Recently in City Hall Category

Spoke to District 1 Councilwoman Jacque Robinson a couple weeks back regarding the persistent rumor that an Obama win in November would precipitate her departure for Washington D.C.

Jacque told me that if either Obama or Clinton wins, she does want to go witness the inauguration but has no plans beyond that.

During her campaign, Jacque made frequent reference of her participation in Camp Obama, and said she's read the rumors floating around with "amusement." "That offer hasn't been made to me," she said. "No, as far as I'm concerned, I'm in Pasadena until 2011."

Haven't seen this in any of the usual places, but last week the family of shooting victim Ebony Huel formally filed a claim against the City of Pasadena.

Ebony was shot to death in August outside of a nightclub operating illegally on Lincoln Avenue near Muir High School. Questions were raised at the time regarding the city's enforcement efforts against the club -- fire officials had reportedly shut it down on more than one occasion, but it continued to host events without the proper licenses.

A likely precursor to litigation, the claim prepared by the law offices of Akudinobi & Ikonte asserts that "city officials were slow in enforcing the order” for the club to stop operating.

Amount of damages for Ebony's death are listed as "unknown" however "the damages exceed the jurisdictional limit for a limited jurisdiction action.”

 

Foothill Cities anonybloggers got a sip of just how sexy a reporter's job is when they went hunting for Pasadena campaign contribution records:

Unfortunately, they helpfully copied hundreds of pages of Form 460s. The forms were filled in by hand, wildly varied in their completeness, scrawled in degrees of illegibility. There was no way to quickly browse the information, to do any kind of meaningful comparison. To actually search for a donor's name required you flip every single page of every single candidate's forms.

Welcome to your open government. At least the information was available.

Despite having a public information officer who seems to get why it's in City Hall's best self-interest to be helpful and obey the law, there is deep resistance and gamesmanship by staff when it comes to disclosing information and records. Particularly when it's politically sensitive -- which it tends to be. My blood pressure rises when I reflect upon the wall that went up a couple months back, when I was reporting on City Hall's top earners - some of whom really wanted to see Measure D pass. My request was simple: I had a list of every city employee's gross earnings from 2006 and wanted a second list that would show their salaries.

Now for something completely silly.

I often get copied on e-mails pertaining to back-and-forth disputes, from topics serious to insane.

Recently, my inbox has witnessed a quiet feud between Lisa Derderian and Ann Erdman, of the Pasadena Fire Department and City Hall, respectively.

Both women are heads of public information duties, and it's precisely their heads at stake -- at least what's on them.

From what I've been able to reconstruct, Lisa sent this photo to Ann to rub in just how awesome her PIO helmet is:

Gripped with jealousy, Ann put her leet crafting skills to work to forge a helm worthy of her station:

Maybe now that Measure D has passed, they can give that thing a proper retrofit.

"Just when I think I'm out, they keep pulling me back in."

Because I missed losing half of the most frenetic day in the newsroom ... and because Producer Stuart Johnson made with the puppy-dog eyes, I joined the fine people of KPAS to appear on the new City Beat with the inimitable likes of Tami DeVine, Barry Gordon and Steve Madison of District 6.

Topics included Pasadena Heritage's bid to designate the Central and Lower Arroyo a protected cultural landscape, the YAC and -- as much as I wished otherwise -- Measure D.

City Beat airs on cable channel 55 and streams throughout the week.

Apparently the Pasadena Bizarre News is a holiday tradition at City Hall. Too damn awesome. Most entries mock stories of mine from the past year, as well as the work of Janette Williams, Robert S. Hong and former reporter Mary Frances Gurton. I've opted to take it as homage. ((Erdman: You'll pay for this! >:D))

Click the image or here for the full version.

Copies of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report are available at libraries and City Hall, but why not just warm up your Acrobats and visit the Rose Bowl's online repository.

Here it is, the text of Mayor Bill Bogaard's 2008 State o' the City Address

Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard
State of the City Address
January 17, 2008

"VITAL CONNECTIONS"

This decade has been good to Pasadena. Each year since 2000 has been better than the last. Now, in 2008, we find ourselves in a period of transition and change. In my report, I want to go over the City’s economic condition, review public and private investment, and then talk about some of the challenges and initiatives that make up the City’s agenda for the new year.

Let’s begin with the City’s economic situation.

