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September 28, 2010· scvtalk.com · WordPress (SCVTalk 3.0) · Wayback capture

September 28, 2010 – Daily Brief

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

  • It’s not an exaggeration to say that yesterday’s A-1 New York Times (599 comments!) story on Santa Clarita’s decision to hire LSSI to manage its library system has inspired a national debate on the merits of privatization, much of it negative. First up, Pat Morrison of KPCC interviewed Mayor Pro Tem Marsha McLean and LSSI CEO Frank Pezzanite, who appeared on the show together to defend the move yesterday. There was no counter-argument, except from listeners. LibraryJournal.com, which has written extensively about LSSI, has a blog post up discussing the article with a new quote from COLA Librarian Margaret Donnellan Todd who says that Santa Clarita residents will now have to get in line to get COLA library resources and materials. Another blog took up the question of whether libraries are “sacred places” as the LSSI CEO mocked that idea.
  • And yet our local media is silent: The Signal quickly endorsed the library takeover back in August, saying this was a great move. One wonders if they are having any second thoughts now. May I remind everyone we still have no solid answer on what unincorporated County residents can expect once our libraries are in the hands of the City?
  • After flirting with the idea for years, Dave Bossert has finally come out and said it: he wants the west side communities to incorporate as their own city and he says anonymous donors have pledged a “five figure sum” towards that goal. “Incorporation of the West Side communities would establish one of the most forward looking, newest and wealthiest cities in the state; maybe even the nation. The only way that the West Side can have reasonable and responsive local representation would be in forming its own city,” he writes. Voters, however, shot down that option in November 2009: incorporation got the lowest amount of votes out of three options: remaining with the County, joining the City of Santa Clarita, and incorporating WEST RANCH BEACON
  • Regarding the above: City of Magic Mountain anyone? Santa Clarita West? Or how about something traditional: City Del Valle, in honor of Antonio Del Valle, Mayor of LA and Mexican don who owned the SCV before Mayo came to town. That ought to make Roger Gitlin’s head explode.
  • The mercury hit 109 in Santa Clarita yesterday and an astounding, record-breaking 113 in downtown Los Angeles. Today should be a bit cooler at 104. This weekend shouldn’t be quite as hot, though it will still be warm. SIGNAL
  • Wow: Signal Reporter Tammy Marashlian actually spent a night outside in a cardboard box on Saturday with 200 other people to raise money for homeless people in the SCV. The effort raised $25,000. Good read. SIGNAL
  • CalTrans breaks ground on I-5 carpool lane project from Highway 118 to Highway 170. The new lanes might help Santa Clarita commuters, says CalTrans. ABC 7
  • There’s finally some movement on that plot of land in Plum Canyon that’s been graded and vacant for several years. SunCal, the area’s original developer, has sold rights to the land to KB Home for more than $20 million. KB Home says it will build about 230 homes in the area, with some opening up as soon as spring 2011 SIGNAL
  • Fascinating details from Jim Holt’s coverage of an Armenian stick-up/kidnapping that occurred in Castaic last year. The defendant has famed defense attorney Mark Geragos defending him, and court proceedings were interrupted when witnesses got in a fight in a hallway SIGNAL
  • A mother and her daughter were injured yesterday after colliding with a tree on Wiley Canyon Road. The daughter, who is either 4 or 8, was airlifted to Children’s Hospital LA SIGNAL
  • KHTS has a bit more detail on the company the City wants to hire to enforce parking rules around town. That’s to be decided at tonight’s City Council meeting KHTS
  • The poor, homeless San Fernando Valley Fair just can’t catch a break. After appearing for a few years at the Saugus Speedway, then moving to Birmingham High last year (and suffering low turnout), the state is threatening to dissolve something called the 51st Agricultural District, which would impact the funding for the fair. Some people are suggesting it be held at Pierce College which sounds like a fine idea to me DAILY NEWS
  • McKeon just a big kid: last week he hosted the Congressional UAV Caucus technology fair in Washington DC. Pictures from the event show many killbots on display, just like you’d see at one of those hobby stores KHTS The Smithsonian Air & Space magazine asked a McKeon staffer why the Congressman is so hot for killbots SMITHSONIAN
  • Yesterday’s LTE from Laura Tapia, of the well-known Tapia SCV farming clan, sparked quite the discussion here on SCVTalk. A reader pointed out a great video done by the Consumerist & NBC 4 which  shows vendors faking their “farmers market” credentials. CONSUMERIST
  • President Obama wants your kids to stay in school longer, arguing that we should extend the school year. All part of that socialist agenda I suppose. LA TIMES
  • New survey reveals that atheists and agnostics know more about religion, religious history, and religious concepts than believers do LA TIMES
  • I never thought I’d live to see the day when the Signal actually published the word “masturbating” but they have in; Melissa Kaufler, a liberal poli-sci major at COC takes on Christine O’Donnell and the Tea Party in this OP/ED
  • Fall, autumn, golden colored leaves, Charlie Brown and such are the furthest thing from my mind thanks to yesterday’s scorching weather. If you miss those things like I do, check out Big Piciture’s awesome fall photos from places that actually have four seasons.

