tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306969732012-02-01T17:55:56.479-08:00ACCESS AND MOBILITY ISSUES FROM TWO URBAN ADVENTURERSSoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.comBlogger4781100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-22777382593002264902012-01-19T22:58:00.000-08:002012-01-19T23:02:45.805-08:00

CityWatch, Jan 19, 2012 Vol 10 Issue 6 LANDSCAPING IN LA - As the threat of a water crisis looms on the horizon, the City of LA finds itself immobilized, tethered by garden hoses and irrigation systems to an unsustainable municipal lifestyle that costs money, wastes water, and sets a poor example. Consider the unintended consequences of the recent Occupy LA encampment surrounding City Hall that

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-40199596913260432672012-01-17T21:01:00.000-08:002012-01-17T21:04:29.331-08:00

CityWatch, Jan 17, 2012 Vol 10 Issue 5 RETHINKING LA - One of the simplest ways to reduce the traffic congestion that surrounds LA’s schools in the morning and in the afternoon is to support children as they walk and bicycle to school, yet the City of LA continues to engage in a charade that’s all talk and no walk (or ride!) All it would take is to fix the sidewalks and repair the streets that

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-25677567611508920972012-01-13T00:58:00.000-08:002012-01-13T00:59:00.032-08:00

CityWatch, Jan 13, 2012 Vol 10 Issue 4 RETHINKING LA - The fastest growing demographic group in America is senior citizens, a simple fact that should be guiding the City of LA as it goes through the charade of emergency preparedness planning, but one that isn’t even part of the dialogue. The essence of emergency preparedness is based on the notion that in a true emergency, the people of Los

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-47639368300863880352012-01-09T23:49:00.000-08:002012-01-09T23:49:10.923-08:00

CityWatch, Jan 13, 2012 Vol 10 Issue 3 RETHINKING LA - LA’s Mayor Villaraigosa and Police Chief Beck have taken the city’s 2011 crime stats on the road, holding them aloft and touting the fact that the crime in Los Angeles continues to decline and is currently as low as it was in the 50’s. As Villaraigosa and Beck take a victory lap around the city in anticipation of the upcoming budget

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-16566406908863556312012-01-09T23:39:00.000-08:002012-01-09T23:44:48.088-08:00

CityWatch, Jan 6, 2012 Vol 10 Issue 2 RETHINKING LA - The City of LA’s ongoing budget crisis has allowed a triage mentality to permeate throughout City Hall, framing the ongoing debate over our future in the negative and conditioning the public to focus on what they can give up rather than what they want. Each year the Mayor’s office gathers with neighborhood council representatives to solicit

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-10787158375304275242012-01-09T23:25:00.000-08:002012-01-09T23:25:00.469-08:00

CityWatch, Jan 3, 2012 Vol 10 Issue 1 RETHINKING LA - Public meetings are the bane of a community activist’s life, a necessary evil that demands attention and consumes incredible amounts of time, all while offering only the slimmest of hope that a moment of comment will change the course of history or at least impact the outcome of a vote. In looking back over the past year and setting

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-91173729148429280222012-01-02T17:47:00.000-08:002012-01-02T17:47:18.826-08:00

CityWatch, Dec 30, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 104 MOVING LA FORWARD - This past week, I was at a political event that was disguised as a holiday party, or maybe it was a holiday party disguised as a political event, but either way I found myself elbow to elbow with candidates running for office and the political operatives who wage the battles and stage the campaigns. It was against this background that

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-8477260608155929892012-01-02T16:35:00.000-08:002012-01-02T16:35:29.340-08:00

CityWatch, Dec 27, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 103 RETHINKING LIFE - My newborn son was still at the hospital when his footprints were taken, an old tradition that has lost its usefulness as a mechanism for identification but one that continues to take place as a generator of keepsakes. Some friends who happen to be fairly serious runners came by to visit and their first comment when looking at Sydney’s

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-48207434709820729592011-12-22T22:36:00.000-08:002011-12-22T22:37:39.075-08:00

CityWatch, Dec 23, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 102 RETHINKING LA … AND LIFE - Three weeks ago, my wife Enci and I welcomed our newborn son, Sydney István Box, into the world. I’ve been led to believe that the miracle of birth is actually a common occurrence but from where I stood, it was a brilliant once-in-a-lifetime experience that rocked my world. Sydney arrived a wee bit early, we were expecting him

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-27266806490273303062011-12-20T20:22:00.000-08:002011-12-20T20:22:44.235-08:00

CityWatch, Dec 20, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 101 RETHINKING LA - Faced with a choice between leading and following, LA’s City Council took another look at the proposed ordinance banning single use bags and chose to step aside, taking on the role of spectator as the issue gets studied again and again and again. LA’s history of grappling with the issue of single use bags goes back years, an embarrassing

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-23419263113991276392011-12-17T14:43:00.000-08:002011-12-17T21:45:10.778-08:00

CityWatch, Dec 16, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 100 RETHINKING LA - Over the past year, two groups of community activists have been aggressively drumming up support for their respective causes, one fighting for a ban on advertising in city parks while the other pursues a ban on single-use plastic bags. Both groups have worked the neighborhood council circuit with success that allows them to argue their

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-82519674168608598422011-12-17T14:38:00.000-08:002011-12-17T14:38:48.835-08:00

