Sunday, January 31, 2010
Classic Episodes of "The Zuma Dogg Show" (Public Access TV Show) NOW STREAMING - LIVE - at LADailyBlog.com
Big Video Player
Zuma Dogg's L.A. Daily Blog - L.A. City News TWITTER Update for Sunday (1.31.10)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Activism doesn't pay, so let the rap music play. Since people who read this blog for activism reporting about L.A. City Hall are either TOO BROKE to support me with five or ten bucks; or HAVE MONEY, but are just too cheap. Either way, activism doesn't pay...so let the rap music play: (Casey Kasem Voice: This is Casey Kasem, for L.A. Daily Blog, your spot for round-the clock hip hop.
PLEASE PayPal ZD because I need to buy more rap music on iTunes. I only have about 60 good rap songs and that's not enough to sustain a round the clock rap music format. It will get stale too quickly. Please donate NOW to help support this "culture and arts" blog.
Zuma Dogg's L.A. Daily Blog, NOW your Official Spot for Hip-Hop
IMMEDIATE PAYPAL DONATION IS NEEDED THIS SUNDAY MORNING! TRUST ME! Do I have to scream EMERGENCY!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Council Theif Richard alarCON Reduced To COMEDY FODDER For L.A. Times Mill: ALARcon, Even L.A. Times is taking comedy shots at you now, CLOWN!
Oh my goodness...looks like former Top-40 renegade programmer Randy Michael's effect may have been felt today in the L.A. Times, as they do a story about shady, theif Richard alarCON and his confusing housing situation. THERE IS NOTHING NEW OR NEWSWORTHY IN THIS L.A. TIMES ARTILCE...JUST A SHEER COMEDY POTSHOT ON THE SOON TO BE STEPPING DOWN COFFER-ROBBER.
LA TIMES:
Money & Company
Tracking the market and economic trends that shape your finances.
Helping Richard Alarcon solve his possible housing woesWill the 7th District councilman’s real home please stand up?
For the last few weeks, the Los Angeles County district attorney has been investigating whether Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon, 56, claimed residence in a Panorama City house in the 7th District, which Alarcon represents, while actually living in a 2nd District Sun Valley home. Alarcon told The Times that he does live in the house on Nordhoff Street in Panorama City but had been staying at another family home in Sun Valley while modifications were made to the Nordhoff house to make it more secure.
Meanwhile, let’s take a quick look at what’s on the market in the 7th Council District, just in case Alarcon finds himself shopping around. Realtor.com showed 192 listings in the Panorama City area Thursday. Here’s a sampling of some of the best buys we found in the councilman’s home district.
SENATOR ALARCLOWN, HERE ARE MORE LISTINGS FROM THE L.A. TIMES ARTICLE. And a warning to the up and coming youth...BE STRONG, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND "JUST SAY NO" TO HOOKING YOUR CART TO ORGANIZED CRIME RINGS! Before you know it, they have their hooks in you, and are controlling you like a puppet, making you do things that put you at risk...THEN YOU are left holding the bad and if you sing...WELL, it turn out worse than if you didn't. So kids...PLEASE DO NOT BE SO WEAK THAT YOU SELL YOUR SOUL TO AN ORGANIZED CRIME RING, JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE A WEAK CHARACTER!
RECENT LA DAILY BLOG POSTS:
- VIDEO & AUDIO: Zuma Dogg on Kevin James (KRLA 870)...
- Zuma Dogg's LA Daily Blog TWITTER Update for Frida...
- NEW VIDEO: Zuma Dogg City Council Meeting Re-Cap f...
- BUDGET CRISIS DRAMA: Will L.A. City Attorney Carme...
- A Message From Bong Water Kim of un-EMPOWER L.A. -...
- VIDEO: L.A. City CAO Miguel Santana's BUDGET REPOR...
Friday, January 29, 2010
VIDEO & AUDIO: Zuma Dogg on Kevin James (KRLA 870) & Public Comment Videos (Friday 1.29.10) GOOD, ENTERTAINING CONTENT
Live Recording - 01/29/2010...
RECENT LA DAILY BLOG POSTS:
- Zuma Dogg's LA Daily Blog TWITTER Update for Frida...
- NEW VIDEO: Zuma Dogg City Council Meeting Re-Cap f...
- BUDGET CRISIS DRAMA: Will L.A. City Attorney Carme...
- A Message From Bong Water Kim of un-EMPOWER L.A. -...
- VIDEO: L.A. City CAO Miguel Santana's BUDGET REPOR...
