[Some of what I write goes to other destinations and so this blog gets nothing to show for it, so I decided to post more of the other things that I send along to others to share the information generally that I think would be useful to shed more light on current issues. (Photo, right: City Council hears from city workers on layoffs)The following is from an email I sent out yesterday, Sunday, to an NC group, slightly edited from that copy, and with a better proof-reading, too. There's just too much that our politician's do that is wrong as in "evil" or "dishonest intent." At other times, it's just that they are complete Bozos who haven't got a clue on what they are doing and rely on special interests and the things they think will get them to look good to the voters.
The Council Members and the "Emperor Has No Clothes" Mayor bank on the fact that most voters don't have the time, the interest, or the understanding of city hall code words, euphemisms and political-speak to uncover the real story under the B.S. and so they take things "as advertised."]
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Some Sunday reading to consider.
Since you may not have the time or opportunity to view all that's going on within and surrounding local government these days, here are a few links that may give you another perspective that may not be readily encountered in the television news and so on.
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But to give credit to a television source:
There is a DWP expose of sorts, however, 2 months in the making, by David Goldstein at KCBS Channel 2, about what some (not all) DWP workers, mostly all linemen, do in the course of their workday.
[THE VIDEO: http://www.dailynews.com/politics/ci_14991360 (it plays more like an episode of "Cheaters" when the offenders are confronted).
THE STORY: http://cbs2.com/goldstein/DWP.Workers.Drinking.2.1665634.html with some transcribed portions of the video, and it's ignited a lot of comment, much tinged with anger and collateral concerns.]
On this, DWP officials declined Goldstein's offer to look at more tape for more evidence of discovered drinking, driving DWP vehicles while drinking/open container, visiting strip clubs on rainy days, picnicking with a collection of DWP workers in a Boyle Heights park, and a lot of things that don't fit within the expected acceptable behavior for employees.
DWP officials said they were investigating the matter with a lengthy press release issued.
Question: How would they investigate when they reject the very material that displays the behavior?
Consider that for yourselves, but that's a sampling of what CM Zine called two weeks ago in a Council meeting, "an agency that's out of control," and added that "We are going to get it under control," a yet-to-be-seen goal.
Council President Garcetti thought that an investigation would be more proper if done outside the DWP. Garcetti was the one who enabled the rate hike measure to come in without being agendized (Dep. City Atty. O'Connell, assigned to the Council, gave his opinion that it was not an urgent matter and should be handled by other regular procedures, but that advice was ignored by all) and subject to hearing or public comment on April 15th, appearing to be in contravention of "The Brown Act," that you can read about in several sources. So even Garcetti- who is a supporter of rate hikes and any green issue, here has a different opinion on the investigation's handling.
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GETTING TO MORE ISSUES AND SOURCES
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Saturday's posting by Ron Kaye,
"Poking Holes in Antonio's Clean Energy and Rate Hike Story"
By Ron Kaye on May 1, 2010 11:37 AM
http://ronkayela.com/2010/05/poking-holes-in-antonios-clean.html
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[And for the benefit of newcomer's to this "RonKayeLA" blog, Ron Kaye is the former editor of the L.A. Daily News, and nearly all of his posts provide more insight into a lot of city government action that happens in a in a surreptitious manner, but many cases involve that which is before your eyes but sliding by under the radar.] http://www.ronkayela.com/ ]
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"Villaraigosa’s Chinese Car Deal: A Potemkin Village For The 21st Century"
Thursday, April 29, 2010
http://web.mac.com/waltermoore/WalterMooreSays.com/Blog/Blog.html
This blog source, http://www.waltermooresays.com/ is a source of detailed items that usually contradict, with authority cited, the press release content of most local government. It's often depressing and distressing to consider our outcomes.
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On pension items there's Jack Humphreville's story from Friday on www.ourla.org,
"Jack Humphreville: City Hall’s Fuzzy Math"-
Written by Jack Humphreville, on City Watch
http://ourla.org/city-wide/2029-jack-humphreville-city-halls-fuzzy-math
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City Watch is another blog that can show more City operations a little more critically:
http://citywatchla.com/index.php
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And from the L.A. Weekly [ www.laweekly.com ]- probably the most regular of the irregular press category- and the longtime leader of investigative reporting in Los Angeles, had this short revelation on Wednesday as many CMs expressed concern over the permanence of the rate hike that was expected to have a 90-day life after the July 1 effective date- all generating from the April 15 introduction as an emergency by Garcetti, and passage of a motion on that Wednesday, last minute action of the council. (What a tangled web we weave...)
"Villaraigosa Knew L.A. Electricity Rate Increase Was Permanent" By Dennis Romero, Monday, Apr. 26 2010 @ 6:03AM
http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/city-news/villaraigosa-knew-dwp-hike/
This matter did not collect the 10 (2/3 of Council) votes for the city to take jusrisdiction pursuant to a Sec. 245 motion- CM Parks arrived a minute or two after the vote and Garcetti would not reopen matter for the Parks' vote to be considered (known to be a "Yes" on this issue).
As usual, there's more on everything but this should be a good sampling that you are free to reject, among all of the actions that can be done. It is, however, a lot of information that, as some say, "connects the dots" and explains some of the oddities of recent governmental action. The County is another body, along with the LAUSD, that has to wait for another time to mention in this edition of news.
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