Photo: KCET’s SoCal Connected/LA Weekly CityWatch, Dec 13, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 99 RETHINKING LA - The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) is the latest department to fall victim to the oversight and accountability scrum that starts when the media shines a spotlight and concludes when the public gets bored. Along the way, the City Controller and the City Council will elbow each

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-42426516873779182662011-12-17T14:33:00.000-08:002011-12-17T14:33:28.571-08:00

CityWatch, Dec 9, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 98 RETHINING LA - When the LAPD descended from Dodger Mountain and surveyed the battlefield, they must have felt like Goliath who looked at David and bellowed in rage “Am I a dog that you send a boy with a stick?” The 1400 LAPD were wrapped from head to toe in protective armor that still smelled of mothballs, their training in hostile enemy conflict was

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-15336721470098087942011-12-17T14:10:00.000-08:002011-12-17T14:10:01.035-08:00

CityWatch, Dec 6, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 97 RETHINKING LA - As the dust settles on the now gated community of City Hall Park and the accolades over the LAPD’s “peaceful” engagement fade into background noise, it is apparent that the LAPD’s PR team is still working full force and with deadly force. The first casualties occurred within the ranks of the embedded media, the “legitimate” media who were

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-22079396580707354572011-12-15T23:27:00.000-08:002011-12-15T23:27:47.618-08:00

Photo by Alex Thompson  CityWatch, Dec 2, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 96 RETHINKING LA -The LAPD’s full-force eviction of Occupy LA from City Hall Park left a very crowded high road in its wake as the Mayor, the LAPD, and the occupiers all shared credit for their commitment to respect, restraint, and cooperation as the two month long occupation came to an end. An estimated 1400 LAPD officers

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-84548413149404095852011-12-15T22:59:00.000-08:002011-12-15T22:59:15.901-08:00

Photo by wisdomquarterly.blogspot.com CityWatch, Nov 29, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 95 RETHINKING LA - Commander Andy Smith reported for duty at 8pm on the eve of the anticipated LAPD eviction of the Occupy LA encampment from LA’s City Hall lawn. As he stood in front of the LAPD headquarters and looked across the street at City Hall, he did what any self-respecting Angeleno would do, he hopped in his

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-73159398052193560752011-11-25T00:32:00.000-08:002011-11-25T00:32:06.713-08:00

CityWatch, Nov 25, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 64 RETHINKING LA - Chief of Police Charlie Beck celebrated his second anniversary as LA’s top cop by walking the beat, this time through the Bank of America Plaza where he chatted with Occupy LA protesters who had set up a camp on the bank’s property. Beck occupies a unique position in the world of Occupy protests and is one of the only Police Chiefs in the

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-50191823335367111102011-11-21T23:32:00.000-08:002011-11-21T23:32:45.261-08:00

CityWatch, Nov 22, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 93 RETHINKING LA - The Bill of Rights took a beating over the last several days, serving as a reminder that the rights we take for granted are the rights that go missing when we need them the most. The most recent assault on the 1st and 4th Amendments came at the hands of University of California campus police as they responded to peaceful students sitting

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-20544961524083297092011-11-15T13:50:00.000-08:002011-11-15T13:50:09.535-08:00

CityWatch, Nov 15, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 91 RETHINKING LA - Occupy LA is slowly discovering that City Hall’s welcome mat has disappeared, that the Mayor’s gift of ponchos during the first rainstorm was more of a bon voyage gift than a welcome, and that the City Council’s endorsement was based on the hope that “This, too, shall pass.” It has been more than six weeks since the Occupy LA movement took

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-59990218428499216622011-11-12T13:39:00.000-08:002011-11-15T13:41:46.105-08:00

CityWatch, Nov 11, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 90 RETHINKING LA - The Pico Neighborhood Council came very close to being the first neighborhood council to offer an opinion on the Occupy LA movement but the agendized resolution in support of the “peaceful and vibrant exercise in First Amendment Rights” failed to make it past discussion and was simply tabled for another month. Around the country, “Occupy”

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-958141292060850012011-11-09T13:36:00.000-08:002011-11-15T13:38:44.998-08:00

CityWatch, Nov 8, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 89 RETHINKING LA - Occupy LA’s greatest opportunity to impact the policies and actions that are responsible for eviscerating the middle class, for destroying our economy, for unleashing predatory greed and for selling political access to the highest bidder is to mobilize voters at the polls on election day. In LA, that’s today in Council District 15 as the

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-34176419238650007242011-11-08T17:19:00.001-08:002011-11-08T17:19:53.793-08:00

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-32626046365102645072011-11-05T13:34:00.000-07:002011-11-15T13:36:06.272-08:00

CityWatch, Nov 4, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 88 RETHINKING LA - From New York’s Wall Street to LA’s Spring Street, the Occupation movement has spread from city to city with a message of discontent, one that starts with a long list of grievances, a very long list. Opponents have employed a variety of tactics in their efforts to rebuff the protest actions, ranging from subtle acts such as depriving campers

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-38801743947671495902011-11-02T13:29:00.000-07:002011-11-15T13:33:29.513-08:00

CityWatch, Nov 1, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 87 RETHINKING LA - There is no shortage of aspirational leadership in the race to fill the empty city council seat that represents district 15, a meandering piece of real estate that stretches from Watts through the Gateway to Wilmington, Harbor City, and San Pedro. The City Clerk has certified 11 candidates for the ballot plus 4 write-in candidates for a

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-13234255160594734802011-10-29T13:25:00.000-07:002011-11-15T13:28:39.220-08:00

