Article

2025-01-25 Government Corruption

[LA Times] Los Angeles is being investigated, pilloried and derided over the horrific loss of life and property in the 2025 fires. Certainly, Mayor Karen Bass, the City Council and the county Board of Supervisors, and many of their recent predecessors, have not convinced the world that L.A. is a governable city.

Fire preparedness isn’t the only problem. In recent years, Los Angeles has been losing residents right and left. Census data show that its poverty rate is among the highest in the state, and that it’s in the top 10 nationwide. South L.A., roughly the area between the 10 Freeway south to the city boundary, locale of two of the worst riots in U.S. history, is now poorer in relation to the rest of Los Angeles than it was before those upheavals — the Watts riots, in 1965, and the Rodney King unrest in 1992. The city and county of Los Angeles has the second-highest unhoused population in the U.S., behind New York, and yet L.A. builds far less new housing than almost every other large "metro." It has a deepening budget hole.

The news is far better if you look at smaller cities in the county: Downey, Lakewood, South Gate, Cerritos, Bellflower and Paramount. As you drive through downtown neighborhoods toward these southeastern suburbs, you’re likely to encounter broken pavement, battered buildings, empty storefronts and sidewalks crowded with vendors and food stalls reminiscent of the developing world. But just past the city limits, the reality changes.

Posted by Besoeker 2025-01-25 06:35|| || Front Page|| [11193 views ] Top

#1 ...If the Usual Suspects there don't get their heads out muy pronto, the big finish will be the '28 Olympics - billions programmed for it, likely massive scars remaining from the fire (and likely little or NO rebuilding), the Unhoused(TM), and nightmarish crime levels mean people will pretty much stay away...and all of that while GOV Hairgel is fighting for a Presidential nomination.

Mike

Posted by MikeKozlowski 2025-01-25 07:16|| 2025-01-25 07:16|| Front Page Top

#2 The Olympics are just another California money laundering enterprise. They will lose money, but a bunch of favored folks will make bank through the process.

Posted by Super Hose 2025-01-25 12:30|| 2025-01-25 12:30|| Front Page Top

#3 /\ No lasting positive impact on Atlanta.

Posted by Besoeker 2025-01-25 12:32|| 2025-01-25 12:32|| Front Page Top

#4 Too many LA voters get their news from TV or the LA Times, if they get any news at all. Recent indications are that the LA Times owner wants an unbiased approach in his newsroom. We'll see.

I won't argue whether LA can be properly governed or not but it is certainly not being properly governed by Mayor Bass. Rick Caruso is waiting in the wings and a movement to recall Bass is underway. We'll see.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2025-01-25 14:20|| 2025-01-25 14:20|| Front Page Top

#5 Just on general observation, I really suspect there is a maximum size population in which you can attain reasonable city government, after which it does become unmanageable.

Posted by Procopius2k 2025-01-25 16:06|| 2025-01-25 16:06|| Front Page Top

#6 The lie with city size is the same lie with corporation size: It'll scale up.
No it won't.

Posted by ed in texas 2025-01-25 19:40|| 2025-01-25 19:40|| Front Page Top

#7 Funny how any city with a DEI mayor is "ungovenable."

Posted by Regular joe 2025-01-25 21:04|| 2025-01-25 21:04|| Front Page Top

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