<font color='black' size='2' face='arial'>Dear Green Friends,
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2 Local Issues in L.A. - Which Way for Greens?
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All politics is local. Forget
"Robamney." Which way for a serious Green Party on two important local
issues in the City of Los Angeles: <br>
<ul><li>Another sales tax hike</li><li>Another fight over public employee pension. </li></ul>
There are knee-jerk "liberal" positions on both in the
One-Party-Democratic city. As an unapologetic Green Party man, I could
argue for or against both propositions. Dear Green Friends, let's have a
timely dialogue about this.<br>
<br>
<blockquote>
<b><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1114-city-sales-tax-20121114,0,5000230.story">L.A. Moves Ahead With Plan to Increase Sales Tax</a><br>
Los Angeles Times, November 13, 2012</b><br>
The
Los Angeles City Council agreed to place a half-cent sales tax hike on
the March 5 ballot to avert new cuts in city services, drawing immediate
opposition from critics in and outside city government.<br>
<br>
Voters
would decide the measure, which will boost collections by an estimated
$215 million a year, on the same day they choose a new mayor. And there
were signs the proposal already is influencing the race, which is
expected to focus heavily on resolving the city's chronic budget crisis.<br>
<br>
Mayoral
candidates Jan Perry and Eric Garcetti, both council members, voted
against the tax plan Tuesday. City Controller Wendy Greuel, another top
mayoral contender, said she also opposed the tax hike, which would apply
to millions of everyday transactions, as well as major purchases such
as electronics and appliances.<br>
. . . <br>
<br>
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<b><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/11/riordan-accepts-police-unions-pension-debate-challenge.html">Riordan Accepts Police Union's Pension Debate Challenge</a><br>
Los Angeles Times, November 14, 2012</b><br>
Multimillionaire
businessman and former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan has accepted a
police union's challenge to put his mouth where his money is.<br>
<br>
Riordan
agreed Wednesday to a series of three debates on the merits of a
pension revamp initiative that he is trying to get on next year's city
election ballot. The measure would create a 401(k)-style retirement
plan for newly hired workers instead of the current guaranteed pensions.<br>
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</blockquote><br>
<span class="fullpost"><blockquote>
<b><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1114-city-sales-tax-20121114,0,5000230.story">L.A. Moves Ahead With Plan to Increase Sales Tax</a><br>
Los Angeles Times, November 13, 2012</b><br>
The
Los Angeles City Council agreed to place a half-cent sales tax hike on
the March 5 ballot to avert new cuts in city services, drawing immediate
opposition from critics in and outside city government.<br>
<br>
Voters
would decide the measure, which will boost collections by an estimated
$215 million a year, on the same day they choose a new mayor. And there
were signs the proposal already is influencing the race, which is
expected to focus heavily on resolving the city's chronic budget crisis.<br>
<br>
Mayoral
candidates Jan Perry and Eric Garcetti, both council members, voted
against the tax plan Tuesday. City Controller Wendy Greuel, another top
mayoral contender, said she also opposed the tax hike, which would apply
to millions of everyday transactions, as well as major purchases such
as electronics and appliances.<br>
<br>
The proposal also came under
attack from former Mayor Richard Riordan, a Republican multimillionaire
who is promoting his own ballot measure to roll back pension benefits.
He accused City Hall leaders of foisting bloated employee retirement
costs on consumers.<br>
<br>
Left-of-center groups complained that council
members had caved to real estate interests by dropping plans for a tax
on property sales in favor of one that disproportionately hits working
class Angelenos. "The process was entirely hijacked by the real estate
folks," said Sunyoung Yang, lead organizer for the Bus Riders Union, an
advocacy group for low-income residents.<br>
<br>
A second and final vote
on the sales tax ballot measure is set for next week. If approved by
voters, the measure would leave Los Angeles with one of the highest tax
rates in the state — 9.5 cents on every dollar of taxable sales.<br>
. . . <br>
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PLEASE READ MORE AND LEAVE A COMMENT:<br>
<a href="http://cagreening.blogspot.com/2012/11/2-local-issues-in-la-which-way-for.html">
http://cagreening.blogspot.com/2012/11/2-local-issues-in-la-which-way-for.html
</a>
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