CityWatch, Oct 28, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 86 RETHINKING LA - The City of LA’s recent decision to close a small Hollywood Hills cul-de-sac and to allow the residents to build a locked gate that excludes the public but provides access to the residents is under attack as a violation of state law. Solar Drive is a small road that dead-ends above Runyon Canyon, popular to tourists in search of a great

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-27936757065572771492011-10-26T13:23:00.000-07:002011-11-15T13:25:55.731-08:00

CityWatch, Oct 25, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 85 RETHINKING LA - In an all-too-common demonstration of synchronized confusion, the City Attorney’s office has directed the LADOT to suspend enforcement of the city’s Apron Parking ban, reversing its prior position and leaving more unanswered questions in its wake. For those people who have been cited but have not yet resolved their citations for violating

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-47469963456792256142011-10-22T13:20:00.000-07:002011-11-15T13:23:26.960-08:00

CityWatch, Oct 21, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 84 PEOPLE POWER - The trek to City Hall in order to make two minutes of public comment on an issue that appears to be a done-deal can be such an idealistic but unrewarding experience. But three different campaigns demonstrated that it really does make a difference. ● The City of LA’s Administrative Citation Enforcement program was well on its way to the City

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-51175038320317467382011-10-21T13:14:00.000-07:002011-11-15T13:20:11.143-08:00

CityWatch, Oct 21, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 84 RETHINKING LA - Law enforcement officers are fond of quoting the popular standard "ignorance of the law excuses no one" when dealing with the public but when faced with an accusation of scofflaw behavior, suddenly ignorance is a solid defense. The LAPD officers responsible for the blocked Bike Lane pictured above are going to have a hard time explaining

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-89935062501740941552011-10-17T22:04:00.000-07:002011-10-17T22:04:53.991-07:00

CityWatch, Oct 18, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 83 PEOPLE POWER - The trek to City Hall in order to make two minutes of public comment on an issue that appears to be a done-deal can be such an idealistic but unrewarding experience. But three different campaigns demonstrated that it really does make a difference. ● The City of LA’s Administrative Citation Enforcement program was well on its way to the City

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-75046348067189480632011-10-17T21:57:00.000-07:002011-10-17T21:57:34.698-07:00

CityWatch, Oct 18, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 83 RETHINKING LA - Last week City Watch LA took LA’s Housing Department (LAHD) to task for its controversial Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP) charging that it preyed on small landlords, failed to deliver the oversight it promised, left tenants in limbo and provided a safe-haven for squatters. Over the weekend, the plot thickened as the LA Times covered a

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-33407640966996978412011-10-13T23:01:00.000-07:002011-10-13T23:04:01.602-07:00

CityWatch, Oct 14, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 82 RETHINKING LA - What do you do when one of LA’s largest landlords fails to perform its business according to the law and creates a condition that leaves tenants, neighbors, and property owners vulnerable to crime, blight, and unsafe conditions? The simple answer is to call LA’s Housing Department (LAHD) which is responsible for providing oversight to

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-55710658206219812172011-10-12T18:55:00.000-07:002011-10-12T18:55:55.303-07:00

CityWatch, Oct 11, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 81 RETHINKING LA - LA’s City Council deserves an award for its ability to conduct its business with a straight face, on the one hand feigning sincerity as it embraces the Occupy LA movement while simultaneously imposing property liens on Angelenos in actions that can’t be explained, let alone justified. Last Tuesday, speakers from the Occupy LA movement

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-9734869995624812252011-10-07T20:24:00.000-07:002011-10-07T20:24:28.299-07:00

CityWatch, Oct 7, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 80 RETHINKING LA - The Occupy Wall Street movement has gone viral, spreading across the country as people of all walks gather in their respective cities to protest corporate greed, social inequity, corporate personhood, and a host of other issues that reflect the spectrum of discontent with the status quo. Occupy LA is approaching the end of its first week on

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-42491608728849823382011-10-06T18:42:00.000-07:002011-10-12T18:47:50.581-07:00

CityWatch, Oct 4, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 79 RETHINKING LA - "Conflict of Interest" charges are fighting words and those who stand accused of serving two masters often find themselves in an uphill battle to defend their honor, their careers, and even their lives. Ethical clouds have hung over LA’s City Hall for generations, sometimes wispy and prompted by rumor and other times dark and supported by

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-32721776439924738362011-10-04T18:31:00.000-07:002011-10-12T18:34:19.787-07:00

CityWatch, Oct 4, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 79 UPDATE - LA City Council's Budget & Finance Committee, on Monday, reviewed the City Attorney's most recent version of the proposed Administrative Citation Enforcement (ACE) Ordinance, punching holes in it and sending it back to the City Attorney for repairs. "This ordinance is half-baked!" declared Councilman Bill Rosendahl as he scoffed at the notion that

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-6257902294395747492011-09-30T17:39:00.000-07:002011-09-30T17:39:51.381-07:00

CityWatch, Sept 30, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 78 RETHINKING LA - “Don't worry,” said the trees when they saw the axe coming, “The handle is one of us.” LA’s proposed Administrative Citation Enforcement (ACE) Program is positioned as a panacea capable of curing all that ails the broken City of Los Angeles, including the ongoing budget crisis, collapsing infrastructure, threats to public safety, quality

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-67610338495527169822011-09-26T22:14:00.000-07:002011-09-26T22:14:59.339-07:00

