What do LA Natives or long time residents think about mayor villaraigosa (Los Angeles: house, tax)

[jerblaine]

Originally Posted by greggd

I was turned off by the mayor when I saw several large developers backing him. I knew it was free for all at that point.

The building density issue and parking reduction attempts are foolish and only reducing building costs for large developers.

Rather than increasing density and reducing parking construction requirements, more feasible compromises could have been promoted that would have been appreciated for many years:


Increase set back requirments to add some landscaping and let the developer go an extra floor or two.

For downtown development, which is stalling due to the market, provide tax incentives to both developer and renter, condo unit owner, etc. Instead of putting a moratorium on hotel to condo conversion, let them do it and clean up the area.

The mayor should be working with developers to rennovate downtown in a way where the developer has the incentive to build for function, long lasting beauty, and quaility of life for its residents rather than let ramroding as much sq. ft. and limited parking to cut their construction costs.

even on the west side of town. The new development in westwood is an eyesore. There is zero set back. why? why not go 6 stories with a tiered design instead of a 4 story box and set the building back 20 feet for a green zone.

Thats one of the things the mayor should be doing, but he's not.

He's also not working the street maintenance issue. Our roads have become so bad these past 6 months its totally ridiculous.

He should working on quality control and promoting the city, but he's not.

REDUCING PARKING IN LA????? That concept in itself is ridiculously insane!!

They should be EXPANING parking here!!! Anything built MUST have underground parking in my opinion!! or some sort of parking!!! The downtown buildings are not built that way so they need to build MASSIVE parking structures downtown!!

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by whitechocolate86

Hey,
I appreciate the fact that California might have been "Latino" land at one time...more like Spanish Colonial land grants, I honestly have no problem with latino culture (I am an enthusiast for mexican food here in north texas), but when illegal latinos come here and have children they cannot provide for and cause a tax burden for the middle american citizen, I think that we have a right to fuss (and hopefully do something) about it, personally it makes me sick. I still want to go to los angeles, but I am tired of these bleeding heart personalities...(many of whom are here in texas too), I was appalled at how much the state spends on children of illegals in texas, I can't imagine what it is for california...not to mention I am sure there are many residents of los angeles of mestizo origin who feel negatively about this issue

i've lived in both places, texas and so cal. believe me when i say that so cal is 10 times worse! i live in san antonio now, which is considered to be a "hispanic" city (i don't like that word). but the # of illegals, children of illegals and poor immigrants has not reached yet the critical mass that it has over there. you can still order at a fast food place with americans that understand you, for example. car washes are manned by americans, not illegals. i've heard welfare types complain that they don't get as much medicaid-wise as in california. that's probably true, but even a state as miserly as texas has to abide by Federal guidelines which require free help to US born children of illegals, help that most american children are not eligible for.

[jerblaine]

Originally Posted by happ

Villaraigosa is presiding over a period of great growth in downtown LA [even during current republican national regime when everything is crumbling from negligence and incompetency]. The mayor was able to get funding for the new light rail/Exposition Line & is working on putting one-way streets [Pico & Venice, etc] doing something to help traffic on Wilshire, upgrading Broadway downtown by bring back street cars.

He and the governor have made it clear to the republicans that clean air will not be negotiated, universal health care is mandated, coastline preserved. We live in one of the most progressive states in the nation [considered a major economic world power].

Some of the comments are either racially-based or conservative/Bible belt types who disagree with the vast number of Californians & then gripe & wallow in self-pity. Maybe Bakersfield would suit your political bent

I agree with alot of the things I have seen you post! I agree that the mayor is doing ALOT with downtown!! I never realized how downtown used to look until I started going in to some of these buildings. It must have been BOOMING from 1900- 1920's!! Like in the days BEFORE Hollywood got big.

I think all over America they are redeveloping the downtown areas to fight against suburbia and bring life back downtown and not just work.

