Come Welcome 'DeeLANC' to Downtown

This seems strange. The city allocates money to the NCs. The NCs give it back to the city? Is there some reason it isn’t spent on what it was intended for?

Perhaps collecting donations for the horse would have been more appropriate.

Good intentions are swell, the police deserve our support, but isn’t that money meant to be used for other things, or are the NCs a scam?

Steve,

I have thought the same thing.

It seems that I was wrong in thinking that way too.

I mean if the City of LA can’t spend any of this money on what they should , then maybe the Neighborhood Councils can.

So I am a bit ambivalent on this subject because I know the City should spend on what they should.

But if we can spend it right , why not?

Oh yeah , there is an election this year.

you cna go to my blog site to see the updated timeline.

Don’t hold your breathe though . The department of NEihgborhood empowerment has made so many changes to our elections this year, I am wondering if they will make more.

oops I mean Tim

respectfully, you sound like a politician in that response. Does this mean the city gives money to the NCs so they can use it to grease the wheels of bureaucracy? A sort of institutionalized form of graft? That is bizzarre, but maybe that’s it.

I like the horse, love our police, think the world of Bratton and his approach to policing. This will end with the funds being jerked from the NCs because they can’t find legitimate uses for it and end up just returning it to the city in the form of targeted gifts. I have a feeling the anti-NC people are chuckling to themselves over this one. Sometimes gifts backfire, especially when they have agendas attached.

The Neighborhood Councils are allocated a pot of money that they are to use to improve their area. The idea is folks who live, work and own property there can best decide what the community needs are. Sometimes it is to repair sidewalks or something that probably would eventually get done but not as quickly given the way bureacracy works. Sponsoring a horse for patrolling is something that seems reasonable. Certainly better than one NC just after being formed is rumored to have blown the money on a street festival that came off as just one giant giveaway of free food, etc. Obviously the NC’s are a work-in-progress.

P.S.–where is the paddock for the horse? At one point there was talk of having a horse patrol in MacArthur Park and where to stable the horses was brought up as one issue that had to be dealt with before it could be done. In the end the horse idea was shelved.

Hey Eric,

I am rolling on the floor . You now do come across as a certified politician.

Oh.. wait aminute Tim. Eric is on the Neighborhood council and this is an election year.

The problem with the way this much money is being spent on LAPD equipment , proves the NC’s don’t have the graft and buying votes etc right yet. It seesm they got it backwards.

I mean the slush funds( actualy that is called discretionary funds) in the Council Offices and the MAyors office and let’s even take it further, the County Board of supervisor offices is usually spent on giving that money to community centers , non -profits and any organizations that can become or are gate keepers of many votes and can get the people to vote for said politician.

So in this instance this does not help these NEighborhood Council memebes get re-eleceted. Only the suppport of certain interests who see Public safety as a top priority. Which are pretty much the folks trying to put forth the energy and concept that Downtown Los Angeles is a safe neighborhood .

We all know who that is. But on a positive note to use occam’s razor the simplest answer is usually the right one. We have a very dedicated and don’t tkae no for an answer Chair of the Public Safety Committee.

So yes, if you have this much tenacity , guess which priroties will be met. And she isn’t even on the Board of Directors.

You want DLANC to spend on something you want get out there and propose a project and get it done.

Believe me, we have way too much money that hasn’t been spent because of this problem.

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

I applaud whoever arranged for the horse donation for one reason only - she picked a fight, fought that fight, and then won that fight. And she did it with the community’s interest in mind.

If it’s good for the community at large, I don’t understand the argument. I see it as relationship building between the NC and the LAPD, 2 organizations that should work and support one another.

Will people actually chuckle over this? Is there really a contingent that is against Neighborhood Councils? It all seems silly to me.

As political as Eric sounded, I have to totally agree with him here. Nic

I have come to see the argument as E states it. The idea of the neighborhood councils is to give the residents of an area the ability to respond to the needs they see from close up. If that means buying the police equipment then so be it.

No one against NCs? Don’t be naive. If NCs have any power then they also have enemies.

It seems silly to you? Then you are beginning to see it my way.

I think I know better than most the realities of the actual “power” behind NCs. I’ve been involved with DLANC since their 1st administration as alternate board director and co-chair of AAC, later renamed AACE. I also authored the website. I wrote several proposals that got turned into reality and played a pretty large role in DLANC until I resigned over a year ago. I didn’t just “attend” meetings and opened my mouth to music; I played a more than active role.

From my point of view, there is no “power” that you speak of… DLANC can’t get on the phone and say, I need this and that and get it to me right NOW. DLANC has to sit in meeting after meeting just to get 27 people to agree on something. I don’t call that power whatsoever. On the contrary, exactly the opposite.

If there is a group out there wasting time belittling the efforts of the community, then let them waste their time hating the good deeds of others. It won’t bother me… I prefer to stay naive while producing art shows in Gallery Row.

I have to point out that you are describing the second paragraph of your comment in the third paragraph.

your pal, -Tim

PS you’re awesome dude, stop being so defensive.

hahaha… I don’t know what it is about NC discussions that gets my blood boiling! It’s just that every time someone has an idea worth pursuing, it always seems that there’s a naysayer in the mix that throws in a wrench and drags it out - for months.

It’s all good. Congrats on your work in the Citizen and Phantom Galleries, Tim.

Nic