So let me get this straight... The meeting was yesterday? If so then why the article today saying it will be Wednesday?

I have been cleaning Northridge parkways TWO dcays a week for six months along with other volunteers, and we are as mad as hell. Reason we do this volunteer work: LA City does not enforce City Municipal Code requiring owners to maintain parkways even on other side of block walls along Tampa, Devonshire, Wilbur, etc. LA City needs to enforce LA City code by mailing letters to owners, following up to see if owners mow, prune, and sweep, and, if not cleaned up, the City should cite owners then LA City should review again and if owners still not in compliance after citation, LA City should perform the maintenance and fine owners. OR, if LA City will not enforce LA City code by making owners maintain the parkways, then LA City should PAY for such maintenance! Volunteers should not have to do all this work in order to make our neighborhoods less disgraceful. At last night's candidate Q&A, I got the impression status quo is the answer for this quality of life issue. And, to make matters worse, when LA City spends money on the Valley, they spend it doing something stupid like restriping Wilbur from 2 lanes to 1 clogging up the road to accommodate nonexistent bicyclists making. They made Wilbur so dangerous where it suddenly merges to 1 lane that residents now drive out of our way to Tampa making Tampa more congested. Mr. Singh is the most common sense candidate; I believe he will fix these issues, he seems to walk in our shoes.

So let me get this straight...Mitch Englander agreed that city government is broken, so is he saying that his boss Greig Smith has been doing a bad job. And, since he is his Cheif of Staff he to is doing a bad job. Then we have Brad Smith saying that neighborhood councils should grab opportunities to apply for federal and state grants to supplement beautification and cleanup projects that city employees bypass. Good idea...Waste more tax payer money by taking it from a different pocket. Then we have all of these candidates supporting the neighborhood councils which the majority of Valley residents feel are a waste of time, energy and money. So far, all of these candidates are more of the same.

Issue 1: ALL Neighborhood councils are a vital part of any community. They give the average people an opportunity to bring up issues that are important to them and the Councils forum is the best (if not the only way) to communicate our concerns and push up the food chain to our Councilmember’s, the Mayor and Assemblymen.Without having these councils the ordinary citizen would have to attempt contacting City Hall and that is a waste of a phone call and all you would get is a standard prepared response and NO follow-up.

Issue 2: Our Councilmember’s have a staff that is large and overlapping in many positions.
What we need is to filter out personnel that could be equally effective and not doing the same job as another worker. That alone could save our comminty a substantial amount of money that could be directed towards beautification or other issues that need funding.

Issue 3: This is OUR community, and if we want it to be clean, and we gripe about the blight of our streets, then it is OUR responsibility to contribute by way of volunteerism and to do our part as well.

Nothing is important anymore other than getting the city to declare bankruptcy and go for the start over.

Rebuilding Trust in Our Government (R)
One of Americas statesmen stated “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” His presidency ushered in an era of disdain for government and a widespread cynicism that government could be effective in addressing our challenges.
Today, as we confront a crisis that has shaken confidence in our financial system and economy, Reinforce honesty, integrity and transparency by government officials as the core requirement to be and stay in office, any violations of these core tenets will cause the removal of the public official and the loss of "all benefits" retroactive. I think we should consider putting public official on a base salary plus commission based on performance.
While the many of our elected officials and government employees are honest, dedicated public servants, the actions of a few create a dark cloud over all.

Compiled by: YJ Draiman

PS

We need honest government with integrity.
“Good leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion”

Public confidence in the integrity of the Government is indispensable to faith in democracy; and when we lose faith in the system, we have lost faith in everything we fight and spend for.

As citizens of this democracy, you are the rulers and the ruled, the law-givers and the law-abiding, the beginning and the end.

Change is inevitable. Change better is a full-time job

Lester, regarding your Item 3, volunteerism is the answer. No, it is not. Those of us who worked in the private sector our entire adult lives paying huge taxes to fund LA City employees' bloated salaries, benefits and pensions compared to private sector should not need to spend TWO days a week cleaning Northridge parkways. Do you believe the City should not enforce City Municipal Codes regarding parkway maintenance? Why have a City Code? I called to report my dead parkway tree 4 years ago, and I was told it will be 9 years. I have lived in this house 27 years, my street has NEVER been repaved; it looks awful, it's embarrasing. I rarely receive services when I call 311. While cleaning Devonshire between Tampa & Vanalden today, we skipped a parkway section because it was too dangerous; too many violations to list here. Now I must drive back to find the front of that house to get the address and report it to Investigations & Enforcement, all because the City does not enforce the City Code. I spend too much time doing City work for free. I did not earn college degrees to clean sidewalks nor weed and trash strewn parkways, gutters and storm drains. The solution is NOT volunteerism; it is LA declaring bankruptcy, renegotiating bloated contracts to be in line with the private sector. Then LA will be able to provide services like it did back in the 50's when I moved to the Valley. See http://www.californiapensionreform.com/; it is very enlightening.

Jo, with all due respect yet without commenting on whether or not the City should pay, with regard to your statement, "I did not earn college degrees to clean sidewalks nor weed and trash strewn parkways, gutters and storm drains," are you saying you're above doing such activities? There's a strong implication that since you have college degrees, such activities are beneath you. They would relate to each other if cleaning sidewalks and weeding comprised your full-time job; since you volunteer to do them, it can only mean that that' s not your full-time job. Then saying that your degrees don't apply to such things would make sense.

I'm not knocking having college degrees or saying that you're "elitist." I have a B.A. myself and think education is the key to many things in life. In other words, it's definitely important. But whether or not we have college degrees is irrevelent to whether or not you should, or should not, have to clean sidewalks in our spare time.

