3/1/11 CITY COUNCIL ELECTION DEBATE: TOM LABONGE, STEVEN BOX, & TOMAS
O'GRADY ~ MARSHALL HIGH (semi-verbatim] :
Intro by Ron _______ ? Pres of the neigborhood council..greater
griffith park..cert in 2002..19 volunteers..officially represent u
..each candidate 2 mins..opening statement..,
STEVEN BOX ..dist 4..lived here 14 years..entertainment industry
..encourage growth..sustainabilty..rode bike..budget l.a...[mentioned
being at a meeting at which] incumbent (labonge) wasn't here ...
TOM LABONGE: stand behind.president..I Helped save this school in
1972..four women [issue re standing up]..[please don't walk in front
..lighting is bad..can't see us..please hold applause..there was a
brief uproar & argument re standing up while talking.. ] ..
TOMAS O'GRADY:..born ireland..restored brownstones in jersey..came in
1991 ..not abt photo-ops..leading by example..will cut my own salary
in half.LA Times endorsed me ..they like sincerity .. Re parking/traffic ..ogrady: ..until mass transit..parking
structures..crazy in los feliz ..big projects..people afraid b/c of
fraud , labonge: need more people walking ..on mta board..got subway
disc going..defacto fwy is los feliz blvd..when I went to school
here..nothing..box: 60% of collissions caused by road conditions.. Measure L re libraries: ogrady: money needed to re-open libs 2 days
more, I love libs..need 7 days ..I will fund by finding waste..cutting
cell phones save $5 mil ..box: city council abdicted..had ability but
didn't..buried in measure..cost recovery..increase $50 mil.., labonge:
these 2 gents fiction ..we said must fund parks... Can L.A afford new football stad? Labonge..1920's city hall,
coliseum..tough times..but look at horizon..whether downtown or in
county (industry)...won't use tax..but fleetwood mac..don't stop
thinkin abt tomorrow, box: opposed to tax on non-existent
team..already city council ..same committee..ogrady:..[ to labonge he
says] I wish u wouldn't tell lies..roll back tape..never said I was
against libraries..re football..did brownstones..we went to bank..I am
vehemently ..against football.. Arts: labonge, after '84 olympics..how much was birthed..our teammate
mike haynes..nfl hall of fame..art imp..los feliz..dynamic
collage..great crown..observ..1992..bond issues..nat hist museum ..pro
museum, pro art..help artists, obrady: labonge proposed
privatize..couple artists..couldn't get to labonge..high sals of cult.
Affairs $180,000 ..barnsdall ? Big fan of arts..father law..santa
monica ..more galleries..,
box: 3 drives, entertainment, art, tourism..city counc. Ignores..lots
of small business..need support..spprt l.a. city works..navig
obstacles..keep in mind..incumb..city pass univ studio..disney, san
diego.. How handle complaints re noise traffic?..complaint driven..not way...,
ogrady: ..action..decibel..greek theatre....labonge gets
contributionss..in this city..who u know rather than a rule..trying to
get rid of gas blowers..I will be boring..but is or isn't..shouldn't
matter if u know tom or not.., labonge: over years..tried to work with
it..frank massey..? ..no not getting better Parking structures: where..box: no to griff park ..maybe by ol brown
derby..there r a lot of spaces..7 per car..just not where needed..use
parking that's not needed ..short-term..but no to griff park.,
labonge: post office ..old mason hall ..firestation ..work w/
garcetti..hospital complex..barnsdall shop ctr. ..abs not in grffth
park, ogrady: parking laid off guys who fixed park. Meters..$875, 000
why so much..fix what have now.. Major disasters, ogrady..educate kids..won't want to riot..re
emerg..shouldn't have much to do w/ city council..politicians get in
way..chief bracken..lamented re asking for city counc bless., box: I'm
volunteer fireman..medical trained..griffith park..fire..rode
bikes..set up here at marsh high..people had to walk out..lucy jones @
cal tech says big one coming & were not ready.." , labonge:..fire
griffth park..plan worked..didn't burn homes..onlu one roof..fire by
