The L.A. City Council is hard at work today on May 5th, Cinco de Mayo. One of the items on the agenda today is a commeration of the L.A. Riots of 1992 that began on April 29, 2009. Over 15 years ago, but still not that old for many to remember the days. The is a good reference for this event in Wikipedia, that gives you more than you need to know but if you want any more resources on any aspect of the events and their consequences, it's a good place to check. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_riots_of_1992
The City Council has that expenditure in the agenda today, Item 41(d) $4,409.00:
"MOTION (WESSON - LABONGE) relative to declaring the Commemoration of the 17th Anniversary of the L.A. Riots on April 29, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $4,409)."
All in all, the tight budget conditions still require the council members to get tight on what they spend on. This is a small amount, compared to the half-billion dollar deficit that the mayor and city have led us into, but we need to see tightening up everywhere and maybe in seeing some of the celebrations toned down, people would acknowledge how serious our situation is.
The rest of todays expenditures in the Special Events part of the agenda are these, (highlighted links go to the documents in the history of each item):
"ITEM NO. (41)
09-0954
et al. MOTIONS relative to “Special Events” to be held in the various Council Districts.
Recommendations for Council action:
DECLARE the following community events as “Special Events”; APPROVE any temporary street closures as requested; and, INSTRUCT the involved City departments to perform such services as detailed the Council motions attached to the various listed Council files, including the waiver of fees, costs and requirements and other related issues, as specified:
09-0954
CD 13
a. MOTION (GARCETTI - ZINE) relative to declaring the Stars and Stripes Celebrity Ride on May 16, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $1,642).
09-0953
CD 13
b. MOTION (GARCETTI - ZINE) relative to declaring the Kids with Cancer Scavenger Cup on May 1, 2009 a Special Event (event sponsor to reimburse the City for all fees and costs incurred).
07-1498-S1
CD 4
c. MOTION (LABONGE - HAHN) relative to declaring the Larchmont Village Farmer’s Market on every Sunday from June 2009 to June 2010 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = none submitted).
09-0955
CD 10
d. MOTION (WESSON - LABONGE) relative to declaring the Commemoration of the 17th Anniversary of the L.A. Riots on April 29, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $4,409).
09-0956
CD 7
e. MOTION (ALARCON - CARDENAS) relative to declaring the Valley Youth Fair on May 2, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $1,360).
09-0957
CD 5
f. MOTION (WEISS - CARDENAS) relative to declaring the Big Sunday Event on May 3, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $1,000).
07-1222-S1
CD 5
g. MOTION (WEISS - CARDENAS) relative to declaring the 19th Annual Warner Walk on May 8, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $998).
09-0958
CD 11
h. MOTION (ROSENDAHL - WESSON) relative to declaring the 2009 Love Walk on May 17, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $5,781).
07-1291-S1
CD 9
i. MOTION (PERRY - GARCETTI) relative to declaring the Bank of America Farmers’ Market on every Friday from May 15, 2009 through May 7, 2010 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $26,000).
08-0968-S1
CD 9
j. MOTION (PERRY - GARCETTI) relative to declaring the Mother’s Makeover on May 4, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $1,660).
09-0959
CD 9
k. MOTION (PERRY - GARCETTI) relative to declaring the NAFSA Opening Reception on May 26, 2009 a Special Event (event sponsor to reimburse the City for all fees and costs incurred).
07-1702-S2
CD 15
l. MOTION (HAHN - PARKS) relative to declaring the 21st Annual Seafood Festival on June 10, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $1,226).
07-1260-S1
CD 15
m. MOTION (HAHN - PARKS) relative to declaring the 17th Annual Watts Cinco de Mayo Fiesta on May 2, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $4,912).
08-1047-S1
CD 15
n. MOTION (HAHN - PARKS) relative to declaring the Concert in the Park on May 8, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $2,226).
09-0961
CD 15
o. MOTION (HAHN - PARKS) relative to declaring the Community Resource Fair on May 2, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $2,226).
