Today (Tuesday 9.01/09) is the return of L.A. City Council after a two week summer break, which means Zuma Dogg got a two week summer break, too. And these two weeks are the toughest and tightest weeks of the year for me, because without being out and about around city hall and without being seen on TV...DONATIONS COME TO A HALT!
And it's been tighter than ever, but I have made the commitment to not put out the EMERGENCY PayPal alerts on the blog, which means DONATIONS COME TO A HALT.
So I haven't been asking for donations, even though I have been running around doing some things as a city council candidate, like attending forums which requires additional spending to make sure I am able to show up and have a hair cuts and all that.
BUT...CITY COUNCIL IS BACK ON TUESDAY, I have an LA Times interview right after...AND THEN, a candidate forum in the evening after that.
AND I DON'T HAVE A DOLLAR IN CHANGE, RIGHT NOW...
So at this point...I won't be attending the first council meeting back with a lot of stuff to hit them up on and to talk about my candidacy...WILL MISS THE LA TIMES INTERVIEW...and can't be showing up to no forum under these circumstance (won't be fresh enough to be able to show up) and will have a hard time even getting there.
CANDIDATES RUNNING IN ELECTIONS HAVE NO PROBLEM ASKING YOU FOR $500 or $1000 or however much they are allowed to accept.ALL I NEED IS $10 or $20 bucks so I can squeeze out an important day tomorrow.
So if you can help me make it "Back to School" on the first day back, hit the link.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Blog Readers Weigh-in on "Zuma Dogg" (David Saltsburg) For L.A. City Council
- Here are some recent comments posted by readers of Mayor Sam's Blog:
- * Thank you Zuma, for reminding me of why I support you. I adore Mary and Kristen both. I really do. I despise two of the "big" three. Paul is okay. I want there to be a shakeup though and only you can do it. As much as I like Mary, I believe you'll be able to get more done than her. I really do. I think you'll learn in no time whatsoever to get along within council chambers and I would love to see CD 2 shaken up. Big time. It needs it. Wendy didn't help much there.
* David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) gave the most passionate answers at the Valley Village forum last night. I saw people applauding him that I hadn't expected. He earned some new supporters and more votes last night.
* Mr. David Saltsburg for CD 2. A true reformer!
* Is it possible that the UNDERDOGG or should I say ZUMA DOGG will be City Hall Bound?? You know people are tired of tax waste/dwp overcharges as one person I can't change shit but standing by someone who is like minded we create a group, so all ZUMA lovers out there get off your ass and help the DOGG. Oh, ya think we are crazy, yeah buddy as a MAD hatter tired of the City Council Abuse of POWER, ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTLY....EchoParkLady
* Saltsburg aka Zuma Dogg kicked butt last night and demonstrated just why we need an outsider in this CD post and not these career politicians who only care about themselves and their next job. Can you imagine the history that will be made when we elect a so-called "homeless" guy into City Council? It will restore the public's faith in democracy and elected politics and show that a man of the people can get sent to City Hall where he can shake up the status quo. After last night, our whole family will be voting for David Saltsburg. We'll be doing the State a favor by leaving Kerkorian and Tamar Galatzan in their current posts so the public doesn't have to spend money replacing them beofre their terms are over.
* Zuma Dogg is a very smart man and knows the issues. There is nothing wrong with standing up for what you believe in. He knows the issues better than anyone else. He knows the councilmembers and has been down at city hall more than anyone on this planet. It should be applauded that he speaks his mind and stands up for what is right. He has fought city hall and they have listened. It is hard to find a candidate that has his kind of background. He is a great candidate and I hope he wins. Zuma Dogg will shake up city hall. Vote for him.
COMEDY VIDEO: Zuma Dogg Presents LA County Award To "Best Bookmark" Award Winner (The brat didn't want it!)
I think this video PROVES I am ready to be councilmember as I use this child as a photo opportunity prop to present an award the kid doesn't even care about, or want.
BUT, Zuma Dogg WAS determined to make sure that kid took the award and I was able to acknowledge her on camera. It was for "best bookmark" in the county held by the library system.
This kid was GREAT, because although you think she is being an A.D.D. "devil-brat," she was merely being smart enough to "blow the take" because she didn't like the angle it was headed.
So I could have asked her to be good a million times in a row, and she would have blown it each and every time. She wanted to put make-up on my face and put mascara on my eyes, FIRST...AND THEN she was going to do that part with the award. ZUMA DOGG DIDN'T BUY THAT ONE!!! AND AS YOU CAN SEE, HAD I LET HER PUT THE MAKEUP AND MASCARA ON ME, FIRST...SHE NEVER WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME THAT PART I WANTED!!! So I tried to do the part ZD wanted first (presenting the L.A. County "Best Bookmark" Award)...AND SHE TRIED TO FOIL THE TAKES SO I WOULDN'T USE THEM!
BUT, she didn't know she was giving Zuma Dogg the "comedy gold" he couldn't have scripted or cast for, and that she was dealing with someone perfectly willing to sink to her level!!!
HA! I SHOWED THAT SEVEN YEAR OLD!!! SHE THOUGHT SHE WOULD BLOW THE TAKE SO I COULDN'T POST IT. LIKE MANY OTHERS...THAT SEVEN YEAR OLD UNDERESTIMATED BIG ZD!!!
I threatened retaliation against her parents if they didn't make their kid do it better for "Take Two," but she still tried to spoil the take. Is this kid good, or what? OMG!!! Sign her up!:
BUT, Zuma Dogg WAS determined to make sure that kid took the award and I was able to acknowledge her on camera. It was for "best bookmark" in the county held by the library system.
This kid was GREAT, because although you think she is being an A.D.D. "devil-brat," she was merely being smart enough to "blow the take" because she didn't like the angle it was headed.
So I could have asked her to be good a million times in a row, and she would have blown it each and every time. She wanted to put make-up on my face and put mascara on my eyes, FIRST...AND THEN she was going to do that part with the award. ZUMA DOGG DIDN'T BUY THAT ONE!!! AND AS YOU CAN SEE, HAD I LET HER PUT THE MAKEUP AND MASCARA ON ME, FIRST...SHE NEVER WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME THAT PART I WANTED!!! So I tried to do the part ZD wanted first (presenting the L.A. County "Best Bookmark" Award)...AND SHE TRIED TO FOIL THE TAKES SO I WOULDN'T USE THEM!
BUT, she didn't know she was giving Zuma Dogg the "comedy gold" he couldn't have scripted or cast for, and that she was dealing with someone perfectly willing to sink to her level!!!
HA! I SHOWED THAT SEVEN YEAR OLD!!! SHE THOUGHT SHE WOULD BLOW THE TAKE SO I COULDN'T POST IT. LIKE MANY OTHERS...THAT SEVEN YEAR OLD UNDERESTIMATED BIG ZD!!!
I threatened retaliation against her parents if they didn't make their kid do it better for "Take Two," but she still tried to spoil the take. Is this kid good, or what? OMG!!! Sign her up!:
David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) Addresses TOP Issue To Be Addressed As L.A. City Councilmember (Vote "Zuma Dogg" Sept 22nd in CD 2)
My name is David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) and I am running for Los Angeles City Council in Valley's CD 2 in the Special Election on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd. There are nine other candidates on the ballot.Rather than focus on them at this point, I want people to know what is important to me as someone walking in the door of Council chambers as councilmember.
I started with THIS post yesterday on Neighborhood Councils and my commitment to them, because I know it is such a frustrating issue for participants.
David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) Speaks on His Commitment To Neighborhood Council As City Councilmember
AND, even though, neighborhood council infrastructure is not the most pressing issue in all reality as we face some pretty big fiscal budgetary issues, I wanted to start with the NC post, the same way a new country starting from scratch after devastation (Wendy Greuel as CM) is to announce, "we have phone lines set up and are open for communication."So I wanted to let you know, that the first thing, on day one of "Councilmember Zuma Dogg" includes even more immersion with NC participants than ever, and read the rest of the post above for more on that.
So once the lines of communication are open and people know that: I asked myself, "When I walk into the office on the first day, what is the single most important issue that I need to get into.
AND THE PROBLEM IS, it's not always the sexy, backyard issue that is 500 feet away from your doorstep. And sometimes it isn't even something tangible that you can see the result of, or have a ribbon cutting ceremony for.
SO I WANT TO PREFACE THIS POST AS SAYING, THIS IS THE SALAD YOU HAVE TO EAT BEFORE THE MAIN ENTREE THAT YOU WILL PROBABLY LIKE MUCH MORE.
But this issue I am about to address puts EVERYTHING else in the community at risk. It puts jobs, public safety, libraries, parks, general services and EVERYTHING else quality of life related:
THE BUDGET!
I HAVE SOME OTHER IDEAS AND WILL ADDRESS THOSE IN A FUTURE POST. But this is enough on this topic for now. Zuma Dogg for City Council says although it's not the backyard "warm and fuzzy" issue you want to hear about regarding what I think the most important issue to be addressed as CM on day one, IT'S THE BUDGET AND PENSION MONEY!!! EVERYTHING ELSE IS AT RISK!And I will be brief here, or at least brief for someone who may soon be a councilmember: Almost three years ago, I did an article for LA Weekly on Grand Ave Project. I was privileged to the inside memo on the plan and I noticed that LACERS pension money was invested in this project that I happened to think was a big turkey, and it has gone belly up since then. I caused such a stink, that they eventually pulled the LACERS money out of the project.
But it illustrated the exposure to pension money in risky projects. It turns out ZD found out the pension money was invested in overly-risky Wall Street funds and we all know about placement agents (Wetherly Captial) and "packing" the pension board with the four Villaraigosa pension appointees who helped funnel the money to the dark side.
I warned of the pending global economic meltdown (that was ahead due to subprime foreclosures and the rising price of oil overseas and the credit derivatives market) toward the goal of serious belt tightening and even predicted that the city would go bankrupt and would not even be able to provide basic services and rates would skyrocket.
So now that this is not officially brief, anymore. I guess I am perfect to be an L.A. City Councilmember, because I had to tell you that I not only figured this out on my own through research and speaking with LACERS members in chambers; BUT, showed up and DEMANDED for an investigation as to how the money was being invested and warned of the whole meltdown, which ended up to play out exactly as predicted.
SO IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS TO ME, IF YOU HAD SPOKEN WITH THE PEOPLE I HAD SPOKEN WITH; AND CHOSE TO EVALUATE THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE LOCAL ECONOMY WOULD BE AFFECTED SO YOU TURNED OUT TO HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD? So what if I had been CM the whole time and was able to create a motion to call in these experts for an accounting of exactly what the HELL was going on.
Cause the result is that we are now on the verge of bankruptcy and the mayor and city council approved a budget that is padded with "smoke and mirror" inflated revenue projections, includes concessions from unions that have not only NOT been agreed to; but have threatened to sue over it; and it takes about six months to fire anyone, even if you wanted to...and NOTHING HAS BEEN AGREED TO AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT...AND THE SITUATION COMPOUNDS EACH MONTH.
