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Patrick Range McDonald 03/13/2011 6:52:00 AM
Hi Sarah,
You may have possibly read Karen Ocamb's piece on the West Hollywood race, in which she wrote about possible sexism during the campaign -- a charge that I don't believe is true.
But it was one of the main themes of Ocamb's article, and she used it to criticize any media outlet that wrote anything critical of incumbents Heilman, Land, and Horvath. She held up this article as one example, and those two specific things you mentioned. Interestingly, Ocamb did not seek my comment for her story.
For the record, my editor, Jill Stewart, is a woman. If I had written something that was sexist, she would have most certainly pointed that out to me. I have a long track record that shows I don't need that kind of buffer, but it's there.
In addition, the description of Abbe Land was in the context that she's outspoken about many things, but when it came to facing the press and taking questions about her record, she refused to talk in person or on the phone. In that context, her silence seemed very odd.
As for Horvath, describing someone as "pixie-like" is hardly offensive -- she has those physical features.
Take care,
Patrick Range McDonald,
LA Weekly
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Gal Friday 03/09/2011 9:12:00 PM
Thank JEBUS Horvath is gone!
It's frustrating that slimy John Heilman hung onto his council seat by just a few hundred votes, but at least the puppy was sent packing.
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Laitalian 03/09/2011 5:51:00 PM
Nahh, it's more that in a city of a couple million residents, something like 6 or 7 thousand vote, and the incums have the name recognition by miles. By MILES!!!! I didn't know anything about the second page of the ballot, so I couldn't vote on it, though I tried to look for clues on whom I would have liked. So I only voted for the 3 council seats and measure a (no, of course!)
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LaItalian 03/09/2011 5:48:00 PM
not true--Prang and Heilman vs. Martin was a very famous rivalry a few years back--and they worked very hard to get Martin out of office. Prang accused Martin of "having a crush on him". Martin discussed Prang's alcoholism and the groping incident with the Weho Cheerleaders (the guys in drag!) on a tour bus--lol, it was amazingly "trainwrecky!". But I've read what Martin used to say then, how he wanted to vote, issues, and he was not part of a Heilman-Prang grouping.
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Sarah Belknap 03/05/2011 1:30:00 AM
How about the next time you want to criticize some women, you stick to your well-reasoned arguments and refrain from commenting on appearance or whether or not someone is a "combative" feminist, whatever that means (Did Abbie Land punch a misogynist? That might make me reconsider my vote - in her favor!) You appear to know that it is offensive when someone refers to Mito as "cute" as a way to be dismissive, why didn't you think that dismissing Lindsay as "pixie-like" would also be offensive?
Forthe record, this combative feminist is voting for Mito Aviles despite how annoyed your article made me.
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Gay Friday 03/01/2011 11:28:00 PM
There's footage of incompetent incumbent Lindsay Horvath fleeing from a reporter's question as if she were on crack at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDF5-GDn3bs
I think this letter to the Weho News pretty much sums it up:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: Horvath flees from questions on fur plan
Clearly, this is a seasoned political operator. You can sense the poise, the quiet confidence, the level-headed management of controversy.
Now we see for ourselves why the rest of the council chose to appoint her: it's because she's so impressive.
Chris Bray, West Hollywood ( http://wehonews.com/z/wehonews/archive/page.php?articleID=5734 )
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Gal Friday 03/01/2011 9:43:00 PM
@truthhurts: can you be more specific? If Martin is supposedly a "Yes Man" for Heilman, Land & Horvath...then why has he criticized them almost weekly in print for the past few years?
Is it some top secret strategy only you understand?
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Guest 02/27/2011 2:54:00 AM
Ian - thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this race. Even though I may not be leaning the same way as you on each of the candidates, I very much appreciate the fact you are asking these sorts of questions. It's like a breath of fresh air......
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truthhurts 02/25/2011 7:36:00 PM
Steve martin is just another 'yes-man' for Heilman, Land, & Horvath(sounds like a law firm, or a really bad tribute to Crosby, Stills, & Nash), and should not be considered for re-election...since he has already served on city council, he, too, is an incumbant. And a shitty one at that.
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Parke 02/25/2011 8:34:00 AM
You know, a simpler possible reason theWeHo incumbents get re-elected (except Martin, showing that voters can be discerning) is that they are doing a good job and voters like them. Occam's razor and all.
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Patrick Range McDonald 02/24/2011 8:39:00 PM
Hi MJ69,
There's more to story about why Steve Martin lost. See my comment to Ian. In 2003, Abbe Land decided to rejoin the City Council, with the backing of John Heilman. She won. Martin, who clashed with Heilman, lost. Land has now been on the City Council for a combined total of 18 years and is Heilman's closest political ally.
Take care,
Patrick Range McDonald,
LA Weekly
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Patrick Range McDonald 02/24/2011 8:35:00 PM
Hi Ian,
In 2003, Steve Martin was up for re-election. Abbe Land, a former City Council woman, was out of office at that time, but decided to run. Land had the full backing of the West Hollywood political establishment, particularly from John Heilman. Martin, the outsider who clashed with Heilman, ended up losing his re-election race. Land won and re-joined the council. She's now been there for a combined total of 18 years.