merry go round..ttalked to captain..built improved sytem..thank box
for participating.lucy jones says "shift happens", '94 & '71 I was
there.. Parks: ogrady..griffith intended park to be an escape..just get-away a
few hours..already have ..what need..leave park alone, box: griff
park..urban wilderness..not to be improved..sensitive ecosystem..34
around world...labonge: hist.monument status..every day I hike in
park..improv. necc. Reclaimed water..roosevelt golf course..children
park..7 bros played here..befre fwy..730p Power: move from coal,? Labonge..need a blend..now from inner
mt..utah..blend..want solar..every.. get off carbon footprint..;
ogrady: support renewable energy..solar I have solar
jacuzzi.credibiluty..helicopter above will see my wife hanging out
clothes..biggest energy users..charge more..prob dwp..nobody
trusts..nor city counc.; box: reframe..explore ..renewables..fr east
coast..cut 20% utilities..dwp..threatens spike in trans..I met w/ this
guy..he had 2 spec plans..u need renewable.. Hollywood has changed, future? Labonge: subways..new..western
ave..tough area..changed that ..brought tourists..mecca &
highland..sparked activity ..backsides mecca..pasadena good.park
structs..beer & wine lic..hw bowl..good..hotels..incr flow..more
interiority..farmers market..; box: our camp office..makes my heart
leap..to see tourists..entire world knows hw..homes, streets,
famous..people don't come to see condo complexes..preserve ,
embrace..relatives australia..; ogrady: if u pay million for condo..u
own a car..don't rely on mass transit..who is hollywood coming back
for ? If want to help hollywood, help schools..don't move people out
for new wealth.. Bicycle master plan, fund it ? Box: corrected city counc math..done
this a few times..money for staff but not operations..we're top
heavy..money is there..evidence is wilshire..city council hasn't
approved it..; labonge: when mayor had prob ..elbow..l.a. river..louis
adams supports me..want it out to canoga park hs..; ogrady..congrats
to box (?) ...got this passed..I have a bike plan,,filling
potholes..cut council staff in half..laid off 300 street positions
last year, nobody in city council..mayor has fulltime tweeter
$100,000,,,2nd largest city. But potholes everywhere. Box: deaf ears @ city hall..today..pub comment reduced..simplest
things..give city hall more enthus approach tolistening.;
ogrady..chair green committe..city coun doesn't take ..neighb counc
seriously..if have cooperative..take neighb counc seriously..own
accounting ..offered..but didn't get call back..; labonge: been inv
neighb whol career..mulholland fountain a historical monument..got
old truck salvage picking up debris..must be tenacious..won't take no
for answer..door always open.. Labonge..endorsed by jerry brown..helped end prostitution
problm..proud to come from marshall high..work hard..listen..frankl
ave bridge, silv lake reservoir..walkway..finally approved..elect sb
w/ abilty to work w/...[applause] O'Grady: [missed his final speech] Box:..I'm outsider on inside..labonge wants 4 more years..to fix
streets.but we don't have 3500 years..if this were the titanic...need
change now..o'grady would cut his salary in half & throw the rest
overboard. Me? I will turn this boat around [applause] CONCLUSION & EVALUATION: All of them made good points & some were
stronger than others depending on the question & issue. 1) Labonge
attended Marshall HS & is the "local" as well as the long-time
incumbent so he was the favorite judging by the applause, albeit there
was definitely a lot of applause for the others as well. 2) Steven Box
is a good speaker & seemed to know his statistics pretty well. He
aptly criticized Labonge on a number of points. Not sure where Box
comes from: late in the debate he mentioned relatives from Australia.
Is he an immigrant ? Tomas O'Grady immediately mentioned his
background...from Ireland & apparently became independently wealthy
restoring brownstones in New Jersey. He was critical of Labonge
playing "favorites" rather than abiding by rules & rights for all.