CityWatch, Sept 27, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 77 RETHINKING LA - When City Hall starts a conversation by invoking a recap of “these challenging economic times” you can count on another cut to city services, another increase in fees and fines, or a combination of both. The City Attorney’s proposed Administrative Citation Enforcement (ACE) program is a classic example of the City’s commitment to balancing

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-45776494529219887402011-09-23T10:27:00.000-07:002011-09-23T10:27:07.277-07:00

CityWatch, Sept 23, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 76 RETHINKING LA - Talk is cheap and it’s hard to get people’s attention in a world that is filled with noise that comes from all directions via texts and tweets and blogs and billboards and mailers and editorials and advertisements and public meetings ad nauseum. It’s tough to be heard above the urban din but all that changes each year when artists,

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-54350008131473790542011-09-23T09:57:00.000-07:002011-09-23T09:57:51.458-07:00

CityWatch, Sept 16, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 75 The flotsam and jetsam left in the wake of Bell’s dramatic municipal meltdown should serve as a warning that City Attorney Carmen “Nuch” Trutanich’s Administrative Citation Enforcement (ACE) program is a revenue enhancement scheme that replaces due process with “due on demand!” The City Attorney’s office refers to the ACE program as a “promising

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-80799087739186137432011-09-23T00:35:00.000-07:002011-09-23T00:35:46.205-07:00

CityWatch, Sept 16, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 74 Los Angeles is the Capital of Contradictions and all it takes is a fence to prove that point. On the one hand, the Residents in East Hollywood have found themselves targeted by Building & Safety and the City Attorney because they dared to build over-in-height fences around their homes, their property, and their families in order to protect themselves from

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-72358074328658464802011-09-13T00:06:00.000-07:002011-09-13T00:06:13.947-07:00

CityWatch, Sept 13, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 73 RETHINKING LA - Man’s search for parking, Nuch’s search for revenue The City of LA’s recent enthusiasm for citing Angelenos who park in front of their driveways, in their driveways, and on the apron approach to their property has stirred a citywide debate on blocked sidewalks, limited parking, and uneven application of the law. It was the abundance of

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-34540981530375306262011-09-12T23:48:00.000-07:002011-09-12T23:48:09.343-07:00

CityWatch, Sept 9, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 72 RETHINKING LA - LA’s City Attorney, Carmen Trutanich, is a solution in search of a problem and his heavy-handed response to LA’s “apron parking” drama demonstrates that it is “Nuch” that needs to be curbed, not the Angelenos who park their cars in their driveways between the street and the sidewalk. For as long as there has been a shortage of parking,

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-80499726411011030502011-09-12T23:33:00.000-07:002011-09-12T23:33:54.426-07:00

CityWatch, Sept 6, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 71 RETHINKING LA - Thursday evenings in East Hollywood are for walking and all summer long, residents from throughout the community have gathered at a different neighborhood each week to walk, to make new friends, to partner on public safety, and to share stories of the past and hopes for the future. The East Hollywood Street Beat was born out of

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-24458025740398840762011-09-12T23:24:00.000-07:002011-09-12T23:24:48.677-07:00

CityWatch, Sept 2, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 70 RETHINKING LA - LA City Councilwoman Jan Perry is a seasoned veteran of City Hall, having served as a deputy to Councilman Mike Woo and as Chief of Staff to Councilwoman Rita Walters, and she has a reputation for solving problems and getting things done. As she revs up the engine on her Mayoral campaign, her greatest obstacle is defining herself as a

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-79532144852752925362011-09-12T23:15:00.000-07:002011-09-12T23:16:45.189-07:00

CityWatch, Aug 30, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 69 RETHINKING LA - A young couple from Barcelona rented a car in Chicago and set out on a self-guided tour of America’s historic Route 66, a journey that would take them along the “Mother Road” where they planned to visit the old filling stations, eat at the homey diners, stay at the rustic motels, shop at the dusty Museums, and collect Route 66

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-86246870258343835032011-08-29T20:19:00.000-07:002011-08-29T20:19:11.457-07:00

CityWatch, Aug 26, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 68 RETHINKING LA - One of the most important City Hall survival skills is the artful dance of inertia, the ability to steer clear of any responsibility for progress while maintaining the appearance of support. For the City Councilmembers, this skill is best demonstrated by their enthusiastic response to literally any proposal or proposition when it’s

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-27898166234564715072011-08-29T20:07:00.000-07:002011-08-29T20:07:26.600-07:00

CityWatch, Aug 23, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 67 RETHINKING LA - Austin Beutner is a relative newcomer to LA’s political landscape but he has probably spent more time acting as Mayor than any of the other declared and potential candidates, having served as the de facto Mayor during Villaraigosa’s tour of distraction. Beutner’s official title was First Deputy Mayor and Chief Executive for Economic and

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-77540681230096871372011-08-23T22:00:00.000-07:002011-08-23T22:01:50.493-07:00

CityWatch, Aug 19, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 66 RETHINKING LA - 45 years ago, Mayor Sam Yorty’s Charter Reform Commission presented a draft of a new City Charter which included the creation of a system of elected neighborhood councils with advisory powers, a proposal that was summarily rejected by the Los Angeles City Council. 30 years later, the State of California eliminated the Los Angeles City

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-57312223776383847812011-08-16T15:47:00.000-07:002011-10-12T18:28:03.404-07:00

CityWatch, Aug 16, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 65 RETHINKING LA - LA’s 2013 Mayoral Race is barely underway and already City Controller Wendy Greuel has declared herself the leader of the pack based on her ability to raise campaign funds. Of the declared candidates, Greuel has surged ahead with a war chest of $518,000 while City Councilwoman Jan Perry has collected $457,000, investment banker and former

