Introducing Nancy's Notes

Nancy Goldberg

 

Speaking with a close friend recently,  I realized that my   role as a school board member was unclear to many of the public.  Consequently, I have decided to review my brief tenure on the board in the hope of explaining my decisions on issues.

Additionally, I propose periodically to relate my perceptions and experiences on board relationships and projects, again in the hope of making more transparent my involvements on the board

Living in any community for 50 years affords anyone an institutional memory of sorts.  I have not only lived in Culver City but been employed by its school district for nearly that period of time.     Children emerging into adulthood was and is my educational focus, so I envisioned my participation on the board as a resource and reference contributor.  When I joined the board, I actually needed to double time my learning curve.    I became dependent on reviewing past board meeting videos.  Certainly, this obligation to be informed is paramount with most board members; it is assumed that board members will function in good faith.  Nevertheless, we cannot know every aspect of board business from the outset.

Years of academic study had well prepared me for the daily grind of reviewing pending educational legislation and district policies, but adjusting to the prevailing hierarchy of “command” at the district level was more difficult.  As a teacher I was self-motivated, responsible for curriculum, standards and corrected papers.  On the board, I was expected to question the Superintendent and supportive personnel and turn over implementation of board decisions to them.  This adjustment to a quite different work status has taken me some time.

I recall a previous successful board member saying, “You hire the Superintendent, he or she is your work force.”  Gradually, I have accommodated these changes, but in general, the public is quite unaware of their reality, hence this commentary.

The board operates on two distinct levels: public and closed session.  Certain issues must be discussed behind closed doors, such as student expulsions and personnel discussions; this being done in order to protect the rights of participants.   Public issues may be merely discussed and then possibly agendized for an eventual vote.    Hearing what the public prefers on a specific issue is a board obligation, but the heat of emotion can distort any commentary.   Board members, of necessity, must register no personal reaction to a public request until after all sides have spoken.

Board members function as a team.  It is presumed that a mature, working relationship is in effect among them.    Civility between dedicated, elected officials must prevail.  When one board member presumes to instruct his or her colleagues, civility has broken down.   Regrettably, we all need to be reminded when our personal preferences don’t match our colleagues’, that compromise is often the only way out of a dilemma.   More to come….

Nancy Goldberg is a Culver City School Board Member and recently retired Teacher at Culver City High School.

A Long-Awaited Gift for Blair Hills

Cheri Sakai

LA county is literally handing Blair Hills a $5 million gift of walking
trails, community center, nature gardens, yoga center, exercise area, an
area where we can do art projects, play, enjoy nature or just  each other's
company. We can now have our own place to vote, have community meetings and have Blair Hills get togethers.

It is coming just in the nick of time for those in the community who may
soon be or already are limited in their ability to drive and get to other
parks and centers for senior activities.  Just being able to walk, enjoy
nature and exercise right in our own community on a daily basis could
lengthen our lives by another 10,20 or 30 years!  Added to that is an amazing idea for a center for all of us and our children to enjoy and learn from nature.

This is so much better than having another school on this property and the
related traffic we experienced for so many years.  And just as most of us
don't travel to Lindberg, McManus, or any of the other parks  we probably
won't see them coming to our park since these are not the types of
activities that would attract people from other communties as well as the
many fitness people who run up and down the steps off Jefferson.

Also, these activities will stop the homeless from parking themselves on
this property as they have begun to do already because along with the
development will be an office for David MacNeil who will oversee the
property as well as a regular maintenance crew and rules determining the
hours the park is kept open as is done at Kenneth Hahn Park.

So thank you everyone who enthusiastically supported this great gift to our
community!!!  Those who've been active in the Blair Hills community know how many years we have waited for this!

Cheri Sakai is a Blair Hills resident.

Year 2 of Education Foundation's All for 1

Dan O'Brien

This year, as another summer winds to a close andparents begin to prepare for a new school year, our community needs to thinkabout more than new school clothes and supplies. We need to think aboutproviding a bulwark against continuing budget cuts from Sacramento. The CulverCity Education Foundation (CCEF) is working to provide just such a defense, andurges everyone in our community to join them in supporting the students in ourCulver City schools.