This fiscal year, the general fund budget is over $210 million, and the total operating budget—including the Water & Power utility—is $560 million. There are 2,400 City employees. At least through December 31, the local economy was strong and dynamic, with an estimated 110,000 jobs.

As our economy has transitioned from manufacturing to retail and service activities over the last 25 years, it has become stronger and more diversified. The economy benefits from a balance of retail, financial services, professional services, technology, and educational and cultural sectors. We have strong retail and restaurant sales and low unemployment, although it is this year higher than last. Our continuing low office vacancy has fueled rental rates in Pasadena that are now among the highest in L.A. County.

It should be noted that Pasadena’s performance was stronger than in many other California communities. For example, construction statewide is down 5%, while ours is slightly up. New auto sales in California are down over 5%, though Pasadena’s decrease is less than 2%.

Speaking of Bill at the Bowl, it will be interesting to hear how the citizenry is (subtly) reminded to vote YES on Measure D during tonight's State of the City address.

In a true "Web first," the Yes on Measure D campaign site announced support Monday from the Pasadena Unified School District before the Board of Education had even voted on a resolution reportedly authored by board member Ed Honowitz. Ed is a member of the ACT political machine, which holds its share of influence on both the board and council.

Measure D's campaign was being managed by political consultant Fred Register, one of ACT's founders and the mayor's campaign manager.

Fred is Pasadena's antidote to Measure D opponent-in-chief Martin Truitt. They both roll their eyes at the arch-rival characterizations, but it's not the first time they've gone head-to-head.

But it could be the first such match with such a large financial disparity: Martin and CRaG-meister Wayne Lusvardi have next-to-nothing in their coffers.

Which made for a collective "Huh?" when Wayne turned down the potential free-publicity of his Doo-Dah spot, as chronicled in the paper and spilled over into a psychedelic diatribe from one detractor of the event's (de)merits here a few days ago.

Speaking of Molly R. Okeon, here she is soaking up some sun and some mayor at the Wednesday event in the Central Arroyo. I'd been looking forward to a nice plein air assignment, but was preoccupied with chronicling the depths of suffering.

Many refuse to believe reporters have no say in the headlines selected (page designers and copy editors do their best to make something fit the space on deadlines of their own) but I'll take fault for the sub-hed "White won suit against city in 2004." She was terminated previously in 2004 and won the suit in 2007.

Kept rewriting the second paragraph, the "nut graf" which tells the reader "this is what this story is about."

Never too shy to pile on the appositives and dependent clauses at the expense of clarity, I'd left it at:

City officials said Wednesday they were reviewing a claim filed by Karin White alleging she was let go Aug. 30 in retaliation after a jury determined the department violated her privacy by illegally using wiretap evidence to justify a previous termination in 2004.

Which can be read several ways: Was the termination or the legal victory in 2004? Through no fault of an editor, it was streamlined to the latter:

City officials said Wednesday they were reviewing a claim filed by Officer Karin White in which she alleged she was wrongfully terminated on Aug. 30 in retaliation for prevailing against the city in a lawsuit in 2004.

Here's the story:

Officer claims wrongful firing White won suit against city in 2004 By Kenneth Todd Ruiz, Staff Writer Article Launched: 01/10/2008 12:36:30 AM PST

PASADENA -- One year after taking a bullet in the face from her own gun during a struggle with her son, a Pasadena police officer claims she has been wrongfully terminated by the department.

City officials said Wednesday they were reviewing a claim filed by Officer Karin White in which she alleged she was wrongfully terminated on Aug. 30 in retaliation for prevailing against the city in a lawsuit in 2004.

In that suit, a jury determined the Pasadena Police Department violated White's privacy by illegally using wiretap evidence to justify a previous termination in 2004.

Since hiring White in 1996, the department never disciplined White, according to the claim received Monday by the City Council.

Proposed contract for Police Chief Bernard Melekian goes before the council Monday for his new duties as acting city manager.

Thus ends my resistance to making easy reference to my favorite film.

I passed on ACT's mock caucus at Mijares but thought of the real thing taking place just as Councilwoman Margaret McAustin spoke her comments about City Manager Cynthia Kurtz at last night's deliberately low-key send off for the latter.

"Cynthia Kurtz is, quite simply, the most powerful woman in the history of Pasadena," said Councilwoman Margaret McAustin.

Decisive wins for Huckabee and Obama in Iowa, with a considerable margins of loss by Clinton and Romney, and Giuliani hardly showing.