The problem in my opinion with downtown LA is that there are alot of things that need to be done BEFORE revitalization can occur. I dont think they are addressing that so much.....the homeless for one. I guess they just put them in jail now if they are in certain areas past curfew. Why not build an apartment complex for the homeless to live in? Has anybody ever thought of that?

No our government doesnt build apartments for homeless. Private owners build apartments for RICH people!

Thats whats happening in downtown LA. They are building apartments for RICH people! Well rich people are not going to live where there is a homeless person on the sidewalk in front of their building!

[happ]

LOL. Now the support for my beliefs is "red herrings".

Regarding the increase in spending for cops -- this is AFTER monies for police were allocated to other things, and is yet another effort to raise more money by increasing trash fee services. This has been discussed extensively by Kevin James, John and Ken, and others.

Regarding gangs, here:

[url=http://www.laweekly.com/news/features/broken-bridges/15210/]LA Weekly - News - Broken Bridges - Jeffrey Anderson And Christine Pelisek - The Essential Online Resource for Los Angeles

Good try [can't fault you for your effort], but this article is about a former gang-member who was hired by an agency funded by the City well before Villaraigosa became mayor. That Marroquin used these funds to continue gang activity is a disgrace & glad the LA Weekly covered this story, but as the article read, "L.A. Bridges — the Los Angeles City Council’s $100 million project to keep kids from joining gangs — has poured nearly $1.5 million into Marroquin’s No Guns coffers," this is concerning but hardly a major scandal & superficially connected to the mayor's office.

Regarding Economics, here:

L.A.’s mayor emphasizes greater unity - El Universal - Mexico News

Furthermore, your last paragraph confirms my suspicions about you, not that it was needed.

Another rather weak argument, IMO since everything Villaraigosa has done in talking with Mexican official both our governor & president have also done. Mc Cain's position regarding immigration is essentially the same as what Villaraigosa has voiced [not that McCain is correct].

Can't quite get your point, however when Villaraigosa states: "In Los Angeles, we understand that immigration is a problem that must be soberly and seriously addressed on both sides of the border," he said, "Illegal immigration hurts us all."

As far as Ken & John, well they are good laughs but hardly qualify as experts in anything beyond radio talk.

It is easy just throwing garbage if you already hate someone but your points about Villaraigosa are minuscule compared with the problems we face. All Angelenos are upset by the gang activity that has been going on decades. It is primarily an economic issue that has to be addressed.

[Prince of Lombards]

Originally Posted by happ

Good try [can't fault you for your effort], but this article is about a former gang-member who was hired by an agency funded by the City well before Villaraigosa became mayor. That Marroquin used these funds to continue gang activity is a disgrace & glad the LA Weekly covered this story, but as the article read, "L.A. Bridges — the Los Angeles City Council’s $100 million project to keep kids from joining gangs — has poured nearly $1.5 million into Marroquin’s No Guns coffers," this is concerning but hardly a major scandal & superficially connected to the mayor's office.



Another rather weak argument, IMO since everything Villaraigosa has done in talking with Mexican official both our governor & president have also done. Mc Cain's position regarding immigration is essentially the same as what Villaraigosa has voiced [not that McCain is correct].

Can't quite get your point, however when Villaraigosa states: "In Los Angeles, we understand that immigration is a problem that must be soberly and seriously addressed on both sides of the border," he said, "Illegal immigration hurts us all."

As far as Ken & John, well they are good laughs but hardly qualify as experts in anything beyond radio talk.

It is easy just throwing garbage if you already hate someone but your points about Villaraigosa are minuscule compared with the problems we face. All Angelenos are upset by the gang activity that has been going on decades. It is primarily an economic issue that has to be addressed.

No, I wouldn't say it's "superficially" connected to the mayor's office, as this is the same mayor who when asked by Doug McIntyre about the ties illegal aliens have to L.A.'s gang problem, Tony responded that there's no correlation. This is the same mayor who sued L.A. to stop anti-gang measures, back when Tony worked for the ACLU (just after he finally passed the bar exam after his fourth attempt).

