Not only that, but Parks seems to me to be the guy who is literally explaining it to the other CMs because he is the only one who truly knows what's going on and it IS like the "A" student trying to help his friends with their homework.
Some people may try to minimize or scoff at Parks for being overly-prudent and always crying that the sky is falling; BUT I THINK AS OF SEPTEMBER 5, 2009; I don't care who the mayor is, or who the council president is, or who anyone is...
PARKS IS THE ONE WE BETTER LISTEN TO, TO SEE WHAT'S UP!"
But some people like to wait until other people say something before they believe Zuma Dogg, so here is what Ron Kaye said about Parks and the budget on his blog today.
"He's (CM Parks) the only Council member who actually knows anything about the budget or has consistently tried to reduce spending. He also was the target of an $8 million independent expenditure campaign by organized labor to defeat him in the recent County Supervisor race won by Mark Ridley-Thomas -- and has seen during his four decades as a policeman and politician how the unions have come to take control of City Hall. He has watched his colleagues knuckle under to labor and how business interests come with hat in hand begging for crumbs from the table of power just like ordinary citizens.
Councilman Bernard Parks warned Saturday that at the current rate of spending, LA will run out of cash by May and face potential bankruptcy unless drastic steps are taken now. That means laying off thousands of workers since 80 percent of the city budget goes for pay and benefits -- something that won't be easy politically or practically since city rules make job eliminations so complicated it could take six months or longer to lay anyone off.
LA is fast running out of cash, spending $1 million a day more than it has coming in, borrowing heavily to pay its bills, running a $500 million current deficit, facing a shortfall of more than $1 billion next year and twice that in three years when every dollar of payroll will require 50 cents more to cover the costs of pensions.
The problem, Parks said, is unions have a stranglehold on power at City Hall. They elect the politicians, get sweetheart contracts from them and demand fidelity to their interests.
There's a taboo about broaching the subject of union power in LA, but Parks, in a three-hour session with the LA Neighborhood Council Coalition, decided to break it." - Ron Kaye
SO BETWEEN PARKS, DOGG AND KAYE...LOOKS LIKE WE MAY START TO BRING THIS ISSUE TO THE FOREFRONT OF THE COMMUNITY'S MIND...BECAUSE I AM HERE TO TELL YOU:
After attending a a few candidate forums for the CD 2 City Council Special Election on Tuesday Septemeber 22, I have listened to a lot of questions from the people in the audience and the moderators themselves, AND I AM NOT HEARING QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE BUDGET.
I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE 500 FEET AWAY FROM YOUR DOOR THAT YOU LIKE TO ASK ABOUT...
BUT I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY DO NOT THINK THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS IN PLAY HERE WHEN I SHOW UP TO CANDIDATE FORUMS AND YOU SPEND TWO HOURS READING QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE AND NOT ONE OF THEM IS ABOUT THE BUDGET.
DO NOT ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT OPEN PARK SPACE, OR BUS BENCH ADVERTISING, OR "Yes/No" ON THAT PROJECT OR HOW TO INVOLVE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MORE IN DECISIONS....
THE BUDGET IS THE ONLY THING, RIGHT NOW....
ARE YOU PEOPLE KIDDING ME....
IT'S LIKE THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE AND YOU PEOPLE ARE WALKING AROUND ASKING WHAT COLOR PAINT YOU ARE GOING TO PAINT THE WALLS, OR WHERE TO HANG THAT PICTURE; OR WHETHER OR NOT TO BUILD AN EXTENSION ON THE PORCH."
STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN WHAT THE HELL THE OTHER 13 CHILDREN RUNNING THE CITY (the other 13 councilmembers) are doing about any of this. EVERYTHING ELSE IS AT RISK AND IN JEOPARDY OVER THE BUDGET CRISIS. WHATEVER YOU ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN WILL NOT BE HAPPENING AT ALL IF WE LOSE THE SHIP.
ALL HANDS ON DECK!!!
STOP BEING A BUNCH OF NUTTY NIMBIES!!!
WE NEED 10,000 PEOPLE SHOWING UP AT CITY HALL TO TELL THESE DUMB SPINELESS COUNCILMEMBERS THAT IT IS TIME TO COME OUT OF DENIAL AND IF YOU AREN'T A LEADER ON THE BUDGET, PLEASE STOP PRESSING YOUR BUTTON TO GRANDSTAND ON DUMB STUFF THAT ISN'T GOING TO SAVE JOBS AND SERVICES.
YOU PEOPLE ARE INSANE HOW YOU STAND THERE FOR THREE HOURS A DAY AND PRETEND LIKE IT'S MARDI GRAS EVERY DAY AT CITY HALL AND WE NEED TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON MORE BEADS.
ALL I HEAR THE MOST SHADY AND IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE LIKE JANICE HAHN AND RICHARD ALARCON iIS COMPLAINTS ABOUT CUTTING THEIR SHADY SPECIAL EVENT FEE MONEY...OR COMPLAINING ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT. (Are there any two people in the city who you are more scared to death are in charge of non-profit money and the city's treasury? It's like having "Bonnie and Clyde" watching the vault. I know Janice, Fox 11 was ALL WRONG about their allegations regarding your non-profit money. WE ALL TRUST YOU JANICE. LOL!)
Richard Alarcon we can expect nothing other than political corruption and political thuggery...But Janice Hahn? You are besmirching your family's political name, even more than your "lazy, blind-eye brother did. More on Jancie "Kahn" Hahn later. This is about the fact that she should stop taking her "ditzbag" pills for ONE DAY and ask Councilmember Parks, Zuma Dogg or Ron Kaye to explain to her exactly the situation the city is in and what it means.
Here's YouTube videos of CM Parks on the budget crisis. I AM POSTING IT FOR THE OTHER CITY COUNCILMEMBERS TO WATCH SO THEY CAN BE MORE INFORMED:
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