Is Villaraigosa's Chief of Staff Robin Kramer the REAL Mayor of Los Angeles?

We have all heard the news coverage that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was found to be only spending 11% of his time on actual city business for the period audited in a public records request by LA Weekly.

Over the past couple years, the mayor hasn't even been in the city that much while travelling the country, first campaigning for Hillary Clinton (didn't work out so well in case you didn't hear -- even though all the time was spent out of the office and out of the city). THEN, it was time to hit the major cities across the country to fund raise millions of dollars from out of state real estate developers for Villaraigosa's re-election campaign, where despite the millions of dollars (compared to only $250,000 of the closest challenger), Villaraigosa only squeaked past a run off by 5%, winning with only 55% of the vote. ABYSMAL for someone who thinks they are going to run for governor.


SO WHAT HAPPENED DURING ALL OF THIS?:

The City of Los Angeles spent itself into a billion dollar deficit, by being overly generous with union raises and benefits when he was running for re-election, only to say he no longer has the money, now that he has been re-elected. And he now gives the ultimatum to either, "give back or suffer massive firings." So he says he brings people together, but this is ripping the city apart.


Also, while Vilaraigosa wasn't looking, LACERS pension fund lost nearly $7 billion in risky (non-investment grade investments) and shady and risky real estate deals that have now gone belly up and bankrupt.

Additionally, Villaraigosa continues to allow massive high density commercial retail and housing projects to pop up all over the city in any nook and cranny -- even though we are suffering drought conditions and a full blown water emergency in the state, region and city; and it is unlikely that DWP and the City will be able to provide water to all of these projects.

And if you tune into the radio or national cable news shows, the whole world knows how the character and fabric of the city has been forever changed and destroyed by this irresponsible, off-duty, dead at the wheel mayor, who has NO IDEA how to pull this city out of the mess it is boiling to death under.


SO WHO HAS BEEN RUNNING THE CITY?

Chief of Staff Robin Kramer has been running the show the entire time.

Robin was former mayor Richard Rioardan's Cheif of Staff.

After that, she went to work for Eli Broad.

Well, when Riordan and Broad backed Villarigosa, they knew he really ain't too smart. (I mean, the guy flunked the bar exam four times, never passing.) And if you listen to Antonio Villaraigosa even try to speak (in English OR Spanish, he's just as bad in either language) you can tell he's not that sharp. So Uncle Eli ("The Broadfather" as he is affectionately referred to by some) gave Robin to Antonio to run the show. Since she worked for Riordan as C.O.S.

But baby...whatever magic there may have been with Riordan, ain't there with Villar. LOOK AT THE CITY!!!

IT'S SPUN OUT OF CONTROL OUT OF GREED, CONFUSION, STUPIDITY, COWARDLINESS AND LACK OF LEADERSHIP!

Hey Eli, have some compassion. Pull her out of there. Take her back and put her back to work in your office now, instead of at the end of the term. O.K., O.K!!! He got re-elected, you can replace the Chief of Staff now and it won't matter.

Of course Los Angeles City Council bears a brunt of the blame, as well, and they receive that on a daily basis inside council chambers during the public comment portions of the meeting.

But the mayor pushes City Council around anyway, with his majority of Villarigosa-backed candidates. So ultimately, you have to put this on the mayor's office. And the mayor has been absent and if this were an airplane, he would be dead behind the controls of the cockpit. And he's running for Governor anyway, so he won't even be spending time doing things badly.

So it's been Robin Kramer running the show. And the city is now in a state of crisis with bankruptcy and a water shortage in it's immediate future and a wave of first time homelessness and nothing but billion dollar luxury projects and NO real affordable housing or emergency shelter strategy ready to be implemented.

I urge California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to contact President Barack Obama's office to please make him aware of the fact that the city not only faces a billion dollar budget deficit; but a nearly $7 billion dollar LACERS bailout on top of that; faces a major water crisis that could cripple business and drive up costs city wide; there won't BE enough water for all the projects they have online; and there doesn't seem to be anyone in city hall in the mayor's office or city council who is even willing to address any of these issues, let alone handle them.

PRESIDENT BARACK HUSEIN OBAMA...PLEASE SEND LEADERSHIP TO LOS ANGELES CITY HALL IMMEDIATELY TO SORT THIS MESS OUT!!! IT IS A FEDERAL ISSUE REGARDING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HUD, ALONE. And you cannot operate the United States without Los Angeles. WE ARE LOSING THE CITY AS WE ARE LOSING THE BORDER. CONTACT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY!

Video of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Charlie Rose (PBS)

The City Needs To Work With Sacramento To Help Build More Infrastructure As Quickly As Possible

The city of Los Angeles now has a plan that we have already started, to build much more housing and amenities in the city so we can stay competitive in the global economy. And yes, although many of the people immigrating to Southern California these days are people from Mexico, who are helping us in this effort (at the lower income level); we actually ARE living in a global economy, and over the next thirty years, many of the people who will be investing in the city and buying the high-end condos you see being constructed all around town, will be from Asia, China and other international regions.

All of this means we will have the diversity we need to help the City of Los Angeles in it's effort to become the world class city it must continue to be. And these days, in the international marketplace we now compete in, we have a lot of work to do in order to be able to meet these demands.

And like so many Los Angelinos have been noting; and as the newspapers have been reporting this week, all of this density is being created without the proper infrasructure to accomodate the added demand.

