Zuma Dogg City Council Update for July 8, 2008

ABSENTEE BALLOT TO VOTE OUT ABSENTEE MAYOR, PLEASE!: (Comment from Mayor Sam's blog): Anonymous said...
This little (blank) of a Mayor needs to be voted OUT. Can a reporter please report how many days he's been out of the city this year alone??

Mayor to pitch for Obama in D.C. : Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who had backed Sen. Hillary Clinton before she withdrew from the Democratic primary race, is going on the road today to introduce Sen. Barack Obama to one of the largest Latino organizations. Villaraigosa is scheduled to be in Washington, D.C., to introduce Obama at the annual convention of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC.
July 08, 2008 6:41 AM

SEE POST ON THIS BLOG ABOUT GOLD LINE: Half cent sales tax, or no Gold Line. Meanwhile, half finished project and all the construction mess will remain.

UPDATE on Ron Kaye's Housing Issue With CM Zine: CM Dennis Zine will introduce a motion that will prevent the type of problem that Ron Kaye has been rightfully complaining about on his blog. There is a problem with a landlord who is adding three rooms to his house -- then adding separate doors/entrances for each room (with separate bathrooms allowed, t00) -- which makes it a three bedroom rental. ONLY PROBLEM -- it doesn't become a violation until the owner puts the "For Rent" signs up. (Also, kitchenettes are not allowed -- if they are added, as well.) Zuma Dogg followed up with Zine's office today at City Hall, and was told that his office will be drafting a new ordinance that would prevent this type of thing from happening.

So thanks to Ron for acting an active role in bringing this to Council and the City's attention -- and thanks to the CM for doing something about it. (I heard the discussion between Kaye and Zine almost turned into a UFC Pay-Per-View event. LOL! Suddenly, Zuma Dogg is the least volitile!)

Wyvernwood Meeting: Remember the mayor's campaign money from Florida's 15 Group that he had to give back. Well I don't think he had to give ALL of it back, and there is still some serious unfinished mayoral business at Wyvernwood. The community calls it "gentrification." Zuma Dogg calls it demolishing historic buildings and protected trees and violating a whole bunch of codes and restrictions. AND SOMETHING IS VERY FISHY ABOUT THIS WHOLE WYVERNWOOD PROJECT!!! It has been blogged about on Mayor Sam for a couple years, at least. And this is the issue that will have the mayor in hot water with Steve Fink if the project doesn't happen. But Villaraigosa will be 100% burnt toast in East L.A. (Boyle Heights, especially, if these buildings ARE demolished.)

DETAILS ON THE WYVERNWOOD TOWN HALL MEETINGS COMING SOON! Antonio is really on the hook with this one!

NOT OFF TOPIC JUST CAUSE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND: Just cause ZD's comments are over the head of the City Attorney, doesn' t mean it is off topic. No offense. I like Dion, but he is not required to be an expert on all topics that everyone brings to the table during public comment. I am big on applying Dr. Deming's 14 points to a lot of the City items regarding business and industry and waste and efficiency. So until Mr. City Attorney familiarizes himself with Demings 14 points, I hope he is really, really sure ZD is TRULY off topic...and not actually so on topic that it blows your mind!

COMING NEXT: Lots of new "Fee Updates" rolled through the agenda today. Parking permits, vehicle release fee, all kinds of City fees being "update" -- as in "upped". Plus, Council staffers who hold positions as NC Board Presidents and members (and they don't have a problem with that). NC Elections discussed in Neighborhood & Education Committee today. (Not much went right.) AND Alarcon says, "I agree" to ZD's comments about English for LAUSD students as ZD discussed with Bill O'Rielly on national radio, yesterday!