So the first thing I think I would get to the bottom of by speaking with CM Parks and whichever other CMs might have a CLUE as to what is going on; and speak with the city employees in the appropriate departments who know what the HELL is going on (like Sally Choi of LACERS) -- AND SEE EXACTLY WHERE WE STAND AND WHAT HAS TO BE DONE AND WHAT THE HARD OPTIONS ARE AT THIS POINT.
BECAUSE THE FIRST MOTION I NEED TO CREATE IS, "Measures that need to be taken to prevent loss of jobs and services throughout the City." And don't say that this isn't a CD 2 issue, because you end up getting your property taxes and fees hiked and new fees created and parking meter increases and all that to help pay for this mess. AND, if we have to close down parks, libraries, fire companies and all the other city services that will be affected -- and further job loss...WELL THAT'S GONNA AFFECT ALL OF CD 2 A LOT! You have already seen it!
CRYSTAL BALL WHERE THIS IS HEADED: When I am asked about the budget gap and what to do, I merely project ahead as to what the only option will be because it's not like these clowns will be able to navigate through this at the micro-level: ENTIRE DEPARTMENTS WILL HAVE TO BE ELIMINATED WHICH WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO REDUCE THE PAYROLL AND FUTURE BENEFITS.
I'm sure all agree that there are city departments that are overly-bureaucratic, (duplication), non-essential and wasteful. Will have to start there.
ALSO, sorry Wendy Greuel and Villaraigosa, you are going to have to start collecting for things like the $250,000 a month LATE FEE on Related Cos, "Grand Ave Project" and all the other un-collected debts and fines that you ignore (LIKE CLEAR CHANNEL BILLBOARD VIOLATIONS), while you stick it to the constituents. ARE YOU CRAZY???? MAN, you better hope I don't win, because I'm not going to be TOO disruptive, BUT I DEFINITELY HAVE TO CALL ATTENTION TO THIS AND PLEASE ASK CITY COUNCIL AND VILLARIGOSA TO OPEN THEIR BLIND EYE. THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE SENT ME HERE FOR!
So entire departments and uncollected debt, fines and fees will have to be addressed, or my next motion will be for a recall of Villaraigosa on the ballot!
But it illustrated the exposure to pension money in risky projects. It turns out ZD found out the pension money was invested in overly-risky Wall Street funds and we all know about placement agents (Wetherly Captial) and "packing" the pension board with the four Villaraigosa pension appointees who helped funnel the money to the dark side.
I warned of the pending global economic meltdown (that was ahead due to subprime foreclosures and the rising price of oil overseas and the credit derivatives market) toward the goal of serious belt tightening and even predicted that the city would go bankrupt and would not even be able to provide basic services and rates would skyrocket.
So now that this is not officially brief, anymore. I guess I am perfect to be an L.A. City Councilmember, because I had to tell you that I not only figured this out on my own through research and speaking with LACERS members in chambers; BUT, showed up and DEMANDED for an investigation as to how the money was being invested and warned of the whole meltdown, which ended up to play out exactly as predicted.
SO IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS TO ME, IF YOU HAD SPOKEN WITH THE PEOPLE I HAD SPOKEN WITH; AND CHOSE TO EVALUATE THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE LOCAL ECONOMY WOULD BE AFFECTED SO YOU TURNED OUT TO HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD? So what if I had been CM the whole time and was able to create a motion to call in these experts for an accounting of exactly what the HELL was going on.
Cause the result is that we are now on the verge of bankruptcy and the mayor and city council approved a budget that is padded with "smoke and mirror" inflated revenue projections, includes concessions from unions that have not only NOT been agreed to; but have threatened to sue over it; and it takes about six months to fire anyone, even if you wanted to...and NOTHING HAS BEEN AGREED TO AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT...AND THE SITUATION COMPOUNDS EACH MONTH.
So the first thing I think I would get to the bottom of by speaking with CM Parks and whichever other CMs might have a CLUE as to what is going on; and speak with the city employees in the appropriate departments who know what the HELL is going on (like Sally Choi of LACERS) -- AND SEE EXACTLY WHERE WE STAND AND WHAT HAS TO BE DONE AND WHAT THE HARD OPTIONS ARE AT THIS POINT.
BECAUSE THE FIRST MOTION I NEED TO CREATE IS, "Measures that need to be taken to prevent loss of jobs and services throughout the City." And don't say that this isn't a CD 2 issue, because you end up getting your property taxes and fees hiked and new fees created and parking meter increases and all that to help pay for this mess. AND, if we have to close down parks, libraries, fire companies and all the other city services that will be affected -- and further job loss...WELL THAT'S GONNA AFFECT ALL OF CD 2 A LOT! You have already seen it!
CRYSTAL BALL WHERE THIS IS HEADED: When I am asked about the budget gap and what to do, I merely project ahead as to what the only option will be because it's not like these clowns will be able to navigate through this at the micro-level: ENTIRE DEPARTMENTS WILL HAVE TO BE ELIMINATED WHICH WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO REDUCE THE PAYROLL AND FUTURE BENEFITS.
I'm sure all agree that there are city departments that are overly-bureaucratic, (duplication), non-essential and wasteful. Will have to start there.
ALSO, sorry Wendy Greuel and Villaraigosa, you are going to have to start collecting for things like the $250,000 a month LATE FEE on Related Cos, "Grand Ave Project" and all the other un-collected debts and fines that you ignore (LIKE CLEAR CHANNEL BILLBOARD VIOLATIONS), while you stick it to the constituents. ARE YOU CRAZY???? MAN, you better hope I don't win, because I'm not going to be TOO disruptive, BUT I DEFINITELY HAVE TO CALL ATTENTION TO THIS AND PLEASE ASK CITY COUNCIL AND VILLARIGOSA TO OPEN THEIR BLIND EYE. THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE SENT ME HERE FOR!
So entire departments and uncollected debt, fines and fees will have to be addressed, or my next motion will be for a recall of Villaraigosa on the ballot!
And now...on with the countdown.
NEXT POST: Zuma Dogg For L.A. City Council. Planning and Bldg and Safety and how they violate the community plan and everything is now "complaint driven" and community members want to get to the bottom of the process toward the goal of more efficient results.
http://electZuma.com
Zuma Dogg's LA Daily Blog Ranks #2 In State (of 100 California News Blogs)
[Pictured: CD 2 Candidate David Saltsburg (executive producer of "Zuma Dogg") with LAUSD PTA member at Richard Riorend's diner in Downtown L.A., on Saturday night.][Casey Kasem Voice]: And for the second week in a row, the #2 blog in the State of California among 100 news blogs in the survey is NOT from one of the newspapers, radio hosts or professionals. It's from some guy in L.A. who did it all out of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves across the City of Los Angeles. He's on the ballot for L.A. City Councilmember on September 22nd. It's Zuma Dogg's LA Daily Blog. And he didn't get any donations all week from readers in the city. On American Top 40...I'm Casey Kasem.
BlogNetNews.com Weekly Influence Index
* Orange Juice (1)
* L.A. Daily Blog (2)
* Mayor Sam's Sister City (3)
* Politics in the Zeros (4)
* SFGate: Politics Blog (5)
Aw yeah! Looks like the LA City Council election has "two, two...two LA blogs in the Top 3, y'all!" This is the second week ZD's LA Daily Blog was #2 in State of California among the 100 blogs in the survey. (I'm just one mere concerned citizen. Some of these other blogs are by radio talk show hosts, newspapers, and professional/paid bloggers and professional companies running them. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVER PERSON WHO CHECKS IN TO THIS BLOG!!! The high ranking is what motivates me to keep it going.
Per-post Influence
Distinguishes between the difference between blogs that have a lot of impact, at least in part, because of the volume of posts they produce as opposed to blogs that post less often, but whose post have a greater individual impact on the state's blog conversation.
Rank Blog
1 Monterey County Democrats
2 Zuma Times Blog
3 Spot-On
4 A Better Oakland
5 L.A. Daily Blog
(2 of the Top 5 out of 100 blogs.)
David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) Speaks on His Commitment To Neighborhood Council As City Councilmember
DAVID SALTSBURG (Zuma Dogg) as L.A. City Councilmember(The First Two Years)Getting Started: Neighborhood Council Involvement with Zuma Dogg as Your CouncilmemberWhen I spoke with Joe B., last night, the thing I liked best about the conversation was that Joe was telling me that when he talks to people in the community, what THEY want to hear is, &q...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 29, 2009 (16 hours ago)
MALIBU KARAOKE BATTLE: Kid Rock vs Zuma Dogg (Kid Rock STUNNED as he is asked to hand mic over to LOCAL FAVORITE, "Zuma Dogg" (ZD BLEW HIM OFF STAGE!)
Last night was fun in Malibu as Zuma Dogg bumps KID ROCK off the karaoke stage and ROCK is forced to hand the mic off to DOGG! (This ain't DE-TROIT, KID ROCK...YOU'RE IN ZD'S HOME TOWN...THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU...GIMME THE MIC AND SHUT UP, FOOL!:Yes, Zuma Dogg felt so good after last night's Valley City Council Candidate forum, he wanted to rewar...
from Zuma Times Blog - Aug 28, 2009 (2 days ago)
Does Mary Benson Hate the Homeless?
Don't cry for me Lakeview Terrace... From Zuma Dogg's blog: You know, Mary Benson kinda took a jab at me yesterday during her opening statement. She admitted that she may have not been down to city hall as much as Zuma Dogg, because some of us (her) have to earn a living and have jobs and not... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my webs...
from Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics - Aug 27, 2009 (3 days ago)
BREAKING NEWS: Kid Rock Asked To Hand The Mic To Zuma Dogg As He Storms Off The Stage and Out of the Club (Defeated By Hometown Favorite, ZUMA DOGG!)
MALIBU KARAOKE BATTLE: Kid Rock vs Zuma Dogg (Kid Rock STUNNED as he is asked to hand mic over to LOCAL FAVORITE, "Zuma Dogg" (ZD BLEW HIM OFF STAGE!) Last night was fun in Malibu as Zuma Dogg bumps KID ROCK off the karaoke stage and ROCK is forced to hand the mic off to DOGG! (This ain't DE-TROIT, KID ROCK...YOU'RE IN ZD'S...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 27, 2009 (3 days ago)
Zuma Dogg For City Council: Zuma Dogg Answers YOUR Questions!