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-49978194746501067512011-08-11T23:46:00.000-07:002011-08-12T11:30:49.352-07:00

CityWatch, Aug 12, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 64 CITY ATTORNEY’S SELECTIVE PROSECUTION - My good friend Jenny is a cyclist, an intrepid citywide commuter who relies on her bike as her primary form of transportation, complementing it with mass transit for long journeys. In some communities, this behavior would be referred to as a traffic congestion solution. Earlier this year Jenny was in the North Valley

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-62980264665213952232011-08-09T18:02:00.000-07:002011-08-09T18:04:50.349-07:00

CityWatch, Aug 9, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 63 RETHINKING LA - LA’s recent Red-Light Camera debacle had nothing to do with traffic control and everything to do with a municipal government that has a track record for exceeding its authority and for levying fees, fines, and judgments on its residents that exceed the law. The City of LA’s Police Commission and City Attorney have both acknowledged that

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-41899607671333959682011-08-09T17:13:00.000-07:002011-08-09T17:26:29.674-07:00

Photo: la.streetsblog.org CityWatch, Aug 5, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 62 RETHINKING LA - The LA Department of Transportation has weathered the recent stormy days of employee misbehavior, administrative misconduct, budgetary misappropriations, and outreach miscommunications, resulting in a leaner, meaner department that is poised to take care of business. That’s Good News. The LADOT is passing up on

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-13085610449270783392011-07-29T20:45:00.000-07:002011-08-09T16:56:22.891-07:00

CityWatch, July 29, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 60 RETHINKING LA - The recent debate over the City Council’s legal representation and the City Attorney’s obligations under the City Charter have dramatized the shortcomings of the current conflicted system. Some members of the City Council would like a City Attorney that is loyal to their needs and their desires, not an objective legal presence with the

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-17308389691007470832011-07-27T11:09:00.000-07:002011-07-27T11:09:48.272-07:00

CityWatch, July 26, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 59 RETHINKING LA - The City of LA is almost one month into the first month of its 2011/2012 budget, a $6.9 billion behemoth that exceeds last year’s budget by $150 million and is the largest operating budget in the history of LA. The increase in LA’s budget is a quiet fact that was completely overshadowed by the City Hall budget drama of the last couple of

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-65680517825649494672011-07-27T10:59:00.000-07:002011-07-27T10:59:02.744-07:00

CityWatch, July 22, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 58 RETHINKING LA - Jeff Bridges received an Academy Award nomination for his role in John Carpenter’s 1984 film “Starman” where he played an alien who concluded his visit to Earth by noting that humans “are at their best when things are worst.” Time after time Angelenos have proven this to be true. When a Metrolink train crashed head-on into a freight train

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-7098503299656693012011-07-20T10:15:00.000-07:002011-07-20T10:15:32.901-07:00

CityWatch Vol 9 Issue 57 Pub: July 19, 2011 RETHINKING LA - The much anticipated weekend closure of LA’s 405 freeway caused much wailing and gnashing of teeth as the threat of Carmageddon loomed heavy on the horizon and officials unleashed a barrage of “stay home” warnings in every format imaginable including relentless email blasts, repetitious press conferences, and electronic sign messaging

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-64655089579139363142011-07-19T00:30:00.000-07:002011-07-19T00:31:07.117-07:00

CityWatch, July 15, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 56 RETHINKING LA - Only in LA can a developer come to town with a $20 Billion budget, go to work on a construction campaign that impacts literally every neighborhood in the city, and not take responsibility for traffic mitigation, pedestrian and cyclist access, ADA compliance, roadway improvements, signalization enhancements, or simply adhering to LA’s

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-8448235045211188312011-07-14T01:09:00.000-07:002011-07-14T01:26:44.985-07:00

LA’s Bike Plan is of such importance to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa that on July 1, 2011 he issued Mayoral Directive #20 and instructed LA’s departmental leadership to make the Bike Plan a priority. Little did he know, the Bike Plan that was approved earlier this year was nowhere to be found. And then, quietly and without any fanfare, the Bike Plan appeared on July 11, on the City Clerk’s

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-23631547190407848842011-07-13T09:36:00.000-07:002011-07-13T09:36:28.321-07:00

CityWatch, July 13, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 55 RETHINKING LA - Councilman Bill Rosendahl is to be commended for his recent attempt to force the City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the Proposed Downtown Stadium and Event Center to conduct its business openly, transparently, and in compliance with California’s Brown Act. That being said, his journey down the moral high road will be smoother if he

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-16616722778184872212011-07-08T00:45:00.000-07:002011-07-08T00:45:01.009-07:00

CityWatch, July 5, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 53 RETHINKING LA - The City of LA’s Department of Transportation has been busy at work in our communities, removing crosswalks, increasing speed limits, dodging critical audits, and fixing tickets through the City Hall Gold Card program. So busy, in fact, that they continue to miss the well intended and even better funded advice offered by the State of

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-40265595526918949332011-07-08T00:37:00.000-07:002011-07-08T00:37:59.075-07:00

CityWatch, July 8, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 54 RETHINKING LA - For two decades, the LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has distributed federal, state, and local transportation funds through a competitive “Call for Projects” process that typically elicits two responses; great proposals from the communities surrounding LA and a “deer-in-the-headlights” look of surprise from the LADOT.

