LaBonge through his support of Los Feliz Forward is now in bed and spooning with CORBA - the mountain bike lobby who is trying to put mountain bikes on Griffith Park trails.
CORBA is hustling to get out the vote for Los Feliz Forward, the LaBonge-backed slate running in tomorrow's election.
Remember CORBA and what they, along with IMBA, want to do on Griffith Park trails?
Here's a refresher:
Tom LaBonge has previously sworn up, down and sideways that he is against mountain bikes off-trail in Griffith Park. Quote: "...over my dead body" or similar. Until now, apparently.
When we didn't think he could go any lower, this really is an all-time new low in LaBonge's tenure as representative for CD 4. If it is inadvertent, LaBonge needs to distance himself from CORBA and Los Feliz Forward right now.
Assuming karma is real and the councilman fails to distance himself from Los Feliz Forward and CORBA, this screw-up should come back to haunt LaBonge every waking moment during his re-election attempt next March.
What's it gonna be, Tom?
Well, if it isn't obvious by now, anyone who truly cares about Griffith Park needs to get out the vote for the real pro-park candidates.
- DISTRICT A: Laura Howe and Jeff Gardner
- DISTRICT B: David Uebersax and John F. John
- DISTRICT C: - no endorsements -
- DISTRICT D: Sara Latier Napier and Tom Wilson
- DISTRICT E: Charley Mims and James McEwen
Polls are open from 10 am until 4 pm
Hollywood Lutheran Church
1733 North New Hampshire
(just North of Hollywood Blvd.)
Los Angeles, CA 90027
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From: CORBA eNews <corbanews@gmail.com>
Subject: Griffith Park Neighborhood Council Elections
Date: Thursday, March 18, 2010, 9:24 PM
This coming weekend, on March 20th the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council will be holding elections for their 10 available seats. The other nine seats are appointed by those elected (the highest proportion of appointed seats of any Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles, and one of the reasons change has been so difficult to make). Anyone who is a Griffith Park stakeholder is eligible to vote. That includes anyone at least 13 years old who lives or works near, or visits Griffith Park. You’ll be required to declare your eligibility by making a written affirmation that you are a stakeholder, i.e. somebody who uses or would use Griffith Park. You don’t have to be registered to vote.
As many CORBA members and other off-road cycling advocates know, all of our past dealings with GGPNC and other groups with an interest in Griffith Park have been met with a complete anti-mountain bike sentiment that verged on hostility. In many ways the management of Griffith Park, LA park system’s crown jewel, has affected the management of every other park in the City and bicycles remain banned in all LA City Parks.
The current GGPNC lacks transparency and is vehemently opposed to new ideas or any compromise. While it may not lead to any immediate gains or concessions for mountain bikers, change is good, and it starts with making your voice heard by voting. There is one group who, according to their candidate statements and web site, are also frustrated with the lack of forward thinking and openness to new ideas for Griffith Park. That group calls themselves Los Feliz Forward (http://www.losfelizforward.org). They are running as a ticket on a platform of openness, change, and moving forward, ideas which CORBA welcomes.
We encourages anyone who has an interest in Griffith Park to visit the GGPNC web site and the Los Feliz Forward web site to evaluate the candidates’ statements, and vote in the neighborhood council elections. Polling will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 20th, 2010, at Hollywood Lutheran Church, 1733 N. New Hampshire, just north of Hollywood Boulevard. Get out and vote!
