" aria-label="dialog1">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<form action="https://citywatchla.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=34d69f33624fd058ee9b56516&amp;id=4bfa422f51&amp;f_id=00d6c2e1f0" class="eb" method="post" id="mcform-1" name="mcform-1" target="_blank">
			<div class="eb-form-header"><p><img src="/images/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png" alt="be a city watcher" width="350" height="97" loading="lazy" data-path="local-images:/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png"></p>
<p>Sign up to receive our special e-news blasts on Monday and Thursday evenings!</p></div>
	
					<div class="eb-field-row">

			
			
			
			<input class="eb-input" type="email" name="EMAIL"  placeholder="Email address"  id="EMAIL" value="" required>

			
		</div>
										
	<div class="eb-footer">
    	<button class="eb-btn" type="submit" name="subscribe" style="background-color:rgba(93, 183, 93, 1);color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 1)">
    		Sign up    	</button>
    </div>
</form>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>
<div data-id="3" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-yesno eb-3 "
	data-options='{"trigger":"onScrollDepth","trigger_selector":"","delay":0,"early_trigger":false,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":2,"reverse_scroll_close":false,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":1000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"fadeInUp","animation_close":"fadeOut","animation_duration":300,"disable_page_scroll":false,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #3 - Yes \/ No Donation Popup Box","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog " role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog3" aria-label="dialog3">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<div class="ebox-yes-no">
	<div class="ebox-yn-text">
		
		
		<div class="ebox-yn-headline" style="font-size:22px;color:#888888">
			<p>If you only give once a month, would you consider giving to CityWatch?</p>
<p>Your support fuels our mission to promote and facilitate civic engagement and neighborhood empowerment, and to hold area government and its politicians accountable.</p>
<p>Would you like to help? Even if you can only give $5, it will make a difference.</p>		</div>
			</div>
	
	<div class="ebox-ys-buttons" style="font-size: 16px;">
		
<a
					data-ebox-prevent="0"
		data-ebox-cmd="close"
				target="_self"
		href="https://www.citywatchla.com/donate"
		rel="noopener"
	
	
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#2ec664;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Yes
	</a>
<a
	
	
			data-ebox-cmd="close"
		href="#"
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#ef2345;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Not Right Now
	</a>	</div>

	</div>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>