Union Workers Are Pissed At The Mayor of El Lay!!! Protest At His Mansion As He Throws Big Oscar Party!!!
Good for you guys!
Last night, labor union workers held a "mock red-carpet protest" outside the home of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. In a new proposal set forth by the mayor, thousands of Los Angeles city workers will be getting laid off and many of them want to have their voices heard. The city has been stunted with a $212-million budget deficit, which experts believe will double in the coming year. Our esteemed Mayor put out a call to the city's employees to force major pay cuts or risk being cut all together.
Wasn't that nice of him?!
The reason behind the red-carpet themed protest was in response to a statement the mayor made previously, calling the entertainment industry the "lifeblood" of Los Angeles. Also, last night Mista Mayor was hosting a pre-Oscars party for nominees at his home, where we're fairly sure he didn't ask a single soul if they would be willing to take a pay cut out of their celebrity paychecks to help the state.
We're rooting for the little guys on this one! They deserve to be treated fairly and not be taken advantage of like this! Keep the protests going! Fight the man!
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he is laying off workers yet his daughter is on the payroll for $70k/yr and the bitch had no work experience for the position and doesnt even show up to work and gets the great health benefits that come with the "job". he is a dirt bag. I have sat across from him several times at plenty of restuarant along la brea and in downtown and he is always a monumental jerk.
Hey dumbass, the city has no money, because of failed management & bull shit pensions that are helping to bleed the city dry. People get laid off, city employees aren't exempt. THATS THE BREAKS!
Couldn't he deal with his work problems before hosting a party? www.fashionateme.com
I guess everyone seems to forget that these celebrities make millions and pay state taxes. WHile I do think this is unnecessary….
if you cute celebrities pay the state of California will truly be SCREWED!
I understand why the worker are upset but truly these are not the times to go against a boss, accept the pay cut and wait for the right time to make a move.
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What is it about politicians in L.A, that they all bend over and let hollywood do whatever it wants to them. In a city of millions, an industry that does much of it's fillming out of state is not the lifeblood of the city. I would say that the Port of L.A. brings more money into the city than Hollywood.
wow….were to start here. first…..although i am not a fan of the mayor he is correct in saying the entertainment industry is the lifeblood. it is the reason for the tourists and one of the main industries here. secondly…when did having a party to honor these folks turn into such a big deal. i am all for people's right to protest….but this seems a bit silly. and uncalled for. there are a lot of problems with the city and the state and the mayor is not the best…but that has NOTHING to do with an oscar party. when he was elected (and the reelected) there was NO doubt that he was all about the photo op……if this is a problem….then speak with your vote during the next election.
as far as making an ass out of yourself with this kind of protest….and let me say that the people on the news that they interviewed at the protest didn't really know why they were there….seemed a bit more like they wanted to see some famous folks….there is a time and a place…..and this protest was ill timed……and out of place…..
There is NO money to pay workers.
Not much of a turnout. Maybe if the city workers weren't so lazy, they would still have their jobs
Mario you are wrong on this one! He is RIGHT that if city workers want to keep their jobs they may need to take pay cuts! He is RIGHT that the Hollywood culture brings enormous tourism and recognition to the area. If he wants to throw a party with his own money on a weekend, why not?
Ps. The celebs taking a pay cut was a stoopid suggestion, they are not paid by the city! They do pay taxes, though.
Wrong all around on this one.
THERE IS NOOOOOOOO MONEYYYYYY!!!!!! Where the hell is the city supposed to get money from? Tax payers are leaving in record numbers, leaving behind the huge, under the table, illegal population that takes more than they put into the system.
Aside from that, the city workers have these amazing contracts where they are not responsible for any of their own healthcare costs, incredible pensions and every benefit know to man…. the cash cow has run dry. The private sector has suffered incredible job losses, what makes the city unions think that they're exempt from recession?
"Good for you guys"?!!!! Perez, you're an idiot. THE CITY IS BROKE! Can't you figure this out. People in the private sector have a real unemployment rate of nearly 25% in L.A. Why do these city union workers think they should be immune to the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression? There hasn't been ONE frickin' lay off so far at City Hall. Meanwhile half the people I know in the private sector have been let go or asked to take massive pay cuts. You claim to live in L.A. Open your eyes and look at what's going on. There's no money for schools, roads, libraries or even the police and fire. And you're mourning for a few cubicle jockeys who will be eligible for unemployment payments, which most of us in the creative fields can't even apply for. You are an ignorant ass who doesn't understand politics.
what no one is mentioning is that LA county has some of the highest taxes in the county, the city makes tons of money but someone perhaps villaraigosa is robbing the city blind. my sister works in the corporate office for ladot and on parking tickets alone the city earns tens of billions per year, where the fuck is all this money going? who is stealing it because the paper they write these tickets on doesnt cost that much and the people driving around only earn about $17/hr. this is ridiculous today I saw a cop leaving the police parking lot in a mercedes S600, do you know how much those cars cost?!!! this is outrageous, everyone is on the take in los angeles, it is the most crooked city right next to nyc and everyone is on the take padding their pockets, there is no way a cop earning $60k/yr could afford to buy an S600 what the hell is wrong with all of us that we dont rebel and fight for some form of fairness. these politicians and governmen take half our pay and more in taxes yet they dont work 4 hours of my 8 hour shift, this is ridiculous I am outraged.