Comments

35 · as published
  1. Chris AustinSeptember 28, 2010 at 5:24 am
    “Incorporation of the West Side communities would establish one of the most forward looking, newest and wealthiest cities in the state; maybe even the nation,” says Bossert. That sentence says a lot about Bossert. Hope he likes having to fit ‘affordable housing’ into the rich city picture! Then he says this: “The only way that the West Side can have reasonable and responsive local representation would be in forming its own city.” Hey wait a minute – isn’t he the one who is always trumpeting how wonderful the county is? How responsive Antonovich is? A five-figure sum for incorporation? It’s going to take a lot more $$’s than that – most incorporation efforts I researched ran in the six figures. And it takes a lot of political will and a lot of grassroots effort, which I don’t think exists over there in the West Side.
  2. CCSeptember 28, 2010 at 7:29 am
    Not to mention the alimony that they would have to cough up for LA County. More wind from Dave, nothing more. The citizens of the West side don’ t want it, can’t afford it, and can’t summon the energy to care about it but Dave wants his kingdom. Good luck
  3. Coastal SageSeptember 28, 2010 at 8:25 am
    I think the new city incorporation plan Dave Bossert discusses is real, in terms of having political legs and potentially some money behind it. I am told that right now Newhall Land’s new owners are very angry with the Los Angeles County Regional Planning Department’s staff for caving in to demands from the California Attorney General’s office that the County staff do a better job complying with the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). Newhall Ranch is a very long term project, as is development of Newhall Land’s remaining commercial land near the 5 Freeway. As a consequence, it would be worthwhile for monied interests to support creation of a new city west of the 5 Freeway to include both undeveloped land and some existing residences. The City of Irvine, California was incorporated in 1971 primarily encompassing to-be-developed land owned by the Irvine Company and very few residents. As a first and second year lawyer at a large law firm, I was assigned to attend every meeting of the Irvine City Council between 1979 and 1981, to take notes for a client and to learn how to present matters to city councils. It was a very enlightening experience. Some evenings, by 10PM the Irvine Company employees and I were the only people in the audience. The Irvine Company’s employees and the Irvine City Council dealt with each other in a very collegial manner. No friction, no angst, no angry homeowners. Revisiting the scene 30+ years later, to watch how the Irvine City Council is dealing with the fact that the community’s ground water is contaminated with a spreading plume of ammonium perchlorate, I saw the same calm, collegial dealing between the Irvine City Council and the Irvine Company employees. If I were an owner of Newhall Land, incorporation of a city west of the 5 Freeway would be exactly what I would want, given the ability of a “new City Council” to wipe the slate clean of all ordinances, polices and conditions to development imposed by Los Angeles County. The calculus in forming such a new city would be how to pick and choose among existing neighborhoods, in order to eliminate hotbeds of progressive thought from the boundaries of a new city.
  4. gregSeptember 28, 2010 at 2:15 pm
    Not a good idea to become a separate city. As one poster said, the new City would owe the County a huge alimony payment. The County will not let go of the Valencia Marketplace willingly and would definitely want payment for the loss of revenue. Its too bad that were not in Orange County. Their philosphy there is that they are for areas to annex and form cities. Also, I dont think Newhall Land would be happy about a new city either. While they may be irked by the CEQA standards, most likely any new city would have tougher building codes than the county and thus make development more expensive. That is what happened when Santa Clarita became a city. Also, to have two cities right next to each other would put severe competition for sales tax dollars. It would be very similar to Lancaster/Palmdale and Ventura/Oxnard. One City will end up winning the “prized” retailers and the other one suffering. I believe Santa Clarita would be more apt to throw way more incentives and breaks to attract a retailer to set up instead of west of the freeway. SInce there bigger, they have more resources as well.
  5. AlpinerSeptember 28, 2010 at 6:21 am
    Just what we need, a Palmdale/Lancaster situation in the SCV. If the West Side wants to be incorporated, it should become part of Santa Clarita and be one city as originally intended back in 1987, it is as simple as that.
  6. NickelDimeSeptember 28, 2010 at 6:23 am
    Premature incorporation.
  7. CCSeptember 28, 2010 at 7:25 am
    HA!