- LA Daily Blog Mid Day Twitter Update (1.28.10)
- Zuma Dogg L.A. City News TWITTER Updates for 1.27....
- VIDEO NEWS: Zuma Dogg City Council Update (3pm Rep...
- PayPal Zuma Dogg
- VIDEO: Zuma Dogg BREAKING NEWS on L.A. City Counci...
- Zuma Dogg's Notes from L.A. City's CAO Miguel Sant...
Zuma Dogg's LA Daily Blog TWITTER Update for Friday 1.29.10 - NEW VIDEO Links and more!
- The CELL PHONE of Zuma Dogg is still out of juice with NO CHARGER, so I haven't heard messages. Call 213-785-7272. It EMAILS your voicemail. (UPDATE: 5PM Friday)
- VIDEO: Zuma Dogg Public Comment. ZD BLASTS BUDGET CRISIS DETAILS LIVE ON TV! - http://ow.ly/11YyM 3 minutes ago from HootSuite
- VIDEO: Zuma Dogg Public Comment on Crosswalk Traffic, BUT, more importantly, MAKES FUN OF JANICE HAHN! - http://ow.ly/11Yy4 5 minutes ago from HootSuite
- VIDEO: Zuma Dogg & Matt Dowd Public Comments on HOUSING: ZD BLASTS HERB WESSON! http://ow.ly/11Yx0 6 minutes ago from HootSuite
- VIDEO: Zuma Dogg PUBLIC COMMENT: ZD says, "No Garcetti for Mayor and City Attorney Office Cuts) http://ow.ly/11Ytb 13 minutes ago from HootSuite
- RT @LANow: Villaraigosa says layoffs not the only budget solution http://bit.ly/a7mAFY about 1 hour ago from HootSuite
- NEW VIDEO: The Zuma Dogg Show - City Council Meeting Re-cap for Friday. Nuch was there, so was the mayor. http://ow.ly/11XEw about 1 hour ago from HootSuite
- RT @LATimescitydesk: Judge orders Eagle Rock dispensary to stop selling medical marijuana: http://bit.ly/aWuoaV about 2 hours ago from HootSuite
- L.A. City to announce which City workers may be fired at 5pm! LIVE COVERAGE AS IT HAPPENS at http://LADailyBlog.com - LIVE Streaming. about 2 hours ago from HootSuite
- Nice to see City Attorneys Carter & Trutanich in Council Chambers, today! ZD told Nuch he'd be BLASTING COUNCIL for only cutting HIS staff. about 2 hours ago from HootSuite
- I'm broadcasting my live Stickam stream at http://stickam.com/zumadogg started: Fri, 13:47 PST about 3 hours ago from Stickam
- BUDGET CRISIS DRAMA: Will L.A. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich SUE Mayor Villaraiogsa & City Council if they make hi... http://ow.ly/16rSbb about 19 hours ago from HootSuite
- A Message From Bong Water Kim of un-EMPOWER L.A. - UPDATE on Status of Neighborhood Council Roll Over Funds (They a... http://ow.ly/16rQhQ about 21 hours ago from HootSuite
- Oh no, Zuma Dogg just got his 1st EVER DWP bill. As a ratepayer, I say send that hillbilly-cowboy Freeman back to hillbilly Palookaville! about 22 hours ago from HootSuite
- VIDEO: L.A. City CAO Miguel Santana's BUDGET REPORT at Van Nuys City Hall (Budget & Finance Committee Special Meeti... http://ow.ly/16rPcM about 22 hours ago from HootSuite
ALL ZUMA DOGG LIVE SHOWS VIDEOS ON STICKAM.
ALL ZUMA DOGG LIVE SHOWS VIDEOS ON STICKAM.
NEWS: City Attorney Carmen Trutanich warned that the proposed 10 percent cut in his office's funding would be laying off 100 lawyers and jeopardize his ability to prosecute criminals. The City Attorney's office was hit with an 18 percent cut in funding this year but has saved millions of dollars from winning liability cases in court and driving hard bargains in settling cases while reducing reliance on costly outside attorneys.“It doesn’t matter how many police officers are in the field,” Chief of Staff Bill Carter told the Times. “There won’t be a sufficient number of prosecutors to file or handle those cases at a time when the governor is contemplating releasing thousands of inmates in the general population who have a recidivism rate of 70%.”