Take care,
Patrick Range McDonald,
LA Weekly
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Bozo the Clown 02/24/2011 5:49:00 AM
What gives the Stonewall Democratic Club any credibility?
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Bozo the Clown 02/24/2011 5:47:00 AM
I voted for a new person to replace the old. Anyone who has been in politics for some time is bought and paid for. I figure it was the lesser of two evils. It does not matter what party they belong too.
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Gal Friday 02/24/2011 3:10:00 AM
Damn it, that doesn't make sense!
I meant to type, "Heilman was so pissed Steve Martin WOULDN'T vote in lock-step with him that he..."
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Gal Friday 02/23/2011 10:49:00 PM
Oh yes...the other part of that era's story is Heilman was so pissed Steve Martin would vote in lock-step with him that he got people to throw money into an independent expenditure committee and trash him.
John Heilman is, in my book, a psychotic...and staying in office is not doing his mental health any favors.
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truthhurts 02/23/2011 8:23:00 PM
Horvath cannot answer questions in an off-the-cuff manner, because life-long Republicans like her cannot do so. She was, and likely still is, a Bush-supporter and promoter of all-things Republican. You can't change hats to suit your political appointment--the people of West Hollywood and California are way too savvy to fall for that shit. Soon, if they are re-installed into office, you'll see your freedoms vanish, and 50-story apartment buildings and office buildings popping up all over West Hollywood faster than the kickbacks can line their filthy, Republican pockets. Of course, their tax-payer funded trips around the globe will increase, as will their Republican-style 'fundraisers', where developers will continue to write fat checks so that they can continue to over-develop West Hollywood the way they have been for the last decade or so...so, go ahead,vote for the incumbants--and you can be the ones to hang your head in shame while the rest of West Hollywood can't sleep thanks to the skyscraper being built right around the corner with its all-night work crews, and the parking problems increase, along with crime and out-of-control rent, thanks to the slumlords of WeHo...go ahead, fuck up our awesome city!
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Gal Friday 02/23/2011 8:18:00 PM
PS: the City defended Jeffrey Prang's actions by settling out of court with the guy he sexually harrased.
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Gal Friday 02/23/2011 8:17:00 PM
What Steve Martin did on City Council was NOT side with grand poobah John Heilman, which caused him to bring old cahoot Abbe Land out of retirement (from a scandal involving taking money from the House of Blues in exchange for waiving their parking requirements) AND he criticized councilmember Jeff Prang who got involved in a sexual harrasment lawsuit out-of-town while representing the City.
So Prang and Heilman did everything they could to axe Mr. Martin and get Abbe Land back on the Council.
Read your history.
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truthhurts 02/23/2011 8:10:00 PM
Correction: Horvath moved into WeHo after her appointment---and has only lived in WeHo for 18 months TOTAL. As of February 2011.
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MJ69 02/23/2011 6:37:00 PM
What did Martin do on council? He was a martinet. He picked enemies and used his power to mess with them. Specifically, he became focused on another councilmember to an alarming degree, and did anything he could to block, degrade, and interfere with whatever that person suggested or supported. He treated city council as war by other means. His relations with other councilmembers and the community were based on intrigue and suspicion. The voters eventually got tired of it all and defeated him -- and have not reelected him since. He is the complete opposite of John D'Amico, who has a long track record of treating people fairly, and even kindly. He is respected and a problem-solver.
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Mito 02/23/2011 4:41:00 PM
Hey Ian:
Just wanted to clarify your comment about the smoking ban. With that said, I am a non smoker. I do not appreciate smoke in outdoor patios where people eat. However, I am a "live and let live type of guy." Why I oppose the smoking ban is because the language in the ordinance is confusion and not transparent. Ultimately, one business being banned and another business not being banned boils down to which businesses have given the incumbents the most money for their campaigns. Its these political tactics I am opposed to. I want to bring back transparency and accountability to our city. If you would like to set up a coffee or a phone call to discuss this further, I would be more than happy to do that. Thank you for your comment.
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Guest 02/23/2011 8:17:00 AM
You must not be very familiar with the Stonewall Democratic Club. It's one of the largest political clubs in the state; it was the founding club (1975) of the Stonewall club movement, which now includes approximately 90 chapters nationwide; and its endorsements are valued enough by Democratic candidates for local, statewide and even national office that they take the time to complete its questionnaires, interview, and seek its members' support.
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Ian 02/23/2011 3:14:00 AM
but who should we support and why besides just to not vote for the old. i want to support new blood but the new ones have not done a great job of telling me why. i need to know who to support. No way for Lucas John, Mito i really am not sure about, D'Amico i like so far. Why was martin voted out in 2003? Gonzaga hasnt replied to my own email to him...