Arguably one of the most ethnically and culturallydiverse school districts in Los Angeles County, the Culver City Unified SchoolDistrict (CCUSD) serves as a haven of high achievement for students from allbackgrounds. By virtually every quantifiable measure, our schools are raisingthe bar in academics, the arts and athletics. Even in this economy, our schoolsare managing to provide a bounty of after school programs for our kids. CCEFhas been an important part of these success stories.

For over 30 years, CCEF has been providing fundingto our district's schools— in fact it is the only organization that works tosupport all of our kids at every oneof our schools.

Last year, in the face of still more budget cutsfrom Sacramento, CCEF launched an ambitious annual fundraising campaign for ourkids and our schools. It’s called All For1.

Last year’s AllFor 1 campaign has already funded $75,000 worth of technology upgrades andacademic software at each of our k-12 schools, recorders for every third gradeclass in the district, musical instruments for CCMS and CCHS, the collegereadiness program AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), and so muchmore. 

This year’s AllFor 1 campaign is just beginning. To build upon last year’s success CCEF isasking our entire Culver City community to join together for our kids. Parentsand relatives of current students, homeowners who understand that great schoolsmean high property values, and businesses eager for a productive ,well-educated workforce all have important roles to play.  A smallcontribution from each household or business— even as little as $30, $20 or $10a month— would provide truly transformative funding for our schools. 

To make a one-time donation or to set up monthly payments, please visitCCEF’s website at ccef90230.org/donate and follow the instructions.  Thensit back and watch the difference your money will make in the lives of studentsright here in Culver City.

Dan O'Brien is the Executive Vice President of the Culver City Education Foundation and the Founder of the Culver City Great Parks Association.

Save Money and Save Lives By Voting Yes on Prop 34

Veda Veach

Since 1967, only 13 people have been executed in California despite the fact that our state houses the largest death row population in the country – accounting for 22% of all death row inmates. Our state’s death penalty is broken beyond repair, with most death row inmates dying of old age and only after decades of taxpayer-financed appeals. With an average of 25 years of legal proceedings, families of crime victims are forced to relive their pain again and again. Some people suggest the problem could be "fixed" by tightening up the appeals process but even Supreme Court justices who support the death penalty say that is virtually impossible in California and definitely more expensive than a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole.

We need to protect the public and we need to invest in a working legal system. That is why I am voting YES on Proposition 34 this November.

Prop. 34 is tough justice that actually works for everyone. It keeps heinous killers in prison until they die, with no hope of ever getting out. They are required to work and pay restitution to a victim’s compensation fund, whereas now, deathrow inmates just sit in individual cells doing nothing.

Although many people believe the death penalty is cheaper than life in prison without the possibility of parole, it is quite the opposite. A study by Judge Arthur L. Alarcon and Loyola Law Professor Paula Mitchell shows nearly $1 billion would be saved in five years if we were to replace the death penalty. Prop. 34 stops the waste on endless appeals and special death row housing.

Culver City is facing a serious fiscal crisis – we cannot afford to divert more funds away from police departments and our schools. I was shocked to learn that 46% of murders and 56% of rapes go unsolved in California each year. Any amount we continue tospend on the death penalty in California is money we’re not using for DNAtesting, crime labs and other tools to help cops solve those rapes and murders. Prop. 34 directs $100 million for these crime-solving tools.

While money is a big part of making justice work for everyone, so is making absolutely sure that we never execute an innocent person. More than 100 innocent people have been sentenced to death in the U.S., and some have been executed. That is a mistake we cannot afford to make. As long as the death penalty is in place, we will always run that terrible risk.

Ron Briggs was a lead proponent of the 1978 death penalty initiative. Don Heller is a lawyer who wrote California’s death penalty law. Jeanne Woodford is former Warden of San Quentin and carried out four executions. All three supported the death penalty, but having realized that the system is not working, they have changed their opinions.

We need to stop the waste, hold murderers accountable for their actions, and ensure we don’t run the risk of ever executing an innocent person in California. Please join Mr. Briggs, Mr. Heller, Ms. Woodford and me in voting to replace the death penalty with justice that works for everyone.