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-80150015285500849372011-07-08T00:21:00.000-07:002011-07-08T00:33:45.290-07:00

Photo credit: Curbed LA CityWatch, July 8, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 54 BOX SOAP - A couple of weeks ago, the “Tale of Two Fences” story prompted a flurry of debate over the merits of over-in-height fences, the inequities of a complaint driven enforcement policy, the rights of individuals vs. the rights of the community, and public safety. CityWatch covered the brouhaha in “LA’s battle over safety and

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-73032502614490979092011-07-04T21:00:00.000-07:002011-07-04T21:00:43.462-07:00

CityWatch, July 1, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 52 RETHINKING LA - Mayor Villaraigosa’s recent success in navigating LA’s code enforcement and planning variance process demonstrates the uneven landscape of City Hall, one that favors connections and money while punishing residents of low-income and high-crime neighborhoods. Acting on the advice of the LAPD, General Services, and Homeland Security,

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-46642242893996533992011-07-01T18:01:00.000-07:002011-08-09T17:00:10.327-07:00

CityWatch, June 28, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 51 RETHINKING LA - Modern police work is a scientific business, driven by statistical analysis of criminal behavior, resulting in a focused high-tech law enforcement response that delivers efficient crime prevention, suppression, and prosecution. Or so we are led to believe. There was a time when police officers walked the beat, talked to residents, chatted

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-19455437228144133472011-07-01T12:44:00.000-07:002011-07-01T12:44:03.254-07:00

CityWatch, June 17, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 48 RETHINKING LA - LA’s City Hall confuses growth for development. There is a huge difference between growth and development, a distinction that is lost on the caretakers of LA’s future as they gamble on size over substance in a planning Ponzi scheme that is consuming our resources. Growth is simply an increase in size, something third-world countries are

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-35052172399072751192011-06-28T18:03:00.000-07:002011-06-28T18:03:28.882-07:00

CityWatch, June 24, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 50 RETHINKING LA - Los Angeles is a city of conflict, filled with neighborhoods that struggle to protect their unique identities, balancing the restriction of boundaries against the freedom of common space while maintaining the natural tension between the rights of the individual and the obligations of the community. 24 years ago, a Los Angeles resident

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-12738455335834000502011-06-21T00:30:00.000-07:002011-06-21T00:44:08.977-07:00

CityWatch, June 21, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 49 RETHINKING LA - Tony and Walter live in Los Angeles, just two and half miles apart, and they both want to live quietly and safely in homes surrounded by security fencing. Tony has called Windsor Square his home for the last six years and he lives in a lovely house provided by his employer as a condition of his employment. Walter lives in East Hollywood

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-27444884678739176672011-06-17T14:08:00.000-07:002011-06-17T14:08:46.609-07:00

CityWatch, June 17, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 48 RETHINKING LA - LA’s City Hall confuses growth for development. There is a huge difference between growth and development, a distinction that is lost on the caretakers of LA’s future as they gamble on size over substance in a planning Ponzi scheme that is consuming our resources. Growth is simply an increase in size, something third-world countries are

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-26093205801162578172011-06-13T19:29:00.000-07:002011-06-13T19:29:01.600-07:00

CityWatch, June 10, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 46 RETHINKING LA - Mayor Villaraigosa has responded to the recent spate of controversy at the Department of Transportation by moving his Deputy Mayor of Transportation, Jaime de la Vega, over to the General Manager’s position. Villaraigosa touts de la Vega’s experience as a public policy leader and as a manager with extensive experience working in city

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-20034019891016292592011-06-13T19:23:00.000-07:002011-06-13T19:23:18.706-07:00

CityWatch, June 7, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 45 RETHINKING LA - The Leaning Tower of Pisa tilted to one side for more than 800 years, slowly settling in the soft subsoil to the point that it was in danger of toppling over. In 1964, the government of Italy requested aid, resulting in a multinational task force of engineers and mathematicians who spent over two decades on stabilization studies that failed

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-83148468909438057682011-06-02T23:22:00.000-07:002011-06-02T23:22:48.496-07:00

CityWatch, June 3, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 44 RETHINKING LA - On May 25, 1961 President John F. Kennedy stood before a special joint session of Congress and challenged America to join him in his dramatic and ambitious vision, to send an American safely to the Moon and back, before the end of the decade. That moment of clear vision and a specific deadline brought out the best in America. Fifty years

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-78969012743183156462011-05-31T08:59:00.000-07:002011-05-31T08:59:51.333-07:00

CityWatch, May 31, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 43 RETHINKING LA - LA’s City Council took another step toward complete irrelevance during the recent budget hearings as it moved from a discussion of city pagers to a robust consideration of the hold music on the city’s 311 phone system. Faced with a $6.9 billion budget, a half billion dollar shortfall, and impending cuts to city services, LA’s City Council

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-46634452591397892122011-05-30T14:08:00.000-07:002011-05-30T14:08:19.335-07:00

CityWatch, May 27, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 42 BOX SOAP - As the City of LA’s $6.9 billion budget drama played out in City Hall, it was the robust discussion of the current city staff reliance on pagers that demonstrated City Hall’s commitment to the status quo and its complete inability to move forward. Pagers are a thing of the past, unless you arrive at TGI Friday’s during rush hour when there’s a

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-37689857683487953952011-05-27T00:03:00.000-07:002011-05-27T00:03:14.771-07:00