Q: I have a question for Zuma. Will you continue to be rude if you're elected?You have shown you are confrontational. And that's good in some instances. But can you convince me that you're going to be collaborative with your city council colleagues?"A: That's a perfectly fair and reasonable question. Here's all I can say. F...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 27, 2009 (3 days ago)
Zuma Dogg Responds To Candiate Who MOCKED My Efforts With Comment, "Not all of us can live in cardboard boxes"
You know, Mary Benson kinda took a jab at me yesterday during her opening statement. She admitted that she may have not been down to city hall as much as Zuma Dogg, because some of us (her) have to earn a living and have jobs and not all of us can live in a cardboard box.So here's my response since when you throw in "living in a cardboard ...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 27, 2009 (3 days ago)
Zuma Dogg For Los Angeles City Council: CAMPAIGN THREAD (Links to all Zuma Dogg For City Council Posts - Part 1)
[Pictured: L.A. City Council candidate for Valley's CD 2, David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg)] Candidate Statement by David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) For City Council CD 2 (VOTE September 22, 2009...REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT TODAY AND MAIL IT IN!) Mayor Sam's Blog Readers Come Out In Support Spinning PRO-ZUMA DOGG FOR LA CITY COUNCIL in CD 2 (As Tamar Tank...
from Zuma Times Blog - Aug 26, 2009 (4 days ago)
Zuma Dogg on the whole experience of "A Day In The Life Of Zuma Dogg"
[Pictured: The activist and the candidate]As we are in "full steam ahead" campaign season for the City Council election (CD 2 - Valley) on Tuesday, September 22nd, all the candidates are being asked to submit bios and answers to questions to help try and define them for voters trying to sift through the ten names on the ballot in hopes of choosing ...
from The ZUMA DOGG Video Blog - Aug 26, 2009 (4 days ago)
Candidate Statement by David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) For City Council CD 2 (VOTE September 22, 2009...FIND YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT TODAY AND MAIL IT IN!)
[Pictured: Zuma Dogg being interviewed in front of LAUSD building on Tuesday about new reform motion that was passed.]My name is David Saltsburg. You may know me as, "Zuma Dogg" from my non-stop attendance of the L.A. City Council meetings as broadcast on TV 35; my frequent radio calls; or constant blogging. My efforts over the past three...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 26, 2009 (4 days ago)
NOTICE: Look For Your ABSENTEE BALLOT, VOTE "ZUMA DOGG" and send it in!!! (September 22, 2009 L.A. City Council Election - CD 2 Valley)
Thank you for checking into my blog.There is a special election for Los Angeles City Council, District 2 (Valley) for the nearly two years remaining on the seat vacated by Wendy Greuel, when she recently became L.A. City Controller.Check my other blog, LADailyBlog.com for coverage of the CD 2 City Council election and you can find out more about me...
from The ZUMA DOGG Video Blog - Aug 25, 2009 (5 days ago)
Tamar Galtzan's Decietful LAUSD Mailer is MORE Than Shady...THE MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR LAUSD KIDS & THE CLASSROOM!
ALRIGHT, it's official...time to wave your finger in front of you and say, "SHAME ON YOU, TAMAR GALATZAN!" YOU HURT KIDS! And not only that, your LAUSD mailers, are indeed...PURPOSEFULLY DECEIVING IN MY OPINION. Here's the scenario on the mailers as seen through the bamboozle-busting eye of L.A. City Council Candidate David Saltsb...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 24, 2009 (6 days ago)
BREAKING NEWS FROM MAYOR SAM'S BLOG: TIMES REPORTEDLY INVESTIGATING CONTROVERSIAL TAMAR GALATZAN MAILER (Look out!)
BREAKING NEWS: Tamar Galtzan's Decietful LAUSD Mailer is MORE Than Shady...THE MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR LAUSD KIDS & THE CLASSROOM! FROM "ZUMA FOR CITY COUNCIL" EMAIL INBOX:Hello! I have seen you at a couple of the forums and you have moxy young man. I am sure by now you have seen the mail...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 24, 2009 (6 days ago)
Mayor Sam's Blog Readers Come Out In Support Spinning PRO-ZUMA DOGG FOR LA CITY COUNCIL in CD 2 (As Tamar Tanks!)
[Pictured: L.A. City Council CD2 Candidate David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg)]Alright, something is up, because all of the sudden a lot of people seem to be pushing for Zuma Dogg on the Mayor Sam blog in the comment section. Perhaps it was the ZD/Tamar Galatzan Fence Straddlers, who after this weekend's LAUSD flier controversy surrounding Galatzan'...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 24, 2009 (6 days ago)
LA Daily Blog City Council Campaign Update: NOT A GOOD DAY FOR TAMAR GALATZAN AND HER SHADY, UN-ETHICAL FLIERS
First of all, Zuma Dogg feels GREAT about his campaign for City Council. Although I do not have money to pay consultants or tons of mailers, I've done my homework throughout the past three years by waking up every day, heading down to City Hall for the council meetings, where I looked over each and every agenda from top to bottom and spoke out ...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 23, 2009 6:32 PM
Blog Reader Weighs In on Tamar Galatzan's Un-Ethical LAUSD (Campaign?) Mailers
[Don't they look good together? And she's endorsed by City Councilmember Tom LaBong. So that means she's on the list of "approved political insiders" who will play the game and keep everything covered up. PLUS, she LOVES Jack Weiss. JUST ASK HER!]Here is a comment someone posted on Mayor Sam's blog in response to the LAUSD...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 23, 2009 6:32 PM
Zuma Dogg Donation Break (PayPal $10 ASAP Please)
First of all, as your typical politician solicits for money $500 at a time, Zuma Dogg needs about ten bucks, right now. My blog ranked #2 for the week, which means I am working hard and YOU are reading it. Is it possible someone can PayPal $10 bucks right now, cause I'm really, really hungry and would prefer if it didn't turn into an actual...
from LA Daily Blog.com - Aug 23, 2009 11:29 AM
Saturday, August 29, 2009
David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) Speaks on His Commitment To Neighborhood Council As City Councilmember
DAVID SALTSBURG (Zuma Dogg) as L.A. City Councilmember
(The First Two Years)
(The First Two Years)
Getting Started: Neighborhood Council Involvement with Zuma Dogg as Your Councilmember
When I spoke with Joe B., last night, the thing I liked best about the conversation was that Joe was telling me that when he talks to people in the community, what THEY want to hear is, "What is your 'vision' for the district?" Don't just tell what the problems are or what you have done, but explain what you are going to do for the first two years. (Because it is just under a two year term.) And I remembered from getting signatures, when I would try to explain the problems and urgency of the matter, they would cut me off and say, "Well, what are YOU going to do?"
SO, the FIRST thing that popped up is Neighborhood Council and their involvement with the council office.
Because by attending these recent forums, the issue DOES continue to come up with ways to MANDATE or REQUIRE more NC involvement and say at the council level.
So the first thing I will commit to, and spit back at Joe B., is that over the past three years, my biggest asset and resource has been the people who have tutored and mentored me and bring me the info and how they are being screwed by the city/Wendy.
And be it Cindy, Joe, Mike S, Patricia, Lydia, Dr. Wiseman, Higby, Candido, All the NC people I've met these past few weeks...it seems they have ALL been NC participants.
AND, everyone says I am informed and look good from the podium as the "front man" presenting this voice at the City Council level at the meetings.
And as Councilmember, I am going to want to continue to look good and outperform and outshine every other CM in the horseshoe, and then THEY'LL be forced to follow:
WHY WOULD I WANT TO STOP USING MY SECRET WEAPON? Why would I NOT want to take the musicians and singers who were in my band on the road with me? I WOULDN'T?
As a matter of fact, we all know the staff is overwhelmed and budgets are tight; AND I WOULD BE NEEDING ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HELPING MY OFFICE AS MUCH AS THEY WANT TO AND ARE ABLE TO.
So first of all, if Zuma Dogg is elected City Councilmember; right after the brief swearing in ceremony, EVERYONE SHOW UP IN THE ROTUNDA (cause the office won't be big enough) AND WE'LL START GOING TO WORK.First thing; each Neighborhood Council Boardmembers/Leaders list the top priority/priorities -- AND, AS USUAL, let me know what the answer is, or what you are looking for. Because again, ZD is known for reflecting the voice of the community, and I haven't hopped on the wrong side of the bandwagon yet. NOT because I'm so smart...but because it's OBVIOUS how SHADY the stuff being done is; and there is plenty of OBVIOUS stuff to start with.
So again, not only will the NC members (and of course any one else in the community who wants to be involved in this process/but it usually ends up being mostly NC members, anyway), who will be bringing the problems to the forefront, but will be giving ZD the answers to the homework for him, which always save a lot of time in the vetting process.
AND THEN, Councilmember Zuma Dogg will show up to each NC meeting and let you know what is going to be done.
And we'll just keep that process rolling.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING I WILL DO, OR AT LEAST THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT OF.
But beyond that, here is what I initially said to Joe B. when I was talking about NC:
YOU CANNOT MANDATE OR REQUIRE NC INVOLVEMENT. You can, but it doesn't work if the CM doesn't WANT to do it. Because then they just run their own people, or put up hurdles.
My initial comment to Joe was, "As soon as I'm sworn in, I'll just be on the phone with all the same people. You won't HAVE to mandate it, because I have already been networking with all these people, just out of my own interest and challenge to always get to the bottom of these issues. (Hey, some people like trying to solve the "Wheel of Fortune" puzzle.)
So then Joe was asking me if I would let the NC leaders present me with the slate of priorities, and if I would let them know what I would do, then work with them on it until it was ready to show up and tell the NC members in person at their meeting.
And if that's what they want, that sounds good to me. It sure helps me because the NC members present all the stuff at the meeting and they decide what they want addressed FIRST, which filters everything down...and then I have no problem showing up to the meetings, unless becoming CM totally goes to my head, or something. I mean, I show up to them anyway all across the city and other committee meetings and if I stopped doing that, I lose the street level knowledge that has made me in radio as a market researcher AND as a public advocate.
BUT, I wanna make sure it doesn't get too bureaucratic and I hope I can still just call people on my cell phone at any time and don't have to wait for meetings and appointments to talk to my own constituents.
Friday, August 28, 2009
The Magic of Zuma Dogg
[Pictured: A mysterious phenomenon no one has ever seen anything like before. He can't figure out why either. ]I know, it sounds terrible to come out and call yourself "magic," but we are in election season and I am being hammered from all sides, the grass roots AND the BIG 3 SORE LOSERS, none of which can take the fact that the homeless wonder from CD 1-15 is being "felt" out there with a little more seriousness than you or Rick Orlov are comfortable with.
So during election season, I will feel free to stick up and let people know some of the stuff that I walk around with knowing about, which is why I am so confident I can tow the line and make eveyone proud and estatic on day one...all the way through the term. (Which is less than two years in case I don't AMAZE you, and the re-call doesn't work.)
So here is why I am so confident that when I am Councilmember, it will be the most "magical" BEST THING EVER!
