Southwest Museum/Autry Controversy: Financial Bamboozle (Are The People Geting Screwed Again?))

From Zuma's Inbox: ZumaDogg@Gmail.com.

Has anyone been to the Friends of the Southwest Museum site lately?

Go there and you'll see an excellent piece of work uncovering the Autry's true and actual assets at the time they signed the merger agreement with the Southwest. Turns out their touted $100 million (with which to build their new campus, relocate Southwest artifacts, et al) is little more than a
promissory note to be given only on Mrs. Autry's death. The Autry Foundation has little more in current assets than the Southwest ever had.

According to the study's author Mr. Jack B. Siegel of Charity Governance consulting, LLC, at the time the Autry presented its merger plans to the Southwest Board, the California State Attorney General, and others, it was not much better off than the Southwest, once the $100 pledge was removed from their books. In light of that bit of news, John Grey's statement in the L.A. Weekly article is truly EXTRAORDINARY:

(commenting on neighborhood activists who are working to keep the artifacts in Northeast LA): "You give me a commitment that you'll raise the money, then you can spend it," Gray says of Southwest backers. "Every time I have a philosophical discussion, I get accused of lying" (L.A. Weekly).

You bet you get accused of lying, John Grey. Good news is, through the diligence and hardwork of our neighborhood activists, we may finally have a leg to stand on.

If you haven't already, be sure to sign the petition at the Friends site,

http://www.petition online.com/ SWM/petition. html

And watch for upcoming fundraising news. For the fight ahead, we're going to need all we can get.

Judith Dancoff

Thanks Judith...you didn't even have to send this to me. It's making the email rounds.

ZumaTimes.com
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Sierra Club Written Opposition: Sierra Club Opposes Autry Expansion in Griffith Park

From Sierra Club website

Griffith Park Expansion
Submitted by Central Group; approved Nov. 2007, Dec. 2007, Jan. 2008, as submitted and amended.

WHEREAS, the massive Griffith Park expansion proposal contained in the Autry National Center’s Draft Environmental Impact Report dated August, 2007, represents an expansion of park commercialization, increased traffic congestion of Western Heritage Way, exposure to additional air pollution from adjacent freeways, disruption of plant and animal life and small animal corridors, and the potential for fire and flood hazards as demonstrated by events of the past twelve months, and an unacceptable elimination of Griffith Park open space.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Sierra Club opposes any expansion in Griffith Park.

This resolution will serve to affirm the Sierra Club’s existing policy against the taking of park land for non-park purposes, which includes museums. We call upon our members to implement this opposition by keeping careful watch on the Los Angeles City permit processes, so as to prevent a repeat of the 1987 City Council Board of Referred Powers action in approving the original Autry building. This action by the Board of Referred Powers took jurisdiction from the Department of Recreation and Parks and disregarded the near unanimous public opposition to the project.

This item to be referred to the proper Sierra Club body for action.

The original lease for the Autry in Griffith Park required annual reports to the City of Los Angeles. We have been unable to find documentation of compliance with this lease requirement. Therefore we respectfully request that all required audited annual reports be compiled and forwarded to the Sierra Club office located at 3435 Wilshire Blvd Ste 320, Los Angeles CA 90010-1904.

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