For who will help Venice get rid of Mike Bonin?
By Nick Antonicello
There is an obvious “disconnect” between this new crop of mayoral candidates looking to succeed the failed administration of lame duck Mayor Eric Garcetti, now seeking political refuse in India while Congresswoman Karen Bass becomes the latest entrant into a race that identifies the central issue of housing and homelessness, but doesn’t have a clue on how to address it!
The Bass announcement was long on flowery rhetoric, but lacked any sense of gravity to the housing and homeless condition that has paralyzed Los Angeles and in particular Venice for some time.
An ally of Garcetti and the embedded status quo, how does a Bass Administration change anything when she has been nothing but a silent supporter of the disastrous era of Eric?
Here in Venice, the host of more homeless than anywhere else in Los Angeles with the exception of Skid Row, what will be the fate of this community under Karen Bass?
Tragically, failed Councilman Michael Bonin, in the throw of yet another recall attempt tries to rehabilitate what’s left of his political career with “I like Mike” placards has endorsed Bass, making it almost impossible for any rational and reasonable Venetian to consider her candidacy moving forward.
Why would Venice support Congresswoman Bass if she thinks Mike Bonin is not part of the problem, but part of the solution when it comes to rampant homelessness, rising crime and the squandering of precious public dollars when it comes to the construction of permanent housing?
Does Bass support Bonin’s “containment” policies that have turned Venice into this homeless ghetto and slum by the sea?
For what is LA’s most undervalued asset that is Venice, is Karen Bass open to the suggestions and advice of a Mike Bonin, and if so why would anyone take her candidacy seriously?
For if Karen Bass views Mike Bonin as a supporter, can she be depended upon to hear the cries and concerns of Venice when our council representative has no standing or support with the residents of Dog Town he pretends to represent?
Last week we saw the 20-count federal indictment of Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas on bribery charges having to do with his time as a LA county supervisor, USC and his disgraced son, who was forced from the legislature and then seeking employment and scholarship in exchange for millions in discretionary county funding his father controlled in this attempted quid pro quo?
And like Mike Bonin, Mark Ridley-Thomas is yet another self-anointed homeless advocate who like Mike has no real accomplishment or solution for this tragic human condition that has gotten worse under the leadership of both Mike and Mark!
Candidate Bass apparently has disowned the Ridley-Thomas endorsement; will she do the same regarding Mike Bonin?
Venice needs to know.
And if she won’t reject his help which seems to be the case, is the Bass candidacy for mayor just more of the stale and tired rerun we have had under both Eric Garcetti and his predecessor Antonio Villaraigosa?
For when was the last time Karen Bass has been to Venice, and will she be escorted by Bonin should she decide to see for herself the state of affairs here at the beach directed and produced by Mike himself?
For this former LA and Sacramento insider, who is now a DC insider that was passed over for a Biden cabinet position is coming home to LA under the premise we need a female mayor more than the notion of a mayor that has a plan to turn LA around?
For the other mayoral aspirants seem equally dismal and disappointing as hopefuls Kevin de Leon, Mike Feuer and even Joe Buscaino appear lost and confused when it comes to clearly articulating what they will do and how they will do it when it comes to the issue of housing and homelessness.
And as this garden party of political candidates talk past each other and offer Venetians little to nothing on how to end this encampment debacle that continues to plague our community, is it any wonder that locals are signing and supporting this Bonin recall effort because no one is really listening as this mayoral “mosh pit” is nothing but more of the same with a wink of the eye and silent support for another term of office for Mike Bonin?
Is nearly nine awful years of Mike Bonin representing Venice proof enough it’s time for him to go?
For isn’t it really time to retire our $300,000 a year councilman, the highest paid in the entire country?
And even more tragic is the notion Venice can somehow “lawyer” its way out of terrible and defective public policy?
For all the lawsuits in the world and thinking that writing checks to underwrite continued litigation somehow works, look around Venice.
For the problem is not “legal,” but “political” and the way you fix your political problem is by picking up a clipboard and ensuring the recall signature drive is successful!
That is the way you dispose of Mike Bonin as councilman.
It is the only sure-fire solution you control as a resident and the one guaranteed way to replace Mike Bonin as he continues to play “chess” while many Venetians would rather play “checkers.”
The author is a member of the Outreach, Parking, Oceanfront Walk and Rules & Selections Committee of the Venice Neighborhood Council (www.venicenc.org) and can be reached at nantoni@mindpsring.com or (310) 621-3775.