Veda Veach is a board member of the University ReligiousConference at UCLA, board member of Interfaith Communities United for Justiceand Peace (ICUJP),  and an active member of Culver-Palms United MethodistChurch.

Planning Commission Decision Demonstrates Value of Journalism & Activism

Carlene Brown

The Culver City Planning Commission’s August 8^th approval of both a Zoning Code Amendment and Modification to the existing Conditional Use Permit for Willows Community School is evidence that investigative journalism and community activism pays off.

This unanimous approval vote happened within a matter of minutes, as it should have happened a month before with recommendation from Culver City Staff.

Willows had been working diligently with Staff for over two years to address concerns raised by the Commission in a 2009 hearing, and on July 11, 2012, it appeared as if their proposal was airtight. But the Commission wrangled until after 11pm that night, finally voting to continue the Willows hearing to August 8^th. This postponement created even more hardship for the Willows School to move forward with their expansion project . 

Few Culver City residents knew about the anti-nonprofit agenda of Commissioners John Kuechle and Scott Wyant until, thanks to Gary and Karlo Silbiger, I attended hearings for The Help Group and Willows School to write stories for the Culver City Progress Blog.

In my Help Group article, I shared a Public Comment quote from former mayor Alan Corlin: “Non-profit organizations stifle economic growth.” It appeared to me that both Commissioner Kuechle and Commissioner Wyant shared that ideology, referred to by professor of Cultural Studies Henry Giroux as “the ideology of the Big Lie.”

Before submitting my Willows School article to the Culver City Progress Blog, I shared it with Willows parent Zoenda McIntosh, who shared it with City Council members and numerous Culver City groups. She also submitted it to both the Crossroads and Culver City Patch online papers, where it was accepted and published. Councilman Jim Clark attended the August hearing, very likely as a result of Ms. McIntosh’s activism.

Because Gary and Karlo Silbiger put out a call which I answered, both my journalism and Zoenda McIntosh’s activism contributed to waking up our community and calling forth a unanimous “yes” vote for Willows from the Culver City Planning Commission.

A few highlights from Zoenda McIntosh’s Public Comment speech follow:

I've lived in Culver City nearly 10 years. My kids are in Little League and Girl Scouts here, I'm block captain and former MOMS Club President. Culver City is our home, and I love it.

Our family is starting its fifth year at Willows Community School. My kids are in the school's theatre productions and play on the basketball and flag football teams, and I'm room parent there. Willows is our second home, and I love it.

Willows currently serves 425 students and their parents, and is a destination for people from over 50 Los Angeles-area zip codes. Families from San Pedro to Pacific Palisades to Sherman Oaks come to Culver City to this school, and those families are happy to shop at our stores and eat at our restaurants. [She even gave precise dollar amounts spent in restaurants for Willows events.]

My Public Comment speech followed Ms McIntosh’s speech, offering the following insights:

I assert that expansion of the Willows Community School campus would be a great asset to Culver City, rather than a “burden” as Commissioner Kuechle fears. I wish our public schools could follow the Willows model of student-centered learning which creates students who are passionate about life-long learning.

I question Commissioner Wyant’s concerns that Willows’ expansion would result in “lost revenues” for Culver City because, with the train now stopping near the Hayden Tract, “the next best use” of properties adjacent to Willows could be retail stores in a mini-mall.

This evening, I suggest that perhaps “the next best use” for the Hayden Tract could include an arts and culture corridor that entices train commuters into Culver City. The Willows Community School, with its emphasis on the arts, innovative education, and environmental consciousness, could be a centerpiece to make Culver City proud. What if Culver City created a model Green Village in that tract, a model of sustainability?

I love what Willows lawyer, Mark Armbruster, said about Willows School success in educating children. He said it is because of that success that Willows now needs to grow. I share with you a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt on success: “The motivating theory of a democratic way of life is still a belief that as individuals we live co-operatively and, to the best of our ability, serve the community in which we live, and that our own success, to be real, must contribute to the success of others.”

