Taking Stock of Neighborhoods

Please note: This blog is intended to be a discussion of issues facing Los Angeles. Personal attacks on ANY person are subject to removal.

Thanks to all of you who took the time to click on the blog -- 787 visitors as of 5:30 today -- and a special thanks to those of you who took the time to post a comment! I have been thinking for a long time about how to make our city a better place, but I know I'm not the only one. I want to combine your energy and your ideas with mine in order to come up with a plan of action that we can implement if I'm elected. Your comments so far have encouraged me that this blog will be the vehicle that brings about the meeting of our minds.

Many of the people who wrote in response to my last post were talking about neighborhoods. For example, Jerry England is very protective of his Chatsworth neighborhood and the council entrusted with defending its rural charm. Meanwhile, my old friend William Schlitz is concerned about the impact of LAX on Westchester. Yet another correspondent is emphatic that individual neighborhoods recognize that their interests may occasionally need to be compromised for the greater good of the City. Before I discuss my own ideas on how to make government work at both the neighborhood and citywide level, I would like to get a better sense of your impressions. How do you feel city government is doing? How effective have your neighborhood councils been? What things has city government been getting right? What needs to be improved?

Comments

[Steve Shaevel]

Hello Bob,
From one Palm Springs High School buddy to another. Congrats! We all will be supporting you!

In answer to your most recent question/posting...
I had lived in the "city" for many years, and now I have lived in the "west SF valley" for many years. There is a public perception that the LA City Council, etc, has the city on their radar more than the valley. I know you understand this perception. I think it is important, along with all the other important issues such as crime, traffic, schools, etc, that
the Hertzberg campaign also talks about unity and the LA City Council and Mayor's office is for all of Los Angeles...south and north of the hills that divide us.

I am excited to hear your views on all issues including how city government and community neighborhood councils can get even better!

I'm looking forward to a greater Los Angeles!

[Myiesha Taylor, M.D.]

Hello Bob,

I was so excited to hear from my husband William that you were running for Mayor of the City of Los Angeles. I can share with you first hand how disappointed we have been with City Hall and their lack of concern for those communities that surround LAX. William and I live in Westchester and we have seen how lack of leadership and thoughtful planning by the City can be harmful to local communities. In addition, I have family that lives in the City of Inglewood and I would hope that we would see that the problems facing LAX are not solely a City of Los Angeles issue. Bob, I know as Mayor you will not only provide leadership and vision for the City of Los Angeles, but also work diligently with other communities/cities that share our common issues and concerns. We must have leadership in City Hall that can build successful coalitions with all interested and concerned parties.

In addition, I know you are aware of the critical lack of access to health care that many in the City of Los Angeles face. As an emergency medicine resident physician at Martin Luther King, Jr./Drew Medical Center I can share with you the horror stories that I see daily in our busy emergency room. If as you stated we are truly going to have the quality of life for our children we all desire, we must have a solution to our current health care crisis. I know people will say that the health care crisis is an issue for the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, but I believe that we must all be involved. Bob, I still remember visiting you in Sacramento and seeing you tackle issues directly and provide the leadership necessary to implement a solution. I know as Mayor that you will bring this same energy to our community health care crisis and help provide an avenue for a solution.

Once again I am excited that you, Dr. Telles and your children have decided to undertake this endeavor. I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

Myiesha Taylor, M.D.
Resident of the City of Los Angeles - Westches

[Joe Landon]

Having grown up in Hollywood, and spent much of my adult life working in Los Angeles, I am energized and inspired by the notion of someone with Robert Hertzberg's vision and energy coming to grips with something as vast and complex as Los Angeles. Bob Hertzberg deserve the challenge and Los Angeles deserves Bob Hertzberg. It's about time for things to get better!

[Liza Kuhn]

I heard your very persuasive interview on "Air Talk". Thank you for your energy and efforts to make LA all it can be.
I was very interested in your efforts, with Nancy Daly Riordan, to bring pre-schools to our public schools. I am writing to you in an effort to help facilitate just such an endeavor.
I have a 10 year old daughter who, after spending several years at expensive private schools, now attends Colfax Avenue Elementary, in Valley Village. I chose public school for it's rich diversity and values. (I adopted her from China as a single mom, so diversity of all forms is an issue we search for.) I have been very active in her education and her schools.
Colfax has an marvelous Principal, Joanie Freckmann, who has been amazing at revitalizing the school. In spite of being a Title 1 School, our test schools have been rising continuously. She does an amazing job with the ever dwindling budget. She makes sure that the kids get what they need. We have for several years now been known as the best kept secret in the Valley. I'm afraid the word is out.....
Recently, we were approached by a local Pre-school, currently housed at the neighborhood YMCA. They are being asked to relocate. The thought of added this pre-school to our lot is very appealing to both parties. Their philosophy goes along with ours, and the match seems to be perfect. Currently we have a very small, special ed pre-school program only. The idea of having an on-site pre-school that they could interact with is wonderful.
The problem that we haven't yet solved however, is that we have the District Transporation office on our lot. We have lines of buses parked around the school on a regular basis, even though only a handful of kids arrive by bus. In order to make access and parking safe and accessible, the transporation office would need to be moved.
There in lies the problem. To date, we have been unsuccessful. Despite repeated phone calls to the District, we have not succeeded. It would be a shame if we lost out on this wonderful opportunity.
Sincerely,
Liza Kuhn

[Chris Bassett]

From previous experience, I know that your office would take action to help in a personal matter involving government when no other elected official would help.

I would like to request that if you do become Mayor, please do something about speeding bicyclists and motorized scooters on crowded L.A. sidewalks, especially downtown. The problem has been allowed to fester. Calls to the present Mayor's office and council members have resulted in no response. I've seen old people get hit from behind by a bicycle moving at 20 to 25 mph when they veer to look a shop window. I've seen pet dogs get run over, and even a baby knocked out of a parent's arms as a man was sideswiped from behind by a kid on a bicycle on a crowded sidewalk. Most of these kids have no concept of safety and they never stop to help their victims. A few years ago you never saw this. Today we have policemen on bicycles who do nothing about the problem, few patrolmen on the beat, and no way a police car can stop a speeding bicyclist. The recent installation of curb cuts all over the city for wheelchairs has worsened the speeding bicyclist problem as now they don't even have to slow down at intersections. Many are paid by the delivery to make speedy deliveries from fast food places. I haven't seen this problem in other cities. But the word has gotten out that it is open season on pedestrians in Los Angeles. All it would take would be a few bicycle confiscations or fines to bicyclists moving over 5 mph on a pedestrian sidewalk and the problem would soon be eliminated.

[Beverly]

I voted yesterday afternoon. I went to my usual polling place as I did not receive a booklet. I found out that I wasn't listed at that polling place and had to file a provisional vote since I wasn't willing to search out the new polling place. While there, a couple of other people also had the same problem. No booklet and going to the wrong polling place.

It got me to thinking, within five minutes there were three of us that were in the wrong place and did not receive their voter booklet. I asked the person that was looking for names on the list and she stated that this was happening very often. Could this have hurt Bob Hertzberg with the valley vote?

I'm wondering how many out here didn't receive there booklet and went to their usual polling place and were turned away.

I believe that there is something terribly wrong and that it should be looked into.

Beverly M.