Los Angeles » The Republican Temple

Fresh off the news cycle on the command change in Afghanistan, Vice President Joe Biden is set to jet off to Los Angeles for a Hollywood fundraiser to help out the increasingly vulnerable Sen. Barbara Boxer in her re-election bid.

Last fall Biden tried to raise cash for Boxer at the home of food mogul and prominent Dem donor Ron Burkle.

President Obama was also recently on the left coast with the same goal in mind, to shake the Hollywood money tree for California’s empty pantsuit.

The upcoming Biden-Boxer bash is scheduled to be held in July at the Bel Air home of Thomas E. Rothman, CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment.

To hobnob with assembled glitterati, it’ll cost you $1,500 per person. And if you want to pose for a picture with the senator or the veep, you’ll have to shell out $2,500 per person.

In typical liberal hypocrisy-style, the best seats in the house are reserved for those who fork over 25 grand.

Boxer’s GOP rival, Carly Fiorina, is rumored to be contemplating besting Barbara by holding a roast beef sandwich soiree with tea.

Filed under: Left Coast Report

Tags: Barbara Boxer, Carly Fiorina, fundraiser, Joe Biden, Left Coast Report, Los Angeles, Ron Burkle, Thomas Rothman

This from Dan Walters from the Sacramento Bee:

Los Angeles is one of the nation’s most fiscally troubled big cities, according to a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

While all of the 13 cities in Pew’s ongoing examination are feeling the budgetary pinch of recession, Los Angeles’ deficit, about 11 percent of its projected budget, is the fourth highest, behind Chicago, Kansas City and Phoenix. Pittsburgh was found to be the least troubled of the 13.

“Like Detroit, Los Angeles was confronting a big shortfall, talk of municipal bankruptcy and distrust between City Council and the mayor about the extent of the problems, much less the solutions,” Pew says in its report, “Not Out of the Woods.”

The full Pew report is available here.

“Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa put the general-fund shortfall at around 11 percent,” the report adds. “After three months of acrimony with City Council that included a threat of partial government shutdown, a budget was approved that makes cuts across many city services, from libraries to child care to sidewalk repairs. The city would lay off between 761 and 1,761 employees, depending on possible union concessions and revenues from other actions.”

“To raise revenue,” Pew continues, “the budget calls for leasing 10 city-owned parking structures to private operators for an estimated $53 million a year. There would also be a 4.5 percent utility rate increase for the city-owned Department of Water and Power, a major source of the city’s operating revenue. The budget also relies on various fee hikes, including higher parking fines, dog-license fees and asking voters to approve a new tax on billboards and other signs.”

Although Los Angeles’ budget remains troubled, there is one bright spot in the report for the state’s largest city. Its pension plan for city workers was rated as being the healthiest of the 13 cities at nearly 90 percent of liabilities, well above the average of 64 percent.

Filed under: Temple Tidbits

Tags: California, fiscally troubled, Los Angeles, Pew Charitable Trusts, study

I don’t know Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce very well, nor do the vast majority of readers of this blogsite. Arizonians (Arizonans?), probably a bit more than the rest of us.

Perhaps it is high time that we do get acquainted with Pierce, especially after his one-upsmanship with Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

For those who missed it, the city of Los Angeles made these unveiled threats which would make LA boycott the state of Arizona because of the illegal immigration bill that was recently signed by Arizona governor Jan Brewer.

Pierce obviously has some cajones as he wrote a letter to Villaraigosa, telling him that a boycott war is bad for both sides. He also said that he would “be happy to encourage Arizona utilities to renogotiate your power agreements” to end the flow of electricity to Los Angeles.

Pierce further added:

“I am confident that Arizona’s utilities would be happy to take those electrons off your hands.”

“If, however, you find that the City Council lacks the strength of its convictions to turn off the lights in Los Angeles and boycott Arizona power, please reconsider the wisdom of attempting to harm Arizona’s economy.”

Pierce 1, Villaraigosa 0. The ball’s in your court, Antonio.

Filed under: Temple Tidbits

Tags: Antonio Villaraigosa, Arizona, Arizona Corporation Commission, electricity, Gary Pierce, illegal immigration, Los Angeles