And with all the added public attention with articles in LA Weekly, LA Times, Daily News; we are hearing the senitment echoed on the AM radio talk shows and neighborhood meetings throughout the City. Although we are aware of this problem, too; and work on getting as much public transportation added and infrastructure built as quickly as possible, with all this added public outcry now weighing in, I not only wanted Sacramento to know that the City, State and even Country (since 40% of U.S. goods come through our region) will be stuck with a major crisis if we don't do more to focus this effort and do everything we can, right now.

But I wanted the people of Los Angeles to know that I know this is a front-burner issue, I hear you, and I want Sacramento to know that it is time for all government officials at the City, State and National level to all come together in a collaborative effort to get the job done, that needs to get done, to allow the City of Los Angeles to become the international hub, with the liveable communities that the rest of the world is demanding from us, and the global economy now requires us to be.

zumadogg@gmail.com

Even If You Have A Luxury Automobile, Sometimes the Bus or Subway Is A Better Way To Go!

I’d like to remind everyone reading that as gas prices increase and traffic congestion increases, look for occasions where the bus or subway makes more sense. Maybe you drive part of the way and jump on the bus the rest of the way. If you are going to the beach on the weekend, try taking the bus for the first time. When you factor in the price of gas, parking and the stress of driving, sometimes the bus or subway makes more sense... even if you drive a Rolls Royce or Mercedes Benz.

LA City website

A Speech To Parents Regarding A New Season at LAUSD

With the new school season quickly approaching, I wanted to let all LAUSD parents, students and teachers know that transformation is on the way.

One leader, Superintendent David Brewer, is now in charge of this transformation and will be working with the school board to achieve new levels of heightened student achievement and increased graduation rates. And requests input from all interested parties, from wherever it may come from.

I'd like to empower everyone on the job in the district from tree trimmer to school board president to use common sense and life-experience to do their best job, and let management know how they can help you do a better job and improve the district.

For example, maybe the gym teacher suggests moving classes to after lunch, when the kids have more energy to burn, rather than right before lunch when they are ready to drop because no one eats a good breakfast. Maybe a principal that tells teachers, “Hey no mid-term exams the day after American Idol finals. Kids won’t study, and overall test scores will drop.” (Based on what the teacher learned last year.)

Let common sense prevail, wherever legally possible. Knowledge comes from everyone within the system (it is called a school “system”), and if your ship is sinking, don’t ask what kind of life jacket they are throwing you.

For example, maybe the janitor can tell cafeteria not to serve a certain item anymore, because most of it is ending up in the trash. (The meal planner would never know, because all of it was served. Or the parking lot attendant who notifies the principal that the lights need to be replaced in the staff parking lot because kids shot them with a BB gun. (And the principal would never know because he leaves work before dark.) Kids know the problems; parents know the problems; teachers know the problems. Many of them have the solutions. Embrace your biggest asset, community input. (And I see Brewer doing that.)

Now, let’s look at some bigger picture solutions outside LAUSD’s job description that can help “fix” LAUSD.

So, a more immediate first thing that can be done to fix the school system starts at home. Parents need to accept responsibility and become active participants in their children’s lives. You can judge what a young kid says, and how they behave by the standards imposed on them by the parents. It’s tough to say “no” to your kids, when other parents say, “yes”, or don’t say anything at all, because the kids are left un-attended.

Too many parents think it is the schools and teachers job to instill dignity, respect and discipline into their kids. BUT IT IS NOT. That is the parents’ job. The schools job is to educate kids. Help fix LAUSD by fixing your kids, so the school can do its job. (Teach them how to read, write, add, etc.) Asking your kid, “How was school today? Did you do your homework?”, is not taking responsibility for your child’s education.

I know it’s tough to be a parent to your kid, these days. The high cost of housing, taxes and gas makes it hard to make ends meet, and both parents (if there are even both parents at home) have to work long hours, and travel through long traffic-jammed commutes, for not enough pay, at the end of the day.

And at the end of that day, It’s much easier to say, “yes”, than argue a long protracted battle over how late a kid can stay out, or how many hours they can use myspace, youtube, ipod, xbox, or even regular old TV. And it doesn’t help when other parents refuse to do a thing to help instill discipline, morals or standards in their kids.

But you must rise to the challenge and be the leaders and role models in your kids’ lives. Parents, don’t rely on the City to be your kids’ babysitters after school. Rely on each other. Spend more time talking to each other about after school activities. Do more for each other. Talk about what your kids are and are not allowed to say and do. Try and convince other parents to go along with the higher standard, so all the kids that play together lift each other up, instead of drag each other down.

So that’s ONE thing the community can do to fix the schools (besides reducing classroom size, paying teachers more so we can recruit new ones, after school programs, safer streets and other things that are out of your control):

Take on more responsibility to do the job you asked for when you had a kid. Be a mentor — to your own kids. You cannot leave the job of raising your kids and teaching them responsibility and values needed to keep them in school, graduating and productive members of society we need them to be to a school system. That’s not THEIR job, it’s YOURS. Take on the challenge. It will be almost as enriching and rewarding of an experience as myspace or YouTube.

There IS much for LAUSD to do as well, especially in the areas of management of quality and productivity as it related to operations and the administrative system itself. But the parents and kids have a long way to go before they can start pointing too many fingers at the system itself.

Thank You