Willows’ success is Culver City’s success as well. I stand before this Commission tonight inviting you to approve the Willows Community School proposal that Culver City Staff urged you to approve a month ago!

Following the August 8^th hearing, Willows parent Zoenda McIntosh offered further comment:

“The Commissioners showed diligent attention to detail during this application process for Willows to improve and expand, and had asked the staff and school for several specific pieces of information to help them reach their decision. I was so impressed with the City staff's report, and with their helpful demeanor during last week's hearing. For the most part, it really appeared that all the involved people there were positive and working towards an amicable solution.

“I look forward to City Council's approval of Willows' master plan, which has carefully taken into consideration the financial goals of our City, and keeps the integrity of Hayden Tract's industrial use intact. With great benefit to the City and to the school, our neighbor Willows will grow conscientiously and continue its partnership with Culver City.”

Due to an appeal, the City Council will hear this issue at their September 10 meeting.  Let's hope that our message gets through then, as well.

Outside City Hall at the close of the meeting, Willows personnel thanked both me and Zoenda for the crucial parts we played in the positive vote from the Planning Commission. “I loved your Eleanor Roosevelt quote!” said Head of Willows, Lisa Rosenstein.

Indeed, “Our own success, to be real, must contribute to the success of others.” 

Carlene Brown is an educator and a resident of Culver City.

Finally, More Parkland in Blair Hills

Jon Melvin

The former Linda Vista Culver City school land in Blair Hills had been used for several years by the Ohr Eliyahu School.  They became too large for the area and sold this land to LA County Parks, which allowed us to realize another piece of a very long term dream for our area: more park land.  This event follows more than 10 years of struggle to prevent a huge housing development from being built on the top of what is now the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, in which Blair Hills played a key part.  Mary Ann Greene led the final years of this effort, and a video of her talking about the Overlook can be seen in the visitors center.  Lloyd Dixon has served on the Conservancy Board and has also helped.  County, Conservancy, and State people all gathered together to help purchase the land from the developer just as the bulldozers were beginning to plow the hill.

The Linda Vista school land will now be added to this park and to a long range vision for converting all of the PXP oil fields into one of the largest inner city parks in the world.  Because of the very limited access to this new land from the narrow streets of Blair Hills (access directly from La Cienega was investigated but was not possible at this time), a quiet, passive use which would draw few people is proposed.

A number of people in Blair Hills welcome this new park land with great enthusiasm, but there are also quite a number of people, particularly along the street adjacent to the land, who are very concerned that it could bring a lot of traffic in the way the stairs at the scenic overlook has completely clogged Jefferson and Hetzler Road.  Thus, this initially welcome event has become controversial.  Park people insist that passive use proposed will not draw large numbers of people, that it will be completely different that the stairs on Jefferson.  But some Blair Hills residents insist that there will be big problems and state that they do not trust park people to assess the problem properly.

The process for development of this land consists of several community meetings where plans are discussed, each person present is asked to speak, and then there is a vote on ideas which are proposed by those present and by
landscape architects involved in the project.  An initial meeting enumerated a number of ideas.  The second meeting, on 8/8/2012, allowed us to review three plans developed from these ideas and mark which plan and which
items in each plan people liked and did not like.  These included an exercise path, a small community room and office, benches, yoga platforms, native plant and water use areas, shaded walkways, and a communal farming area.  The next steps will be to combine the ideas from this meeting into a final plan, and initiate the EIR process (which also allows for citizen input).

We in Blair Hills are very proud of successfully fighting for parkland in our area during the last 20 years.   The Scenic Overlook’s popularity is a testament to Los Angeles community’s commitment to exercise and sharing this open space.  Culver City and the County and State are now working on mitigating the traffic that was an unintended consequence, both by  improvements along Jefferson and trail changes to get traffic and pedestrians off of Hetzler Road.  With the planned new park in Blair Hills and other efforts within Culver City to bring more passive use to our city parks, we will be seeing open space development needed by older citizens in our community as well.  This is a time to embrace and support all of these changes, and work together in a positive way to resolve impacts.  I hope we all come together to do so.

Jon Melvin is a Board Member for the Blair Hills Association.