ZUMA DOGG SAYS YOU CAN PERHAPS EXPECT NUCH TO FILE AN INJUNCTION IN SUPERIOR COURT OVER THIS IF HE HAS TO MAKE THE LAYOFFS.
NEW VIDEO: Zuma Dogg City Council Meeting Re-Cap for Friday 1.29.10 (Pt 1): ZD discusses staff cuts to City Attorney's Office
ZUMA DOGG CITY COUNCIL RECAP: Cutting City Attorney's Office Staff? (Guitar Intro by Matt Dowd)
MATT DOWD LIVE GUITAR JAM - "Run Like Hell" (Intro by Zuma Dogg)
Stay tuned to LA Daily Blog for LIVE web streaming ALL WEEKEND! (Please help support with PayPal donation, now! Avoid disaster and keep blogging services smooth!) GREAT DAY AT CITY HALL (for Zuma Dogg and Matt Dowd) as it was the perfect blend of US crushing THEM with Public Comment, along with comedy shenanigans (mostly on Councils part.) A LOT OF HILARIOUS NON-SENSE. Will post video later. Check back.
LA DAILY BLOG.com
Thursday, January 28, 2010
BUDGET CRISIS DRAMA: Will L.A. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich SUE Mayor Villaraiogsa & City Council if they make him cut 100 staffers? (ZD says, YES!)
L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraiogsa and L.A City Councils' decision to solve the hundreds and millions of dollars in budget deficit is with a $4 million dollars in savings at the City Attorney's office; while the mayor's office and city council offices remain UNCUT! (Say what you want about the personality of whoever is city attorney, the office is the protector of the city's treasury and overall defender.
I am told, IF Villar & Council make the cut, he WILLl file against them in court. (THINK THAT WILL CALL ANY NATIONAL ATTENTION TO HOW BAD THINGS ARE UNDER VILLARGARCETTI?
SUMMARY: There is a State law that says if you eliminate the ability of a government official to perform their mandated duties...HE'LL SUE YOUR ASS IN COURT! [MAYBE I MISSED ONE THIRD OF THE STORY WHEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND COUNCIL OFFICE'S CUT A PROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF STAFF FROM THEIR OFFICES!]
ZUMA DOGG DISCUSSES THIS ISSUE AND SAYS WHY WENDY WILL NEVER LET CITY GO BANKRUPT, NO MATTER HOW UNSAFE SITUATION BECOMES.
BARACK OBAMA WILL BE DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY FROM VILLARIAGOSA OVER "FULL-BLOWN BUDGET EMERGENCY": Zuma Dogg feels eventually Barack Obama will be demanding accountability for this brink of bankruptcy botch job on the city. Obama didn't pour hundreds of millions in L.A. to have unemployment go UP, with 1000s more firings on the way -- AND FOR THE CITY TO GO BANKRUPT! I expect FEDS/SEC will be looking into CRA money, pension money on Wall Street and Downtown real estate SCAMS, plus Children's Museum. YOU CANNOT HAVE THE SECOND BIGGEST CITY IN THE U.S. GO BANKRUPT (OR FIRE THOUSANDS AND RISK PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGH LOSS OF SERVICE) -- AND EXPECT EVERYONE GOES HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY!!! SOMEONE IS GOING DOWN!
MORE ZUMA NEWS VIDEOS ON STICKAM.
A Message From Bong Water Kim of un-EMPOWER L.A. - UPDATE on Status of Neighborhood Council Roll Over Funds (They ain't rollin'!)
Update on the Status of Neighborhood Council Roll Over Funds
Date: January 27, 2010
To: Neighborhood Council Friends and Colleagues
From: BongHwan (BH) Kim, General Manager, Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
This is to update you on the status of NC roll over funds from prior fiscal years. As I stated in prior Eblasts (copies attached) the Department is in the midst of reconciling accounts for all 89 NCs since the beginning of the NC Funding Program. When the Program was first designed, there was no system in place which could accommodate for the subsequent implementation of the rollover policy and confirmation of roll over balances on annual basis. As you know, additional issues, including the transition from the Bank of America Stored Value card to the US Bank Purchasing Card, complicated the entire reconciliation process that we are facing today. We anticipate completing the accounting work and notifying NCs of their balances by mid March.
Reminder: NCs are not authorized to tap into what you believe to be your roll over balances until our Department has completed the accounting for each NC and given you formal written approval based upon the reconciliation with our financial records. Submission of a revised budget, including your roll over, does not constitute approval from our Department to spend more than the current fiscal year's allocation of $45,000. Because the City's accounting system maintains aggregate amounts by Fiscal Year and not by individual NC, we can only confirm balances after we have accomplished a complete reconciliation for each NC account for each Fiscal Year. We will establish an appeal process for those NCs who dispute our final balance determination.
