WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:04.759
<v Speaker 1>You're listening to Bill Handle on demand from KFI AM

2
00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:10.800
<v Speaker 1>six FORTYFI AM six forty. This is the Bill Handle Show.

3
00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:15.039
<v Speaker 2>I'm o Kelly. Yeah, it just did kind of say that.

4
00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:19.160
<v Speaker 2>I'm O Kelly and for Bill. On this fabulous Friday.

5
00:00:19.160 --> 00:00:22.199
<v Speaker 2>We're getting closer and closer to the weekend. You probably

6
00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:26.359
<v Speaker 2>know that's the Olympic March and the Olympics, Yes, are

7
00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:30.199
<v Speaker 2>coming here to Los Angeles again in twenty twenty eight.

8
00:00:30.760 --> 00:00:34.479
<v Speaker 2>I'm old enough to remember the Games of nineteen eighty four,

9
00:00:35.079 --> 00:00:39.079
<v Speaker 2>but as fate would have it, I was actually visiting

10
00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:43.359
<v Speaker 2>on vacation place called Clear Lake in northern California with

11
00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:46.640
<v Speaker 2>friends and wasn't in Los Angeles for the Games in

12
00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:50.439
<v Speaker 2>eighty four. God willing, I'll still be alive in twenty

13
00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:53.079
<v Speaker 2>twenty eight and hope to be able to enjoy the

14
00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:57.920
<v Speaker 2>Los Angeles Games. But it's very different circumstances, very different

15
00:00:58.520 --> 00:01:03.880
<v Speaker 2>feeling of the Games in twenty twenty eight. Presumably America

16
00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:07.799
<v Speaker 2>is very very different, and you can attribute some of

17
00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:10.840
<v Speaker 2>that to President Trump and his policies. But I think

18
00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:14.519
<v Speaker 2>we as people, how we relate as Americans to one another,

19
00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:18.079
<v Speaker 2>how we relate as Americans to the rest of the world.

20
00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:21.280
<v Speaker 1>It's just a very different time, and there are.

21
00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:26.040
<v Speaker 2>Questions of how well or how prepared Los Angeles is

22
00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:29.200
<v Speaker 2>as a city, how well we're going to be able

23
00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:32.359
<v Speaker 2>to conduct these games. Those are real concerns. We know

24
00:01:32.439 --> 00:01:34.599
<v Speaker 2>that Mayor Bass has said that it's supposed to be

25
00:01:34.680 --> 00:01:40.079
<v Speaker 2>a car free Olympics, utilizing public transportation to get to

26
00:01:40.359 --> 00:01:42.959
<v Speaker 2>all of the venues for all of the events. I

27
00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:45.959
<v Speaker 2>don't know how feasible that is, but we know that

28
00:01:46.120 --> 00:01:50.359
<v Speaker 2>is a goal of this mayor. And along those lines,

29
00:01:50.359 --> 00:01:54.680
<v Speaker 2>there are other concerns about what will travel be like.

30
00:01:55.079 --> 00:01:57.560
<v Speaker 2>Will it be easy, going back to the story about

31
00:01:57.599 --> 00:02:00.480
<v Speaker 2>the German citizens, Will it be easy to come in

32
00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:04.280
<v Speaker 2>and out of the country, not just for athletes, but

33
00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:07.480
<v Speaker 2>also for tourists and people who want to see the

34
00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:10.680
<v Speaker 2>games from neighboring countries or anywhere from around the world.

35
00:02:11.400 --> 00:02:16.000
<v Speaker 2>Casey Wasserman recently has assured the IOC, the International Olympic.

36
00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:18.319
<v Speaker 1>Committee, that visa issues.

37
00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:21.439
<v Speaker 2>Won't plague the twenty twenty eight Olympics, and in an

38
00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:26.520
<v Speaker 2>address to the IOC in Greece, Wasserman addressed these concerns

39
00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:30.520
<v Speaker 2>over visas and intra requirements to the US for athletes

40
00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:34.439
<v Speaker 2>and delegations hoping to take part in the Games. Wasserman

41
00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:38.919
<v Speaker 2>is chairman of the Games Organizing Committee and assured, and

42
00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:39.560
<v Speaker 2>I wanted to.

43
00:02:39.639 --> 00:02:40.680
<v Speaker 1>Drill down on that word.

44
00:02:40.759 --> 00:02:45.159
<v Speaker 2>Assured assured the one hundred and five active IOC members

45
00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:50.599
<v Speaker 2>that quote, irrespective of politics, today, America will be open

46
00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:55.520
<v Speaker 2>and accepting to all two hundred and nine countries for

47
00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:59.520
<v Speaker 2>the Olympics. LA is the most diverse city in the

48
00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:03.039
<v Speaker 2>history of humanity, and we will welcome the people from

49
00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:06.280
<v Speaker 2>around the world and give them all a great time.

50
00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:07.520
<v Speaker 1>Close quote.

51
00:03:08.439 --> 00:03:12.120
<v Speaker 2>I understand how you want to give a positive spin

52
00:03:12.439 --> 00:03:15.479
<v Speaker 2>on these issues. I understand why you want to say

53
00:03:15.479 --> 00:03:18.960
<v Speaker 2>that LA will be the most diverse and welcoming city.

