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CityWatch FollowUp - Jeff’s Green Line Expre$$ Rolls On |
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CityWatch FollowUp
Jeff’s Green Line Expre$$ Rolls On
The Gloria Jeff saga of prescribed agenda “continuations” rolls on through City Council meeting after meeting … in search of a payout. Most observers believe that some kind of deal with the fired former Transportation GM will be struck by the end of this week.
The Gloria Jeff saga of prescribed agenda “continuations” rolls on
through City Council meeting after meeting … in search of a payout.
Most observers believe that some kind of deal with the fired former
Transportation GM will be struck by the end of this week.
Jon Regardie offers his perspective on the Jeff circus and the Council’s penchant for payouts and deals in this week’s Downtown News. Here’s some of what he had to say.)
The imminent payout is an ironic twist, considering that it comes as Villaraigosa is trying to convince the city that everyone should joyfully dig into their pockets for a 9% phone tax. Just as the boogeyman of a coming budget crunch - estimated at up to $270 million - is being trotted out, the city is about to take it in the wallet again for an, ahem, settlement.
Giving five or six figures to an ex-department head makes about as much sense as letting Britney Spears care for a child: Jeff, brought in with much fanfare 18 months ago, didn't gel with L.A.'s unique political culture. So much was so wrong on so many levels, from an apparent lack of foresight on the part of Villaraigosa and his staff (Hiring 102: check references), to the fact that many on the City Council and those who worked below Jeff chafed repeatedly at her brusque manner. In short, there were few if any team-building lunches at the Olive Garden. Seems Jeff had the social skills of the Joker from "Batman" (sorry, that's not a very nice thing to say about the Joker).
The situation was compounded by Villaraigosa having all the grace and subtlety of a Blackwater contractor. Finally fed up to the pocket that holds his Listerine breath strips, Villaraigosa had some staffers tell Jeff that she had less than 24 hours to resign, or be fired. That's not even enough time for Jack Bauer.
(Read all of Jon Regardie’s column … “Consulting for Fun and Profit” … at www.downtownnews.com ) _
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