I apologize for the delays in giving you access to the roll over funds. However, because the accounting system was not originally designed to accommodate this System, it is critical that we manually retrace the financial records for all NCs in order to establish an accurate, going-forward balance. As you know, the systemic deficiency is compounded by severe staff cutbacks and work furloughs that are affecting our entire Department, particularly the NC Funding Unit. Your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated.
VIDEO: L.A. City CAO Miguel Santana's BUDGET REPORT at Van Nuys City Hall (Budget & Finance Committee Special Meeting from Monday)
MORE VIDEOS on this topic.
ZUMA DOGG 6pm LA City News Update: Recap of Twitter News Tweets - A LOT OF CONTENT and some uncomfortable ranting on former mayoral hopeful Eric Garcetti, the leaderless punk!
LA Daily Blog Mid Day Twitter Update (1.28.10)
HERE'S SOME ISSUES I'LL BE DISCUSSING LATER THIS AFTERNOON ON "THE ZUMA DOGG SHOW" LIVE WEBCAST:
- RT @LATimescitydesk: LA job cuts could take big slice out of staff for neighborhood councils, art programs, libraries: http://bit.ly/c9Epxi 3 minutes ago from HootSuite
- RT @LANow: L.A. looking at giving car owners 'the boot' after 3 or 4 unpaid parking tickets http://bit.ly/cFne0H 4 minutes ago from HootSuite
- RT @villaraigosa: We're sending a clear message abt the EITC: we will not allow u to miss the opportunity to cash in on your hard work! 5 minutes ago from HootSuite
- RT @LANow: Marijuana legalization backers hand in initiative petitions http://bit.ly/dvrd7K 9 minutes ago from HootSuite
- RT @villaraigosa: Today's High Speed rail announcement is big big news! 1st up, Anaheim to LA. . WH Factsheet- http://bit.ly/dijetF 9 minutes ago from HootSuite
- CA Receives $2.3B for High Speed Rail: California will receive more than $2.3 billion in federal economic-stimulus... http://bit.ly/9TvYbf 10 minutes ago from HootSuite
- ZD's VIDEO STUDIO=The NEW Public Access Channel: Phil Jennerjahn is coming over to visit the ZD Venice Beach Blogging studios, then lunch! 20 minutes ago from HootSuite
- ZUMA DOGG SPONSORED FOR TODAY AND READY TO BLOG: Thanks to my sponsors over past 24 hrs who allow me to BLOG HARD all day with LIVE webcam! 21 minutes ago from HootSuite
- @ZumaDogg Pledge Drive Is ON: Thanks to "Ghost," Ron Kaye, No-REAP Lou & David "2 Step" Barron for supporting LA Daily Blog! Please PayPal. 6 minutes ago from HootSuite
- PROBLEM CLOSING MEDIJUANA COLLECTIVES AT 8P: First you cut # down to 70-100, then close 'em at 8p. BIG after-work crowds will gather at 7p. 8 minutes ago from HootSuite
- IMAGINE THE PUBLIC SAFETY NIGHTMARE: When you now have 1000 collectives for 250,000 patients, and you cut it back to 70 that close at 8p. 13 minutes ago from HootSuite
- WHY CITY CAN'T LIMIT MEDIJUANA PATIENTS TO ONE COLLECTIVE: One collective has edibles that work for you, another has your type of flowers. 14 minutes ago from HootSuite
- WHY CITY CAN'T LIMIT MEDIJUANA PATIENTS TO ONE COLLECTIVE: Many co-ops give ZD FREE compassion medication. YOU GONNA CUT BACK MY FREE MEDS? 17 minutes ago from HootSuite
- ZUMA DOGG PLEDGE DRIVE ROLLS ON: Thanks to GHOST for a ZD PayPal Donation! Lots of blogging and LIVE web shows to come, now! Keep donating! 19 minutes ago from HootSuite
- VIDEO: Zuma Dogg L.A. City Council Meeting Recap (The Zuma Evening News) - http://ow.ly/11t0c about 2 hours ago from HootSuite
- ACTIVISTS: Time to complain about leadership is OVER! Please provide solutions, only. Don't say, "doing it wrong," say how to do it right! about 2 hours ago from HootSuite
- TODAY'S LADailyBlog LIVE WEBCAM & blogging sponsored by Valley community member David "2 Step" Barron! THANKS, DAVID! Webcam starts at 1pm! about 2 hours ago from HootSuite
- WANNABEE, TIME-WASTING, TAIL-CHASING NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL to get 50% staff cut: Some say CUT FAILED MISSION, ENTIRELY http://ow.ly/11qMi about 3 hours ago from HootSuite
- Zuma Dogg L.A. City News TWITTER Updates for 1.26.10 - ZUMA DOGG L.A. City Council Recap for 1.26.10 ... http://ow.ly/16rnd8 about 13 hours ago from HootSuite
- VIDEO: Zuma Dogg Evening News - City Council Meeting Recap and More...http://ow.ly/11eP7 about 15 hours ago from HootSuite
- To @EricGarcetti: 1st Amendment Speech is NOT defined by the capacity of your blown-out speaker system. Sorry, Eric, you're shooting blanks! about 16 hours ago from HootSuite
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Zuma Dogg L.A. City News TWITTER Updates for 1.27.10
- VIDEO: Zuma Dogg Evening News - City Council Meeting Recap and More...http://ow.ly/11eP7
- To @EricGarcetti: 1st Amendment Speech is NOT defined by the capacity of your blown-out speaker system. Sorry, Eric, you're shooting blanks!