Council Proposes Sales Tax Increase While Ignoring Other Forms of Potential New Revenue

Gary Silbiger

With the economic recession continuing from 2008, Culver City’s Council passed a one-half percent sales tax increase at its July 16, 2012 meeting.  This permits an initiative to be placed on the November 6, 2012 ballot.  However, other revenue enhancements have been missing-in-action.  And not even a Public Finance Advisory Committee proposal was adopted.

As the last of the City’s 5 community meetings concerning a local sales tax increase was held on July 16, there was unanimous agreement by all Council members and City staff, with the assistance of a public survey, to propose a raise of Culver City’s sales tax one-half percent, although three-quarters of a percent was also considered.  The Council feeling was that a three-quarters percent increase would likely pass, but was not worth the small chance of defeat during this financial crisis.  Even Steve Rose, President of the Chamber of Commerce, submitted a statement in support of the one-half percent increase. 

The Council chose a 10 year sunset period for this sales tax increase although some Councilmembers original spoke of a 5 or 15 year sunset, or none at all.  The 10 year period won because some Council members felt 5 years would be too soon to determine the continuing need for this additional tax, and wanted the public to feel comfortable about a specific, rather than open-ended, termination of this program. 

Eight individuals spoke and 3 more submitted written responses at the July 16 meeting.  Council member Andrew Weissman commented that more than 70 people had attended the 5 community presentations.  Two of the speakers advocated for a Public Finance Advisory Committee which could demonstrate transparency and community involvement.  Crystal Alexander, former elected Culver City Treasurer, explained that people want to know how the tax will be used.  Meghan Sahli-Wells, the only vocal Councilmember in support of this Committee, stated that when a City asks for tax money, it should simultaneously have a resident finance committee leading to an open process.  Although there was Council talk of the worthiness of a Public Finance Committee, when Sahli-Wells asked if it could be part of the sales tax motion, Weissman said they would need more time to consider the nature of this committee, how it would be formed and staffed.  Weissman’s suggestion to skip the Public Committee at the Council meeting was consented to by Councilmember Jeff Cooper.  The Committee concept never found its way into the pending motion; this is not unusual for the City Council because it is often reluctant to empower the public by forming a resident committee..

So, when will a Public Finance Advisory Committee item be agendized?  Weissman suggested some time between the July 16 meeting and the election.  Sahli-Wells retorted it should be agendized sooner than later because the Committee could assist in advocating for the sales tax passage.  Now, 4 weeks later, the Committee item, a simple one to place on an agenda, has not seen the light of day.  If this is an indication of the Council’s interest in real public input – despite its 5 community discussions – I will be shocked if the Committee is formed as a viable advisory partner.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Council unanimously passed a motion to place on the November 2012 ballot a one-half percent sales tax increase with a 10 year sunset period and a beginning date of April 2013 at the earliest.

Sales taxes are regressive taxes because everyone pays the same percentage of sales tax, regardless of income; and lower income buyers, who spend most of their money on necessities, spend proportionately a higher percentage of their income on sales tax than do wealthy people.  Yet, sales tax is a crucial source of revenue in our system, but if other sources of money are ignored, our city will underperform, services will be cut and denied, and the residents will surely suffer.

With lightning speed, the sales tax initiative was passed by the City Council.  But what about other ways of increasing City funds.  A short list includes:

• Recover 100% of the charges for city fees.  $660,000 in fiscal year 2011-2012 was not recovered for city fees because individuals were not charged.  Therefore, the money had to be taken from the General Fund.  When these city fees were first studied, more than $5,000,000 per fiscal year was lost.
• Create a list of every consultant, by department, and the money paid each year
• Don’t overpay department managers and cease giving perks like moving fees, loans, special leave and retirement conditions
• Evaluate each city credit card, city car use, gas payments, etc. with strict internal controls and oversight by a resident based finance committee
• Ask key cities to send its list of developer fees, taxes and other fees for comparison purposes
• Find the special funds that exist in Culver City – we’ve all read about California’s numerous special funds (with bulging money) unknown to the elected officials
• Review development fees to see which should be added and increased

It’s now time for the City Council to have a special meeting about other sources of revenues, just as it did for the sales tax initiative.  And it should take place now, not after the November election.