This is the same mayor who supports "the undocumented", so don't try to make it seem as if he's opposed to illegal immigration. Tony Vivalaraza's solution is to legalize the illegal invaders.

John and Ken present factual information on their show, and your dislike for their facts doesn't disqualify their validity.

Finally, I shall close with a quote from good old Tony himself:

"Part of today's reality has been propositions like 187 (to deny public benefits to illegal aliens, 1994), propositions like 209 (to abolish affirmative action, 1996), the welfare reform bill, which targeted legal immigrants and targeted us as a community. That's been the midnight. We know that the sunny side of midnight has been the election of a Latino speaker - was the election of Loretta Sanchez, against an arch-conservative, reactionary hate-mongering politician like Congressman Dornan! Today in California in the legislature, we're engaged in a great debate, where not only were we talking about denying education to the children of undocumented workers, but now we're talking about whether or not we should provide prenatal care to undocumented mothers. It's not enough to elect Latino leadership. If they're supporting legislation that denies the undocumented driver's licenses, they don't belong in office, friends. They don't belong here. If they can't stand up and say, 'You know what? I'm not ever going to support a policy that denies prenatal care to the children of undocumented mothers', they don't belong here." --Antonio Villaraigosa

[CESpeed]

Originally Posted by jerblaine

I agree with alot of the things I have seen you post! I agree that the mayor is doing ALOT with downtown!! I never realized how downtown used to look until I started going in to some of these buildings. It must have been BOOMING from 1900- 1920's!! Like in the days BEFORE Hollywood got big.

I think all over America they are redeveloping the downtown areas to fight against suburbia and bring life back downtown and not just work.

The problem in my opinion with downtown LA is that there are alot of things that need to be done BEFORE revitalization can occur. I dont think they are addressing that so much.....the homeless for one. I guess they just put them in jail now if they are in certain areas past curfew. Why not build an apartment complex for the homeless to live in? Has anybody ever thought of that?

No our government doesnt build apartments for homeless. Private owners build apartments for RICH people!

Thats whats happening in downtown LA. They are building apartments for RICH people! Well rich people are not going to live where there is a homeless person on the sidewalk in front of their building!

This is why Villa wants more cops. To criminalize being homeless. But, of course, since most homeless people are Black, criminalizing homelessnees isn't a problem for most people.

[happ]

. . . this is the same mayor who when asked by Doug McIntyre about the ties illegal aliens have to L.A.'s gang problem, Tony responded that there's no correlation . . .

And you actually believe that the newly arrived immigrant goes right into gangs? LEARNING POINT: gangs are highly territorial & generational. Immigrants tend to move around following work. Gangs don't feed the poor but instead prey on the unprotected [poor kids want to feel stronger & some join gangs - it's a process. Immigrants concentrate on staying fed by working immediately. Guys on corners we hire to move furniture, garden, paint, etc

. . . this is the same mayor who supports "the undocumented", so don't try to make it seem as if he's opposed to illegal immigration. Tony Vivalaraza's solution is to legalize the illegal invaders . . .

Your argument is with the current border policy & goes well beyond a local mayor or even governor. Bush doesn't see the border as a priority & will leave office accomplishing nothing. If you are super anti-immigrant then prepare yourself for a big disappointment. McCain/Obama/Clinton disagree with you.

Man, you have too many bogey men in your life [can't image that kind of fear

[Slauson Rosecranz]

Originally Posted by happ

Man, you have too many bogey men in your life [can't image that kind of fear

Ask him about interracial relationships and watch him flip out.

Why, he might even change genders...at least online.

[wclac]

Originally Posted by Slauson Rosecranz

Ask him about interracial relationships and watch him flip out.

Why, he might even change genders...at least online.

You talking about me?

[Slauson Rosecranz]

Originally Posted by LAFan

You talking about me?

You haven't made up any opposite gender aliases, have you?

Follow the thread. It's easy to see what I'm talking about.