LA City Council on the Job

"Wait! Didn't you guys hear about the moratorium?"


America turned a corner on crime and violence this past weekend, at least in the City of Los Angeles. To observe the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, the LA City Council passed a resolution last week calling for a 40 hour moratorium on violence (the period running over the weekend). Apparently, there was a lot of give and take on the wording in order to get the necessary votes. For example, the word, "murder" had to be deleted in favor of more moderate language. It was hoped that the symbolic resolution would have a positive effect in LA, where gangland murders are running rampant.

The result? Three murders and 13 wounded.

Well, you can't fault the City Council for trying. But these are the same folks who just passed a rate hike for the Department of Water and Power-even though that entity has enough of a surplus to kick back 175 million dollars to the City and is able to offer its employees and dependents lactation classes.

This is also the same bunch that was going to cave in and award multi-millions to Tennie Pierce, a black firefighter who brought suit against the city after his colleagues put dog food in his spaghetti, which was just one of countless pranks carried out in the firehouse. (Pierce himself was one of the leading pranksters.) That led to two supervisors being disciplined-who turned around and successfully sued the city. Cost to taxpayers? millions.

So the latest venture by the LA City Council has only added to their reputation for incompetence. Perhaps, they would achieve greater results if they acted to reverse LA's status as a "sanctuary city" for illegal aliens, and if they gave more support to the police in cracking down on street crime and gangs. But don't hold your breath.