In his efforts to gain more insight into the problems facing grass roots angelinos, Carmen Trutanich, L.A.'s new city attorney, and his team have tapped Scott McNeely, President of the Pico Neighborhood Council, and Jim O'Sullivan, MMRA President and activist, to become a part of the newly formed Community Advisors Group.
This small group of 20 or so leaders from around the city and Trutanich exchanged heated but productive discussion about the problems facing our city where Trutanich reiterated his fair but hardline philosophy and its impact on city governance. Pent-up frustration was often unleashed by attendees during the discussions but at the heart of it was a clear sense that they finally had someone on the side of the people.
McNeely, along with O'Sullivan, authored the highly regarded Community White Paper on Medical Marijuana (posted on www.fixlosangeles.com) and was featured at the group's first meeting last night at a private westside location.
Along with their efforts in leading the way to fighting the proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries in their area and citywide, they also emerged victorious last year in the fight against the Pico Olympic Traffic Initiative, forcing the city to observe CEQA requirements. The initiative would have created a virtual set of paired one-way streets stretching from downtown to Sepulveda with the potential impact of forcing the closure of hundreds of small businesses along the boulevard.
McNeely and O'Sullivan were also part of the founding group that launched a grass roots effort to narrowly defeat Measure B. The measure was highly criticised for its sweetheart deal with the unions that would have resulted in a no-bid contract and over-inflated energy costs for consumers. O'Sullivan and McNeely both point to these recent victorious as evidence that the status quo is no longer acceptable and we must all do our part to fight for a better Los Angeles.
-end
Despite repeated promises from the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment and the City Council that the ability of neighborhood councils to rollover unspent funds again this year, word is starting to come in from neighborhood councils that are undergoing surprise audits from the Office of the City Controller that no rollovers are being permitted. 