CityWatch, May 20, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 40 The East Hollywood Neighborhood Council (EHNC) has embarked on a journey to revitalize Santa Monica Boulevard, the final stretch of America’s Main Street, embracing the Route 66 legacy as an opportunity to fulfill its City Charter mandate to “promote more citizen participation in government and make government more responsive to local needs.” David Bell,

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-1483612636947968122011-05-18T14:44:00.000-07:002011-05-18T14:44:12.687-07:00

CityWatch, May 17, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 39 BOX SOAP - The City of LA’s self-crippling budget crisis gives new meaning to the phrase “If you want something done correctly, do it yourself.” Consider these five examples of Do-It-Yourself management initiatives sponsored by the people of Los Angeles in response to the failings of City Hall. 1) The Inspector General for Revenue Collection, as proposed

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-20380440021322411892011-05-13T16:24:00.001-07:002011-05-13T16:24:48.545-07:00

CityWatch, May 13, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 38 It was a shotgun wedding, Mayor Villaraigosa stood alongside Michael LoGrande as First Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner officiated, proclaiming “There’s no further need to conduct a search!” and then introducing the happy couple as Mayor and City Planning General Manager. LoGrande was tapped to replace Gail Goldberg as the head of City Planning, a move that

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-10007061749584110512011-05-10T12:33:00.000-07:002011-05-11T13:23:35.520-07:00

CityWatch, May 10, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 37 City Council’s Budget & Finance Committee has proven so efficient at rubber-stamping the Mayor’s proposed budget that they recessed early. They apparently made sufficient noise as the City’s department chiefs paraded through council chambers in defense of their departments and their budgets. Those speaking before the Committee tend to fall into one of

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-47880451714408562252011-05-06T13:56:00.000-07:002011-05-06T13:57:37.669-07:00

CityWatch, May6, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 36 Amir Sedadi, Interim General Manager of LA’s Department of Transportation, demonstrated that the honeymoon is over as he took his turn before the City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee during the ongoing Budget Hearings. The gloves came off at “Hello!” as Sedadi greeted the Committee by pointing out the late hour, revealing a perceived slight based on

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-2207131616312019042011-05-03T11:22:00.000-07:002011-05-03T11:30:25.317-07:00

CityWatch, May 3, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 35 The debate over the definition of Art is as timeless as Art itself. This spells opportunity for LA’s City Hall, a creative institution filled with wild imaginations and machinations that never fail to seize opportunities to short-cut the process and side-step the public. Consider the CRA, the good folks responsible for bringing Hollywood & Vine to life with

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-63484379066580649482011-05-03T11:18:00.000-07:002011-05-03T11:18:51.363-07:00

CityWatch, Apr 29, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 34 CITY BUDGET HEARINGS Stephen Box In the midst of LA’s City Council Budget Hearings and a department-by-department examination of the Mayor’s proposed $6.9 billion budget, it was Yogi Bear who stirred the most rigorous debate, courtesy of Recreation and Parks Commission President Barry Sanders who continues to bemoan the failure of his park advertising

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-7068537424217087372011-05-03T11:08:00.000-07:002011-05-03T11:10:16.912-07:00

CityWatch, Apr 26, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 33 LA’S ACE PROGRAM Stephen Box Promises of efficiency and revenue herald the arrival of LA’s Administrative Citation Enforcement (ACE) Program, a streamlined process that is positioned as a public health and safety tool for the departments who provide code enforcement services to the people of Los Angeles. The ACE program is an alternative enforcement

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-58117752103454699832011-04-22T09:27:00.000-07:002011-04-22T09:27:39.985-07:00

CityWatch, Apr 22, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 32 What happens in Los Angeles doesn't stay in Los Angeles … it resonates! In fact, common wisdom holds that "As goes LA, so goes the nation." This was especially evident at this week's Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) conference in San Diego where almost 1000 traffic, public health, land use, law enforcement and advocacy professionals came together to leverage

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-81755834123548531282011-04-12T09:29:00.000-07:002011-04-12T09:29:58.439-07:00

CityWatch, Apr 12, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 29 As the City of LA stares down an impending budget deficit of $500 million next year, Councilmembers Cardenas and Alarcon responded to the recommendations of the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates by dismissing them as naively optimistic and dangerously misleading. “All I want to do is thank you for your efforts,” said Cardenas who then launched into a

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-66030565121422792042011-04-12T09:18:00.000-07:002011-04-12T18:12:00.394-07:00

CityWatch, Apr 12, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 29 The City of LA’s hopes of becoming the “Greenest Big City” diminish in the wake of continued large scale promises and small scale deliveries, the County of Los Angeles, the city of Santa Monica and now the City of Long Beach confront the little steps that add up to big results. The Long Beach City Council weighs in this week on proposed legislation that

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-89461431967507854722011-04-05T12:01:00.000-07:002011-04-05T12:01:29.220-07:00

CityWatch, Apr 5, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 27 As theCity of LA faces a budget shortfall of somewhere between $350 million and $500 million (depending on the day and the source), the Rec & Parks Commission (RAP) is preparing to act on RAP staff recommendations to shakedown the Community Gardens family for “budget dust” in a process that demonstrates all that is upside down about the budget process. One

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-22690710847211493732011-04-01T11:09:00.000-07:002011-04-01T15:40:36.683-07:00

CityWatch, Apr 1, 201 Vol 9 Issue 261 The City of LA’s current budget crisis puts City Hall in a “Contract vs. Contract” predicament that pits the people of LA against the employees of LA, one where the people who pay for services and the people who deliver services are both confronted with lose-lose proposals. The City of Los Angeles exists for one very simple purpose, to deliver on its Civic