- Joker Herb Wesson forces panel to apply for park grant requiring MATCHING FUNDS when city is BROKE, you DUMMY WESSON! http://ow.ly/11dly
- RT @Schwarzenegger:- On red carpet for premiere of movie (OH, That's GREAT Arnold. Glad to see you NOT tackling budget, clown.)
- Joker Herb Wesson STILL does not understand budget emergency. Over-rules recommendation to PASS on park grants requiring $60 MATCHING FUNDS.
- VIDEO: Zuma Dogg PUBLIC COMMENT (1.26.10) on Medical Marijuana and L.A. City "full-blown budget emergency." http://ow.ly/11cwV
- RT @LANow: Mood tense as Villaraigosa meets with managers to discuss budget gap http://bit.ly/avk6dx
- RT @villaraigosa: Announcing $3.1mil in grants to 26 arts institutions:Hey DUMB, Crack-head, Mayor...ART PROGRAMS IS NOT THE ISSUE, CHUMP!
- RT @LATimescitydesk: Should LA and CA try to fix their budget woes by upping fees for parking/traffic violations? http://bit.ly/cEgJQP
- Breaking news: Home foreclosures in L.A. County increase: The number of Los Angeles County homes slipping toward f... http://bit.ly/cihlq6
- Bratton hires the disgraced crybaby-loser Jack Weiss to run L.A. office of Bratton's private security firm.
- VIDEO NEWS: Zuma Dogg City Council Update (3pm Report) for 1.26.10 http://ow.ly/16rbQf
- Zuma Dogg just contacted by FIRST ATTORNEY who is preparing LAWSUITS against L.A. City over yesterday's Medical Marijuana vote. $$$
- PayPal Zuma Dogg - PayPal Zuma Dogg. It's getting worse every day. And I'm getting pretty CRANKY. This blog... http://ow.ly/16r1HZ
- FINANCIAL FUTURE of L.A. is tied to PENSION MONEY invested in Wall Street. If Wall Street goes DOWN this year, City is O-V-E-R!
- ZUMA DOGG on Kevin James 9pm Hour on "Full Blown Budget Emergency." http://ow.ly/10QmT
- VIDEO: Zuma Dogg BREAKING NEWS on L.A. City Council Meetings and BUDGET (Plus TV 2, 4, 7, & 11 ALL Have News Storie... http://ow.ly/16qMeP
VIDEO NEWS: Zuma Dogg City Council Update (3pm Report) for 1.26.10
Zuma Dogg talks about Roy Orbison presentation this Friday (GOOD!), Kevin James call from last night (Ron Kaye on tonight - 870 KRLA 9PM), ZD clarifies why Paul Koretz, Mr. Medical Marijuana , voted "yes" on ordinance his supporters HATED, and ZD had to tell municipal bankruptcy architect, Eric "Garshady" Garcetti, "Don't interrupt me, PUNK!," during public comment, when ZD had the floor. ANYWAY, this is a good recap show for some semi-mindless infotainment fun.
BONUS VIDEO TREAT: L.A. Guitar Legend Matt Dowd Guitar SCORCHER!
