Working Together Works (& It’s All That Works)
Labor Day Special
By Julie Butcher

Active Image Budget woes threaten governments at every level. The tax-paying public seems willing to accept modest tax increases but only if they believe that government is doing everything it can to be efficient and cut costs. Workers know best how to do the work best, so it behooves union members to be at the table working to help figure it all out, being part of the solution that, after all, saves jobs along with vital services.
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LA Needs a Clearer Vision for NCs
Empowerment Report
By Greg Nelson

Active Image Imagine if there were to be a time when any agency that receives governmental funds must allow the public Internet access to all of the organization’s internal operations in order reduce the opportunity for corruption and improve collaboration between all stakeholders.

Imagine using the Internet to allow the public to vote on proposed governmental laws.

Neighborhood councils would be created through e-votes.  In Los Angeles this would eliminate the slew of restrictions that have resulted from the fact that the councils are created by an action of the governmental agency, the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners.

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The City’s Deception Continues … Even in Court
Prop R in Court
By Ron Kaye  (Posted first on www.ronkayela.com )

Active Image (The appeal of Proposition R … the extension of terms for LA’s City Council members cloaked in ethics reform clothing … was back in Appeals Court last Tuesday. Here is Ron Kaye’s take on those events.)

Too bad lawyers don't have to take an oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth when they argue their cases before judges.

If they did...
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Viewing the Developer War from the Trenches
Land Use Crossfire
By Michael Eveloff

Active Image I recently read CD5 candidate Robyn Ritter-Simon’s article on ending the “Developer/Homeowner War.”  I think she entirely missed the essence of this critical issue and in the process forgot who actually votes in elections.  While she missed the point on development, she did provide a clear insight into the way she would approach the job of Councilperson, who she considers to be her constituents and how she would approach development issues.
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Who will Come Depends on What You Build
GuestWords
By Mary Benson

Active Image VICA Needs a New Vision-The Stonehurst area’s  value is an economic driver for the Horse Industry.    That was the first time an argument based on the economics of horsekeeping  had ever been presented according to Vision 2020 Bob Scott.  Sounds like lack of vision on capitalizing on an areas unique attributes. 

Would anyone in their right mind opt for a Home Depot on private land at the entrance to Yosemite?  

I’ve looked at the inappropriateness of a Sunland Home Depot in another context.
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Prop R Battle Energizes LA’s Dissidents
First Person Insight
By Michael Cohen
 
Last Tuesday I attended the Prop R Legal Challenge at the 2nd Court of Appeal, Ronald Regan State Building.

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Legal Right for NCs to Issue Grants Approved
NC Watch
By Deanna Stevenson

The Neighborhood Purposes Grant Program has been approved by the City Council. The Council vote came after several years of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) involvement in helping to craft legislation that will allow Neighborhood Councils (NC’s) ...
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Super Burke Fighting with Residents Over LA’s Oil Fields
ViewPoint
By Betty Pleasant (Posted first in the WAVE Newspapers.)

The communities surrounding the Baldwin Hills Oil Fields are another collective hot spot where residents are doing battle with their elected representative, Supervisor Yvonne Burke. Residents decry Burke’s intent to ru...
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Another Shot in the Math Wars
Education
By Peter Schrag    (Published first in the Sacramento Bee)
  
Who says Jack O’Connell doesn’t have a sense of humor? Last week, O’Connell, the state superintendent of public instruction, called for an additional $3.1 billion a year to all...
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Bicycle Plan Advice for the Advocate
The Feedback Cycle
By Stephen Box

Feedback, both pro and con, is great. Especially if it leads to a discussion, a dialogue, a conversation that gets the issues out and into the public arena where they belong.

Read more...
 
Recipe for a Bank Disaster
The Economy
By Rickey Gelb

In today’s world, you don’t need a lot of ingredients to create a run on a bank…with all the resultant lost jobs, concerned depositors and shareholders, and loss of confidence in our system. 
Read more...
 
Information is Power
A Modest Proposal

Legally, it’s DONE’s job to be a clearinghouse of information for neighborhood councils.  Practically, it should be promoting NCs’ accomplishments.  Realistically, it does neither.
Read more...
 
Usher on Planning: It’s Something You Do, Not Something that’s Done to You
Citizen Guide
Edited by Sara Epstein

Outspoken Planning Commission chief Jane Ellison Usher told the Playa del Rey Neighbors she came to “rally the troops” and get them ready to participate early-on in the planning process. Here’s some of the advice she offered, ...
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NC Almanac August 26, 2008
2003
A Daily News editorial criticized DONE seeming to “obstruct and hamstring the councils as much as possible …” 
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Mrs. Robinson– It’s Time to Start Talking
LA Transpo
By Stephen Box

For the last three weeks, the agendas of the Transportation Commission, the Transportation Committee and the City Council have contained LADOT proposals to increase the speed limits on streets th...
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LAPD Bust Park Petitioners: ACLU, Where Are You?
The City
By Walter Moore

Mayor Villaraigosa and the City Council won't let our police protect you and your family from illegal alien gang bangers, but apparently have no qualms about deploying the police, in significant n...
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Valley Speed Limit Increase is about Greed
GuestWords
By Ron Kaye   (Posted first at RonKayeLA.com )

I admit I drive too fast so you can imagine my delight in knowing that it's speeders like me who d...
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Gun Bill Goes to the Governor
News that Was
By David Lowell

With time running out for Sacramento to act on legislation, the state Senate has forwarded a bunch of bills to Governor Schwarzenegger. Among them, on the somewhat controversial side, is a la...
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Hard to Start a Revolution when Every Level of Government is Owned by Lobbyists
CityWatcher
By Harold Katz
 
I have been following Ron Kaye’s effort with interest and I congratulate him. On August 1, Steve Lopez wrote one of his usual great columns headed “Political Integrity tossed i...
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Joel Wachs: The Public Has No Voice
Retrospective-1998
Edited by Sara Epstein

“This is indicative of something much greater that’s wrong with the system. Elected officials are beholden to the people who get them elected. The public doesn’t...
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The Cloning of City Hall
Perspective
By Ken Draper

One of the rallying anthems of the activists out forming neighborhood councils eight years ago called for changing the way City Hall does business. We all know that hasn’t happened. Worse, ...
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Dear Know It All—You Talkin’ ta Me?
Empowerment Report
By Greg Nelson

Friday’s column suggested workshops that could be held at the next citywide Congress of Neighborhoods to make the event more attr...
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Friday, August 29, 2008
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DRINKING AGE
Should the drinking age be lowered to 18?
 
 
 

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