I'd like to be pro union city worker, but as a taxpayer, I'm being bled to death.
What's going on in every level of government is unbelieveable. The fat days are over and bite the bullet. In 37 years of never missing a voting day, I cast my first Republican vote in February and I'm going to keep it that way.
His real name is Tony Villar.He Mexed it up a bit when he got into politics
Good for the workers! The mayor is the reason the city has no money. Instead of doing his job of making decisions, he's throwing parties, going on soap operas, and taking trips all over the world. Villaraigosa has squandered our tax dollars away on so many things. He had shelled out $39,000,000 on a pen for elephants (even though he was met with protest by many groups over it), he spends $168,000,000 per year on gang programs that have been failing (In fact many of the ex-gang members like Big Weasel have been busted selling guns while being in charge of the programs), he spends $550,000 on a calligraphy department per year, and there's so much more. In fact, during this lay-off crisis he spent $113,000 on sending low-rider cars to a book fair in Mexico. The mayors only solution to his over spending is to take away the tax payers services such as libraries, parks, and keeping the streets clean. All this while letting criminals out of jails. On top of this, he has yet to give himself or any member of his 200+ staff any pay decreases or pink slips. The mayor has even employed a person to just keep listerine strips on hand. We need a RECALL ELECTION!!!!!!!!
I live in LA and didn't know the asshole made such an ignorant statement. That actually makes me angry that he would dare call the entertainment industry the bloodline of LA. What a major Fuckhead. Yes we have Hollywood, that's were I live and celebrities and entertainment bring alot to this city. But it's certainlty not a bloodline as he puts it. What about the masses of middle class that support this city? We are the ones working our asses off while these thousands of wannabe actors and actress nobodys all come to Hollywood expecting to become the next big thing, only to find out how hard it is to live out here. Living expenses and taxes are so high and when they don't become the next superstar (what were they expecting??) they have to drain CA further by collecting Unemployment. The mayor is a fucking moron, I have no respect left for him. Lately he's all he's been doing is walking up and down red carpets thinking he's a star. Also, whoever voted for Arnold here is a dumbshit too. I voted against him, but all the idiots thought it woud be fun to have the Terminator as our governor. What were you all thinking??
There is NO tax base because the major companies have moved out of state.
Who ever wrote this is retarded. He/she has no idea how the world works.
Unions suck! they are the reason this country is in such a mess. Real Americans do NOT belong to unions
Seriously, what idiot wrote this?? I like a lot of peoples comments so far..
Where do you think the government gets it money to pay its employees? FROM THE TAXPAYER, people who have jobs outside of the government.
THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T MAKE ANY MONEY, NO PROFIT WHATSOEVER. All they do is tax the living hell out of us to pay all their workers and they just keep hiring them while the unemployment rate in the private sector keeps going up. Tell me how that makes any sense.
Guess what folks? When there are less taxpayers out there, there is less money to pay govt workers. What do you think happens when they can't be paid? There has to be layoffs. Govt. CAN NOT be immune to layoffs just like the private sector. Get over it people, that is life, we can't keep people employed if we can't pay them, where do you think the money comes from???
This guy is an ass and how he got to where he is, is beyond me. And the entertainment industry IS NOT the lifeblood of this city, they all go eslewhere, like Vancouver or Canada for taping or filming of shows and movies.
I'm tired of all the rich people acting like they are better then anyone else, meantime the middle class is getting royally screwed yet again.
YUCK said it best!
CA in general, we pay more taxes then any other State yet millions are missing? I think an outside accounting firm needs to be hired to go thru all the books and it should be done as a surprise to not give them a chance to "doctor" anything.
I'm so disgusted w/living in CA that we're looking @ other places.
Not one cent of taxpayer/tax dollars was spent on this event. It was paid for completely by corporate funds. I am pro-union but this was a mis-directed protest. Plus, without tne film industry, this city would be in a hell of alot bigger mess.
Re: OhBigDeal –
Hello! Where do all the celebrities hang out and spend their money?? They may not film movies there but they must spend some of the money they get where they live. Use your brain.
What a douche! Go protestors! Burn his house down!
(finally a decent article
agreed!!
Cali has some of the richest celebs living in that state - and they're this much in debt? Hmmmm, could it be all the rich celebs who are not paying their taxes? Hello, guv'na. Geez, I smell corruption in Cali. That state is by far the worst off, and has the richest people. Something ain't right. But - the sheep don't care, they just live in fantasy world and keep paying the man.
Barbie and yuck are absolutely right. Listen up ya'll. Our revenues are only doen slightly compared the past few years. Earlier this decade our revenues were way down. The past few years represent a spike. Villar was in office from the beginning of the spike til the end and he spent every last diem. Why the hell would you spend money from a spike which it clearly is when you look at a bar graph of all revenue from the past decade. He supplies himself with a staff alomost double of any previous mayor. Our expenditures is what is killing us, not lack of money. City workers provide many services for this city. Private contractors do as well. It seems to me, so we don't shoot oursleves in the foot, maybe the mayor should cut some contracts. is it really necessary to pay some one to water cubilcle plants? Do the windows need washed that often? Lets re-evaluate the cities core mission and loose the fat. Every city employee works for the core mission. ESSENTIAL SERVICES people! 2.5 billion in private contracts! What the hell? why does this burden land on the employees? As for the protest? Good for them, if more people protested villars decisions maybe we wouldn't be in this financial hell hole.