FULL MASSIVE POST ON THE HISTORY OF DAVID SALTSBURG (Zuma Dogg) Almost as good as Forrest Gump.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Zuma Dogg For City Council: Zuma Dogg Answers YOUR Questions!
Q: I have a question for Zuma. Will you continue to be rude if you're elected?
You have shown you are confrontational. And that's good in some instances. But can you convince me that you're going to be collaborative with your city council colleagues?"
A: That's a perfectly fair and reasonable question. Here's all I can say. First of you, you never know what you are going to get with ANY candidate once they get into office. But regarding your question regarding my performance:
Up until now, I have been ZD the Xtreme Gadfly, and I have been going against hardcore shadiness (dare I call it conspired corruption) and the people in charge don't play around, and you may get a phone call or two once in a while trying to scare you away, or whatever.
And CITY COUNCIL has the deck stacked ALL IN THEIR FAVOR, and you DO NOT get a fair shake and they DO NOT have to listen or take you seriously, so EXCUSE ME if I have to turn into the HULK when they deserve it, as my role as gadfly. LOOK, if I went up there and spoke softly and politely, I wouldn't have cut through and had this impact.
AS COUNCILMEMBER, I assure you, as someone who likes to keep gaining momentum and wants to please the public and DO NOT want to end up tanking in disgrace...
MY CHALLENGE AND GOAL WILL BECOME TO REFLECT THE TONE THAT THE PEOPLE WANT AS COUNCILMEMBER. And that is not the same as what they like (and secretly like) about Zuma Dogg. PLUS, I won't have to shout over Eric Garcetti when he takes my time for no reason because I'll be councilmember, AND, if he WERE to make a mistake or give me a hard time, I wouldn't be able to start yelling. I MEAN...COMMON...I ASSURE YOU I WOULD NOT BE GOING "ZUMA DOGG" ON THEIR ASSES. It wouldn't be accepted by the people, and I would feel like a FOOL.
AND, remember, the term is a year and a half (under two years) so it's actually the perfect opportunity, cause if it was all a big mistake, even without a recall, it won't be long before it's time to vote me out.
So it's a good "trial councilmembership."
AND, one CM called me a "prophet." Another one "a genius." Another one said, "Damn, ZD, what do you do, sit there 18 hours a day and study this stuff?" (After ZD shredded CMs last minute item.) Others talk to me because they know I ALWAYS want to listen to them if they think I am wrong. And a lot of ZD opposition will tell you I search out BOTH sides of the issue and check stuff out with the opposition, too.
AND, like in radio, you might not like that ZD was hired and you have to work with him. But people's careers are on the line, and so is the city, and when ZD is hitting em up with stuff that will make THEM look good, they don't care what color the life preserver is. YOU'LL SEE!
And I think I have shown, even to the people I am attacking from the other side of the rope, seem to feel that ZD's a good guy, and you can reason with him, and even get him to back off or change his opinion if you are able to really convince him with not just B.S.-spin. And he might get mad at you one second, but if he likes what you say the next second, he'll be touting how great your comments are, or whatever. (NO GRUDGES.) And again, A CM said, "Stunned and amazed" in LA Times about me when I walked in the door. Wouldn't it be GREAT if we were all FORCED to work together at the decision of the people (a vote).
THEN, OH NO...Zuma Dogg would have to get back to the responsible life he once lived as a successful innovative, trailblazing radio executive and he would have to shave and act like a corporate executive again (where I didn't behave this way) == AND COUNCIL WILL BE FORCED TO FIND OUT HOW BENEFICIAL I WILL BECOME TO THEIR CAREERS AS I AM ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. They're gonna LOVE me!
It's gonna be the best experience of their life. History has proven that, and I can't wait to start proving it to everyone!
LET'S DO THIS!
Vote for David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) on Sept 22, 2009.
You have shown you are confrontational. And that's good in some instances. But can you convince me that you're going to be collaborative with your city council colleagues?"
A: That's a perfectly fair and reasonable question. Here's all I can say. First of you, you never know what you are going to get with ANY candidate once they get into office. But regarding your question regarding my performance:
Up until now, I have been ZD the Xtreme Gadfly, and I have been going against hardcore shadiness (dare I call it conspired corruption) and the people in charge don't play around, and you may get a phone call or two once in a while trying to scare you away, or whatever.
And CITY COUNCIL has the deck stacked ALL IN THEIR FAVOR, and you DO NOT get a fair shake and they DO NOT have to listen or take you seriously, so EXCUSE ME if I have to turn into the HULK when they deserve it, as my role as gadfly. LOOK, if I went up there and spoke softly and politely, I wouldn't have cut through and had this impact.
AS COUNCILMEMBER, I assure you, as someone who likes to keep gaining momentum and wants to please the public and DO NOT want to end up tanking in disgrace...
MY CHALLENGE AND GOAL WILL BECOME TO REFLECT THE TONE THAT THE PEOPLE WANT AS COUNCILMEMBER. And that is not the same as what they like (and secretly like) about Zuma Dogg. PLUS, I won't have to shout over Eric Garcetti when he takes my time for no reason because I'll be councilmember, AND, if he WERE to make a mistake or give me a hard time, I wouldn't be able to start yelling. I MEAN...COMMON...I ASSURE YOU I WOULD NOT BE GOING "ZUMA DOGG" ON THEIR ASSES. It wouldn't be accepted by the people, and I would feel like a FOOL.
AND, remember, the term is a year and a half (under two years) so it's actually the perfect opportunity, cause if it was all a big mistake, even without a recall, it won't be long before it's time to vote me out.
So it's a good "trial councilmembership."
AND, one CM called me a "prophet." Another one "a genius." Another one said, "Damn, ZD, what do you do, sit there 18 hours a day and study this stuff?" (After ZD shredded CMs last minute item.) Others talk to me because they know I ALWAYS want to listen to them if they think I am wrong. And a lot of ZD opposition will tell you I search out BOTH sides of the issue and check stuff out with the opposition, too.
AND, like in radio, you might not like that ZD was hired and you have to work with him. But people's careers are on the line, and so is the city, and when ZD is hitting em up with stuff that will make THEM look good, they don't care what color the life preserver is. YOU'LL SEE!
And I think I have shown, even to the people I am attacking from the other side of the rope, seem to feel that ZD's a good guy, and you can reason with him, and even get him to back off or change his opinion if you are able to really convince him with not just B.S.-spin. And he might get mad at you one second, but if he likes what you say the next second, he'll be touting how great your comments are, or whatever. (NO GRUDGES.) And again, A CM said, "Stunned and amazed" in LA Times about me when I walked in the door. Wouldn't it be GREAT if we were all FORCED to work together at the decision of the people (a vote).
THEN, OH NO...Zuma Dogg would have to get back to the responsible life he once lived as a successful innovative, trailblazing radio executive and he would have to shave and act like a corporate executive again (where I didn't behave this way) == AND COUNCIL WILL BE FORCED TO FIND OUT HOW BENEFICIAL I WILL BECOME TO THEIR CAREERS AS I AM ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. They're gonna LOVE me!
It's gonna be the best experience of their life. History has proven that, and I can't wait to start proving it to everyone!
LET'S DO THIS!
Vote for David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) on Sept 22, 2009.
Zuma Dogg Responds To Candiate Who MOCKED My Efforts With Comment, "Not all of us can live in cardboard boxes"
You know, Mary Benson kinda took a jab at me yesterday during her opening statement. She admitted that she may have not been down to city hall as much as Zuma Dogg, because some of us (her) have to earn a living and have jobs and not all of us can live in a cardboard box.
So here's my response since when you throw in "living in a cardboard box" and Zuma Dogg is not one of the BIG 3, so why is she opening up her opening statement with that?
Must be feeling it's not going too good for her vs ZD, or why else would she feel the need.
SO HERE IS MY RESPONSE TO ANYONE WHO SAYS THAT:
NO WHERE IS IT WRITTEN WHEN I WAS BORN THAT I AM COMFORTABLE, O.K. WITH, OR ENJOY LIVING ON THE SIDEWALK (not even inside a cardboard box).
So I need to remind voters, I was earning a "living" at Venice Beach, PAYING RENT to stay in the room I was paying rent to stay in.
CITY COUNCIL PASSED A LAW BANNING MY INCOME, EVEN THOUGH:
I was permitted with a signed contact and issued a license with the city (so we are not talking about illegal sidewalk vending)..
AND, a FEDERAL JUDGE ruled that the city WAS in violation of the law, and the city overturned the illegal part that prevented me in the first place.
MEANWHILE, during the time I went to council to "inform them" that the City Attorney bamboozled them with an ordinance that was FEDERALLY-LAW FLAWED, I figured they would fix it because they didn't want to be wrong and in violation of Federal Law. But I quickly found out they did this stuff FULLY KNOWING it's in violation, and the only way to get them to "fix it" is to protest RELENTLESSLY, or SUE.
So since they didn't fix it, I kept going back.
AND THEN...
People started approaching me in chambers, telling me they were seeing me and what a good job I was actually doing out there and they asked if I would listen to them about their issue (LAUSD, condo-conversions, Special Event Fee Waiver Abuse, EVERYTHING...)
And I was shocked and honored by the privilege people were giving me and the respect in which they approached me with...and again, it was like Michael Jordan finding out he could dunk basketballs in his mid-40s.
So sure, if you feel like I am pulling off something other people aren't, out there...YEAH, I'll roll with it.
BECAUSE THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STUFF OUT THERE, GOING DOWN IN CHAMBERS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
LIVES ON THE LINE. JOBS ON THE LINE. AND IT'S ALL ILLEGAL, SHADY AND CORRUPT! A DAILY STIFF ARM TO THE PEOPLE.
HOW COULD I LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THAT?
So to Mary Benson for her comments:
When I say that I am the most experienced and qualified of any of the other candidates NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE, because I have a three year history of knowing EXACTLY what has been happening (and it's not ONLY Planning Issues, although I have delved in deep with those issues and I don't think they've blown a curve ball past me on that yet. BUT CM IS ABOUT BEING MUCH MORE THAN A PLANNING DEPUTY. AND MARY IS A GREAT WATCH DOG AND IS PERFECT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL AND MAYBE EVEN A POSITION WITH A COUNCIL OFFICE.
But when Mary says, "Not all of us can..." she is basically admitting that, "Yes, Zuma Dogg has been down there and knows all the ins and outs and has all the relationships and experience BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK BECAUSE HE LIVES IN A "CARDBOARD BOX" as she said:
Mary and anyone else in the city could have done what I did and suffered the consequences that I have. SHE CHOSE NOT TO STAND UP AND FIGHT AT ALL COSTS EVEN IF IT MEAN YOU WERE NOW SLEEPING ON THE SIDEWALK.
I CHOSE TO TAKE THE TIME AND NOW AS A RESULT I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH CITY WORKERS, CITY HALL INSIDERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I CHOSE TO SPEND ALL MY TIME BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT STUFF IN THE WORLD AND I TOOK ON THE LEADERSHIP ROLE AND CHALLENGE AS IT WAS PRESENTED TO ME.
