AGAINST SOCIALISM
2012-09-03 21:09:42 UTC
Villaraigosa's rising profile shadowed by problems in L.A.
The mayor is again in the national political spotlight, but some say
his energy should be focused on potholes, not politics. The mayor
counters that forging bonds with national leaders helps L.A.
August 31, 2012
David Zahniser and Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is storming the national stage
like never before, rebutting GOP talking points in Tampa, Fla.,
during
the Republican convention, becoming a fixture on Sunday morning talk
shows and preparing to open next week's Democratic National
Convention
in Charlotte, N.C., where he will play a key leadership role.
Written off by some after a much-publicized extramarital affair and a
scandal over free sports and concert tickets, Villaraigosa has
emerged
as a major figure in the Democrats' efforts to get out the crucial
Latino vote and is again being talked about as a future governor or
senator. He's even coyly danced around questions on CNN about a
possible White House bid.
But as his national political star rises, the nagging financial
crisis
at City Hall could complicate that ascent. Back home, key
Villaraigosa
allies are warning City Hall is on the verge of going broke.
Complaints from neighborhood activists over reduced city services are
growing louder.
And public employee unions, a force at next week's Democratic
convention, are increasingly hostile to Villaraigosa. Some, angry
over
the mayor's efforts to roll back pension benefits, have likened him
to
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a lightning rod of anti-union fervor and
a target of Democratic Party ire.
Last week, former Mayor Richard Riordan — a Republican who has
endorsed Villaraigosa three times — raised new alarms about spiraling
pension costs, declaring that L.A. is headed "deeper into financial
disaster."
The mayor's top budget analyst warned that record-high staffing at
the
Los Angeles Police Department — a signature achievement during
Villaraigosa's first term — is in jeopardy unless voters pass two new
tax increases.
Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. President Richard Close, who voted for
Villaraigosa in the last two elections, says Los Angeles is "in
decline and without leadership" from the mayor and the City Council.
Angelenos would fare better if the mayor, who has 10 months left in
office, stayed put and used his skills to confront the city's
problems, he said.
"He's running out of time to be the bold leader that he could be,"
Close said. "And to be a bold leader, you have to be in Los Angeles,
not in Tampa."
A spokesman said Villaraigosa's busy schedule did not permit an
interview for this article. But in an email, the mayor said he is in
constant contact with city department heads and is "fully engaged on
the daily issues and the larger topics that face L.A." He defended
his
time away, arguing that national politics plays a huge role in
securing money for housing, public transportation and other critical
needs.
"When people ask me, 'What's the mayor of Los Angeles doing in
Charlotte or Tampa?' I say it matters who's in the White House,"
Villaraigosa told CNN's Brooke Baldwin this week. "It matters who's
in
the majority in Congress."
Villaraigosa's prominent profile in the November campaign has given
him a chance to expound on Medicare, the power of Latino voters, the
federal deficit and appealing to what he describes as a "radical
center" of the nation's increasingly polarized political system.
He has signaled interest in a run for governor, but has carefully
avoided specifics, saying that he is looking to finish his mayoral
duties on "a high note."
"I love this job," he told The Times. "Virtually every one of my
buddies who has gone from mayor to governor said they loved being
mayor more."
A former leader of the California Assembly and one of the country's
most recognizable Latino elected leaders, Villaraigosa has long been
in the national spotlight. He was on the cover of Newsweek during his
first year as mayor. In 2008, he was an aggressive stump speaker for
Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. And in the last year, he's
built bridges with other big-city leaders as president of the U.S.
Conference of Mayors.
But the contrast between Villaraigosa's dashing national image and
the
grinding reality of running a city engulfed in crisis has never
seemed
greater.
Los Angeles has become a case study for how not to manage the
proliferation of pot shops. Basic statistics on the performance of
the
Fire Department in medical emergencies have been deemed unreliable.
Budget cuts have forced out thousands of city employees.
Frayed relations with public employee unions could help Villaraigosa
appeal to moderates in a run for higher office. But they could also
dampen his attractiveness to key Democratic constituencies.
Art Sweatman, a city tree trimmer and union member, said he will vote
enthusiastically for Obama in November. But he is less pleased with
Villaraigosa's prominent role at next week's convention. The mayor is
a Democrat, he said, but "he certainly doesn't act like one."
http://www.truthandgrace.com/obamabudget.htm
Note: my source in Sacramento says there will be approximately 20
cities filing for bankruptcy in California over the next two years
including Los Angeles.
