CommentsRANTZ & RAVEZ--As we approach the Christmas and Hanukkah season we gather with family and friends to celebrate the many blessings and opportunities we all have to share in the Great Land of America. Family gatherings with plenty of beverage and food and conversations and those thoughtful and sometimes unique and unusual gifts. Like the traditional Fruit Cake we receive from Aunt Mary.
This year is another of those infrequent times in the calendar when Hanukkah and Christmas come together as the eve of Christmas is the beginning when we light the first candle for Hanukkah. Interesting how the calendar brings us together at this very special time of the year.
While we should all enjoy the happiness and love of this special season, our state elected officials will really enjoy the salary increases they have received courtesy of the California taxpayers. Those hard working people who go to work and bring home the money to live in a residence and provide for their families.
No matter your economic situation, we are all feeling the pinch on our income. There is rent or a mortgage and utilities and taxes and car payments and insurance and school clothing and all the rest of the expenses for a family living in the Southern California region. With condo and apartment rents running well over $3,000 and home expenses in the thousands of dollars, who is helping you and your family? The simple answer is no one.+++++++
When you pay your monthly living expenses, think about the 4% salary increase our state elected officials recently received courtesy of the Citizens Compensation Commission. Our state elected officials were and continue to be the highest paid state representatives in the nation. Governor Brown’s salary has increased from $182,789 to $190,100. State legislators increase from $100,111 to $104,115 and the Assembly speaker and Senate president pro temp will receive a salary of $119.734. The newly appointed attorney general Xavier Becerra will leave the $174,000 base salary as a Congressman and earn $165,126 as the California Attorney General. We all wish a very Merry Christmas to all of our State Elected Officials.
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The City of Los Angeles can always find unique ways to spend your hard-earned tax dollars.
Reports show that there is an estimated 1 to 3 million feral cats roaming the streets and alleys of Los Angeles on a daily basis. How the city came up with this number is interesting. What formula did they use to justify this number? With this in mind, the city wants to spend $800,000 to try and figure out what to do about the situation of roaming cats in Los Angeles. While I love animals, I find it interesting that the city can justify spending $800,000 to examine the Feral Cat Population in LA. The director of Animal Services Brenda Barnett reported that her department does not have a report at this time. I guess they will have a report once they spend the $800,000.
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If you think that $800,000 is an amazing amount of tax dollars to spend on an analysis of the feral cat population in Los Angeles, you will love the next idea of the LA City Council when it comes to spending or may I say squandering your tax dollars. This time the council wants to use taxpayer’s money to start savings accounts for kindergartners!
A council committee is exploring the options of establishing a children’s savings account program for the approximately 72,000 kindergartners who enroll in the LA Unified School District each year. City Councilman David Ryu is supporting the program and encouraging his colleagues to support it. Between $50 and $100 will be given to each of the 72,000 kindergartners to start the savings account. Is it the responsibility of the taxpayers or parents to start savings accounts for boys and girls who start kindergarten?
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If you need money for the holidays and want to put your motorcycle up for collateral, there is a new game in town.
Traders Loan and Jewelry is now loaning money on motorcycles. This is a new and interesting way to obtain holiday money. If you are in need of holiday money and want to put your motorcycle up for the loan, contact Traders Loan and Jewelry. They are located at 18505 Sherman Way in Reseda.
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Traffic Citation Amnesty is available from now thru March 31, 2017
If you have an unpaid traffic ticket that was due by January 1, 2013, or if your driver’s license is suspended and you are making payments on a ticket, you may qualify for traffic amnesty from October 1, 2015 until March 31, 2017 and get your license restored. Go to www.courts.ca.gov/trafficamnesty for additional information.
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Thank you Betty Breneman for your kind comments on my recent article on the holidays and family memories. I am glad you enjoyed the walk down memory lane.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to each of you and your families. May this Holiday Season bring you and your families and friends great happiness and the best of times in 2017.
(Dennis P. Zine is a 33-year member of the Los Angeles Police Department and former Vice-Chairman of the Elected Los Angeles City Charter Reform Commission, a 12-year member of the Los Angeles City Council and a current LAPD Reserve Officer who serves as a member of the Fugitive Warrant Detail assigned out of Gang and Narcotics Division. Disclosure: Zine was a candidate for City Controller last city election. He writes RantZ & RaveZ for CityWatch. You can contact him at [email protected]. Mr. Zine’s views are his own and do not reflect the views of CityWatch.)
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