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-54300137096408247892011-03-25T11:10:00.000-07:002011-04-01T11:15:31.952-07:00

CityWatch, Mar 25, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 24 It’s Budget Season in the City of LA and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) has fired the first shot, declaring this the “age of permanent fiscal crisis" and subtly shifting blame for the city’s budget crisis from the captain and crew of the good ship Los Angeles and placing it firmly on the turbulent seas that lead us to the iceberg. (Link) Miguel

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-83942606919567863782011-03-04T11:17:00.000-08:002011-04-01T11:25:12.913-07:00

LA’s Bike Plan has already caused traffic congestion, clogging the steps of City Hall as the Mayor, the City Controller, and a full peloton of Councilmembers stood before the press on Wednesday to declare “Los Angeles is on the path to becoming a world-class city for bicycling.” What a difference a few years make! It has been ages since I innocently visited City Planning Publications to purchase

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-51552517801530531532011-03-02T10:23:00.000-08:002011-03-02T10:23:49.994-08:00

CityWatch, Mar 1, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 17 NBC Universal’s Evolution project is moving forward in a City of LA planning process that is a clear demonstration of all that is wrong with planning and land use policy in the City of Los Angeles. The developer driven process starts with an attack on the already low standards that purportedly protect the people of LA and then continue with exceptions and

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-64758063015096566352011-02-26T15:03:00.000-08:002011-02-26T15:03:22.930-08:00

CityWatch, Feb 25, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 16 SOLUTIONS  If the City of LA is serious about taking care of LA’s business community, stimulating the local economy, creating more jobs, and attracting new business, then City Hall will get busy leveraging federal Small Business Jobs Act funding to create a one-stop “LACityWorks” shop that supports LA business. The model for this concept can be found at

SoapBoxLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03423782294035596253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30696973.post-71506682283874749542011-02-21T23:23:00.000-08:002011-02-21T23:24:24.091-08:00

CityWatch, Feb 22, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 15 CUTTING THROUGH THE RED TAPE Last week I claimed “one of the simplest strategies for jump-starting LA’s local economy would be to retool the current ‘bigger is better’ approach to business development in favor of a model that supports small businesses.” That proverbial swing at the hornet’s nest drew quick protests from both bureaucrats and academics.

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CityWatch, Feb 18, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 14 The City of LA is one of the greatest cities in the world but it is also one of the most dysfunctional, one where the delivery of city essential city services is driven by complaints, not a commitment to performance standards that the people of LA can depend on. Councilmembers position themselves as gatekeepers who fill potholes and install speed humps as

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CityWatch, Feb 15, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 13 LA NEEDS TO SUPPORT SMALL BIZ As the Active ImageCity of LA wallows in the midst of a staggering budget shortfall, it appears that one of the simplest strategies for jumpstarting LA’s local economy would be to retool the current “bigger is better” approach to business development in favor of a model that supports small businesses. According to the latest

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CityWatch, Feb 11, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 12 The City of LA is mired in a budget crisis, one that has prompted the mayor to go on a “confidence tour” while the city council conducts triage on city assets and the people of LA brace themselves for the next round of service cuts and fee increases. While those in control would have us believe that this is all due to the current global economic crisis, it

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CityWatch, Feb 8, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 11 It’s Ballot Measure season in LA and the voter information pamphlet is out, dedicating 90% of its 136 pages to the ten ballot measures that City Hall promises will provide everything from pension reform to clean elections to DWP oversight. If only it were that easy! On the one hand, it’s unfortunate that the people of LA have to step up to resolve the turf

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CityWatch, Feb 4, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 10 Los Image Angeles is one of the best places in the world to live, to work, and to enjoy life. Every day people from around the world travel to LA to experience our greatness and in doing so, they remind us that LA is the city that sets the standards. From the entertainment industry to the theatre community, from the philharmonic orchestra to the museums,

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CityWatch, Feb 1, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 9 When Governor Brown met with Mayor Villaraigosa to debate the future of LA’s Community Redevelopment Agency, the meeting took place in the well-appointed digs of the State Capitol, surrounded by a formidable security force. When the people in my neighborhood gathered to discuss LA’s CRA, the meeting took place on a busted sidewalk, outside the now empty

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CityWatch, Jan 28, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 8 My column in CityWatch last week announcing the retirement of Bill Robertson, Director of the Bureau of Streets Services, drew a lot of comments supporting the notion that his departure would be a great loss to the City of LA but with an interesting twist. Testimonials from the community included EB from Sunland Tujunga, who wrote: “Bill Robertson is all

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CityWatch, Jan 25, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 7 LA’s Alliance of Neighborhood Councils celebrated its 10th anniversary with a rare public viewing of California’s latest addition to the endangered species list, LA’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). (Video links 1 and video link 2). Jim Dantona, Chief Deputy to the CEO of LA’s CRA, gave a quick overview of Governor Brown’s plan to dismantle the state’

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CityWatch, Jan 21, 2011 Vol 9 Issue 6 The CRA’s announcement of a “Special Meeting” was the battle cry and the subsequent barrage of agendas, supplemental agendas, and revised supplemental agendas were the weapons in the ongoing war of City Hall vs. the People of Los Angeles. Last week’s announcement by Governor Brown that he intended to return locally generated tax revenue to local

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