Now sure, it's not for everyone, and I completely understand that Mary was not ready to sacrifice all as I have and end up where I have.
But at the end of it all, I HAVE all that knowledge, experience and historic perspective and it is ALL WORTH IT IN THE END AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED. Because I packed a decade or two into three years and it's a TREMENDOUS VALUE/RESOURCE to have the depth and level of inside knowledge regarding city operations.
So sorry I was willing to do what no one else was willing to. I ADMIT, it's not for most people. It's almost not for ANYONE else in the world.
So you can keep attacking me for that, but what people say to me when they find out my living circumstances throughout this all is usually, "Oh my gosh, I had NO idea? How do you do all that? How do you know all that stuff? How come people don't do more to help?" (In other words, it makes them admire my efforts even more.)
You may notice that although on my blog, which is my own personal blog and not city business, I talk about my circumstances and put out the emergency BatSignal that I need help.
BUT HAVE YOU NOTICED DURING THE COUNCIL MEETINGS ON TV, I show up, hit the podium and start addressing the issue, and rarely have I addressed my living circumstances and NEVER ask for help on TV. I HAVE addressed it on CERTAIN occasions, because it was relevant to the moment...but out of hundreds, if not a thousand public comments, I'm just showing up and doing the work of a guy showing up to alert the public masses and put stuff down "on the record" on as many items as possible, SO THAT IT ALLOWS OTHERS TO SUE IF THEY ARE VIOLATED BY THIS. IF NO ONE SHOWS UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU CANNOT TAKE LEGAL ACTION AFTER IF YOU ARE SCREWED.
DO YOU NOW HOW MANY ITEMS I HAVE DONE THAT ON? I remember the day SB 1818 came through and a hundreds of other things just like it.
SO WHY ARE YOU COMMENTING ON WHERE I SLEEP AT NIGHT IN BETWEEN MEETINGS, MARY? I mean SERIOUSLY?
No one besides David Saltsburg do people comment so much on where he sleeps in between meetings. Personally, I would like to see a little more coverage on what I have been doing the other 20 hours a day.
SUMMARY: Yes, I was willing to do what no other seemed to be willing to do. Attend over a year's worth of council meetings (EACH AND EVERY ONE), and have attended MOST of the meetings (except when I flew back to C-land when my dad died to be with my mom). BUT THE DAY I RETURNED TO L.A., IT WAS OVER A ONE YEAR STREAK OF ATTENDING EACH AND EVERY MEETING. AND I HAVEN'T MISSED THAT MANY SINCE I BROKE THE STREAK.
So yeah, you can say you were not willing to make the sacrifice I was, but maybe you would have if people were reacting and responding to you and stopping you on the streets to thank you and were desperate to have a little of your time to hopefully help them.
SO YEAH, I BLEW IT ALRIGHT! MY LIFE IS IN DISREPAIR AND IT HAS COST ME EVERYTHING EXCEPT MY LIFE AND MY ONLY HOPE FOR RESTORATION IN LIFE IS BECOMING COUNCILMEMBER:
BUT I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWELEDGE AND RELATIONSHIPS AND LOVE OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY: And I am not a real superhero like Superman who is made of steel. I do not have financial backing, and don't get paid to do what I have just done.
I am just one mere mortal concerned citizen who is as human as everyone else. I think I've done a fine job, so far.
I WALK THE STREETS AND ELDERLY AND PASTORS AND FAMILIES AND CITY WORKERS AND CITY FIGHTERS AND GENERAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ACROSS THIS GIGANTIC, DIVERSE CITY STOP IN THEIR TRACKS TO THANK ME AND REALLY LAY IT ON HEAVY WITH THE NICEST OF TRIBUTES.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T GET THIS STUFF SAID ABOUT THEM AT THEIR OWN FUNERALS OR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD CEREMONIES.
So maybe you can begin to understand not WHY I have been able to withstand and endure these circumstances, especially over this past year, but HOW I am able to endure it.
And besides the experience of the past three years that I have, and the others don't because I was willing to take on the challenge and end up living the way no one else was willing to; when I represent the voice of the people, it is this spirit that guides me and if you betray it, it goes away.
So here's my response since when you throw in "living in a cardboard box" and Zuma Dogg is not one of the BIG 3, so why is she opening up her opening statement with that?
Must be feeling it's not going too good for her vs ZD, or why else would she feel the need.
SO HERE IS MY RESPONSE TO ANYONE WHO SAYS THAT:
NO WHERE IS IT WRITTEN WHEN I WAS BORN THAT I AM COMFORTABLE, O.K. WITH, OR ENJOY LIVING ON THE SIDEWALK (not even inside a cardboard box).
So I need to remind voters, I was earning a "living" at Venice Beach, PAYING RENT to stay in the room I was paying rent to stay in.
CITY COUNCIL PASSED A LAW BANNING MY INCOME, EVEN THOUGH:
I was permitted with a signed contact and issued a license with the city (so we are not talking about illegal sidewalk vending)..
AND, a FEDERAL JUDGE ruled that the city WAS in violation of the law, and the city overturned the illegal part that prevented me in the first place.
MEANWHILE, during the time I went to council to "inform them" that the City Attorney bamboozled them with an ordinance that was FEDERALLY-LAW FLAWED, I figured they would fix it because they didn't want to be wrong and in violation of Federal Law. But I quickly found out they did this stuff FULLY KNOWING it's in violation, and the only way to get them to "fix it" is to protest RELENTLESSLY, or SUE.
So since they didn't fix it, I kept going back.
AND THEN...
People started approaching me in chambers, telling me they were seeing me and what a good job I was actually doing out there and they asked if I would listen to them about their issue (LAUSD, condo-conversions, Special Event Fee Waiver Abuse, EVERYTHING...)
And I was shocked and honored by the privilege people were giving me and the respect in which they approached me with...and again, it was like Michael Jordan finding out he could dunk basketballs in his mid-40s.
So sure, if you feel like I am pulling off something other people aren't, out there...YEAH, I'll roll with it.
BECAUSE THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STUFF OUT THERE, GOING DOWN IN CHAMBERS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
LIVES ON THE LINE. JOBS ON THE LINE. AND IT'S ALL ILLEGAL, SHADY AND CORRUPT! A DAILY STIFF ARM TO THE PEOPLE.
HOW COULD I LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THAT?
So to Mary Benson for her comments:
When I say that I am the most experienced and qualified of any of the other candidates NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE, because I have a three year history of knowing EXACTLY what has been happening (and it's not ONLY Planning Issues, although I have delved in deep with those issues and I don't think they've blown a curve ball past me on that yet. BUT CM IS ABOUT BEING MUCH MORE THAN A PLANNING DEPUTY. AND MARY IS A GREAT WATCH DOG AND IS PERFECT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL AND MAYBE EVEN A POSITION WITH A COUNCIL OFFICE.
But when Mary says, "Not all of us can..." she is basically admitting that, "Yes, Zuma Dogg has been down there and knows all the ins and outs and has all the relationships and experience BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK BECAUSE HE LIVES IN A "CARDBOARD BOX" as she said:
Mary and anyone else in the city could have done what I did and suffered the consequences that I have. SHE CHOSE NOT TO STAND UP AND FIGHT AT ALL COSTS EVEN IF IT MEAN YOU WERE NOW SLEEPING ON THE SIDEWALK.
I CHOSE TO TAKE THE TIME AND NOW AS A RESULT I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH CITY WORKERS, CITY HALL INSIDERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I CHOSE TO SPEND ALL MY TIME BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT STUFF IN THE WORLD AND I TOOK ON THE LEADERSHIP ROLE AND CHALLENGE AS IT WAS PRESENTED TO ME.
Now sure, it's not for everyone, and I completely understand that Mary was not ready to sacrifice all as I have and end up where I have.
But at the end of it all, I HAVE all that knowledge, experience and historic perspective and it is ALL WORTH IT IN THE END AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED. Because I packed a decade or two into three years and it's a TREMENDOUS VALUE/RESOURCE to have the depth and level of inside knowledge regarding city operations.
So sorry I was willing to do what no one else was willing to. I ADMIT, it's not for most people. It's almost not for ANYONE else in the world.
So you can keep attacking me for that, but what people say to me when they find out my living circumstances throughout this all is usually, "Oh my gosh, I had NO idea? How do you do all that? How do you know all that stuff? How come people don't do more to help?" (In other words, it makes them admire my efforts even more.)
You may notice that although on my blog, which is my own personal blog and not city business, I talk about my circumstances and put out the emergency BatSignal that I need help.
BUT HAVE YOU NOTICED DURING THE COUNCIL MEETINGS ON TV, I show up, hit the podium and start addressing the issue, and rarely have I addressed my living circumstances and NEVER ask for help on TV. I HAVE addressed it on CERTAIN occasions, because it was relevant to the moment...but out of hundreds, if not a thousand public comments, I'm just showing up and doing the work of a guy showing up to alert the public masses and put stuff down "on the record" on as many items as possible, SO THAT IT ALLOWS OTHERS TO SUE IF THEY ARE VIOLATED BY THIS. IF NO ONE SHOWS UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU CANNOT TAKE LEGAL ACTION AFTER IF YOU ARE SCREWED.
DO YOU NOW HOW MANY ITEMS I HAVE DONE THAT ON? I remember the day SB 1818 came through and a hundreds of other things just like it.
SO WHY ARE YOU COMMENTING ON WHERE I SLEEP AT NIGHT IN BETWEEN MEETINGS, MARY? I mean SERIOUSLY?
No one besides David Saltsburg do people comment so much on where he sleeps in between meetings. Personally, I would like to see a little more coverage on what I have been doing the other 20 hours a day.
SUMMARY: Yes, I was willing to do what no other seemed to be willing to do. Attend over a year's worth of council meetings (EACH AND EVERY ONE), and have attended MOST of the meetings (except when I flew back to C-land when my dad died to be with my mom). BUT THE DAY I RETURNED TO L.A., IT WAS OVER A ONE YEAR STREAK OF ATTENDING EACH AND EVERY MEETING. AND I HAVEN'T MISSED THAT MANY SINCE I BROKE THE STREAK.
So yeah, you can say you were not willing to make the sacrifice I was, but maybe you would have if people were reacting and responding to you and stopping you on the streets to thank you and were desperate to have a little of your time to hopefully help them.
SO YEAH, I BLEW IT ALRIGHT! MY LIFE IS IN DISREPAIR AND IT HAS COST ME EVERYTHING EXCEPT MY LIFE AND MY ONLY HOPE FOR RESTORATION IN LIFE IS BECOMING COUNCILMEMBER:
BUT I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWELEDGE AND RELATIONSHIPS AND LOVE OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY: And I am not a real superhero like Superman who is made of steel. I do not have financial backing, and don't get paid to do what I have just done.