PayPal Zuma Dogg
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
VIDEO: Zuma Dogg BREAKING NEWS on L.A. City Council Meetings and BUDGET (Plus TV 2, 4, 7, & 11 ALL Have News Stories on "FULL BLOWN BUDGET EMERGENCY")
BONUS VIDEO: Audio of Zuma Dogg on Kevin James 870 KRLA 9pm hour on "full blown budget emergency," to quote Council Leader(less) Eric Garshady.
Can Someone Pick Me Up And Take Me To Dinner.
TWEETS:
MAJOR: L.A.Shitty Council Pres Eric Garpussy says Council will put ALL OTHER BUSINESS ON HOLD Tues & Wed to focus on BUDGET ONLY. Other biz, Fri only. (CITY ALREADY SUFFERING. NOW THEY HAVE TO CRAM EVERYTHING INTO FRIDAY. LOL! HEY ERIC & GREIG SMITH...what was that about ZD not being right about EVERYTHING? Your spin NOW PROVEN TO BE BULLSHIT! ZD GOES DOWN IN HISTORY! ("L"=Garpussy!)
BREAKING NEWS: Today, L.A. City Council voted to push marijuana sales into city streets, residential neighborhoods & parks. Gangs celebrate!
TODAY is day REST of the City finds out what ZD knew and warned of TWO YEARS AGO! Loser media chose to cover story, too late. ZD=100% CORRECT, Sir!
Cranked out a good post on budget meeting & ZUMA DOGG CLOSED FOR NOW: No food, no cell phone charger means NO ZD. Missing out on too much.
Zuma Dogg's Notes from L.A. City's CAO Miguel Santana's DEVASTATING Budget Report News To People of The Valley at Last Night's Budget Meeting
ZUMA DOGG'S NOTES from L.A. City Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) Miguel Santana presentation at Budget & Finance Committee meeting at Van Nuys City Hall (1.25.10):
ZUMA DOGG PUBLIC COMMENT: ZD BLASTS WENDY GREUEL & GRIEG "DUMB" SMITH:
We are broke, but we are not bankrupt.
Bankruptcy is NOT an option that will be pursued until all other options are pursued.
Working to make sure "B" is NOT an option for city of L.A.
Started with over $300 million deficit.
Working to reduce deficit through shared sacrifice.
Within first quarter, deficit grew another $100.
We continue to see that loss grow. Total loss=$185 worse than accounted for, so far.
Good news (if there is any): As a result of labor negotiations we've reduced deficit by $100 million through ERIP (Early Retirement) -- and better management of overtime and bargaining with labor.
Previously, expenditures were the only problem. (Not revenue.) And we could take a hit on the reserve fund to cover budget gap because expend. Unfortunately, expenditures aren't the only problem, now. Revenue is also a problem.
We've seen four (4) quarters of DOUBLE DIGIT drops. Went back and checked, and is first drop like this since the GREAT DEPRESSION.
This drop in revenue never could have been anticipated. (ZD: BULLSH*T. I predicted it, ON THE RECORD, and that means CAO and MAYOR ALSO KNEW.)
We are now forced to make cuts.
25% are structural cuts. That's a good start, but not enough.
What is proposed by the mayor, ERC committee (labor negotiations) and some Councilmembers: We need to identify 1000 people to lay off.
These lay offs will have an impact on every department in the city. Some departments will be eliminated; others consolidated; some cut in half.
This will have an impact on services.
PRIORITIES:
Keeping the lights on and the books paid.
Don't lay off people who produce revenue. That will cause further layoffs.
Don't lay off where it will affect public safety services.
We need to ask ourselves, "How quickly can we have this person leave?" (Sooner the better, I guess.)
What would the impact to the service be?
How does it impact the structural problem.
IMPORTANT:
There will only be minor savings for this year.
This process of layoff is biggest process for the city ever. It will take 2-3 months to complete.
Savings will be minimal for this year.
Agreements with labor prevent other lay offs.
All of these measures will help NEXT YEAR.
We wouldn't be this bad off is we had taken action sooner. We weren't able to maximize savings this year.
We need to make sure we don't delay and get a FULL YEAR'S WORTH OF SAVINGS, NEXT YEAR!
Looking at over $1 BILLION deficit in four years if we don't take SERIOUS REDUCTION ACTIONS, NOW!
3 YEAR PLAN:
How we reduce deficit on on going basis and leave city in a position of financial sustanability?
1) Must adopt basic fiscal policy to make sure we aren't in this position in the future. (Whomp, whomp, whomp, whomp...[deflated]...WHOOOOOOOMP!)