09-0962
CD 4
p. MOTION (LABONGE - GARCETTI - ET AL.) relative to declaring the Los Angeles City Employees Memorial Program on May 22, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = none submitted).
09-0965
CD 9
q. MOTION (PERRY - PARKS) relative to declaring the LA’s BEST Casino Night on April 17, 2009 a Special Event (fees and costs absorbed by the City = $900).
* * * * * *
The idea of cutting out the celebrations is not the point here, but the USAGE of TAX money to pay for any of it. There are numerous examples of PRIVATE donations and sponsorship of events, so the events would not be doomed by cutting off the tax dollars. Where there is some merit, there should be able to be funding sources found for these things.
* * * * * * * * *
And just to show how it is so expensive to do simple commerative things, and things that the council still goes ahead with, you can see the next agenda item for that example. a transfer of money in two accounts of $64,575.00 and $23,000.00, in order to install plaques in Jesse Brewer Park (CD-8).
"ITEM NO. (42)
09-0011-S23
CD 8
MOTION (PARKS - LABONGE) relative to funding for the installation of various plaques and/or pedestals at various locations at Jesse Brewer Park in Council District Eight.
Recommendations for Council action, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MAYOR:
1. TRANSFER $64,575 from the Council District Eight portion of the Street Furniture Revenue Fund No. 43D/50 to the General Services Fund No. 100-40, as follows: $23,000 to Account No. 1101 (Construction Hiring Hall), $8,740 to Account No. 1121 (Construction Hiring Hall Fringe Benefits), and $32,835 to Account No. 3180 (Construction Materials & Supplies), for services in connection with the installation of various plaques and pedestals at Jesse Brewer Park in Council District Eight.
2. AUTHORIZE the Department of General Services to make clarifications or technical corrections to the above fund transfer instructions as may be necessary to implement the intent of this Motion."
* * * * * * *
It's very rare to have any item NOT approved. Sometimes they are just delayed for minor changes, like the DWP rate increase over water usage and the included imposition of rules and penalties for non-compliance.
Lastly, today's confirmation of the City Clerk Ms. June Lagmay included a congratulation by Bill Rosendahl, council member, who is openly gay and he congratulated her, based on her being a lesbian and then he mentioned in his own way about how it's just like that but then something about how people are all the same and then introduced her partner in the audience. She stood up and I don't know if it was planned or what, but when Rosendahl speaks, he often makes reference to "my people" which sometimes means people in his district, and at other times, people who are gay.
What I find something of a bit counterproductive is the constant HIGHLIGHTING by CM's like Rosendahl of DIFFERENCES of people. It was shown here in sexual orientation and with other CMs, it's ethnic identity or heritage, and so on. It's nearly always something that purports to be of the "we are all the same" theme, but realistically, it starts to carve out niches where people can't be just people, but NEED to have an alliance with some separable group. The idea of "DIVERSITY" is something that I have observed to become a matter for DIVISIVENESS by the constant references made to distinguishing features of people rather than simply what they do.
It is always a matter of pride to see persons with similar backgrounds, like family, who achieve something, and it's not always in a society of color-blinded choices, but it's not necessary to CONSTANTLY point out things that happens over and over to become so annoying. It's almost like saying, "See, we are Mexicans and we STILL made it." To hold that idea in this day is something of a defeatist position that rejects the "assimilation" aspect of what the U.S. society has been seen by others from other countries. But here in our own homeland, achievement has to be more of a spectacle or something anectdotal instead of routine.
And then again, we can counter all that I have just mentioned by noting that a lot of what passes for achievement and the idea that "anybody can be anything in this country." Sometimes it really comes down to being lucky to be in the right demographic niche, or to have the right connections, to know the right people and things other than simply climbing rung by rung, the ladder of success in a neutral way.
Just something to think about. And to add a little more to the picture as a completely different side of ethnic observations: I heard something in the news about Latnios, non-Mexican Latnios, who resented that the "Latino" oriented holidays were actually "Mexican" holidays and they felt slighted.
Posts
