Independent thoughts on the most important election in the history of Los Angeles

The Century Plaza Hotel today (above) and the proposed development (below)

The Simon Weisenthal Center’s  Museum of Tolerance at 9786 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90035 is rather unique, not only because of the ethos of the Center, but because of its location.

Unlike many other museums in the City, the Center is not located on Museum Row in the Mid-Wilshire area, nor is it in Exposition Park near downtown Los Angeles. The Center is located in a predominantly residential area of West Los Angeles, the only museum in the area, and the only reason for its location was its proximity to the predominantly Jewish neighborhood.

This neighborhood falls squarely within Council District 5; Jack Weiss’s Council District.

Simon Weisenthal died in 2005, having lived to see the Center that bears his name stand as his legacy to humanity; the fight against intolerance of all kinds and against all races and religions.

Two years after his death plans to expand and redevelop the Museum were announced. The plans would extend the 45 foot high buildings comprising the Center to within 20 feet of residential property, and would completely destroy the Memorial Garden that separated the Museum from the residential area.

The plans call for the creation of a banquet/ballroom with a capacity for 800 guests to attend expensive Hollywood style parties 6 days a week, up to 1AM in the morning.

Quite apart from the effects of the noise resulting from such events, the plans do not call for any addition to the Center’s existing 215 parking spaces. So do the math. Where will 800 guests and the 115 staff park when the 215 parking spaces are occupied? On the quiet residential streets surrounding the Center so that residents will suffer the loss of already scarce parking spaces for their guests, while valet parkers work into the small hours of the morning.

The reason for the expansion is not to substantially enlarge the Museum of Tolerance. In fact the space devoted to the Museum will grow by only 2%. It’s basically all about money. The Museum needs a revenue stream and Hollywood partying is the way to go, at least according to the current management of the Museum.

It’s not just about money for the Museum; the expansion of the Museum is a huge construction project that will, of course be enormously lucrative for the contractors employed in the project. Contractors who, ‘Yes’ are supporters and contributors to Jack Weiss. Weiss, who together with Mayor, not surprisingly supports this project.

The relationship between the Mayor and Jack Weiss is a troubling one for all Los Angeles residents. The Los Angeles Times recently reported on the dangers that arise from the election of Weiss to City Attorney’s Office. Those fears seem borne out by the crushing effect this expansion would have on an otherwise quiet neighborhood.

Full details of the planned expansion and an opposition petition that I urge you to sign can be found at http://www.preservethelegacy.org/

I’m using the photos to the right not because they represent either responsible or irresponsible development, but rather to illustrate the issues.

Century City’s Century Plaza Hotel has been around for a long time and its owners want to demolish it and replace it with a more modern smaller hotel with new condominiums in an undeniably attractive looking twin-towers type structure.

That doubtless makes financial sense for the developer and the contractors, architects and lawyers who will profit from the plan, if it goes ahead.

The issue is what will be the impact on the existing infrastructure of increasing the number of residential units?

1. •Will already congested traffic along Santa Monica Boulevard to the north, and Olympic/Pico to the south be further congested by this project?
   

2. •What about the effects on the existing residents of the years of construction necessarily involved with a project like this?
   

3. •What additional strains will be placed on emergency services - fire, police and paramedics?
   

4. •Are there sufficient schools, hospitals and other services that are necessary for the new residents without adversely impacting the needs of existing residents?
   

All these questions, and many more, are supposed to be considered by City as often times the interests of the existing residents are not the same as that of the developer or, sadly, the City Councilmembers.

The presence of Jack Weiss, a pro-development councilmember on the Planning and Land Use Management Committee, has resulted in several projects being “approved,” only later to be overturned by residents being forced to fund the cost of taking the City to court.

The City Attorney is supposed to be an independent advisor to the City at all stages of the process. The City Attorney also defends the City when residents are forced to take legal action because the City has either been badly advised or has unduly favored over-development to the detriment of residents.

Jack Weiss has already made his position clear; he is pro-development and sees residents as a minor irritation standing in the way of the financial interests of the developers and contractors who fund his campaign for City Attorney, and who funded his prior campaigns (some illegally) for councilmember.

One thing is certain, given Jack Weiss’s pro-development and anti-community background, and his substantial reliance on developers and contractors to fund his current campaign, as a City Attorney Jack Weiss will not be an independent advisor to the City on development.

This photo has been altered to show how close the expanded museum will be to an adjacent residence

The case of the expansion of the Simon Weisenthal Center is just one example of the sort of flagrant disregard Jack Weiss has for residents. If Weiss is allowed to become City Attorney his relationship to special interests like developers and contractors will only grow at our expense, with the resulting diminution of the quality of life in our city.

Carmen Trutanich has received the endorsement of almost every law enforcement agency in and around Los Angeles, as well as that of Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley. Significantly, both the Daily News and the Los Angeles Times endorsed Carmen Trutanich.

By electing Carmen Trutanich as City Attorney you can be confident that the “pay to play” politics that have characterized the Jack Weiss era will be over.

Fairness not finances should be the hallmark of an independent City Attorney, and Los Angeles needs an independent City Attorney now more than ever.

As someone who campaigned alongside Carmen Trutanich I got to know him very well and came to realize that he is a man of integrity and sincerity. I was particularly impressed by his sense of fairness and on one occasion, when a pro-Weiss organization attempted to exclude me from a candidates forum, Carmen Trutanich was the only candidate who insisted that I be allowed to speak.

It takes a brave man to to what Carmen did, and it speaks volumes about his sense of fair play. His actions stand in stark contrast to Jack Weiss who arrived late, left immediately and seemed entirely satisfied that he had been able to manipulate what has supposed to be a candidates forum to exclude a candidate.