Democrats
Obama 38%
Edwards 30%
Clinton 29%
Richardson 2%

Republicans
Huckabee 34%
Romney 25%
Thompson 13%

Kurtz feted at Pasadena farewell
By Kenneth Todd Ruiz, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 01/03/2008 10:43:38 PM PST

PASADENA -- After a decade of professional cool in public, the city's unflappable chief executive wasn't going to come unglued when it came time to say goodbye.

No sentimental presentations or long-winded speeches were permitted Thursday night at Brookside Golf Club, where politicos, city staff, community elders and other wielders of influence said farewell to City Manager Cynthia Kurtz.

"Cynthia Kurtz is, quite simply, the most powerful woman in the history of Pasadena," said Councilwoman Margaret McAustin before reading a proclamation by Mayor Bill Bogaard in her most "Bogaardesque" voice.

After several painful hours of debate, the City Council -did- award exclusive negotiating rights for Heritage Square to Retirement Housing Foundation.

Voting in support was Bill Bogaard, Victor Gordo, Steve Madison, Margaret McAustin and Sid Tyler.

Steve Haderliein was MIA. Chris Holden left the room before the vote.

Jacque Robinson voted yes, but then left the room, came back, and changed her vote to an abstention.

A staff writer at our sister paper picks up where Saturday's story left off:

Measure S phone tax could tap Internet usage
By Kerry Cavanaugh, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 12/10/2007 11:10:20 PM PST

Despite assurances that a telephone-users tax on the February ballot is simply aimed at modernizing how Los Angeles taxes communications systems, wording in the measure opens the door to also taxing Internet access.

Federal law currently prohibits taxes on Internet access and e-mail - but that law sunsets in 2014, and some watchdogs said Monday that if the broadly written Measure S telephone tax passes it could allow the city to tax Internet access without additional voter approval.

"How do you say you're not taxing the Internet when the statute specifically says it's covering DSL, Voice-Over-Internet protocol, text messaging, instant messaging and PCS?" said Walter Moore, who is writing the opposition to the measure for the Feb. 5 ballot. You don't need a law degree to realize this is a tax on the Internet and wireless and all that."

Truth takes many forms and guises. So does legal language.

Since the city's own attorney cleared up any confusion about what Measure D's scope on Friday, members of the City Council are straining to contrast legislative "intent" and legislative "outcome," a distinction that might convince Immanuel Kant.

And I don't think they were happy with Michael Colantuono's rather clear explanation -- he wrote a ballot measure that could be applied to the Internet, if the council chose to do so at a future date when the current federal moratorium expired.

By the time other's got around to doing what one reader described as "re-reporting" the news, the spin had taken hold.

Measure D back in spotlight
Lawyers: Proposal would allow Internet tax
By Kenneth Todd Ruiz, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/08/2007 12:07:03 AM PST

PASADENA - Approving Measure D would allow City Hall to enact an Internet-access tax at a future time without a vote of the people, according to the legal team that wrote the ballot measure.

Seeking to challenge "misleading" ballot statements filed by Measure D opponents, the law firm of Colantuono & Levin filed a motion in court Friday arguing the City Council-endorsed ballot measure would "allow," not "force," a tax on Internet access.

"Our basic point is Measure D authorizes an Internet tax, but it doesn't require it," Colantuono said in a telephone interview.

The measure is designed that way, he said, because technological strides might render telephone use unrecognizable in time.

Wayne Lusvardi says Colantuono and Levin, the law firm responsible for Pasadena's Measure D, has notified him they are suing to remove certain items in the Rebuttal to the Argument FOR Measure D that Wayne submitted last week.

UPDATED: See, it all comes together. All the disparate narrative threads and one-liners, like good sketch comedy, converge into something discernible. Ragnarök? Or just a lot of talk?

I've been waiting for things to gel beyond speculation for a print story about the lawsuit but yes, Rene Amy's first case? Defending Wayne Lusvardi's Citizens for Responsible Government (which he insists on pronouncing as "CRAG") in court.

Here's the city press release from Spokeslegend Ann Erdman:

LAWSUIT FILED TO CORRECT FALSE AND MISLEADING STATEMENTS
IN REBUTTAL BALLOT ARGUMENT ON LOCAL MEASURE “D”

On Dec. 7, a lawsuit will be filed on behalf of the Elections Official for the City of Pasadena to correct a misleading ballot argument that was submitted for the voter pamphlet against local Measure “D.”