The mayor is again in the national political spotlight, but some say
his energy should be focused on potholes, not politics. The mayor
counters that forging bonds with national leaders helps L.A.
August 31, 2012
David Zahniser and Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is storming the national stage
like never before, rebutting GOP talking points in Tampa, Fla.,
during
the Republican convention, becoming a fixture on Sunday morning talk
shows and preparing to open next week's Democratic National
Convention
in Charlotte, N.C., where he will play a key leadership role.
Written off by some after a much-publicized extramarital affair and a
scandal over free sports and concert tickets, Villaraigosa has
emerged
as a major figure in the Democrats' efforts to get out the crucial
Latino vote and is again being talked about as a future governor or
senator. He's even coyly danced around questions on CNN about a
possible White House bid.
But as his national political star rises, the nagging financial
crisis
at City Hall could complicate that ascent. Back home, key
Villaraigosa
allies are warning City Hall is on the verge of going broke.
Complaints from neighborhood activists over reduced city services are
growing louder.
And public employee unions, a force at next week's Democratic
convention, are increasingly hostile to Villaraigosa. Some, angry
over
the mayor's efforts to roll back pension benefits, have likened him
to
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a lightning rod of anti-union fervor and
a target of Democratic Party ire.
Last week, former Mayor Richard Riordan — a Republican who has
endorsed Villaraigosa three times — raised new alarms about spiraling
pension costs, declaring that L.A. is headed "deeper into financial
disaster."
The mayor's top budget analyst warned that record-high staffing at
the
Los Angeles Police Department — a signature achievement during
Villaraigosa's first term — is in jeopardy unless voters pass two new
tax increases.
Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. President Richard Close, who voted for
Villaraigosa in the last two elections, says Los Angeles is "in
decline and without leadership" from the mayor and the City Council.
Angelenos would fare better if the mayor, who has 10 months left in
office, stayed put and used his skills to confront the city's
problems, he said.
"He's running out of time to be the bold leader that he could be,"
Close said. "And to be a bold leader, you have to be in Los Angeles,
not in Tampa."
A spokesman said Villaraigosa's busy schedule did not permit an
interview for this article. But in an email, the mayor said he is in
constant contact with city department heads and is "fully engaged on
the daily issues and the larger topics that face L.A." He defended
his
time away, arguing that national politics plays a huge role in
securing money for housing, public transportation and other critical
needs.
"When people ask me, 'What's the mayor of Los Angeles doing in
Charlotte or Tampa?' I say it matters who's in the White House,"
Villaraigosa told CNN's Brooke Baldwin this week. "It matters who's
in
the majority in Congress."
Villaraigosa's prominent profile in the November campaign has given
him a chance to expound on Medicare, the power of Latino voters, the
federal deficit and appealing to what he describes as a "radical
center" of the nation's increasingly polarized political system.
He has signaled interest in a run for governor, but has carefully
avoided specifics, saying that he is looking to finish his mayoral
duties on "a high note."
"I love this job," he told The Times. "Virtually every one of my
buddies who has gone from mayor to governor said they loved being
mayor more."
A former leader of the California Assembly and one of the country's
most recognizable Latino elected leaders, Villaraigosa has long been
in the national spotlight. He was on the cover of Newsweek during his
first year as mayor. In 2008, he was an aggressive stump speaker for
Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. And in the last year, he's
built bridges with other big-city leaders as president of the U.S.
Conference of Mayors.
But the contrast between Villaraigosa's dashing national image and
the
grinding reality of running a city engulfed in crisis has never
seemed
greater.
Los Angeles has become a case study for how not to manage the
proliferation of pot shops. Basic statistics on the performance of
the
Fire Department in medical emergencies have been deemed unreliable.
Budget cuts have forced out thousands of city employees.
Frayed relations with public employee unions could help Villaraigosa
appeal to moderates in a run for higher office. But they could also
dampen his attractiveness to key Democratic constituencies.
Art Sweatman, a city tree trimmer and union member, said he will vote
enthusiastically for Obama in November. But he is less pleased with
Villaraigosa's prominent role at next week's convention. The mayor is
a Democrat, he said, but "he certainly doesn't act like one."
http://www.truthandgrace.com/obamabudget.htm
Note: my source in Sacramento says there will be approximately 20
cities filing for bankruptcy in California over the next two years
including Los Angeles.