http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-870443

Indeed LA Times, No on Proposition A, or any other tax increase, and the “Hell with 10^th District LA City Councilman Herb Wesson”, because I receive little benefit for the taxes that I currently pay or must pay!

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-802037

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-921922

"Once again, I'm faced with having LADWP utility workers with armed LAPD escorts, without the benefit of the first warrant that give any of these individuals the right to set foot on my property (the utility pole is on my property), disconnecting Electricity and Water service at my residence, for non-payment of LADWP utility bills, all while the LADWP continues to hold all my earned retirement benefits", and while elected officials sworn under oath and mandated by law to uphold the California Constitution fail to be competent and responsible elected representatives. This is "Taxation Without Competent Representation".

http://constitutionus.com/

US Constitution, Article IV: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/.const/.article_1

California Constitution: ARTICLE 1, DECLARATION OF RIGHTS, SEC. 13. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable seizures and searches may not be violated; and a warrant may not issue except on probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons and things to be seized.

...which means here you have elected officials, specifically 10th District LA City Councilman Herb Wesson, LADWP utility workers, LAPD personnel, and other government employees who have no respect for the U.S. Constitution, the California Constitution, and the property rights of law abiding U.S. born descendants of slavery, like me.

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http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/endorsements/la-ed-end-proposition-a-20130213,0,1871868,print.story

No on Proposition A:  With voters about to install a new mayor, controller and up to eight new council members, now is not the time to raise the city's sales tax.

February 13, 2013

The city of Los Angeles is facing a deep budget deficit for the seventh consecutive year, and City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana says there is no end in sight. The cost of city services, particularly labor costs, is expected to grow faster than revenue, even as the economy recovers from the 2008-09 recession. The solution, according to Santana and City Council President Herb Wesson, is Proposition A, which would raise the city's sales tax by half a percent. But with voters about to install a new mayor, controller and up to eight new council members, now is not the time to take that step. The Times urges a no vote on Proposition A.

The recession hit Los Angeles hard, causing unemployment to skyrocket and property and sales tax revenue to drop. And it couldn't have come at a worse time for city finances — just a few months earlier, in late 2007, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the council had agreed to contracts that promised to raise thousands of city workers' pay by 25% over five years. The recession also hammered the city's pension fund, forcing the city to increase its annual contributions to start making up for investment losses.

By 2009, city officials were projecting a persistent deficit that would grow to $1 billion by fiscal year 2011-12. Although they had to scramble repeatedly, Villaraigosa and the council found ways to close the budget gap without borrowing money or raising taxes. Most notably, they persuaded the city's unions to let their members cover significantly more of the cost of their pensions and retiree health plans. They also persuaded the unions to defer — but not cancel — the pay hikes promised in their contracts.

ENDORSEMENTS: Los Angeles City Elections 2013

Santana now projects that city revenue will fall $216 million short of the $7.2 billion needed to maintain the current level of services, with similar shortfalls expected in the next several years. Almost half of the city's revenue is dedicated to particular uses, such as roads or sewers; well more than half of the rest is spent on public safety. For that reason, Santana and Wesson say, any budget cuts this time will have to hit the police and fire departments — hard. Santana estimates that the LAPD would lose about 5% of its force through attrition and layoffs; he has offered no specifics on cuts to the Fire Department.

Police Chief Charlie Beck contends that the cuts he faces could lead to a dramatic increase in crime, reversing the gains the city has made over a decade of falling crime rates. The reduced ranks would be a blow to the department's community policing efforts, Beck says, because patrol officers would have little time to do anything but respond to 911 calls.

The chief has been a powerful advocate for the tax hike, helping persuade the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, among others, to sign on. And his warnings cannot be taken lightly, even if his numbers may overstate the effects of a reduction in force. Public safety should be the council's top priority because of its importance to the local economy and quality of life.