O'GRADY ~ MARSHALL HIGH (semi-verbatim] :
Intro by Ron _______ ? Pres of the neigborhood council..greater
griffith park..cert in 2002..19 volunteers..officially represent u
..each candidate 2 mins..opening statement..,
STEVEN BOX ..dist 4..lived here 14 years..entertainment industry
..encourage growth..sustainabilty..rode bike..budget l.a...[mentioned
being at a meeting at which] incumbent (labonge) wasn't here ...
TOM LABONGE: stand behind.president..I Helped save this school in
1972..four women [issue re standing up]..[please don't walk in front
..lighting is bad..can't see us..please hold applause..there was a
brief uproar & argument re standing up while talking.. ] ..
TOMAS O'GRADY:..born ireland..restored brownstones in jersey..came in
1991 ..not abt photo-ops..leading by example..will cut my own salary
in half.LA Times endorsed me ..they like sincerity .. Re parking/traffic ..ogrady: ..until mass transit..parking
structures..crazy in los feliz ..big projects..people afraid b/c of
fraud , labonge: need more people walking ..on mta board..got subway
disc going..defacto fwy is los feliz blvd..when I went to school
here..nothing..box: 60% of collissions caused by road conditions.. Measure L re libraries: ogrady: money needed to re-open libs 2 days
more, I love libs..need 7 days ..I will fund by finding waste..cutting
cell phones save $5 mil ..box: city council abdicted..had ability but
didn't..buried in measure..cost recovery..increase $50 mil.., labonge:
these 2 gents fiction ..we said must fund parks... Can L.A afford new football stad? Labonge..1920's city hall,
coliseum..tough times..but look at horizon..whether downtown or in
county (industry)...won't use tax..but fleetwood mac..don't stop
thinkin abt tomorrow, box: opposed to tax on non-existent
team..already city council ..same committee..ogrady:..[ to labonge he
says] I wish u wouldn't tell lies..roll back tape..never said I was
against libraries..re football..did brownstones..we went to bank..I am
vehemently ..against football.. Arts: labonge, after '84 olympics..how much was birthed..our teammate
mike haynes..nfl hall of fame..art imp..los feliz..dynamic
collage..great crown..observ..1992..bond issues..nat hist museum ..pro
museum, pro art..help artists, obrady: labonge proposed
privatize..couple artists..couldn't get to labonge..high sals of cult.
Affairs $180,000 ..barnsdall ? Big fan of arts..father law..santa
monica ..more galleries..,
box: 3 drives, entertainment, art, tourism..city counc. Ignores..lots
of small business..need support..spprt l.a. city works..navig
obstacles..keep in mind..incumb..city pass univ studio..disney, san
diego.. How handle complaints re noise traffic?..complaint driven..not way...,
ogrady: ..action..decibel..greek theatre....labonge gets
contributionss..in this city..who u know rather than a rule..trying to
get rid of gas blowers..I will be boring..but is or isn't..shouldn't
matter if u know tom or not.., labonge: over years..tried to work with
it..frank massey..? ..no not getting better Parking structures: where..box: no to griff park ..maybe by ol brown
derby..there r a lot of spaces..7 per car..just not where needed..use
parking that's not needed ..short-term..but no to griff park.,
labonge: post office ..old mason hall ..firestation ..work w/
garcetti..hospital complex..barnsdall shop ctr. ..abs not in grffth
park, ogrady: parking laid off guys who fixed park. Meters..$875, 000
why so much..fix what have now.. Major disasters, ogrady..educate kids..won't want to riot..re
emerg..shouldn't have much to do w/ city council..politicians get in
way..chief bracken..lamented re asking for city counc bless., box: I'm
volunteer fireman..medical trained..griffith park..fire..rode
bikes..set up here at marsh high..people had to walk out..lucy jones @
cal tech says big one coming & were not ready.." , labonge:..fire
griffth park..plan worked..didn't burn homes..onlu one roof..fire by
merry go round..ttalked to captain..built improved sytem..thank box