  8. Alan FerdmanSeptember 28, 2010 at 7:03 am
    It is unfortunate that Santa Clarita’s Library issue has become a national debate about privatization. For Santa Clarita residents it should be about the process used by our city to make the decision and what is best for our community. If Staff and the Council would have taken a slower more methodical approach this fiasco could have been avoided.
  9. Cheryl PhillipsSeptember 28, 2010 at 10:18 am
    Our City Council members have no idea how badly this library fiasco has damaged their reputations, save for Bob Keller. Not everyone who attended the meeting on August 24th was there to support the County Library. Many of us are aware of the financial problems the County has, and will have for years to come. All we wanted was a truthful discussion with reliable information about all our choices. That’s where all 4 went wrong. They insulted the entire community of library patrons by not including us in the decision-making process. In the end the outcome could very well have been the same, but we’ll never know because as Bob Kellar put it, ” there were too many unanswered questions and there had been too little citizen input.” I was embarrassed for our City of Santa Clarita at the August 24th meeting. It represented everything that is wrong with politics and politicians today. It was a slap in the face to those of us that believe in the process, and believed that those we elected would be listening. No, I don’t think these Council members have even begun to feel the consequences of their actions……………….
  10. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 28, 2010 at 7:09 am
    Alan, I completely agree with you – City Hall’s process was once again deplorable and I’m not even opposed to a private company running our libraries. Fewer union employees is better for Calyphonia.
  11. scvtruthsquadSeptember 28, 2010 at 8:05 am
    Oh brother Bill…… this is from a guy that sued his former employer (a company that is a government contractor..therefore it’s actually taxpayer money) using that money to buy he very expensive house in the Summit..he is ok with sucking on that teat.
  12. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 28, 2010 at 8:10 am
    Hey SCVStupidSquad, too bad that you don’t have your facts straight. You remain an idiot…
  13. DamageincSeptember 28, 2010 at 8:42 am
    educate us.
  14. scvtruthsquadSeptember 28, 2010 at 8:53 am
    Yes Bill… tell us the truth did you sue your former employer?
  15. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 28, 2010 at 10:53 am
    SCVStupidSquad, you seem think that you know about my life and have all these facts… why would I sue my employer? When did it happen? Was money exchanged? If so, how much? How much did my house cost and when did I make that purchase? Educate us…
  16. ScottESeptember 28, 2010 at 11:37 am
    No actual denial … interesting …
  17. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 28, 2010 at 11:54 am
    ScottE, SCVstupidsquad is making up stories. Besides, who is that moron?
  18. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 29, 2010 at 5:39 pm
    Hellloooo… I’m waiting. Where’s your enlightening information, ya dufus?
  19. A ReaderSeptember 29, 2010 at 5:32 am
    I have follwed the Bill Reynolds Summit Seals saga with interest. This is the first I heard he sued his employer. Bill please answer the question. Did you sue your former employer? Yes or no? That would explain a lot of things.
  20. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 29, 2010 at 7:04 am
    Anonymous Reader, feel free to pose your anonymous questions to anonymous SCVstupidsquad as he apparently beleieves he has vast knowledge of my personal life. Ha! Be advised that his comments reek of libel and slander… how far will he go?
  21. mikeSeptember 29, 2010 at 7:08 am
    Bill doesn’t know what slander means. Ha!
  22. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 29, 2010 at 9:40 am
    I happen to know the definition of libel and if he’s writing it, he’s probably stating it. Mike, what else do you have to write?
  23. Coastal SageSeptember 28, 2010 at 8:43 am
    “Fewer union employees is better for Calyphonia”. Sadly, I heard a credible rumor that the Santa Clarita libraries’ employees have informally been told they will NOT be hired by LSSI; that the full time employees will have to transfer; and that part time employees will simply be laid off next July. Frank’s public kiss off of the employees “Josie we love you” has become all the more disingenuous, expecially with Frank’s comment to the New York Times. (I’d love to know what else he told the Times reporter which didn’t make it into the story.) The problem, you see, is that LSSI has already suffered though an employee union organizing campaign at its library in one city. In that case LSSI was accused of committing unfair labor practices and the National Labor Relations Board had to get involved. Those library employees are now represented by a union and LSSI’s management is clearly disgruntled about the outcome of that election. Seemingly, it has become clear that as a business management policy LSSI will not hire new employees who are already union members. I visualize the interviews for potential employees of the Santa Clarita libraries: “Have you ever been a union member? Are your spouse or children union members? Were any of your parents or grandparents union members?”. I visualize LSSI combing the public records of the L.A. County Registrar/Recorder, to make sure new employees had not registered to vote as members of political parties deemed anathema to LSSI’s management plan.
