Councilmember Proposes Parcel Tax to Fund Transportation Projects
Councilmember LaBonge said Wednesday that he will spearhead the charge to create a countywide parcel tax to raise $1.2 billion to make long-term infrastructure improvements to the region's transportation system, including extending the Red Line west to the ocean. Using a dollar bill to illustrate his point to signify one dollar assessed per parcel for every week of the year, or $52 dollars annual assessment, LaBonge urged the public to embrace the idea. "We need to make this investment if we are going to solve our mobility challenges," he said.
NoHo BID Launches
It was all smiles Monday morning as Councilmember Tom LaBonge joined property owners, CRA officials and others to unveil the new headquarters on Lankershim Boulevard for the NoHo Business Improvement District.
The NoHo BID Clean & Safety Team, who was on hand yesterday for the morning press conference, will be responsible for keeping the business district on Lankershim looking clean and graffiti-free. The impetus is to make the NoHo Arts District more attractive to patrons, residents, visitors and employees in this fast-changing community of North Hollywood nearest the Red Line station.
"There's been a desire to have NoHo BID for some time and finally we're there," said Councilmember LaBonge. "Credit goes to a good number of people who got enough property owners to organize and make it happen. Thanks to their efforts with the support of the CRA and others, we have a BID and they are eager to get to work."
The BID is a 40-block area that includes Lankershim Boulevard between Burbank Boulevard and Riverside Drive and Magnolia Boulevard from Vineland Avenue to Tujunga Avenue. It is a three-year BID with an annual assessment budget of $158,574 and an annual contribution from MTA/Prop. C funds until the end of the first term.
Musical Giants join in "I Love Lucy" Square dedication
Councilmember LaBonge presents Lucy Casado with her own “I Love Lucy” Square sign, along with some famous longtime patrons including actor Robert Patrick and musicians Jimmy Webb and Jackson Browne.
The intersection of Melrose and Plymouth avenues will be forever designated as “I Love Lucy” Square. On Thursday, Councilmember LaBonge was joined by friends and supporters of two of Los Angeles’ most loved Lucys — Lucille Ball and Lucy Casado — to unveil the new signs marking this Hollywood corner in their honor. On the north side of Melrose was once Desilu Studios, where some of the early “I Love Lucy” shows were shot. On the south side of Melrose is Lucy’s El Adobe restaurant made famous in the 1980s when then-Gov. Jerry Brown frequently dined with girlfriend, singer Linda Ronstadt. She flew in from Arizona for the ceremony and was joined by a handful of longtime musician-friends including singers Jackson Browne and Johnny Rivers and songwriters J.D. Souther and Jimmy Webb. Many spoke of Lucy and Frank Casado’s warmth and generosity forgiving tabs for meals and drinks when they were struggling to make it decades ago. Ms. Ball’s personal assistant, Tom Watson, spoke for about a dozen friends and associates, including “Lucy” co-star Doris Singleton Isaacs.
Wilshire Corridor forum: Blvd. back in a big way
CM LaBonge fields a question at the Wilshire Corridor forum Thursday.
“The Future of the Heart of Los Angeles” was the key topic of the Wilshire Corridor Forum II held yesterday at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple where a cross section of stakeholders aired their priorities in terms of density, design and mass transit along this major east-west artery. Councilmember LaBonge made opening remarks to kick off the four-hour long session that included participation by architects, business executives, developers, community leaders and public officials — keying his remarks to the history of the street and the changes that it has undergone through the decades.
At the invitation of the organizers, Renee Weitzer, CD4’s director of planning, was a panelist who spoke of recent in-fill developments in the Park Mile and Miracle Mile sections of Wilshire where nearly 1,500 multifamily units are in various stages of being built. As mixed-use projects, the council office at the direction of Councilmember LaBonge, has worked with the developers to ensure they have Art Deco design elements in keeping with the district’s architectural motif, sensitivity to height and setback as they relate to adjacent residential neighborhoods, ample landscaping and, of course, sufficient off-street parking.
And baby makes 6 at new Campo Gorilla Reserve
Councilmember LaBonge with GLAZA President Connie Morgan.
The gorillas are back at the Los Angeles Zoo — all three prior residents, plus baby, and a pair of bachelors. They were frolicking in their new Campo Gorilla Reserve as city, zoo and GLAZA officials unveiled the exhibit for the first time to the public Thursday. “It’s an amazing experience to be close up to these extraordinary animals inside this re-creation of a West Central African jungle,” said Councilmember LaBonge standing in the misty, $18 million compound snapping photos. “If ever there was a reason to visit the zoo, this is it.”
Rec & Parks acknowledges Quimby challenges
Rec & Parks GM briefs CM LaBonge on Quimby funds.
Councilmember LaBonge, who chairs the Arts, Parks, Health & Aging Committee, held a special meeting to learn the status of $120 million in Quimby Funds that are collected from developers to build parks. Jon Kirk Mukri, general manager of the Dept. of Recreation and Parks, sought to allay concerns that his staff wasn’t moving on all fronts to site and build parks in qualified areas of the city by outlining various projects either in the pipeline or under consideration. The challenge has been an accurate tracking process to keep Quimby data current, which is being addressed with a new computer system, he said.
Hollywood's Holiday Parade: Back for 76th year!
CM LaBonge with 2007 Grand Marshall Bob Barker and CM Garcetti.
“The Price is Right” host Bob Barker will be the Grand Marshall of this year’s Hollywood Santa Parade, it was announced outside the Egyptian Theater on Thursday by Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Eric Garcetti. The electeds get the credit for ensuring that this annual, free event continues the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Earlier this year, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced it would no longer produce the Hollywood Christmas Parade so the councilmembers stepped into find new funding sources and sponsors to keep it going for the 76th consecutive year. The cast of “High School Musical” are among the other parade headliners.