for participating.lucy jones says "shift happens", '94 & '71 I was
there.. Parks: ogrady..griffith intended park to be an escape..just get-away a
few hours..already have ..what need..leave park alone, box: griff
park..urban wilderness..not to be improved..sensitive ecosystem..34
around world...labonge: hist.monument status..every day I hike in
park..improv. necc. Reclaimed water..roosevelt golf course..children
park..7 bros played here..befre fwy..730p Power: move from coal,? Labonge..need a blend..now from inner
mt..utah..blend..want solar..every.. get off carbon footprint..;
ogrady: support renewable energy..solar I have solar
jacuzzi.credibiluty..helicopter above will see my wife hanging out
clothes..biggest energy users..charge more..prob dwp..nobody
trusts..nor city counc.; box: reframe..explore ..renewables..fr east
coast..cut 20% utilities..dwp..threatens spike in trans..I met w/ this
guy..he had 2 spec plans..u need renewable.. Hollywood has changed, future? Labonge: subways..new..western
ave..tough area..changed that ..brought tourists..mecca &
highland..sparked activity ..backsides mecca..pasadena good.park
structs..beer & wine lic..hw bowl..good..hotels..incr flow..more
interiority..farmers market..; box: our camp office..makes my heart
leap..to see tourists..entire world knows hw..homes, streets,
famous..people don't come to see condo complexes..preserve ,
embrace..relatives australia..; ogrady: if u pay million for condo..u
own a car..don't rely on mass transit..who is hollywood coming back
for ? If want to help hollywood, help schools..don't move people out
for new wealth.. Bicycle master plan, fund it ? Box: corrected city counc math..done
this a few times..money for staff but not operations..we're top
heavy..money is there..evidence is wilshire..city council hasn't
approved it..; labonge: when mayor had prob ..elbow..l.a. river..louis
adams supports me..want it out to canoga park hs..; ogrady..congrats
to box (?) ...got this passed..I have a bike plan,,filling
potholes..cut council staff in half..laid off 300 street positions
last year, nobody in city council..mayor has fulltime tweeter
$100,000,,,2nd largest city. But potholes everywhere. Box: deaf ears @ city hall..today..pub comment reduced..simplest
things..give city hall more enthus approach tolistening.;
ogrady..chair green committe..city coun doesn't take ..neighb counc
seriously..if have cooperative..take neighb counc seriously..own
accounting ..offered..but didn't get call back..; labonge: been inv
neighb whol career..mulholland fountain a historical monument..got
old truck salvage picking up debris..must be tenacious..won't take no
for answer..door always open.. Labonge..endorsed by jerry brown..helped end prostitution
problm..proud to come from marshall high..work hard..listen..frankl
ave bridge, silv lake reservoir..walkway..finally approved..elect sb
w/ abilty to work w/...[applause] O'Grady: [missed his final speech] Box:..I'm outsider on inside..labonge wants 4 more years..to fix
streets.but we don't have 3500 years..if this were the titanic...need
change now..o'grady would cut his salary in half & throw the rest
overboard. Me? I will turn this boat around [applause] CONCLUSION & EVALUATION: All of them made good points & some were
stronger than others depending on the question & issue. 1) Labonge
attended Marshall HS & is the "local" as well as the long-time
incumbent so he was the favorite judging by the applause, albeit there
was definitely a lot of applause for the others as well. 2) Steven Box
is a good speaker & seemed to know his statistics pretty well. He
aptly criticized Labonge on a number of points. Not sure where Box
comes from: late in the debate he mentioned relatives from Australia.
Is he an immigrant ? Tomas O'Grady immediately mentioned his
background...from Ireland & apparently became independently wealthy
restoring brownstones in New Jersey. He was critical of Labonge
playing "favorites" rather than abiding by rules & rights for all.