2) Must maintain 5% of general fund in reserve fund. (ie: Haiti, was mentioned. So I guess that means for emergencies like fire, floods, earthquakes and riots on the street.) A healthy reserve fund is what signals to lenders and credit agencies that the city is in good financial health.
* MICAL (is that how you spell it?): CAO says ZD is correct about cutting off the city's credit card. CAO recommends putting credit card away.
* Must create longer term budgets (not just 1 or 2 years ahead).
* MUST GET BACK TO BASICS AND DECIDE WHAT CORE SERVICES WE DO AND DO WELL.
* MUST IDENTIFY WAYS TO STREAMLINE OPERATIONS SO WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT TOWARD CORE MISSIONS.
PENSION REFORM:
Pension system is simply not sustainable. We don't have authority to change the pension system for people currently in the system. So at the end of the day, any changes to current system will not affect current crisis (create any savings for today), but will establish new set of rules for future employees.
WE WOULD BE IN A MUCH DIFFERENT PLACE HAD WE MADE THIS REFORM 10-15 YEARS AGO.
HAND OVER WHAT CITY DOESN'T DO WELL TO PRIVATE PARTNERS.
We need to ask, "Can it be done more cheaply in the private sector for things that are not core to the city -- or things that we HAVE to do as a city. This will also help reduce the pension liability by getting more pension employees out of the picture.
THE CAO'S STATUS REPORT WILL BE OUT ON FRIDAY.
The CAO noted on the record that, "THE PEOPLE WILL BE WATCHING!"
The hardest decisions are in front of us.
With unemployment reaching 15%, we don't want to add to it (with lay offs) but we have no choice! The workforce is NOT SUSTAINABLE!
The last time the city encountered a recession due to the internet bubble burst (among other factors) not GREAT DEPRESSION LEVEL BUDGET HIT), it took the city almost ten years to make up for the early 90's loss. THIS IS MUCH WORSE!
REVENUES WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, THIS TIME.
This means, RAISING TAXES!!!: We will have to prove to taxpayers that we have timmed and improved efficiency before we go to the public for more. (Parcel taxes on the ballot.)
WE CANNOT WAIT MUCH LONGER BEFORE WE TAKE DECISIVE ACTION!
(COUNCILMEMBER PARKS ASKED FOR FOLLOW UP ON WHERE CITY SUFFERED GREATEST DECLINE IN REVENUE LOSS, FOR THE PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE.)
REVENUE - Greatest loss/decliners:
What we're seeing is something we haven't seen in a long time. A loss of revenue across all areas and all departments.
Now it's MUCH LARGER than the 10% we envisioned as a "worst case scenario."
* SALES TAX: People are not buying like they did in the the past.
* HARBOR REVENUE DECLINE: Impacts us ALL.
* REDUCED WATER & POWER USAGE: Means less transfer of money to city. (I DOUBT it's because of conservation, but evacuation and closures of business and people who can no longer afford to live here.)
* HOUSING CRISIS: Impacted/hurt city revenue.
* GAS & UTILITY TAX: With natural gas drop, city also sees drop. (Did I get that right? If nat gas goes down, city loses?)
* PHONE TAX: People are canceling home phone service and only having a cell phone. And parents are canceling cell phones for kids. [Both impact city's "Prop S" phone tax revenue. (LOL!)]
THE CITY HAS SUFFERED A DRAMATIC REVENUE LOSS IN ALL AREAS!
We're HOPING we've bottomed out. Unfortunately, we've said that every quarter. And each quarter is worse than the one before. (Four down quarters of double digit loss=worst since GREAT DEPRESSION, and that depresses me greatly.)
NATIONAL REPORTS MAY SAY the economy has bottomed out and is improving, but LOCAL CITIES are LAST to see improvement. It's likely revenue will hover at record low levels for many years. So that's why we need long-term solutions.
THE CITY STARTED THE YEAR anticipating only a 10% drop in revenue over the previous year, but it's a $180 million drop instead. (Oooops, Antonio's bad. He apologizes for the miscalculation on his part.)
THE CITY OVER-ESTIMATED REVENUE AND WAS NOT AS PESSIMISTIC AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN (AS ZUMA DOGG WAS, ON THE RECORD A HUNDRED OF TIMES AT A HUNDRED MEETINGS).
AGAIN, THE CITY WAS NOT AS PESSIMISTIC AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN. SOME OF THE REVENUE DROPS ARE DOUBLE OF WHAT THE CITY THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE.