  24. KellySeptember 28, 2010 at 7:53 am
    Thanks for the Signal link about the car collision on Wiley Cyn, I saw the helicopter land at Old Orchard Park field. Re.the library issue, what a clu$+erfu(k, talk about clueless politicians. They did not do due diligence on the tax and financial ramifications, in addition to public sentiment. I think Mr.Bossert should get his own city, really. Wealthiest city, ha, ha, ha, I wonder what Carmel, Newport Beach, and Beverly Hills will think of that. Gee, Mr.Bossert, have you not seen all the For Sale Signs in the Western Kingdom? This is a burb whose sheen is not quite so shiny anymore.
  25. Coastal SageSeptember 28, 2010 at 7:57 am
    I have a Google Alert set for LSSI. Very few if any stories have popped up since the City Council’s vote. However, today at least reprints of the New York Times article on Santa Clarita libraries, or references to it, came up. Apparently the topic has even been raised on the Huffington Post. This comment on the post contains a link to a 2004 story about LSSI which is interesting in terms of describing Mr. Pezzanite’s means of doing business: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/MadHeart/anger-as-a-private-compan_n_739770_61788613.html
  26. TTFSeptember 28, 2010 at 8:03 am
    you had me at, “…roger gitlin’s head explode…”
  27. Whiskey Tango FoxtrotSeptember 28, 2010 at 8:27 am
    Obama’s comments about ridding puplic school systems of under preforming teachers is insincere – to put it politely. It’s the president talking out of both sides of his mouth. The Dems will NEVER cross the teachers union on this or similar proposals. Just follow the money. If Obama wants the kids to stay in school LONGER so be it, but fix the consistantly under-preforming schools FIRST by allowing parents vouchers to private schools, you know the “choice” thing that liberals claim they are all about. Otherwise the kids will be spending more time in crappy schools. These poorly preforming schools are frequently found in economically depressed areas that predominantly vote Democrat. I find it ironic that it’s those very politicians that seem to favor financial support from unions over the education of their constituents.
  28. DamageincSeptember 28, 2010 at 8:44 am
    The focus is always on the teachers when the focus should be on the parents… but isn’t that the American way? Blame someone else.
  29. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 28, 2010 at 10:57 am
    I agree with you, Dame Genie. Can anyone tell us the value of SEIU to Calyphonia?
  30. Whiskey Tango FoxtrotSeptember 28, 2010 at 4:48 pm
    I am talking about the kids being in school for 6-7 hours a day, 9 1/2 months a year for 12 years and after all that, many kids in the inner city struggle to pass at basic proficiency levels. Those are the kids that graduate, half drop out. I’m NOT talking what happens at home, nor will I as that is an entirely different subject. I’m talking about what happens in the schools. Am I saying that it is as easy being a teacher at Crenshaw High than at West Ranch? Of course it is a greater challenge but one that is met head-on with success frequently by private and charter schools in these areas. http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/private-schools-in-the-inner-city/
  31. Tim MyersSeptember 28, 2010 at 8:42 am
    On Dave Bossert: I see DB as the SCV’s low cost version of Jamie McCourt; sitting around writing strategy memos about how he will become mayor of “West Ranch,” then Governor of California, and finally President of the United States!
  32. CastaicClaySeptember 28, 2010 at 10:05 am
    Ending a (southbound) carpool lane at the 170 will only make traffic worse between the 118 and 170 as people try to cross all lanes of the 5 south to get to the 170. I think it will be fixed when the bridges are completed at the northbound 5 /14 (earthquake coming soon to knock them down just after completion as in the past 2 times?) but look at the traffic jam it creates now.
  33. A ReaderSeptember 29, 2010 at 5:41 pm
    Here’s an interesting link. Apparently a group of employees fired by Lockheed in the early 90′s ran to the federal government claiming they were victims of age discrimination. They had the federal government sue Lockheed. The following people are listed as being on brief: ON BRIEF:  William L. Reynolds, Gerard D. St. Ours, Piper & Marbury, L.L.P., Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellant. C. Gregory Stewart, General Counsel, Gwendolyn Young Reams, Associate General Counsel, Vincent J. Blackwood, Assistant General Counsel, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Washington, DC, for Appellee. http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-4th-circuit/1089837.html
  34. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 29, 2010 at 8:24 pm
    Nice try Anonymous Reader… hahahaha!
  35. NickelDimeSeptember 30, 2010 at 5:59 am
    William L. Reynolds happens to be one of the attorneys on that case. He resides in Maryland; his name and the defendant are coincidental to “our” William L. Reynolds.
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