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Ian 02/23/2011 3:10:00 AM
So here is our deal. We do not want to vote for the incumbent 3. We need fresh blood in there. so i pose this to the crowd...what did martin do to lose in 2003 and be voted out? Did he do something to really make weho not like him. D'Amico sounds good and im pretty sold on him. Im for the smoking ban in weho and mito is not. So that is an issue. I honestly am asking for reason besides they are fresh and new to vote for other people. Why should we vote for you as opposed to just voting against the incumbents...
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J. Patrick 02/23/2011 1:07:00 AM
too true! too true!
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Gal Friday 02/22/2011 8:50:00 PM
This is the footage of Councilperson Horvath dodging a simple question at a park opening last week. (If anyone thinks it looks like she's being "harassed", notice she doesn't tell the reporter he's bothering her, nor does she simply stand still to answer the question from the press, and get it over with.) (It's also odd, in light of the fact that she had to be texted correct answers in the debates, that she keeps saying "I have to speak to my Deputy." Is she hoping they'll be able to give her an answer to use, here?)
THIS is leadership??
http://www dot youtube dot com/watch?v=gDF5-GDn3bs
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Gal Friday 02/22/2011 8:22:00 PM
Groups like the Stonewall Deocratic Club are made up of small time, lower-echelon wannabes who want to curry favor with the City Council. I really wouldn't take any endorsement from them too seriously. Look at all the endorsements Lindsay Horvath packed in....on the basis of NOTHING other than being associated with Abbe Land and John Heilman.
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02/22/2011 4:55:00 PM
You are too far out of the loop. Were you at the "endorsement" meeting? Did you see how the worm Jeffrey Prang manipulated the process to eliminate having anyone speak against Abbe & Lindsey? As an elected public servant, he should have enough class to defer to the wishes of the voting public instead of trying to serve his own useless interest. He wants to run for State Assembly but I think he is unelectable to higher office. Abbe & John are ursurpers of power and I think John is a dangerous sociopath. Just my opinion. He too is incapable of rising to a higher station in life, so being on this coucil suffices to serve his power mongering and manipulation. Pathetic. We so desperately need change..change is coming on March 8, 2011
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Guest 02/22/2011 4:12:00 PM
Heilman, Land and Horvath have strong records of support for progressive candidates and values. That's why they are endorsed by the Stonewall Democratic Club, West Hollywood-Beverly Hills Democratic Club, LA County Democratic Party, California Democratic Party, and LA County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. They are about as far from McCain and Palin as it is possible to be.
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Monstercandle 02/22/2011 4:03:00 PM
Let's not forget, "Guest", that this info was reported in the WeHo news along with a video of Horvath running away and being 'shielded' when asked a very good question about her sad, pathetic attempt to win votes by jumping on the fur-free bandwagon. She's a typical Republican--try and take credit for something someone else started. What a pathetically sad Republican girl. And, whatever your motivations are for protecting these 'people', no one really cares, okay? So shut the fuck up--you're obviously schlepping for these 3 crooks.
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Monstercandle 02/22/2011 3:56:00 PM
You are a fucked-up conservative. If a candidate cannot stand on their own at a debate or answers on-the-spot questions from a journalist, then something is terribly wrong. People like you will defend the flies on cowshit because they are hungry.
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truthhurts 02/22/2011 3:52:00 PM
If you want McCain & Palin running West Hollywood, go ahead and vote for Heilman & Horvath...Land can be their Donald Rumsfeld. Heilman thinks he's David Geffen, which happens when you operate from a place of narcissism and sociopathology. The same goes for Land and Horvath: NARCISSISM & SOCIOPATHOLOGY.
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dialated 02/22/2011 3:34:00 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDF5-GDn3bs&feature=player_embedded
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Monstercandle 02/22/2011 3:33:00 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDF5-GDn3bs&feature=player_embedded
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ChadMichael 02/22/2011 6:25:00 AM
NOT to feed them answers while on stage. Wake up and smell the roses, not WHILE in a debate/forum! This isn't a video game dear, thats breaking the rules!
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ChadMiachel 02/22/2011 6:22:00 AM
out with the old! in with the new!
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02/22/2011 3:39:00 AM
l o v e s h o p p i n g . u s input those all word on your web,thanks
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Shawnofca 02/22/2011 3:34:00 AM
“Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be.”
Sydney J. Harris
Vote out the Incumbents in West Hollywood March 8th. Heilman (Been on City Council 26 YEARS), Land (Been on City Council 18 YEARS), Horvath (Was APPOINTED not elected, after living in Weho for 18 MONTHS
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Guest 02/22/2011 2:20:00 AM
Really? Hearsay from one person who apparently maybe saw this going on makes it truth? HA!
And even if it is true, so what? Don't you remember what a campaign manager's job is? To manage the campaign.
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Gal Friday 02/22/2011 1:49:00 AM
@ Guest: Not all public figures draw such deep criticism or emotion. The W. Hollywood City Council has just f-ed up and been dragged into court so many times (all at the residents' expense) that people are really fed up and grossed out.