I am just one mere mortal concerned citizen who is as human as everyone else. I think I've done a fine job, so far.
I WALK THE STREETS AND ELDERLY AND PASTORS AND FAMILIES AND CITY WORKERS AND CITY FIGHTERS AND GENERAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ACROSS THIS GIGANTIC, DIVERSE CITY STOP IN THEIR TRACKS TO THANK ME AND REALLY LAY IT ON HEAVY WITH THE NICEST OF TRIBUTES.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T GET THIS STUFF SAID ABOUT THEM AT THEIR OWN FUNERALS OR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD CEREMONIES.
So maybe you can begin to understand not WHY I have been able to withstand and endure these circumstances, especially over this past year, but HOW I am able to endure it.
And besides the experience of the past three years that I have, and the others don't because I was willing to take on the challenge and end up living the way no one else was willing to; when I represent the voice of the people, it is this spirit that guides me and if you betray it, it goes away.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Candidate Statement by David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) For City Council CD 2 (VOTE September 22, 2009...FIND YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT TODAY AND MAIL IT IN!)
[Pictured: Zuma Dogg being interviewed in front of LAUSD building on Tuesday about new reform motion that was passed.]My name is David Saltsburg. You may know me as, "Zuma Dogg" from my non-stop attendance of the L.A. City Council meetings as broadcast on TV 35; my frequent radio calls; or constant blogging. My efforts over the past three years inside City Hall as a champion of the people's voice at the L.A. City Council meetings have been covered by ABC News Nightline, LA Times, LA Weekly, talk radio and local TV news (FOX, KNBC, KCAL, KTLA, KCBS).
As you may have heard, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is backing three of his own BIG MONEY, political insider, machine candidates in hopes of fooling you into voting for one of the three. He's hoping to win the seat out from under the actual community and take control of the district.
I don't have to tell you how the mayor and his other shady council-puppets have destroyed the fabric and character of the community while driving it to the edge of bankruptcy. WE MUST NOT ALLOW VILLARAIGOSA TO WIN CONTROL OF THIS SEAT!
Beside the three City Hall insiders, there are several other candidates on the ballot. But here is why I think I am not only (by far) the most ready and qualified of all other candidates on the ballot; but why I am the candidate you most want to see in that seat; standing up and speaking up for actual community members like you and your neighbors.
First of all, over the past three years, I have woken up and headed down to City Hall for each council meeting. (I recently went over a full year without missing a single council meeting.)
That means I know exaclty what is going on and what has been going on. I know what causes have had which (negative) effects in the community and on the city as a whole.
When these agenda items hit the floor in real time on LIVE TV, you don't want someone who is just coming around, now, because there is a position open who doesn't have the benefit of the avalanche of agenda history. I don't think there is any other candidate on the ballot who is more informed on the issues as they fly through the agenda. I wonder if all the candidates can even read and understand what is being said? Even L.A. City Councilmembers themselves have even called me a "phrophet" and told me that, "half the time, councilmembers are listening to you (Zuma) just to see what's really going on."
Secondly, while at all these meetings, I have spent countless hours speaking not only with the Councilmembers, staffers and city hall insiders who I am able to ask questions (grill) on the issues, but more importantly, I have spent countless hours listening to the thousands of your neighbors and community members from across the city on all these issues.
Additionally, all the time spent at the council meetings, neighborhood council meetings and other committee meetings and events across the city, means I have been tutored and mentored by the most qualified experts themeselves: YOU! (The actual experts in the community.)
My biggest find was discovering pension money was being invested in overly risky Wall Street stocks and real estate projects. We now know the effect this had on the city. I was warning of this before, during and after! Imagine if ONE councilmember would have stood up and demanded an accounting of the LACERS pension money, as they just did recently...AFTER THE FACT! That alone would have saved the city. But council said nothing and I was the only one you will find "on the record" warning of this in advance. I was also the first and only person to warn of "subprime" problems on the record and asked council to prepare for the effects.
David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) has over 15 years experience working in the extremely competitive radio and record industry as Program Director, Operations Director and Research Director working for some of the biggest stations in America in Houston, Washington, New York City and Los Angeles.
He was also Director of Charts for Billboard Magazine (BPI) and oversaw the weekly production of five international trade magazines, including the HOT 100 Chart.
Throughout his career, Dave was known as an innovative trailblazer and left the market a buzz for years after his departure.
In his managerial role, he was responsible for the oversight of large staffs with HUGE budgets for hiring, promotion, marketing and research.
You don't go from Columbus, Ohio to Times Square/New York City on word of mouth unless you are offering something most outstanding and accomplishing what no one else out there seems to be able to (producing noticable results). And this isn't public money (that isn't actually theirs') that these radio operators are playing with. THEY ARE PLAYING WITH THEIR OWN REAL MONEY...AND YOU DON'T TRUST A $100 MILLION RADIO STATION TO SOMEONE WHO ISN'T FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS, which includes being able to work with, manage and inspire workers to do their best and have an uplifting environment in which to work. IF YOU HAVE BAD MORALE, YOU WILL HAVE BAD EVERYTHING ELSE.
So when other candidates jump up there and say, "I'm going to have the best constituent services," remember that is oh so VERY, VERY easy to say.
I can say that I have not only studied quality management (how to actually ACCOMPLISH your goal of constituent services), was published on the topic (including in "Quality Digest"), have been recognized by Deming himself and have implemented this in my radio career that took me from Columbus, Ohio to NYC (#1 Radio Market in the world).
If you haven't heard of me, start asking around about, "Zuma Dogg" and what it would mean if I was the next City Councilmember. I hope they will tell you that I have stood up and spoken out against the fraud, waste, abuse and overall anti-community spirit. After attending all the meetings, and speaking to all the people, and as someone who cares enough to have done all of this on my own time, all I have to do is walk a few feet over to the seat itself and continue to reflect and represent the voice of community. If Villaraigosa and a bunch of City Councilmember don't like it...GOOD! They've been winning by default. On September 22nd, you have a real opportunity to vote not only for a grassroots candiate, but someone who actually knows what's going on and a person who thousands of people have rallied behind as a single, concerned citizen speaking up. LET'S DO IT! SEPTEMBER 22nd!
http://ElectZuma.com
SEE ALSO, NEW MASSIVE POST:
"A Day In The Life Of Zuma Dogg" (How he got all mixed up in city politics.)
Monday, August 24, 2009
BREAKING NEWS: LA TIMES STORY ON TAMAR GALATZAN'S SHADY CAMPAIGN TACTICS OVER LAUSD MAILERS
Foes criticize mailers sent by L.A. council candidate Galatzan
They say the pieces, which were sent in her role as a L.A. school board member and concern school issues, actually promote her bid for the 2nd District seat.
By Maeve Reston
Galatzan's lawyer, Stephen Kaufman [who has worked with Villaragiosa, Greuel, Yes on B losing argument against Noel Weiss in court and Martin Ludlow and now is working for Tamar], said there was nothing improper about the mailers, which do not mention Galatzan's council candidacy. He said she was merely trying to communicate with her constituents about school issues. [YEAH, RIGHT. THE SAME WEEKEND ABSENTEE BALLOT WERE IN THE MAILBOX IN HOPES OF HER STEPPING DOWN! HAS A FLIER LIKE THIS EVER BEEN SENT OUT BEFORE?]
The three mailers, which Kaufman said were paid for with money from Galatzan's school board campaign committee [NO, it came out of her "Officeholder's Account, which is MUCH worse, because she left $60,000 in her campaign fund that was transferred into her officeholder's account...WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR THE CLASSROOM OR KIDS OR PROGRAMS...NOT SELF-PROMOTION], began arriving just before voters began casting mail-in ballots for the 2nd Council District special election, which will be held Sept. 22.
[SIDEBAR ON KAUFMAN FROM LA DAILY BLOG READER: Kaufman is involved with a who's who of sleazy L.A. Politics. He represents the Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa regarding ethical violations and other dubious campaign activities. He represents Rocky Delgadillo, Martin Ludlow, Kelly Cadenale's ethics problem, Measure B, and Kaufman was the architect of the implosion of the non-profit Public Interest Pictures.]
"In the less than three years I have been on the Board, we're starting to see Valley schools turn the corner. There is much, much more to do, but we're making progress," Galatzan writes in the mailer. "
[ZD: So she is sending out a mailer saying, "much, much more to do" while she is running for City Council in hopes of walking away from that "much, much more to do." Remember, City Council is MUCH more money than LAUSD school board member.]
The mailer immediately prompted criticism by the campaigns of several of Galatzan's council opponents, who initially questioned whether the mailing and postage were paid for by the school board office -- which Kaufman dismissed as "absolutely false."
Candidate Frank Sheftel said the mailer was "suspiciously timed to when the absentee ballots come out." Candidate David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg called the flier "purposely deceitful."
John Shallman, a consultant to former Paramount Pictures Corp. executive and candidate Christine Essel, accused Galatzan of "raising unlimited and undisclosed special interest money through one of her political committees to promote her candidacy for city council."
"It's corruption plain and simple -- and just another example of her singular focus on her political career and not the children of the LAUSD," Shallman said.
Eric Hacopian, a consultant to council candidate and state Assemblyman Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank), "The city is well known for having some of the strictest laws for what you can and can't do," Hacopian said. "When you are obviously spending money for an account that is not intended for the purpose of this campaign then you are playing fast and loose with the rules."
"Tamar continues to take her duties and responsibilities as school board member very seriously [as she is campaigning to hopefully walk away] and this was one way she sought to communicate with her constituents about issues of importance to the school district," Kaufman said.
[ZD: YEAH, RIGHT TAMAR. HOW DUMB DO YOU THINK THE VOTERS ARE WHEN YOU TRY AND SPIN THEM WITH THAT?]
Here's an email I just got from someone:
I am sure by now you have seen the mailers from Tamar Galatzan on behalf of the LAUSD.
Full color brochures that look oddly enough like campaign mailers paid for by the school district?? As if there is money to spare to send out two mailers in three days asking for your opinion on how the LAUSD is performing.In 20 years I never received ONE flyer...now two in three days with a candidate's color photo, signature and quote?? This stinks!
[LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE NOT BUYING IT, TEAM GALTZAN! Or at least won't be voting for it.]
[LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE NOT BUYING IT, TEAM GALTZAN! Or at least won't be voting for it.]
Click here for full Maeve Reston LA Times story
Tamar Galtzan's Decietful LAUSD Mailer is MORE Than Shady...THE MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR LAUSD KIDS & THE CLASSROOM!
ALRIGHT, it's official...time to wave your finger in front of you and say, "SHAME ON YOU, TAMAR GALATZAN!" YOU HURT KIDS! And not only that, your LAUSD mailers, are indeed...PURPOSEFULLY DECEIVING IN MY OPINION. Here's the scenario on the mailers as seen through the bamboozle-busting eye of L.A. City Council Candidate David Saltsburg, better-known in the community as, "Zuma Dogg."