Whoops. I meant that saying that your degrees don't apply to such activities would make sense if cleaning and weeding did indeed comprise your full-time job.

I'm with Jo. The city should be doing these things. We pay plenty in taxes for every street to be clean and paved. We have one of the highest tax structures in the country. Our streets should be paved with gold. They aren't because of LA City employees' bloated salaries, benefits and pensions compared. Get rid of the union and possibly give this work over to the private sector. If LA can't do the work then someone else needs to do it. These public unions are destroying our city and state.

I say it is time for Valley cityhood again.

Jo, when you leave a comment, others have a right to respond to it. Saying I was "picking" on your comment because I responded to it is overreacting. I was very polite and calm in my comment. It's not a "concern," per se. I simply saw your comment and saw that particular part of it and thought it odd. And a bit on the "I'm too good for this" side.

For the record, a) Yes, I do thank volunteers when they do work - partially because I myself do quite a bit of volunteer work myself and know how much it's appreciated when I'm thanked. B) You still didn't really answer the question, but however. It's not that big a deal, and even though I commented on it, I never intimated that it was. As I said, I noticed it and wanted to comment on it. I'm allowed to discuss any part of your comment. C) I agree that the City should do its part. I'm not sure why you're so wound up; I can understand your frustration, but nothing I've said has been in a pugnacious tone.

Finally, Jo, I think it's great that you all do this. I never thought it wasn't. However, I think it's good to remember that ultimately, you are the one choosing to do what you do. No one's forcing you. That doesn't mean the City shouldn't take up the work, or that by you choosing to do it that it negates any ground you can stand on. And I realize that you do it for practical reasons. But again: you are the one choosing to do it. You don't HAVE to. If you were forced to do it that would be another matter.

I chose to focus on that for a simple reason, Jo: I wanted to. I'm not required to comment on any one thing over another because you think I should. I can choose to say what I would like to. I'll also decide what I'll get worked up over and what I won't, thank you. Why do you choose to evade my question? What you do in your free time is outside of what you do, or could be doing, for work.

If you look at my second comment, I did comment on what you describe as "the real issue." I don't go into it like you do, but I commented nonetheless. In fact, I agreed with you. So why the push to get me to go into detail when you already have?

Jo, I have something planned for tomorrow, but thank you for the invitation. I wouldn't have to be there to support my position, though, even if I were free. You may think that's simply an excuse; that's fine. I'll leave to you to believe what you like.

Just one thing, Jo: when you go on like you do and in such a belligerent manner, it diminishes the strength of your argument and your chances of people taking it as seriously as they could.

Best of luck to you. Should you choose to respond to me again, I'll gladly read your comment(s). But I don't think we can go anywhere with the conversation we're having. We're starting to go in circles, so I am graciously bowing out. Thanks.

Regarding "the issue" ... There is PLENTY of waste and cooruption. There needs to be clear transparency with spending. There are many Non-profits (legitimate ones) that have a structure of how they operate daily and make all the info down to the dollar available online for the public. I would like to see such a day in city, county , or even state level. There are folks you and I know that are getting paid with their high degrees for doing a lot of NOTHING. They have time to bring gym gear to the office, or do house choirs during work, or shop, or get nails done, and start self fulfulling projects. Its rather disgusting the things I am told. The folks telling me their complaits is out of guilt and they hate it. They love getting a check and security, but hate that they went to school and are getting a fat check for Bio degrees, health specialties for sitting around and working the jobs of meter maids. This has a reciprocal.

I watched the movie "Foodinc" the other day (I think it maybe a free download, or Netflix). Seeing how the soy company all leads back to the gov offices was something that may cross you mind as possible, but seeing the direct tie and the facts and circumstances was disturbing. I think everyone needs to see that film.

Jo, I thank you for your work. I can see that what you do is not appreciated as much as it should be, and why you responded the way you did. I can hear your frustration, and agree that the work should be the city's responsibility.

What Tina thought also crossed my mind for a second... But reading the rest of the post explains his perspective. Jo is actually one of the guys doing the work, so his actions answer your question. But like you said , you can pick on what you like. Jo should never have fed that flame :-)
While it sounds like Jo would rather be having a latte and a fake smile and not get interrupted when reading a newspaper, I think he was directing that to those in gov positions with the proper titles doing ...not-a-whole-latte. It can be a bit nit picking in this thread, while our democracy is seeing some cracks at the foundation.

I feel like a moderator :-) It's only digital space, speak your mind :-)

I didn't acknowledge that I missed the forest for the trees, did I? :) My apologies, Jo. Thank you, Phil. I stayed on that path too long; I was stubborn. I didn't acknowledge what you were really trying to get at, Jo, and I can tell that that was frustrating to you. I know it would be for me, too. (I've given this thought since I last posted - I wasn't going to say anymore, but thought I should at least comment here.)

The thing is, I thought I had clearly communicated that I thought what you do is a good thing, Jo. Your initiative and drive are impressive! And that what the City is responsible for, it should take care of. Not others. In other words, that what you were saying made sense. One thing I have to do in my work here for Patch, though, is get a reaction from both sides. Since I don't know what the City's position is on your particular concern, I hesitate to take it much further than what I've said.

Jo, I thank you for your invitation to come help. However, I am respectfully declining it. As I said before, I don't think I need to do so to support what I've said. And frankly, I've got a lot on my hands already. But most of all, because I'm a contributor to Patch, I'm not sure that it would be right for me to get involved in that way, especially with an issue such as this. Commenting here is one thing; physically being there and participating is another.

I truly wish you the best, Jo, and extend my "hand" to you to show goodwill. :)