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02/21/2011 8:54:00 AM
Guest is John Heilman no doubt. The sad reality is they probably will be re-elected. Voter turn out is traditionally low for the city of West Hollywood. Also voter fraud is alive and well in the city of West Hollywood. I preferred it when West Hollywood was a small community and a part of LA county. Less corruption. more fun!!!!
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Monstercandle 02/21/2011 5:47:00 AM
Truth: Horvath's campaign consultant was TEXTING HER ANSWERS to the questions at the WeHo debate last week...like she was Sarah Palin...
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Lindsey 02/21/2011 3:22:00 AM
@guest - you are an idiot! Go away!
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Guest 02/20/2011 5:45:00 PM
It's amazing that anyone is willing to serve in local office when this kind of anger and hatred is directed at them. John Heilman, Lindsey Horvath, and Abbe Land have my thanks and appreciation, and I hope they are reelected.
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Monstercandle 02/20/2011 2:34:00 PM
Anyone who feels that Land, Horvath, & Heilman are good for West Hollywood is living in a fog of delusion and ignorance. These people have taken bribes from developers in West Hollywood to allow the type of buildings that are making this city UGLY !!!! Pretty soon, you will not recognize WeHo because of this, and all of the citizens will have moved to more affordable places, while WeHo itself is taken over by wealthy folks from Beverly Hills and surrounding areas who feel that it's 'fashionable' to live in West Hollywood, rather than any real connection to their souls. FUCK Heilman and FUCK Land...and, especially, with a rotted piece of mossy timber, FUCK HORVATH !!!
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Peggy 02/20/2011 7:15:00 AM
After all Schidmt is a republican, who I bet voted for Bush, AND is in support of the GOP cuts taking place right now! Ask him!!!!
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Peggy 02/20/2011 7:13:00 AM
Thats right! Vote for Martin - Aviles - D'amico
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02/20/2011 5:04:00 AM
I suggest you write a letter to the West Hollywood Online News (wehonews.com) expressing the same thing you did here. They publish all letters and it is important for voters to speak out against the secrecy of Lindsey's background and how unqualified she is to be in this city council seat. She also refuses to answer questions in person from the media (except by email so she can pre-prepare) and she runs away when a reporter tries to ask her a question about her background/lack of experience. It is beyond a joke what Abbe & John Heilman have done to this city, it is a travesty and a slap in the face to the people of We Ho. Please vote for John D'Amico as well.
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02/20/2011 4:08:00 AM
I am horrified at what I discovered in the recent LA weekly article that cam out on Thursday. Our city council member, Lindsey Horvath who was appointed into the job by John Heilman & Abby Land not only voted for G.W. Bush in the 2000 election but she worked for his campaign. It makes perfect sense why Heilman & Land appointed Miss Horvath rather then let due process happen with a special election. Horvath would have never been voted into the position as council member with her lack of experience coupled with having supported Bush and being a republican and all. This is a fact that has not come to light until now. We will have to see if enough voters discover what I did in this special in depth article about the election on March 8th. I was on the fence about supporting her but after this, I can not in good faith vote for her. I urge all voters to do the same. I'm supporting Steve Martin as he has the best interest of the residents as well as the over development going on here in West Hollywood. Out with the 3 boobs Heilman, Land & Horvath.
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Elyse Eisenberg 02/19/2011 2:25:00 AM
Bad policy decisions include encouraging developers to tear down more rent control and rent stabilized units than are created by Affordable Housing that most WeHo residents aren't eligible for - HOB, Sunset Doheny Hotel, and Sunset/La Cienega projects are all examples.
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Elyse Eisenberg 02/19/2011 2:25:00 AM
The city consistently sides against residents on all kinds of development projects, even if it means having the CA State Supreme Court ruling against you and you have to pay out over $800,000 in legal fees to other side (Save Tara).
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Elyse Eisenberg 02/19/2011 2:24:00 AM
Post in multiple parts. @Denizen - You need to educate yourself. There has always been a lot of information on the news sites that cover local WeHo issues. Start by reading WeHoNews.com and many of the columns by Steve Martin.
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Elyse Eisenberg 02/19/2011 2:24:00 AM
there is a first part, but it doesn't seem to post.
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Elyse Eisenberg 02/19/2011 2:23:00 AM
Post in three parts. @Denizen - You need to educate yourself. There has always been a lot of information on the news sites that cover local WeHo issues. Start by reading WeHoNews.com and many of the columns by Steve Martin. The city consistently sides against residents on all kinds of development projects, even if it means having the CA State Supreme Court ruling against you and you have to pay out over $800,000 in legal fees to other side (Save Tara). Bad policy decisions include encouraging developers to tear down more rent control and rent stabilized units than are created by Affordable Housing that most WeHo residents aren't eligible for - HOB, Sunset Doheny Hotel, and Sunset/La Cienega projects are all examples.
