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
Posts