54
00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:21.919
<v Speaker 2>But there's some things which are outside the control of

55
00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:24.840
<v Speaker 2>Casey Wasserman. There's some things which are outside the control

56
00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:26.080
<v Speaker 2>of basically anyone.

57
00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:28.439
<v Speaker 1>We have some world issues going on.

58
00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:32.680
<v Speaker 2>We have a relatively new president with a very very

59
00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:38.560
<v Speaker 2>particular and specific outlook and viewpoint when it comes to

60
00:03:39.879 --> 00:03:42.319
<v Speaker 2>people who are coming in the country and going out

61
00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:45.919
<v Speaker 2>of the country. We know that the Olympics historically has

62
00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:51.240
<v Speaker 2>been a place for protests, either during the Games or

63
00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:54.280
<v Speaker 2>surrounding the Games. You have the world stage there are

64
00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:58.120
<v Speaker 2>plenty of historical examples where people would use the Olympic

65
00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:02.280
<v Speaker 2>Games to have their grievances heard, their messages seen, and

66
00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:06.879
<v Speaker 2>somehow elevating them to a level that you can't get

67
00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:09.439
<v Speaker 2>any other time of the year. And since the Olympics

68
00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:12.639
<v Speaker 2>are every four years, the likelihood of there being some

69
00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:15.560
<v Speaker 2>level of protest, be it what's going on in the

70
00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:19.240
<v Speaker 2>Middle East, be it what's going on in Ukraine and Russia.

71
00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:22.079
<v Speaker 2>Right now, we don't know where those these situations are

72
00:04:22.120 --> 00:04:24.800
<v Speaker 2>going to be in two and a half years or so,

73
00:04:25.480 --> 00:04:29.040
<v Speaker 2>but we can assume that there will be world issues

74
00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:32.800
<v Speaker 2>which will be front and center in a general sense.

75
00:04:33.160 --> 00:04:35.920
<v Speaker 2>And we know, well, if there's anything we know about

76
00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:40.199
<v Speaker 2>Donald Trump the man and President Trump the politician, it's

77
00:04:40.279 --> 00:04:46.600
<v Speaker 2>this he will always change his mind as circumstances dictate.

78
00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:50.360
<v Speaker 2>We can point to tariffs and see his past history

79
00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:53.759
<v Speaker 2>on that. He may have one stance on Tuesday and

80
00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:55.439
<v Speaker 2>a different stance on Wednesday.

81
00:04:55.959 --> 00:04:57.759
<v Speaker 1>And when it comes to those people.

82
00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:02.160
<v Speaker 2>Who are coming into the and those who may be

83
00:05:02.199 --> 00:05:05.680
<v Speaker 2>allowed to stay in the country, those who may be

84
00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:09.639
<v Speaker 2>protesting while in the country, or may take a stance

85
00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:13.560
<v Speaker 2>which is opposite that of the administration. Right now, or

86
00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:17.160
<v Speaker 2>may take a stance which is not necessarily as popular

87
00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:22.000
<v Speaker 2>with the administration. You can't imagine a scenario where Donald

88
00:05:22.040 --> 00:05:25.519
<v Speaker 2>Trump would possibly push back against that. And we may

89
00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:29.519
<v Speaker 2>have some people, we may have some delegations, we may

90
00:05:29.560 --> 00:05:33.000
<v Speaker 2>have some athletes pushed out of the country. I wouldn't

91
00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:37.959
<v Speaker 2>say deported, but maybe refused visa access into the country.

92
00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:41.439
<v Speaker 2>And that's something which is very real, very very real.

93
00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:46.720
<v Speaker 2>We should not somehow limit or somehow believe that Donald Trump,

94
00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:50.519
<v Speaker 2>the politician, the person, and also the president would be

95
00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:52.839
<v Speaker 2>any different in two and a half years than he

96
00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:57.360
<v Speaker 2>is right now. Wasserman put another way, cannot make this

97
00:05:57.639 --> 00:06:01.399
<v Speaker 2>assurance in the way that mayor Ban cannot promise to

98
00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:05.240
<v Speaker 2>us that we're going to have a car free Olympics.

99
00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:08.839
<v Speaker 2>It's more aspirational than anything. Yes, we would like to

100
00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:12.319
<v Speaker 2>believe that there will be no issues with visas or

101
00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:16.839
<v Speaker 2>entry requirements into the US for athletes and delegations taking

102
00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:19.800
<v Speaker 2>part in the twenty twenty eight Olympics. And yes, if

103
00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:22.560
<v Speaker 2>you're speaking to the rest of the world, if you're

104
00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:26.199
<v Speaker 2>speaking to the International Olympic Committee, there's only one answer

105
00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:29.040
<v Speaker 2>you can give. The only thing you can say is, hey,

106
00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:31.040
<v Speaker 2>it's going to be all good. We're not going to

107
00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:36.120
<v Speaker 2>have any problems whatsoever. Yes, we know that President Trump

108
00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:40.279
<v Speaker 2>has been a little bit sensitive, my word, regarding protests.