First of all, the LAUSD mailers that Tamar Galatzan sent out to people in CD 2 over the weekend WAS NOT paid for with taxpayer money. IT WAS, HOWEVER, paid for out of her LAUSD Officeholder's Account.
The money was transferred into that account from her Tamar Galatzan for Boardmember Campaign Contribution account when she ran for LAUSD school board, which you all remember because it was not that long ago that she was running for school board. (Yes, she's walking away from her committment from schools and kids and parents if she gets her wishes of leaving the school board in favor of the bigger and longer pay-day as L.A. City Councilgoeralonger. (And yes, when asked at the Sunland-Tujunga candidate forum about how she felt if voter approved a pay cut from $180,000 to $90,000, how she felt. She shook her head "no" and said, as someone with a family of five (was it five?) she couldn't afford the pay cut. So in other words, she is doing it as a money-gig and snubbed at doing it for only a mere $90,000.)
Anyway, it's all relevant, and here we go:
When Tamar had her LAUSD campaign account, she had two accounts. The infamous campaign account with the approximately $2 million raised privately by Mayor Anotnio Villariagosa.
She also had her own separate Tamar for Member/Shember and it had approximately $150,000, or so in the account.
A WHOPPING $100,000 OF THAT WAS DONATED BY ONE SINGLE PERSON, CASEY WASSERMAN.
You may know Casey Wasserman's name, not only as a relative of MGM mogul Lou Wasserman, but of Casey's own Green Dot Charter School support. Wasserman is also a big supporter of the LAUSD reform motion being voted on tomorrow (Aug 25) by Tamar Galatzan, who is still a school board member. So I expect Tamar to vote, "Yes" on the motion, and I would also expect her to "thank" Casey Wasserman for his contribution to this motion. Maybe she'll use the word, "effort" instead of "contribution" come to think of it.
Now here's the part that hurts kids and schools and will sicken you:
Out of the $150,000-$160,000, (approx) in the LAUSD campaign account, SIXTY THOUSAND OF IT ($60,000) WAS LEFT IN THE CAMPAIGN FUND AND TRANSFERRED INTO HER LAUSD OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNT!!!!
And what does she use it for? Books, computers, after school programs, another teacher, a tutor for a kid...whatever you could think of to help out in this budget crisis -- what does Tamar Galatzan spend it on?:
[Click on flier for heart tugging, "much, much more to go..." as she hopes to walk out the door. Flier courtesy of Mayor Sam's blog.]SENDING OUT AN LAUSD FLIER THAT SAYS, "There is MUCH, MUCH more to do..." EVEN THOUGH IF SHE GETS HER WAY AND WISH...SHE WILL BE WALKING AWAY FROM ALL THAT "MUCH-MUCH" MORE TO DO!!! In other words, just when the absentee ballots hit the mailboxes, SO DOES TAMAR'S FLIER ABOUT HOW MUCH PROGRESS SHE HAS MADE (laughable comments) AS LAUSD SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. In other words, she is sending out a flier touting how great she is...AS BALLOTS ARE IN THE SAME MAILBOX AND SHE IS HOPING THEY VOTE HER AWAY FROM LAUSD AND THE COMMITMENTS SHE MAKES IN THE FLIER.
But besides that, here's why I consider absolutely intentionally deceiving at a much shadier level. (And the flier saying, "much much more to do" while you are hoping you are able to quit as soon as the votes are counted is deceiving enough because no where does it say she wants to quit.)
Here's what's worse: BESIDES the officeholder account money being to be able to be used for classroom and kids and programs or to donate to the right non-profit or to feed homeless students, or whatever -- and using it for your own self-serving mailers during while you are campaigning for a bigger paycheck away from LAUSD...
THE PEOPLE WHO GAVE YOU MONEY FOR YOUR TAMAR FOR BOARD MEMBER ACCOUNT GAVE IT TO YOU TO USE FOR LAUSD AND THE SCHOOLS!!!
In other words, I'm sure when someone gives money for you to run as LAUSD school board member, they are not expecting you to use it to run for City Council. So they gave you the money, back then, FOR LAUSD AND THE SCHOOLS AND THE KIDS. And look what you do with it. THAT, to me, is purposefully deceiving.
AND WORSE, the fact that the rest of us City Council candidates have to stick to a $500 limit per campaign contribution, AND YOU USED MONEY TO PAY FOR YOUR MAILERS WITH MONEY FROM A CAMPAIGN WHERE YOU WERE ALLOWED TO RAISE $100,000 FROM ONE, SINGLE DONOR (Casey Wasserman)!!!
THAT'S PROBABLY MORE THAN YOU HAVE IN YOUR ENTIRE TAMAR CITY COUNCIL CAMPAIGN FUND.
AND YOU LEFT $60,000 IN THAT FUND (WHO LEAVES THAT MUCH LEFT OVER IN A CAMPAIGN, AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO SPEND IT TO MAKE SURE YOU WIN? (Maybe Tamar knew the mayor's $2 million would be enough, so she went out there and "raised" $100,000 from Stuart that she knew she could keep around for when she runs for City Council.
So no offense to Stuart, who may have had no idea Tamar would be using the money this way.
ADD IT ALL UP...AND YOU HAVE CAMPAIGN MONEY LAUNDERING 101!!!
Not very becoming of a city prosecutor or Los Angeles City Councilmember. IS THIS THE TYPE OF SHADY TRICKS YOU WANT TO PERPETUATE???
And if there are any Tamar supporters left, they thank Casey for those slick LAUSD mailers that may allow her to walk away from the "much, much more."
http://electZUMA.com Yes, my name is Zuma Dogg and if elected, I will make sure any and all money left over in the office holder's account is contributed into the community, not money launder it.
BREAKING NEWS FROM MAYOR SAM'S BLOG: TIMES REPORTEDLY INVESTIGATING CONTROVERSIAL TAMAR GALATZAN MAILER (Look out!)
BREAKING NEWS:
Tamar Galtzan's Decietful LAUSD Mailer is MORE Than Shady...THE MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR LAUSD KIDS & THE CLASSROOM!
FROM "ZUMA FOR CITY COUNCIL" EMAIL INBOX:
Hello!
I have seen you at a couple of the forums and you have moxy young man.
I am sure by now you have seen the mailers from Tamar Galatzan on behalf of the LAUSD.
Full color brochures that look oddly enough like campaign mailers??
As if there is money to spare to send out two mailers in three days asking for your opinion on how the LAUSD is performing.
As if there is money to spare to send out two mailers in three days asking for your opinion on how the LAUSD is performing.
In 20 years I never received ONE flyer...now two in three days with a candidate's color photo, signature and quote??
This stinks!
[No wonder this guy likes me. I like him, too. He hadn't even read the blogs about this. Just a voter who sure as heck didn't like what he saw.]
[No wonder this guy likes me. I like him, too. He hadn't even read the blogs about this. Just a voter who sure as heck didn't like what he saw.]
BREAKING NEWS FROM MAYOR SAM'S BLOG: TIMES REPORTEDLY INVESTIGATING CONTROVERSIAL TAMAR GALATZAN MAILER (Look out!)
BREAKING NEWS:
Tamar Galtzan's Decietful LAUSD Mailer is MORE Than Shady...THE MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR LAUSD KIDS & THE CLASSROOM!
Elect David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) For L.A. City Council on Tuesday, September 22, 2009. And tell everyone you know to look for their "vote by mail" ballot and fill it out for "Zuma Dogg" and tell everyone to mark their calendar to GET OUT AND VOTE ON SEPTEMBER 22nd!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Mayor Sam's Blog Readers Come Out In Support Spinning PRO-ZUMA DOGG FOR LA CITY COUNCIL in CD 2 (As Tamar Tanks!)
[Pictured: L.A. City Council CD2 Candidate David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg)]Alright, something is up, because all of the sudden a lot of people seem to be pushing for Zuma Dogg on the Mayor Sam blog in the comment section. Perhaps it was the ZD/Tamar Galatzan Fence Straddlers, who after this weekend's LAUSD flier controversy surrounding Galatzan's campaign tactics, I think a bunch of people may have made their decision this weekend. And it looks like a bunch of people are piling on with PRO-ZUMA DOGG spin for the September 22nd L.A. City Council election. Here are some highlights from the most recent comments from Mayor Sam readers. (An inside crowd, indeed. And let me thank some of my previous foes who are now spinning for the Dogg side. YOU HAVE RESTORED MY FAITH IN HUMANITY!)
-
Anonymous said... People should never under estimate a dogg as Zuma Dogg apppears to be the best candidate for CD 2.
- Anonymous said...
Zuma Dogg should be the councilperson. If not him, then the only other person is Krekorian. Neither
Neither Christine nor Tamar who are considered to be the "big three" will do a damn thing for the district.
Zuma will do the most good for the community (go ahead and laugh you Zuma haters out there. both of you.) and either of those two women will do the most damage.- Anonymous said...
I must say, it thrills me to see all of these pro-Zuma comments.
Every time someone types anti-Zuma comments in all caps, I just know for a fact that Zuma is the right person for this job.
It's not about campaign money. It's not about who the other council people will get along with. It's about who will do the right thing for CD 2 and like the person who says that instinctively, Zuma knows what needs to be done, is right.- Anonymous said...
Zuma is a warrior for CD 2. I'm going to use that!
Truer words were never spoken.- Rita Of Sunland/Wally Wharton said...
I agree, 6:33. Zuma is focused, BEYOND well-informed, determined to expose corruption,AND he IS accessible and listens to the people! He's NOT some wheeler-dealer w/ a huge corporation to run and ugly condos to build, he has no pseudo-"wholesome" nuclear family to pose with on some slick mailer. I really admire Zuma Dogg and will support him in current and future endeavors. Now...the past couple of days I've been barraged w/ ridiculous propaganda from Essel. Look at phony-ass smile! Doesn't she look exactly like The Joker?
- Anonymous said...
Like Zuma Dogg or not, he does have an effect on the election. He knows the issues and stands up for what is right.
He may have a different way of doing things but he does know what he is doing and stands up to the city council. He does make a difference.- Anonymous said...
Our neighborhood group of concerned CD-2 citizens met today. We analyzed the candidates, their positions and their track records. We have decided to endorse David Saltsman and intend to put the full weight of our organization behind him. Say what you want about him but he has a better City Council attendance record than most of the current sitting council people.
This district always gets the short shrift as our elected council representatives always leave us when something better comes along, i.e. Joel Wachs and Wendy Greuel.