Gary Silbiger is the Co-Editor of the Culver City Progress Blog and the former Mayor of Culver City.

Fiesta La Ballona: Culver City's Party in the Park

Mike Cohen

In an economy where families are watching their wallets, the Culver City community celebrates the diversity and heritage of the Heart of Screenland in the 62nd annual Fiesta La Ballona, Aug. 24-26, at Veterans Park.  Admission is free.

Staging family attractions that offer safe, free and fun experiences at every corner of the park, Culver City's "Party in the Park" features bands, booths, regional cuisine, rides, activities and so much more coordinated by the Culver City Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Community Services and over 150 volunteers.

"There's free stuff happening all over the park to engage and entertain you all day.  We guarantee there's something for everyone.  It's the best deal on the Westside," said Fiesta La Ballona marketing committee member Kimberly Knab.

Live bands, community acts and roving performers deliver continuous entertainment all weekend, beginning late Friday afternoon with the Swing Set for seniors followed that evening by Fiesta Palooza, showcasing the area's top teen bands.

Culver City Fire Department relay races and bucket brigade pit service clubs, schools, Culver City Council and Culver City Board of Education against each other in the "Contests in the Park" site at the Disney Stage. 

Fiesta guests stay cool in the new Culver City Fire Dept. mist zone.

It's a dog's world at the Culver City Police Dept. K-9 demo by the "Stage in the Park" scene.

More than 100 booths in the "Shop in the Park" venue offer unique educational, shopping and dining experiences for Fiesta La Ballona guests.

The Exchange Club beer and wine garden taps flow with regional and imported beers.

Some 25 food booths and trucks offer value-priced regional cuisine by the large dining tent at the "Dine in the Park" place.  Participants can expect a messy good time under the dining tent in the free Essential Chocolate Ice Cream Eating Contest. 

Early risers will loosen up in free morning fitness classes at the main stage dance floor.  Besides aerobics to promote health and fitness lifestyle activities, "Wellness in the Park" includes the Robert Rainey Memorial Jog to the Baldwin Vista Scenic Overlook, laps at the Municipal Plunge, community bike rides and the Kiwanis Club Carbo-Load Breakfast.

Local tennis and paddle tennis pros lead clinics, exhibitions, and contests for youth and adults at the Tennis and Paddle Tennis-Fest at the tennis courts.

Fiesta La Ballona guests will indulge in the creative arts by participating in free workshops led by gifted local instructors every half hour, 12:00-5:00 p.m., in the "Arts in the Park" zone.  Learn yoga and Pilates, arts and crafts, hip hop and international dance, and dabble in the martial arts.  

Enjoy storytelling, navigate an obstacle course, and pitch a tent in other interactive attractions.

Vintage Culver City police, mail and movie studio service vehicles motor into Fiesta La Ballona at the "Classics in the Park" attraction on the Veterans Park softball infield.

Guests will read posters describing a bygone era, be photographed with dressed-up characters, and sit inside several antique vehicles, including Culver City Model A Ford Screenland Police car,  Culver City Post Office delivery vehicle, Old MGM service bikes, Helms Bakery Olympic coach.

The Culver City Rotary Club will imprison offenders inside the historic Pokey jail.

The Aquacade at the "Plunge in the Park" locale offers free afternoon swim games, Aqua-Lilies synchronized swimmers, boy vs. girl match races among state-ranked swimmers, and a water polo match between rivals Culver City and Beverly Hills high schools.

You and your bike are pampered in "Cycle City" with bike decorating, bike wash, repairs, tech workshops, safety skills course and bike parade.  The Palms Cycle bike, stroller and skateboard valet keeps your carriages secure.  Ride the Culver City Fire Dept. five-man bike in the "Contests in the Park" zone.

Pitch a tent and learn outdoor skills Sunday at the Culver City Boy Scouts' Scoutarama.  The Culver City Girl Scouts celebrate their parent organization's 100th anniversary by helping Fiesta La Ballona become a zero-waste event through recycling.