Measure “D” will be considered by the voters of the City of Pasadena at a Feb. 5, 2008, election; the Measure itself is titled “Pasadena Utility Users Tax Continuation Measure.” The Measure is intended to clarify the application of the City’s Utility Users Tax on telephone services, first imposed in 1969, to new telephone technologies like wireless and voice over the internet protocol.

(More below)

-- Margaret McAustin went off-script by asking why the council should approve $220,000 to print glossier promo materials for the Rose Bowl renovation when there wasn't an actual renovation plan. But then, as a new member, Margaret isn't beholden to the political debt incurred when most of the previous council aligned against the NFL.

RBOC chairman Bill Thompson said some people have asked to see such, and to not approve it now would be sound the "death-knell" for the renovation plan, which is either just getting started or was dead-on-arrival, depending on whom you ask.

Council action: Approval.

-- Mayor Bill Bogaard should have defined "succinct" before every speaker re: Historic Highlands designation read from their prepared comments without any effort at self-editing. This next woman has a Powerpoint? Council should vote no on principal. Wait, she has it on the display, she must be city staff, because were it someone else I'd wonder why they were afforded such access. Maybe Ann Lau or John Li will bring a presentation. Leslie Levy playing music along with her next poem. These people know the council is going to give them what they want, imagine if they used this organization for something that made the world a better place?

Chris Holden is suggesting that perhaps it won't be destroyed home apocalypse if no action is taken.
"it's not just the size, but the compatibility, "Victor Gordo tells Chris.

Chris Sutton: This is an attack on our home and ability to make improvements. Cites law.

Council action: Approval

Steve Madison wants the council to take back a hearing officer's approval of selling hard alcohol and -- gasp -- video games at Hooters.

Concerned man says, no there have been no complaints, BUT, "we all know" it's a problem that is ruining Old Pas.

Owner asks why Hooters keeps getting called up?

Council action: Approval.

Saturday's Measure D story the other day ended with this line:

Also on Monday, the city plans, without a council vote, to change the threshold for low-income seniors to apply for exemption of the utility-user tax so that more seniors can qualify by linking it to economic indicators, City Manager Cynthia Kurtz said.

Problem is I never wrote that. I did write the "city plans to ..." but where "Also Monday" and "without a council vote" came from escapes me entirely.

The PUSD & Altadena Town Council Joint Meeting:

Pasadena Unified School District and Altadena Town Council will participate in a joint meeting to be held on December 4 at 7 p.m. in the Eliot Middle School Auditorium, 2184 N. Lake Avenue in Altadena. Issues regarding Altadena and its schools will be discussed. Also, representatives from the County of Los Angeles will be on hand to discuss joint use of green space. The public are welcome to attend.

I love Altadena. With more crazies per square mile, it's one of the best things about Pasadena. When my cell phone signal cuts out just above New York Drive, I feel like I'm back in Jalalabad. Altadenastan?

The boys (and girl) on the PUSD board will be grasping for breath up in that rarified, oxygen-deprived atmosphere when they head up to absorb a decade's worth of pent-up angst and rage over the school district many Altadenans feel they have no voice in.

Stories slated for the "B1" local page have to be filed by 2:30 p.m.

This is a problem when that source or sources you've been hounding all day finally calls back at a not-unreasonable time of day -- but too late to make it into the story. Do I write that they didn't return calls? Refused to comment? Were unavailable?

When it's not clear-cut either way, the best practice would be to print what actually happened, however awkward:

"By 3 p.m., Jane Doe had not returned five messages left on her voicemail, a text message, two pages, three e-mails and two verbal messages her assistant swore up and down to deliver."

Case in point: Tomorrow's story re: Measure D will contain a line referencing that Mayor Bill Bogaard "couldn't be reached for comment" by late afternoon. He did call at 4:30 p.m., and we talked about the ballot measure and other things.

Stopped by City Hall before last night's council meeting to see if the ballot statements were in re: Measure D and was told they were -- and would be shared in the morning. Came back in a few minutes later when Principal opponent Wayne Lusvardi showed up to demand they be presented because he suspected the statement in support was NOT submitted by the 5:30 p.m. deadline.

Wish I had a camera as City Clerk Jane Rodriguez came back and held them up to show proof they'd been received. Story in tomorrow's paper.