LA COUNTY & SACRAMENTO A PROBLEM, TOO: L.A. County CEO Bill "The Fuje" Fujioka says County facing $320 million drop in revenue COMPARED TO WHAT WAS ADOPTED IN THE BUDGET. County has a lot of the same revenue sources.
Sacramento also a problem.
xxx
Those are not MY words, [except the few comments in brackets.] THOSE ARE THE WORDS OF L.A. CITY CAO MIGUEL SANTANA.
YIKES!
At least I just wrote part of the back story for my new Hollywood Blockbuster film, "Mad Max - Return To Los Angeles" (filming soon in Massachusetts.)
PHOTO GALLERY FROM LA CITY BUDGET & FINANCE MEETING IN VAN NUYS (1.25.10)
ZD waiting for City to read back minutes from his past two years of public comment. (Aka: CAO report.)
ZD LOVES when these guys talk. Lots of "I told you so material!" (Not THEIR fault though. Council only NOW starting to take wax out of ears.)
This guy at Lamplighter after the meeting not only knew ZD, he knew my real name, all about my radio career, my Kevin James calls...just happened to walk in and catch "the realest dough!" (THAT'S HUGE!)
FOOTNOTE: Today, now that the whole world is already aware of the budget disaster and it's been exposed in it's entirety, Wendy "Hellen Keller the Controller" Greuel decides to post something about it. WOW, Wendy! You're sure on top of things. Of course you were the big problem as Councilmember. So I hope you blamed yourself, you dim-wit, dummy.
CLICK HERE FOR REAR VIEW MIRROR NON-LEADERSHIP FROM WENDY.
Zuma Dogg SHUT DOWN Over Lack Of Funds.
So if they day comes when I have $100 in my PayPal account, I'll start it up again. Otherwise, I'm just gonna stay on the beach and enjoy that aspect of life and not try and knock myself out when I don't get to eat at the end of every day and I can't keep my energy up.
ENJOY ALL THE CONTENT POSTED OVER THE PAST WEEK. IT'S A LOT. And remember: NO ONE... I MEAN NO ONE figured out PENSION MONEY INVESTED IN RISKY WALL STREET SHENANIGANS AND BELLY UP DOWNTOWN REAL ESTATE...AND THEN RAISED ALL HELL OVER THE ISSUE. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PENSION STRUCTURE ITSELF...I AM TALKING ABOUT THE BILLIONS IN PENSION LOSSES THAT TURNED OUT TO BE OVER BULLSHIT WALL STREET SCAMS. (Madoff on crack=Villar's pension commissioners.)
I don't know of ANYONE or ANY MEDIA OUTLET in the city that was alerting the masses to this budget decline - EVERY STEP OF THE WAY ...from subprime, to Wall Street tanking, to pension money losses, to the prediction of the firing of 1000's, dangerous loss of services and the bankruptcy. When ZD was saying it, NO ONE WAS. I couldn't get ANYONE to talk or write about this stuff. NOW IT'S ALL COMMONPLACE and all the Paul Hatfields are blowing all their hot air, now...
It's like reading Zuma Dogg RETRO material from last year. And for the record, ZD is NOT a big fan of Paul's journalism. I was at the same budget and finance meeting as he was, yesterday, and I walked away with a very different take. AND IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD TO JUST REVIEW THE MEETING ITSELF LIKE ROGER EBERT. HOW ABOUT REPORTING ON WHAT WAS SAID??? IF YOU READ THE BLOG POST AND IT IS ONLY COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW YOU DIDN'T LIKE THE MEETING AND DON'T TELL PEOPLE WHAT WAS SAID, IT IS A WORTHLESS POST.
Anyway, as usual, ZD is on to the next phase.
But today I'm just pissed cause I didn't make it to city hall, and if I had the cash for a cell phone charger I would have had a phone and been able to make other arrangements. SO I DON'T LIKE OPERATING AS INEFFICIENTLY AS THE CITY, ITSELF. I am not going to go to sleep early, so I can wake up early to get to the meeting, to meet people I told I would be there...only to miss out entirely.
And I guess there is no value in my blogging and activism anyway, cause no one is PayPal'ing.
THANKS TO RON KAYE, THOUGH, FOR HOOKING ZD UP WITH A $20 PORTRAIT OF ANDREW JACKSON, LAST NIGHT AT THE BUDGET MEETING! But I can't keep this ball rolling on $20 for the rest of my life.