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Elyse Eisenberg 02/19/2011 2:22:00 AM
I tried to post this yesterday but it got lost. Post in three parts. Anyway, comment to Denizen - You need to educate yourself. There has always been a lot of information on the news sites that cover local WeHo issues. Start by reading WeHoNews.com and many of the columns by Steve Martin. The city consistently sides against residents on all kinds of development projects, even if it means having the CA State Supreme Court ruling against you and you have to pay out over $800,000 in legal fees to other side (Save Tara). Bad policy decisions include encouraging developers to tear down more rent control and rent stabilized units than are created by Affordable Housing that most WeHo residents aren't eligible for - House of Blues, Sunset Doheny Hotel, and Sunset/La Cienega projects are all examples.
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Elyse Eisenberg 02/19/2011 2:21:00 AM
Part 2 of post (Other was actually part 3) - More bad policy decisions - ignoring parking code requirements to favor developers - again all the Sunset projects including Tower Records whose new proposal will be over 200 parking spaces short of minimum code. The Tower Environmental Impact Report isn’t complete and shows a disastrous traffic circulation plan, yet there is already City Hall support and Businesses are being pressured to support. Meanwhile, the nearby residents protests over the parking and traffic that will result from the 2,000+ cars that will add to one of the worst intersections in the city are falling on deaf ears.
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Elyse Eisenberg 02/19/2011 2:20:00 AM
Second part of post - City Council consistently issues Statements of Overriding Consideration for virtually all Environmental Impact Reports that show the proposed projects will create insurmountable traffic problems in favor of presumed benefits to the city. These projects have no benefits beyond developers’ contributions to their campaigns or places of employment – which has been documented by the local journalists. Corruption by developers’ contributions to the new library fund, a library which has gone more than $10M over budget. Who do you think is making up the difference? For the first few months of the library fund, contributors were posted on line and they were exclusively developers, their lobbyists and land use attorneys. After people started noticing, the information no longer was public. This is corruption at its worst. You need to start paying attention to what is going on in your city. People who aren’t voting don’t realize that their day-to-day lives are even more impacted by their local government, than state or federal government.
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Elyse Eisenberg 02/19/2011 2:19:00 AM
I tried to post this yesterday but it got lost. Post in two parts. Anyway, comment to Denizen - You need to educate yourself. There has always been a lot of information on the news sites that cover local WeHo issues. Start by reading WeHoNews.com and many of the columns by Steve Martin. The city consistently sides against residents on all kinds of development projects, even if it means having the CA State Supreme Court ruling against you and you have to pay out over $800,000 in legal fees to other side (Save Tara). Bad policy decisions include encouraging developers to tear down more rent control and rent stabilized units than are created by Affordable Housing that most WeHo residents aren't eligible for - House of Blues, Sunset Doheny Hotel, and Sunset/La Cienega projects are all examples. More bad policy decisions - ignoring parking code requirements to favor developers - again all the Sunset projects including Tower Records whose new proposal will be over 200 parking spaces short of minimum code. The Tower Environmental Impact Report isn’t complete and shows a disastrous traffic circulation plan, yet there is already City Hall support and Businesses are being pressured to support. Meanwhile, the nearby residents protests over the parking and traffic that will result from the 2,000+ cars that will add to one of the worst intersections in the city are falling on deaf ears.
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Randillist 02/18/2011 10:50:00 PM
MITO FOR WEHO!!!
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Nowsherry 02/18/2011 10:02:00 PM
I've heard West Hollywood referred to as "boy's town"...gosh, after all these years I didn't know it meant "good ole boys town"! Let's face it, Heilman, Land and Horvath are on the wrong side of history. Their approach to this campaign leads me to believe they are rattled, not smart, not eloquent with a dose of arrogance and entitlement. I think they are suffering from "growing pains". They don't want to grow up and consider that there might be another way of doing things. Their scripted statements are transparent and patronizing. That said, I'm not buying it. I don't believe (as they insist) that they accomodate the voters needs unless of course they mean the needs of voters in 1984! I mean really, their conduct is unconscionable. And in the name of full disclosure, I support MITO AVILES. I have heard him speak, I have read his statements and his dialogue rings true to my reality, right here, right now in 2011. Lastly, please get out and VOTE on March 8th.
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Elyse Eisenberg 02/18/2011 9:40:00 PM
I tried to post this yesterday but it got lost. Anyway, comment to Denizen - You need to educate yourself. There has always been a lot of information on the news sites that cover local WeHo issues. Start by reading WeHoNews.com and many of the columns by Steve Martin. The city consistently sides against residents on all kinds of development projects, even if it means having the CA State Supreme Court ruling against you and you have to pay out over $800,000 in legal fees to other side (Save Tara). Bad policy decisions include encouraging developers to tear down more rent control and rent stabilized units than are created by the Affordable Housing units that most WeHo residents aren't eligible for (House of Blues, Sunset Doheny Hotel, and Sunset/La Cienega projects are all examples). More bad policy decisions by ignoring code requirements for parking to favor developers when approving new projects - again all the Sunset projects including Tower Records whose new proposal will be over 200 parking spaces short of minimum code and which doesn't even have a completed Environmental Impact Report and which is already getting support internally at City Hall and for which Businesses are being pushed to support over empathetic, organized and long time neighborhood protests for the 2,000+ cars that it will add to one of the worst intersections in the city and paralyze a neighborhood. In fact, their consistent Overriding Concern decisions of virtually all Environmental Impact Reports that show the proposed projects will create insurmountable traffic problems in favor of presumed benefits to the city. These projects have no benefits beyond the developers contributions to their campaigns (all three incumbents) or places of employment (Land). Corruption by developers’ contributions to the new library fund, a library which has gone more than $10M over budget. Who do you think is making up the difference? For the first few months of the library fund, contributors were posted on line and they were exclusively developers, their lobbyists and land use attorneys. After people started noticing, they stopped making the information public. This is corruption at its worst. You need to start paying attention to what is going on in your city. People who aren’t voting don’t realize that their day-to-day lives are even more impacted by their local government, than state or federal government.
