Eric Garcetti Allows Destruction of 40 Protected Trees (tags)
Over the strong objection of constituents, Eric Garcetti (district 13) approved a rezoning of land, part of a wildlife corridor in Echo Park-Elysian Park, from three to 15 houses and gave developers special permission to cut down 40 protected trees. Garcetti's environmental legacy also includes siding with developer Ralph Horowitz and Councilwoman Jan Perry regarding the South Central Farm. Twenty years ago, another pro-development Councilmember, Michael Woo, ran for Mayor--as Garcetti is now doing--but was opposed by a formidable group called Citizens for Anyone but Woo. Hopefully 2012/2013 will see Anyone but Garcetti.
Real Queer Leaders Aren't Hypocrites (tags)
The frontrunner in this year's campaign for Mayor of San Diego is Carl DeMaio, a ferociously Right-wing Gay Republican who's built his entire political career bashing city workers, their unions and labor in general. When he was booed at the July 21 Pride Parade, his partner, Johnathan Hale, published an open letter blaming it on Queer people putting their loyalty to union politics above the Queer community. Yet DeMaio himself has built his mayoral campaign by appealing to influential Republican homophobes, including U-T San Diego publisher Doug Manchester, to support him.
Greg Stanton's Tires Slashed (tags)
When you are running for an office which essentially is the top boss of a legalized form of the Mafia things like this are expected. Does Greg Stanton really think people will love him for stealing their money and giving it to the special interest groups that help him get elected?
No surprise, Netkin is the guy who was arrested for driving into crowd (tags)
Valley dingbat Hal Netkin ran a phone bank during the mayoral election that called voters with automated anti-Villaraigosa messages. He's obsessed with immigrants and the mayor-elect, and on his website calls Villaraigosa "the MECHista mayor who virtually takes his orders from Mexico City." So, no surprise, Netkin is the guy who was arrested last night in Orange County for driving his van into a crowd of Latinos protesting an appearance by the head of the Minuteman Project.
Villaraigosa has made a point of stressing his interest in governing from the center (tags)
Villaraigosa's associates say he too will cultivate a network of well-respected advisors outside City Hall to guide him on such issues as education reform, transportation planning and economic development. Among them are likely to be former Assembly speaker and mayoral candidate Bob Hertzberg, former Metropolitan Transportation Authority board member Nick Patsaouras and entrepreneur and former national Democratic Party official Ari Swiller.
LA on coverof NYTimes today, but nothing here? (tags)
I was surprised to see that LA was on the cover of the NYTimes today for the mayoral election (I haven't been following it, I'm up in the Bay Area) and that there isn't any mention of the results on here. I'm wondering what the alternative view is on this guy. NYT paints him as a "union organizer." If that's true, why no mention here of a potential 'good guy' in office? Plus, if nothing else, the first Hispanic mayor in over 100 years . . .