Fiesta La Ballona goes green with Eco crafts and classes on recycling and organic gardening.  Waste bins will be labeled for compostables, recyclables and trash.

Surpassing the white-knuckle excitement of the Rock 'o Plane ride, the new Zipper makes its debut at Fiesta La Ballona along with more new attractions in the "Carnival in the Park" scene for kids of all ages.

Assemblymember Holly Mitchell, State Senator Curren Price, Culver City Mayor Andy Weissman, police and fire chiefs, Culver City Council, Culver City Board of Education members and more dignitaries will network throughout the festival grounds.

Cathy Zermeno, the first president of the Culver City Historical Society and former Fiesta La Ballona chairperson, will receive a perpetual trophy as historical society awardee at the opening ceremonies of Fiesta La Ballona, Aug. 25, 11:45 a.m. on the main stage.  Former Culver City High School Coach of the Year Dave Sanchez will be honored as Grand Marshall

The Culver City High School Centaur, magicians, unicyclist and juggler will greet the anticipated 20,000 guests.

“Numerous volunteers have been working all year to “develop community” at Fiesta La Ballona by providing an environment where participants can interact with local organizations, agencies, and businesses; meet and renew acquaintances; have fun in a safe venue; celebrate the city’s heritage and diversity; and experience local creativity and community enthusiasm,” said event chairman Mike Cohen.

Fiesta La Ballona (www.FiestaLaBallona.org) is held August 24-26 at Veterans Park, 4117 Overland Ave. Culver City.

Mike Cohen is the Chair of the Fiesta La Ballona Committee.

Tilden Terrace Construction Reaches Milestone

David Voncannon

NOTE: This is a follow up to an article written by Mr. Voncannon for the Culver City Progress Blog which can be found here.

Monday, July 30 marks a significant milestone in the construction of Tilden Terrace, a combined affordable housing and retail building.  Since the project groundbreaking on March 26, 2012, Dreyfuss Construction has been working on excavation for the subterranean parking, and other preparations for the pouring of the main floor slab.

The pouring of the main floor is a significant milestone because it marks the end of the underground work.  From this point forward most of the work will be above ground as the building grows to its eventual height of 33 feet.

For those of you interested in such details, the details of the main floor are interesting.  The slab is approximately 20,000 sg. /ft. in area and 12 inches thick.  That equates to 20,000 cubic feet of concrete.  A quick Google search tells me that concrete has a density of approximately 145 lbs. per cubic foot so the main floor slab will weigh about 2,900,000 lbs. when finished!  Further, this slab is designed as a single pour meaning that it must all be poured in one session.  Representatives from Dreyfuss Construction that this single part of the construction will require 100+ truckloads of concrete.

As impressive as the above statistics are, at least they are to me; even more impressive is the continued support for the project within the community.  A construction project of this magnitude will have an impact on neighborhood residents.  This project is not an exception due to the number of construction vehicles, concrete trucks and other trades moving around the work site.  Compounding the problems many of the residents on Tilden Avenue either work from home or do not work a typical work schedule.

From the first discussions about the project, Los Angeles Housing Project and Dreyfuss Construction committed to addressing neighborhood concerns during the construction.  David Sanchez, Project Manager for Dreyfuss Construction, has followed through by meeting with any concerned resident and letting the neighborhood know that any worker parking in the neighborhood will be sent home from work and not paid for that day’s work.  In another example of neighborhood cooperation I met with Mr. Sanchez to warn him of the approach of Ramadan, the Islamic holiday which begins July 20^th and runs through august 20^th, he asked if it would be possible to meet with representatives from the King Fahad Mosque.  I was able to facilitate a meeting with representatives of Dreyfuss Construction and King Farad where issue related to parking and traffic were discussed.  The mosque had already been in contact with the Culver City Police and they hire additional security for Ramadan. 

The Tilden Terrace project is significant in ways beyond being an outstanding example of cooperation.  Perhaps most significant is that Tilden Terrace represents the first affordable housing project in Culver City in over 10 years.  Tilden Terrace won approval from the City Council in early 2011 with the promise of adding to the affordable housing and new retail space.  The project will contain 33 affordable housing units when completed.  A much needed addition to affordable living space in Culver City.