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J Patrick 02/18/2011 7:58:00 PM
Yes! Me too! But Schmidt has publicly defended Horvath and says she is what the residents want. NOT ME!
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Msmerymac 02/18/2011 7:49:00 PM
Of course she's a clone. Why do you think they appointed her? Heilman and Land were behind her all the way, even though there were many much more qualified candidates who threw their hats into the ring. I made my decision to not vote for her based solely on the fact that she was appointed to the council after living in WeHo for 18 months. She has no connection to the community and in college apparently supported a platform (the GOP) which consistently attempts to label the LGBT community as less-than-citizens. I'm definitely voting for D'Amico and likely Aviles. I may even vote for Schmidt, a Log Cabin Republican. At least it will be fresh blood and new ideas.
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Patrick Range McDonald 02/18/2011 6:53:00 PM
Hi Serena,
We used "martinet" for a specific reason. Becca provided one definition, and it also means someone who behaves in a tyrannical manner. Critics have charged that John Heilman and Abbe Land fit that bill.
Take care,
Patrick Range McDonald,
LA Weekly
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Patrick Range McDonald 02/18/2011 6:47:00 PM
Hi Denizen,
Thanks for reading. The cover story shows many examples of inappropriate behavior by John Heilman, Abbe Land, and Lindsey Horvath and their political allies, so I'm not exactly sure how you missed that.
Our cover story last year, titled "West Follywood," also goes deeply into how West Hollywood has been mismanaged over the years. The current article is something of a follow up to that one. There's a link to "West Follywood" at the top of this story.
Take care,
Patrick Range McDonald,
LA Weekly
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Becca 02/18/2011 5:34:00 PM
No, your a sad excuse for someone living in the information age. A simple google search would show you the editor know exactly what they were doing, and knew they would trip people like YOU up. Found this on Wikipedia - Under English use - "In an extended sense, a martinet is any person for whom a strict adherence to rules and etiquette is paramount: martinets often use etiquette and other rules as an excuse to trump ethics, to the point that etiquette loses its ethical ground. The Ugandan dictator Idi Amin was famously described as a "strutting martinet" by Time in 1977.[1]
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02/18/2011 5:02:00 PM
I think you meant "marionettte." Sad example of what a joke this paper has become.
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Appalled but not surprized 02/18/2011 8:52:00 AM
I noticed her responses getting more detailed at a certain point. There was a distinct change and she was constantly looking down into her lap and taking notes. It made no difference. She still failed to sound connected to anything real. It was all Blah..blah..blah. The same doubletalk used by Heilman and Land all the time. She's a clone.
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Patrick Range McDonald 02/18/2011 3:57:00 AM
Hi Denizen,
Thanks for reading, but this cover story shows plenty of inappropriate behavior by John Heilman, Abbe Land, and Lindsey Horvath and their political allies. In fact, I have personally received many comments from people who told me they were outraged by that behavior when they read this article.
Also, L.A. Weekly ran a cover story last year, titled "West Follywood," that goes into the unsettling facts about how West Hollywood has been managed over the years, with longtime incumbents John Heilman and Abbe Land largely calling the shots. We didn't want to repeat ourselves on that front.
http://www.laweekly.com/2010-04-01/news/west-follywood/
There is also a link to "West Follywood" at the top of this article on page 1.
Take care,
Patrick Range McDonald,
LA Weekly
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Guest 02/18/2011 12:05:00 AM
I am actually quite content living in WeHo and think it's still moving in the right direction but I am not at all impressed by Land, Heilman and Horvath right now. Their unwillingness to be interviewed, in person, by LA Weekly is unacceptable. With 26 years under his belt, Heilman should be more than comfortable answering even the most difficult questions. The lack of publicly available information about their positions and their general inaccessibility are more red flags. I actually thought that Lindsey Horvath was a respectable choice for City Council but every time I've seen her in person, she speaks in vague generalities, and her reference to the Arizona shootings makes me strongly question her intelligence. I mean, really, what was she thinking by invoking that comparison? (On the other hand, Aviles' comparison of WeHo to the situation in Egypt is probably even more absurd.) I don't like that the ONE time in 26 years that a city council seat opened up and an incumbent was not able to fill it (upon Guarriello's death) that they were so calculating about filling it with someone young and inexperienced, who has taken all her cues from the incumbents.