Candidates Tamar Galatzan and Paul Kerkorian have already demonstrated that they will leave their duly elected positions when something better comes along. They're really nothing more than political opportunists. Galatzan wants to raise your taxes on her way out of LAUSD. Kerkorian won't even take a position on releasing 27,000 criminals from the prisons. If either of them were to get this seat, you can count on them taking off when the Mayor's seat opens up or when Wendy Greuel abandons her seat to run for Mayor.
Candidate Chris Essel is really not prepared for this position and was only put up for this race so she could do the bidding of the Mayor and all the special interests that are funding her campaign.
You all may look at these three candidates' fundraising reports and be impressed, however we look at them as bought and paid for by all the corporate and special interest money that's purchased these candidates.
You won't have to worry about any of that with David Saltsburg (Zuma Dogg) because he will not be indebted to these corporate interests.
It's time we elect an outsider to go into City Hall who will speak for the people, and not their own selfish ambitions.
Please join us as this district makes history by electing an outsider to a City Council seat, and we all begin to turn this city around.
- Anonymous said...
WHO is your candidate anyway, if Shallman is handling Essel and you also hate Krekorian? Who do you think will roll over for Cooley, Nuch, Zine and the PPL? Besides Zuma who keeps telling everyone how eager he is to play on their team, even if they think he's not "classy enough to associate with in public." Zuma says he wants to join Zine in doing whatever Trutanich tells them. Zine-Zuma.
You've got no one but Zuma Dogg, have you?
Anonymous said...
Blog Reader Weighs In on Tamar Galatzan's Un-Ethical LAUSD (Campaign?) Mailers
[Don't they look good together? And she's endorsed by City Councilmember Tom LaBong. So that means she's on the list of "approved political insiders" who will play the game and keep everything covered up. PLUS, she LOVES Jack Weiss. JUST ASK HER!]Here is a comment someone posted on Mayor Sam's blog in response to the LAUSD mailers Tamar Galatzan just happened to be sent out right as absentee ballots are being sent out in the City Council CD2 Election. I LIKE THIS even though it all may actually be legal in the long run:
"Is Tamar Galatzan Using LAUSD Taxpayer Money to Campaign for City Council?"
A city official and an elected official using her position and taxpayer dollars to promote herself 4 weeks before an election and right when absentee voters are getting ballots is not only stupid, it is illegal and the definition of political corruption.She will have to prove that the mailer went out to every single resident of her School Board district--rather than just the portion that overlaps CD2. If she, in any way, targeted the mailer she will probably go to jail.
This is pretty simple, black and white and easy for investigators to prove.
Politicians make decisions like this--sometimes out of ignorance and sometimes out of desperation. But almost always out of some sense of entitlement and arrogance.
LAUSD Parents will not respond well to this. There's no question she's out of the race. Probably will need to resign--creating another special election.
[I don't know about having to resign and all that...but this don't look good for Tamar. That's why you should always wait a little bit to see how things shake out before you jump on a lame horse who stumbles right out of the gate. Oh well...I FEEL GREAT ABOUT MY MOMENTUM!!!
I was GOING to offer Tamar a job as legislative deputy if I win for her support, but after today...I don't think I can touch her. Sorry.]
LA Daily Blog City Council Campaign Update: NOT A GOOD DAY FOR TAMAR GALATZAN AND HER SHADY, UN-ETHICAL FLIERS
First of all, Zuma Dogg feels GREAT about his campaign for City Council. Although I do not have money to pay consultants or tons of mailers, I've done my homework throughout the past three years by waking up every day, heading down to City Hall for the council meetings, where I looked over each and every agenda from top to bottom and spoke out on the shadiest of items. While I was down there, I was spent countless hours speaking with Councilmembers, staffers and all the other city officials that I grill and question on the items; but more importantly (because City Hall never gives you anything but spin and reveals the problems with the issue) the community members who show up each day and grab Zuma Dogg to let him know the problem they are fighting that day and ask for me to speak out on the issue, too. Plus, all the committe and neighborhood council and other related meetings including SCAG meetings and all the time on the phone speaking with news reporters and all the insiders. And if I don't stumble upon it, someone is there to email, phone or pull me aside in a meeting to tell me what I should know.
And, the meetings have been broadcast on City TV 35, not only during the live broadcast, but then repeated three more times, so that's four airings per meeting (and I speak throughout the entire meeting), times three meetings a week; and that's up to 12 airings of Zuma Dogg speaking out on the issues and letting people not only know exactly where I stand, but many times am exposing the problems not only to the public watching, but I was told by a councilmember, "Most of the time the other CMs are watching you just to understand what is going on themselves." (YES, I CAN SWEAR TO THE FACT THAT ONE OF THE CMs SAID THAT TO ME BUT I WILL NOT REVEAL WHICH ONE [and you would NEVER guess] OR ELSE I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD CONTINUE CONFIDING IN ME THAT WAY.)Plus, all the radio calls, blogging, additional media coverage...NOT AS AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE...NOT AS A PAID LOBBIEST...NOT AS A PROFESSIONAL MEDIA REPORTER...but as one concerned citizen who didn't like what he saw and couldn't just sit back and do nothing about it. AND, when the people starting approaching me in chambers with their issues after seeing me on TV, I assumed the role they were giving me as someone they obviously felt comfortable with and trusted with their most important issue to them.
So then when I would get a Councilmember and ask them about it, they would say, "Damn, Zuma, how did you find that out?" And I would point to someone and say, "You see that person right there that you wouldn't take the time to talk to after taking the trip down here today?" They would say, "Yeah?" And I would reply, "After you wouldn't talk to them, they came up to me and told me, so now I will be talking about it and blogging about it and calling into radio about it and then I will be back tomorrow and the next day and the next day. So just think (insert Councilmember's name)...if YOU would have spoken to them, they wouldn't have come up to me and I wouldn't know anything about this. THANKS!"
So yeah, after over three years of all of that, day in and day out...although I am so broke I can't even make it down the street to campaign today and am just sitting here blogging and waiting for karaoke tonight...I've done my homework and don't need to panic about getting my name out there like Christine Essel or have to hope I can canvas enough of the area for absentee ballots and turn them all in together like Krekorian (which is his ONLY hope). And I don't have to have all kinds of people do all kinds of unethical things to try and overcome Essel's money and Krackorian's ballot canvasing and additional party machine infrastructure like Tamar "Goes Along" Galatzan.
So besides all the positive feedback and momentum I am feeling since I have ditched the ski cap and am showing up clean shaven and in a suit after the S-T and Valley Glen forums and Sherman Oaks little warm-up event (and all the frustration I am sensing in the comment section of Mayor Sam's blog, here are some other reasons that all ZD may have to do is sit here at the wi-fi cafe and blog until September 22nd and I may end up in the run-off.
CHRISTINE "EMPTY VESSEL" E$$EL: She may have raised over $100,000 and matching funds, but she already spent $120,000 on consultants (who obviously aren't consulting her too good) and only has about $70,000 on hand to get her name out there. And here's the problem...that ain't a lot of money for someone like her to get her name out there, because although she may be some fancy big shot in Wendy Greuel's world, the general population has ZERO name recognition on "Christine E$$el," $70,000 ain't enough to get it out there in this short period of time, and the people who DO know her name now, now it because they hate it and she has been already exposed and turned into the "Jack Weiss" of this election in the media and with all the neighborhood council types who are the opinion leaders in the district. So it's basically over for Chris and it seriously wouldn't surprise me if she came in fourth or fifth.
PAUL"KRACKWHORIAN" KREKORIAN: First of all, the guy is too early into his term as ASSemblymember to be already trying to walk away from the mess he helped create as someone with a lousy voting record and no evidence on record of anything but the same old insider political machine stuff. Krekorian is the guy you send out to argue how not one penny should be cut on any issue. That's all the guy says as ASSemblymember: Although blah, blah, blah...I think we need to seriously consider any negative effects if we cut one penny of anything in any area not matter what the situation. It is not the job of government to cut spending. So yeah, I think people are in a HUGE hurry to allow Paul Krekorian to bring the same magic to the City that he just brought to the State. (Isn't the State even worse off than the City?) AND, the ONLY reason I was concerned with Krackorian is that he rounds up all those ballots from the Armenien community and send them all in together and I know some people were concerned with what happened in the area of Krackorian's mail in ballots during his Assembly election and I think the Clerks office is ready for that. AND BESIDES, there are not NEARLY as many Armenian voters in CD 2, proportionatley to his ASSembly District. The Glendale area really helped him in that election and won't help him as much in this election. If I had to pick SOME front-runner, besides Saltsburg, I would say "Krackwhorian" at this point, I guess...but that's like picking best between shady Larry, Curly and Moe.
TAMAR "GOES ALONG" GALATZAN: Ya know, for someone who is billing themselves as the "anti-city hall candiate" of the three "city hall candidates" she sure is looking like the worst one of the three at this point. Only a week ago, people were saying, "Well, she's not as bad as Chris and Paul." But if you read Mayor Sam's blog today, you'll see Tamar isn't having a good day, and it's not like the kind of stuff that is going to blow over, but I think it's just that she is being revealed for the type of person she is as an ambitious career poltician. After that LAUSD flyer hit homes this weekend...her TEAM GALATZAN is going downhill quicker than the Olympic bobsled team. So to be honest, I know that ZD has a challenge as much as any other candidate, but can you imagine by September 22nd, with the "BIG 3" candidates not really having that much money to get their message out in a shorter than ususal campaign cycle; all the disdain and flat out outrage with "business as ususal" career politicians who got us into this mess and the fact that Tamar doesn't look too good anymore as of today and people aren't too happy about the LAUSD bond that is raising their property taxes; and the fact that she is trying to walk away from her committment to kids and the parents who just took all that time forging relations and all the time the district had to spend getting her up to speed. AND NOW SHE HAS NO PROBLEM WALKING AWAY BECAUSE SHE'S GOTTA GO FOR THE BIGGER AND LONGER PAYCHECK??? Ms. "Still A Strong Supporter of Jack Weiss." Ms. Yes, Antonio, I'll take the $2 million for the LAUSD seat that is only to warm me up for the City Council seat. And when her supporters are whining that Zuma Dogg is hurting her chances, then you know they are getting too much, "Zuma Dogg' in their feedback where they were hoping for nicer word about Tamar's candidacy.
Add it all up, and it may end up being a situation where all I have to do is stay alive between now and September 22nd and I could end up in the run-off. I know all three of those candidates have support to some extent and I'm not saying they are going to get zero votes and I am going to get 70%, but I think those three are tanking pretty hard, pretty fast perceptually in the distict with the opinion leaders and that levels the playing field for Zuma Dogg and all those people out there that know exactly how important it is to make sure Zuma Dogg prevents the Mayor's City Hall "Inside 3" from making it into the seat.
"Is Tamar Galatzan Using LAUSD Taxpayer Money to Campaign for City Council?
LA DAILY BLOG ENDORSES DAVID SALTSBURG (ZUMA DOGG) FOR LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 (VALLEY).
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