L.A. Councilman Dennis Zine wants proof new tax will fight Valley gangs

Los Angeles Councilmember Jose Huizar, Police Chief William Bratton, Councilmember Dennis Zine and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, left to right, meet before a press conference in Los Angeles about the mid-year ...

[Tom]

Bill Rosendahl never met a tax he didn't like - money filters through the system to his pockets and his cronies. Put a bill on the city ballot to take 90% of his money and use it elsewhere. Not like he actually works for his money!

[Katie J]

There goes Dennis Zine again. Making a last minute grandstand play to con us into thinking he really cares if his West Valley 3rd District gets its fair share of anti-gang program parcel tax money before he votes "aye" to putting it on the November ballot.

His crocodile foot-stamping that he wants proof that the 3rd will get the money is too little and comes too late, now that the council is in a sudden rush to put it to a vote.

At least as important, if not more so, is proof that these so-called anti-gang programs do any good whatsoever except to line the pockets of gang members and their Ma Barker moms who get hired to run them.

The only thing Zine is close to being right about is that voters won't buy into taxing themselves again, not after being duped on the phony phone tax, and after the council has raised every fee (tax) imaginable.

Ooops. I forgot. They've already mapped out exactly how they're going to use drastic fear tactics to get us to part with more money for more useless programs.

Can't you picture Bratton's grim, sour face in a TV ad pointing a finger at us and threatening us that if we don't vote for this, the streets will flow more than they do now in a never-ending river of blood?

Hey, Bratton. I've got news for you...and Zine, too. Contrary to what Bratton said, we can arrest our way out of the gang problem. And it can be done without demanding more money from us. In fact, if Bratton were doing his job and arresting gang members and turning the illegals over to I.C.E. for deportation, he'd be saving us money!

[Norman Moore]

I'm in if the funds will fight the North Spring Street Gang.

[Robert G]

Round up all these gang members, throw out every law in the book, bus their sorry asses out to a desert pit, give them weapons and let them cut each other down........
Then, bulldoze them into an earthen grave...
That is where I would love to see my tax dollars at 'work'...
Screw all of them.
Urban terror is our worst enemy.
No sympathy for them or their families....

[Fed Up]

Another "program" for Janice Hahn to herald her so-called accomplishments. I would bet that 50% or more of the proposed tax will be used for administrative purposes and add more people to the already bloated government payrolls.

Vote NO to any new taxes.

[Walter Moore]

1. Hahn's claim that it's difficult to get two-thirds of the people to approve a parcel tax is cynical and disingenuous. About two-thirds of the voters are renters, as opposed to homeowners, and experience has shown they're more than willing to raise the taxes of the other one-third.

2. Where is the proof that the money we now squander -- er, "spend" -- on anti-gang programs is providing ANY value? Where is the proof that each dollar spent on gang programs is more cost-effective than spending that dollar on hiring more police? Think gang programs are working? Google "Big Weasel."

3. We are over-taxed as it is, and the City's revenues from taxes and fees are higher than ever in history. The economy, moreover, is headed in the wrong direction. This is the wrong time to raise taxes. The fifth of never would be a much better date.

Walter Moore
Candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles
http://WalterMooreForMayor.com .

[Walter Moore]

P.S. You want a cost-effective way to fight gangs? Pass Jamiel's Law, and end "sanctuary city" status for gang members. Find out more at my website. The ballot petitions are now circulating. Please sign one. We need about 74,000 signatures to put it on the ballot.

[Sgt Dan]

"Instead of raising the parcel tax to fund future anti-gang programs, the City of Los Angeles should sponsor a major fund raiser.
I would call upon the Los Angeles Dodgers to sponsor this event, which would be held at dodger stadium, along with soliciting the help of various record artist who would donate their time to this most worthy cause.
Security would be donated by the Los Angeles Police Department. This would be accomplished at no cost to the citizens of Los Angeles, as the officers working this event would donate their off time.
There is no doubt in my mind that the good citizens of Los Angeles would love to be involved with this venture, thus preventing any future tax increases!
We fund raise for everything else, why not to prevent future gang influence in our communities."
Sgt Dan

[redpandabear]

at 36 dollars per year per parcel that will hit about 833,333 property owners in the city and at $ 100,000.00 per year per city worker on this gang task force per year that's only 30 people and that aganst 70.000 know gang members. I think this will work just fine and well spent money in fighting gangs

[tired taxpayer]

I'm a renter, but I sure won't be voting for an increase in ANY tax. Year after year we vote yes and then the money is not used for what it was touted for. Example, the prop money that was supposed to be used ONLY for affordable housing went to Phil Anschutz LA Live. That is just corporate welfare, and until it stops, this voter won't be voting for ANY new tax. Including the darn schools. Look at that monstrosity downtown with the rollercoaster on top, and you'll see millions of wasted dollars. I hope gas goes to 7 dollars a gallon and people stay home.

[Tim]

Janice Hahn's anti gang program is a sham. It costs the city of Los Angeles millions of dollars and what do we get in return? Her program is headed by a woman who is a breeder of gang members and felons. It also employs thugs. I guess if you pay out gangsters to work for an anti gang program you get them out of the street.

