Alarcon May Have Donated a Shirt, but What’s up His Sleeve?

For the second time in a week, the Los Angeles City Council wrestled with a proposal by Mayor Richard Riordan and City Atty. James K. Hahn to outlaw so-called “aggressive panhandling” in the city.

The council was required by city bylaws to vote twice on the matter because the ordinance did not get the required 12 votes the first time.

After strong arguments on both sides, the council voted 8 to 4 to give the law final approval and send it to Riordan for his signature.

The debate was once again heartfelt and passionate. Liberal council members such as Jackie Goldberg argued that the law simply made criminals out of the poor. Supporters including Joel Wachs said the law gives police the tools to keep street hustlers from annoying people.

But in the midst of the debate, there was silliness.

At one point, Richard Alarcon said he supports the ordinance but is sympathetic to the plight of the homeless and poor.

In fact, the politically ambitious councilman said he recently saw a panhandler on a freeway offramp and gave the man a T-shirt.

At that, several council members snickered and suggested that the T-shirt bore the slogan “Alarcon for State Senate.”

Talk Show

As a public service, here are portions of the discussion that took place at a recent Board of Supervisors meeting.

The players: board Chairman Zev Yaroslavsky, Supervisors Gloria Molina and Mike Antonovich and Chief Administrative Officer David Janssen.

The setup: The supervisors are attempting to approve the county’s $12.6-billion 1997-98 budget when Molina introduces a motion asking the board to indicate its intention to grant county workers a pay raise. Other members don’t think the issue should be discussed in public because it could harm negotiations with county unions. They block the motion.

Molina: “First of all, I’m not going to allow any of you to think that you are at all intimidating me or anyone. . . .”

Yaroslavsky: (interrupting) “We wouldn’t think that. . . .”

Molina: “Excuse me, I didn’t once interrupt you. Not once. I let you pontificate, accuse me, try to intimidate me in the bully fashion that you usually do very well and I let you do it all by yourself, so now, clam up on my time.”

Yaroslavsky: (inaudible--speaking at the same time as Molina) “What a great . . .”

Molina: “Just give me an opportunity. Mr. Yaroslavsky. I, as I said, I’m not going to allow you or anyone else to intimidate me. . . . I remember when you first got here and you said, ‘I don’t like any of this behind-the-scenes, back-room kind of garbage, I want it all up front.’ I’m just trying to put it up front. . . .”

She adds: “I hope that there is going to be no discussion in the back room about cost-of-living increases other than in negotiations, because if you do, I won’t participate because you are intentionally deceiving this work force by refusing and by wimping out and not having the courage to do this straight up.”

Molina asks Janssen what he is doing to find the funds for cost-of-living increases.

Yaroslavsky: “I’m going to ask you not to answer that question in public, OK? That’s getting into the negotiating strategy. It’s absolutely ridiculous for us to have this kind of a discussion in public. And I refuse to do it and I’m not going to let him do it. . . .”

Yaroslavsky eventually relents. The CAO talks around the question.

Molina: “I want my question answered.”

Antonovich: “...[You] have disrupted the entire collective-bargaining process for this fiscal year. Hopefully, it can be repaired. . . .”

Molina asks an unrelated budget question. Yaroslavsky gives her three minutes.

Molina: “It’s fascinating around here. . . “

Yaroslavsky: “No, it’s not fascinating. Go home tonight and watch it on TV and you’ll see why it’s not fascinating. It’s anything but fascinating.”

Janssen asks Molina if he can answer her budget question.

Molina: “No, don’t bother.” She motions to Yaroslavsky. “He’s already going to tell you what to say. And if you want to be the Gunga Din to this guy, that is a problem for everybody. I’ve been a member of this board and I think I am entitled to a voice and a vote on something that costs $12 billion, but if we’re going to limit it because this commander-in-chief, Commander Zero over here [points with thumb at Yaroslavsky], is limiting exactly what we’re going to say and do, I’m not willing to be bullied by him. But I know what I can do because I’m entitled to a vote. I can vote no.”

Molina voted against the budget, which passed 4 to 1.

Blow Hards

Retired Los Angeles City Councilman Marvin Braude left City Hall just in time.

Just in time, that is, to miss the fallout from his last notable legislation: the ordinance to ban the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers within 500 feet of a residence.

For nearly a year, Braude has pushed for the law, arguing that the leaf blowers generate too much noise and dust and could easily be replaced by brooms and rakes.

On Tuesday, the day after Braude walked out of City Hall after 32 years in office, the leaf blower ban took effect. To commemorate the date, 500 gardeners descended on City Hall to protest the ban, saying the law would make their job tougher.

Ironically, the gardeners’ speeches were disrupted by the sounds of a city worker firing up a gasoline-powered chain saw to trim the trees outside of City Hall.

Most of those in attendance did not seem upset by the sounds of the chain saw. Several were too busy starting up a gasoline-powered generator to provide electricity for the loudspeakers that the gardeners needed for the protest.

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QUOTABLE: “They are all white. They are all men. They are all from another era.”

Councilwoman Ruth Galanter, on the reelection of John Ferraro and Joel Wachs as City Council leaders