A final point is the hope that Tilden Terrace will act as a catalyst for further redevelopment along this section of Washington Boulevard.  With the loss of the city redevelopment agency earlier this year, any new development will need to be privately funded.  Indeed there has already been some activity along those lines with Copenhagen Bakery opening across the street and the redevelopment of the old Albertson’s Chevrolet lot at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard. 

Mostly the residents are looking forward to the end of construction and being able to return to our normal work, and sleep, patterns.  Until that is possible, we are all trying to cooperate with construction crews, street closures, and mosque visitors while looking forward to the benefits promised by new development in our neighborhood.

David Voncannon is a member of the Culver City Advisory Committee on Redevelopment.

Trust is a Precursor to Taxes

Karlo Silbiger

It has become a mantra of the conservative right throughout the country: we need to lower taxes because the government causes more problems than it solves.  They say that it is inefficient, that it is a job killer, and that it denies the very liberties inherent in the founding concepts of this country.  They promise that tax cuts will trickle down through the ranks so that every single person will benefit from their enactment.  And they fight vigorously against any attempt to create any government program to address economic inequities calling them socialist and taking their tea party to the street.  For most of the past 30 years, it has worked and the words “tax increase” have killed many political careers.

Times have been tough throughout the country leading to a decrease in tax revenue and a need for more social programs to address poverty, all of which cost money.  When government costs increase and the only form of income simultaneously decreases, there are only 2 ways to solve the problem responsibly: increase taxes for one or more groups or decrease public spending.  Given that neither of those have taken place due to the polarized political ideologies in government, we have seen irresponsible deficit and debt increases that will hurt our economy for generations to come.

It is within that political context that I have been thinking lately about an interesting local phenomenon in Culver City.  In 2009, in the depths of the great recession, the school board decided to place an initiative on the ballot (later known as measure EE) which would charge each property owner an added $96 per year to pay for our schools, then (and still) in need of help just to stay afloat.  Every one of the 5 board members at the time supported it as did the entire city council, leading to a near 75% vote of support from the community.  Earlier this year the council unanimously put a measure on the ballot increasing the Transient Occupancy Tax (the one charged by hotels) by 2% and it was so popular that no one publicly campaigned against it on the way to an 83% vote of support.  Now word comes out that the city council, again unanimously, has put a question to the voters inNovember asking us to increase our sales tax by ½%.  Once again, the polling done by the city has shown super majority support for increasing taxes.

How is it possible that in a country that supposedly hates taxes and would rather see us borrow $1 trillion per year than make Mitt Romney pay more than 12% in income taxes, Culver City voters have repeatedly raised their own taxes?  How do our elected officials feel comfortable supporting this taboo topic so hated by our neighbors outside of Culver City?

What I’ve realized is that while the GOP and conservatives have insisted that Americans are anti-tax using tax revolt movements dating from prop 13 to the tea party, that is not an accurate depiction of our populace’s beliefs.  We don’t hate taxes, we hate wasted money.  We understand that running a government costs money and we are willing to pay for good services, but we have been demoralized by generations of wasted government money.   When we vote against raising taxes, most of us are actually saying that we don’t trust our elected officials to spend that money on the things that need financing.  But when the money is spent well (like on President Obama’s initiative to save the American Auto Industry or on former Governor Pete Wilson’s plan to cap elementary school class sizes at 20 students), the vast majority of Americans are only too happy to contribute.

Here in Culver City, we trust our elected officials to spend our money wisely because we have decades of proof that for the most part, that is what’s done.  When our school board or city council comes asking for some extra tax contributions, people give knowing that it will be used to fund needed programs and services.  Sacramento and Washington DC could learn a lesson from our community on how to build the trust necessary to put aside the extreme rhetoric and begin governing.  Because of that history, I am sure that voters will once again support the council in their attempted sales tax hike in November, but I’m not nearly as sure that Governor Brown has earned that same support for his proposition on the same ballot.

Karlo Silbiger is the Co-Editor of the Culver City Progress Blog, the President of the Culver City School Board, and the Former President of the Culver City Democratic Club.