Also note I don't mean former gangsters I mean CURRENT gangsters work for the program.

Funny Janice Hahn believes her gang banger employees of her anti gang program more than the cops that patrol her district.

Click or go to the link below to Fox 11 News' segment explosing Janice Hahn's bs program!
http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detai...

[Setting it straight]

Dennis Zine is in my district and let me tell you he's a smoke and mirrors kind of man. Our chance to get rid of him was extended by voting fools of Los Angeles who allowed the council to have a third term. So if you're one of them complaining now, you asked for it, now you have it. Dennis amounts up to a basic bunch of crap. Rarely ever has he produced or done something worthwhile in all the time he's been in office. Janice Hahn lost my vote awhile ago with the anti gang program, and the expose produced by Fox is a credible piece of evidence that shows a side the City would rather you forget. We're already seeing major fee hikes for all kinds of services. I rent but I'm voting no. Why? Because anyone who ever aspired to owning will wind up paying big bucks in fees for it. See, all those bond measures everyone loves and votes for, those come out of property taxes. It's all find and dandy until you're on the other side of the fence. Then it's not so fantastic. Bill Rosendahl is a plain jack ass. He wants a county tax to fund public transportation when not everyone uses it. Now he wants another half a percent when it's against the law. You know what? The city just raised the trash fee for full collection. Take a hint and cue and do the same for the buses. Raise the rates another 50 cents to a buck if needed to fund the costs. Stop zapping the public as a whole by moving to a recovery basis program. Better yet, do you job and go after federal and state transportation funding programs and take a pay cut along with the rest of the overpaid board authorities.

[Bureaucratic Mess]

Here come the politicians with their sob stories, alarmist warnings and outright lies to get more taxes for their bureaucrat masters. They don't need to raise taxes -- they need to start running the city and county like businesses. They think they have no competition but they do ... other cities are attracting Angelenos and other Californians sick of the mess the socialists have made in LA and CA.

Midnight basketball and other Hug A Thug programs? FAILURES! Stop giving our money away to society's losers and then coming back and asking for more.

You want to fix the gang problem? Get rid of the illegal immigrants instead of inviting more.

[we are not dumb]

how about all these politicians take a pay cut to pay for some of the B.S. they pushing - half of the money they get from these new taxes will go into their pockets - how much of the money will really go to these programs - why in the world are most of our elected politicians so F@#$ UP -
WE ARE NOT DUMB

[AAAAANDRE]

How about this for an "Anti-Gang" program...
Use the money to hire MORE POLICE!???

(Oh, that's right, we already are paying taxes "for more police" that have never been hired.)

[Kaden]

Sgt Dan wrote:

"Instead of raising the parcel tax to fund future anti-gang programs, the City of Los Angeles should sponsor a major fund raiser.
I would call upon the Los Angeles Dodgers to sponsor this event, which would be held at dodger stadium, along with soliciting the help of various record artist who would donate their time to this most worthy cause.
Security would be donated by the Los Angeles Police Department. This would be accomplished at no cost to the citizens of Los Angeles, as the officers working this event would donate their off time.
There is no doubt in my mind that the good citizens of Los Angeles would love to be involved with this venture, thus preventing any future tax increases!
We fund raise for everything else, why not to prevent future gang influence in our communities."
Sgt Dan

good idea about a fundraiser, but you cannot "volunteer" police officers free time anymore than they can volunteer YOUR free time. What's up with that? They could work it AND get paid. That is their job, like yours or mine.

[Kaden]

Bureaucratic Mess wrote:

Here come the politicians with their sob stories, alarmist warnings and outright lies to get more taxes for their bureaucrat masters. They don't need to raise taxes -- they need to start running the city and county like businesses. They think they have no competition but they do ... other cities are attracting Angelenos and other Californians sick of the mess the socialists have made in LA and CA.
Midnight basketball and other Hug A Thug programs? FAILURES! Stop giving our money away to society's losers and then coming back and asking for more.
You want to fix the gang problem? Get rid of the illegal immigrants instead of inviting more.

CAN I GET AN AMEN ON THIS ONE??????????
YESSSSSSSSSS!!!

[Valley voter]

too bad Zine's scrutiny over this parcel tax proposal was not as strong when he voted twice to raise trash fees. Since cops won't be the beneficiaries of the parcel tax, he probably won't support it the way he did trash fees.

[pothole]

no taxes.stop the nonsense.scoffers in city hall quit this nonsense and find other ways to find funding quit asking property owners to foot the bill.

[Just my Opinion]

There's a gang problem, but the solution is with the renters. All City Council have to do is draft an Ordinance, and pass a surcharge on to renters(call it the multiple family gang prevention tax). I am sure alot of the non-profit organization is going to be looking for some of the money, and use most of it on Admistrative cost, providing services to gangs. Its common knowledge that the majority of gangs in Los Angeles are renters, and they should incur this tax not the single family home owners.