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02/17/2011 11:45:00 PM
When we started the move to become a city 27 years ago, the issues there are the same as they are now . High rents, demolition of affordble housing, displacement of seniors & other long time residents, traffic congestion, no parking,etc. None of these have been resolved, only more of the same, bigger and worse. 2 of the present CC members have taken ownership of the city, using threats, strong arm tactics, firing, and are condescending when a voter tries to talk to them, are hateful, vindictive and in my opinion sociopathic. They succumb to every whim of the developers in every way from destroying affordable housing to trying to manipulate the demographics of the city to suit the developer's needs for sales. The flow of money through certain council members from corporations, lawyers and developers is obscene. Money has been directed to the employers of certain members in lieu of a vote in favor of development. They lie about their reasons for being pro development, not the least of which is John Heilman's statement that "The reason there are so many vacant commercial bldgs in We Ho is because the bldgs aren't nice enough for the high end clientele of We Ho., therefore they need to be torn down & replaced." He perpetuates the myth for the sake of the developers. He also talked about opening of new businesses, a high end $100 per dinner per person restaurant, a high end night club, etc, most of which are beyond the reach of most We Ho residents. John Heilman also says the heavy traffic in We Ho is "from somewhere else, just passing through" which is ludicrous, since the ongoing development is adding more and more traffic, it doesn't matter where it comes from. And his statement is untrue. Look at Trader Joe's on Westmount & S.M. Blvd any given night and see the traffic backed out of their parking lot onto S.M. Blvd. And everywhre else for that matter, from Gelson's to Pavillion's to the Gateway Shopping Mall. Why go on, there is soooo much more to this travesty that goes unsaid... These people are far too mercenary - they seem to have no regard for the quality of our lives, the contentment of the residents, the character of our city, etc., all things important to us when we became a city in the first place.
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02/17/2011 11:15:00 PM
Denizen, the problem with the current leaders is they committed to the corporate and developer interests rather than that of the common citizen of WeHo. I guess the money finally took hold of Heilman, because when this city was incorporated it was supposed to be the artistic city. A city that was to be creative and affordable to the artist. Now it's about bulldozing old buildings to build bigger buildings with corporate business. Local businesses close and property values raise making it unaffordable for residents that have lived here for decades to continue living here. Not to mention the fact that Santa Monica Blvd., Melrose Ave. and Fountain are more congested than ever and what does our current city council plan to do about this? Deregulate current building code so that taller, bigger buildings can sprout up along Santa Monica Blvd. Is this progress? Maybe for the rich, corporate developer, but for the average artist living here it is not. That is why the current administration will not have my vote. I was to vote for someone who represents me, not outside corporate interests.
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Elyse 02/17/2011 10:26:00 PM
Denizen, You need to spend some time educating yourself like the rest of us have already done.
Read the West Follywood article and go through back articles at www.wehonews.com, especially many of Steve Martin's columns. The primary issues are that the incumbents support developers against residents in EVERY CASE - even when all the way to the State Supreme Court sides against them and forces them to pay over $800,000 in attorney fees to the winning side (Save Tara). They have mismanaged and encouraged bad policy by ignoring and/or overriding Environmental Impact Reports that state traffic problems are insurmountable, saying the projects' advantages of havng affordable housing is more important - when the projects themselves destroy more affordable housing units than they create (House of Blues, Sunset Doheny Hotel, Sunset LaCienega project). They continue to allow dramatically below code parking requirements in oversized developments, contributing to worse traffic and parking problems (Tower Records), and ignore area Specific Plans and zoning codes - which were carefully thought out years ago - to bend over backwards to give developers whatever they ask for (virtually every project). They retaliate against residents and neighborhoods who oppose their plans (see who gets a lot of code violations for things they have been doing for years). Make the connection between big developers and big donors to either their campaigns (all three incumbents), their jobs (Land's at the Saban Clinic), or their pet projects (donors to Heilman's library fund - formerly available on line but now private when the connections became too obvious).
There are plenty of examples from the past decade to choose from. You need to pay attention more. This information has been available for years if you read the local news sites.
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WaltfromWeHo 02/17/2011 9:40:00 PM
@Denizen, do you live in our city? Either way, why don't you try and contact one of these people, you will get an assistant. Yet, their job is to serve the residents. Try speaking up at public comment in a city council meeting and see how they ignore you with disdain on their faces. Try speaking up about a development you are not in favor of, because it effects your environment/neighborhood & see how they treat you. I've done all of them. Maybe you should reread the article. And Im sure there were some Egyptians who thought their 30 year leader was doing a god job. Pull your head out of your ass! People want change. Now try and wrap your head around that concept! CHANGE!
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Denizen 02/17/2011 9:27:00 PM
I red all these posts saying "Yeah they're bad!" but I can't find any actual critique of mismanagement, corruption, bad policy or inappropriate behavior. The main critique of the article seems to be that these 3 have held office for a long time. I have nothing against that if the person does a good job. WeHo has seemed fine to me; if I am missing some important facts, please, educate me.
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J. Patrick 02/17/2011 9:05:00 PM
Aviles is the most refreshing and promising! And Martin and D'Amico are the most reassuring! They have my 3 votes!
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Leanne 02/17/2011 8:46:00 PM
VOTE FOR MITO!!!!!!
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DB 02/17/2011 8:45:00 PM
D'Amico and Martin are definite choices. I'm leaning Aviles, but want to know more about Gonzaga.
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Lggust 02/17/2011 8:24:00 PM
Please use your minds and your votes and do NOT vote for Heilman, Land or their puppet Lindsey ....Martin, D'Amico for sure the 3rhd I'm still not sure,,,,but Do Not vote for Heilman or Land enough is enough
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02/17/2011 7:16:00 PM
And why do we have a goddamn Right Wing Republican "incumbent" up there who suppported George W. Bushtail, who in turn brought us nothing but criminal wars, economic ruin, institutionalized torture and has always advocated criminalizing homosexuality as well as his infamous would be constitutional amendment against same gender marriage? WTF!?
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Meister4WeHo 02/17/2011 6:55:00 PM
I guess smart phone takes on a whole new meaning... :-)
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02/17/2011 6:48:00 PM
When we first began the movement to become a city, the issues were high rents, demolition of affordable housing, displacement of seniors & other long time residents, traffic congestion, no parking, etc. Now 27 years or so later, the issues are still high rents, domolition of affordable housing, displacement of seniors and other long time residents, traffic congestion, no parking, etc. The "change" we got is more of the same, only worse. What's more, John Heilman & Abbe Land have decided they own West Hollywood and whoever does not do their bidding will be challenged and destroyed if possible. These are dangerous people. Let's reduce John Heilman to going to work in Whittier every day without the attention he sucks up by being on the city council and usurping all lthe power. I happen to think this man exhibits sociopathic behavior which is very bad news for our city and it's honest citizens. John, Abbe and Lindsey all need to go if there is any hope of returning our city back to it's original vision of a rural village where everyone is entitled to provide input and be heard. This is our chance...
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michelle 02/17/2011 9:20:00 AM
Did someone order some change? Because Mito Aviles is here with a delivery!
MITO 4 WEHO
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Tobiasmoriset 02/17/2011 8:53:00 AM
Vote for Mito. All the way from Germany.
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Leathermanm 02/17/2011 8:20:00 AM
VOTE MITO FOR WEHO!!!!
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Joey Spanollie 02/17/2011 8:16:00 AM
I went to the forum this evening, sat in the back....and guess what I saw.....Dante Atkins and his brother (i think, based off the shape of their noses) send Lindsey Horvath messages on her phone all night that she was reading and turning into her answers. Its so unethical and obvious. I was sitting right next to him. Every time he would send you could see her look at her phone and start wiring down her next answers. He is one crooked mother fucker....but so is she, she's a puppet! and Land and Heilman, you should have heard the crowd! They want CHANGE!
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Stephanie Moriset Justen 02/17/2011 4:48:00 AM
I am all for Mito Aviles! My support sent all the way from Arizona!
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02/17/2011 3:49:00 AM
A single paragraph in this story tells you everything you need to know:
"Heilman refused to be interviewed for this article, although he's an elected official running for public office and is considered the most powerful member of the City Council. Land and fellow incumbent Lindsey Horvath refused to be interviewed on the phone or in person, demanding that e-mail questions be sent to them, allowing them to prepare responses and choose which questions they are willing to entertain."
That's the whole thing. That's who they are. And that's why they're about to be thrown out of office.
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Melissa Karnes 02/17/2011 1:13:00 AM
People will only be stifled for so long. I still believe in EQUALITY, a word that shouldn't have boundaries. The dynasty will fall, it always does. Mito Aviles, you have my support, all the way from Texas. How much better of a country would we have if people who ran for political office would refuse to fall to bribery, and actually work for the good of their people instead of their own pockets. I wish you the best, and will forward this article as far as my connections reach. Make it happen Mito!!!
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Allee Willis 02/16/2011 11:54:00 PM
I'm all for Aviles. This is just the kind of energy the city needs.
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WaltfromWeHo 02/16/2011 11:08:00 PM
Are we starting to see their strong hold crumble? Please, oh please!
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Dave Atkins 02/16/2011 10:05:00 PM
I suggested over 4 years ago that the City be divided into Districts, with a Councilmember for each one. With each Concilmember having to face unhappy residents, development would have to slow. My poor Eastside would stop bearing the brunt of huge projects. Sunset area residents could rely on someone to stand up for them. Inside, each area's upset gets diluted in the vast NIMBY-pool.
Campaigns would cost less. Local activists could actually meet their neighbors and bring new ideas. Developer's money would have no outlet and projects could get passed or not on their merits.
Sadly, there is no traction for the idea. And we're faced with multi-thousand dollar mailers from big money like labor or the Dems piling in to flood our mailbox with mailers. Sigh.