109
00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:44.120
<v Speaker 2>He's been very strict as it relates to visas and

110
00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:47.839
<v Speaker 2>people who may overstay their visas or may make public

111
00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:52.959
<v Speaker 2>comments in opposition to the Trump administration. Yes, we know

112
00:06:53.079 --> 00:06:56.199
<v Speaker 2>that President Trump has been very sensitive to those issues.

113
00:06:56.519 --> 00:06:58.800
<v Speaker 1>But don't worry about it. Everything's going to be just fine.

114
00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:05.040
<v Speaker 2>No, Casey Wasson cannot, in could faith make that argument

115
00:07:05.319 --> 00:07:08.639
<v Speaker 2>because nobody can predict what President Trump is going to do.

116
00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:12.040
<v Speaker 2>I don't know if President Trump can predict what President

117
00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.920
<v Speaker 2>Trump is going to do. This is something we're going

118
00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:16.800
<v Speaker 2>to have to watch day by day, week by week,

119
00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:17.639
<v Speaker 2>month by month.

120
00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:19.639
<v Speaker 1>We have a year and a half or.

121
00:07:19.560 --> 00:07:23.240
<v Speaker 2>Two years before we'll have a better sense of what

122
00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:26.639
<v Speaker 2>the climate is going to be with people coming in

123
00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:31.040
<v Speaker 2>and staying in the United States. We don't know what

124
00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:33.600
<v Speaker 2>is going to happen in the Middle East. It could

125
00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:37.680
<v Speaker 2>be a completely different scenario. It could have evolved into

126
00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:43.079
<v Speaker 2>something much more tragic, much more widespread. We don't know

127
00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:47.480
<v Speaker 2>if Iran is going to somehow involve themselves. We don't

128
00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:51.040
<v Speaker 2>know what Israel is going to do with respect to Hamas.

129
00:07:51.079 --> 00:07:54.680
<v Speaker 2>We don't know if that ceasefire will continue where or

130
00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:56.240
<v Speaker 2>whether it will be resolved.

131
00:07:56.600 --> 00:07:58.199
<v Speaker 1>The world will have a say.

132
00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:04.079
<v Speaker 2>Donald Trump, the President, will have a say, and hopefully

133
00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:06.680
<v Speaker 2>we'll be at a place where there is more peace

134
00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:10.439
<v Speaker 2>and there'll be more certainty as far as people entering

135
00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:13.839
<v Speaker 2>the United States. But we don't know that now, and

136
00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:16.959
<v Speaker 2>we can't make any promises, especially the ones that we

137
00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:23.439
<v Speaker 2>cannot keep. Yes, I love La, and I'm not blind

138
00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:27.800
<v Speaker 2>to all of its problems, blind to all of its warts,

139
00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:31.920
<v Speaker 2>blind to all the things which need to be improved.

140
00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:35.519
<v Speaker 2>I love La, but I'm not ignorant of the issues

141
00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:40.559
<v Speaker 2>in and around La. Because it's home, Home will always

142
00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:44.279
<v Speaker 2>be home. I was born in La, raised in La.

143
00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:47.960
<v Speaker 2>I've lived ninety eight percent of my life in LA,

144
00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:51.240
<v Speaker 2>with exception of the time I was in college in Washington, DC.

145
00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:55.039
<v Speaker 2>So La is something which is near and dear to

146
00:08:55.159 --> 00:08:58.720
<v Speaker 2>my heart. But there are some things, even after all

147
00:08:58.759 --> 00:09:02.240
<v Speaker 2>this time that I've spent here, I don't understand about La.

148
00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:03.919
<v Speaker 2>And this is one of the things that I think

149
00:09:04.279 --> 00:09:08.320
<v Speaker 2>people get wrong. Some people, not you in your car,

150
00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:10.720
<v Speaker 2>not you listening on iHeartRadio, You know better. But some

151
00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:13.279
<v Speaker 2>people I'm talking about other people. Some people believe that

152
00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:15.879
<v Speaker 2>radio hosts are always trying to be know it all.

153
00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:19.480
<v Speaker 2>They know everything about every subject, they opine about all

154
00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:22.600
<v Speaker 2>things both big and small. They know everything, or at

155
00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:25.320
<v Speaker 2>least they present themselves as knowing everything. Now, I will

156
00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:29.759
<v Speaker 2>be the first person to tell you I don't know everything.

157
00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:34.000
<v Speaker 2>I try to offer as an informed opinion as possible

158
00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:38.120
<v Speaker 2>about a lot of subjects, but there's some things that

159
00:09:38.200 --> 00:09:41.120
<v Speaker 2>I don't know, and there's some things I just don't understand.

160
00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:43.759
<v Speaker 2>And when I tell you that LA has a parking

161
00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:48.039
<v Speaker 2>enforcement problem, a huge one. When it comes down to

162
00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:51.200
<v Speaker 2>the amount of money that it is spending and the

163
00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:54.480
<v Speaker 2>amount of money that it is bringing in, which is

164
00:09:54.519 --> 00:09:57.440
<v Speaker 2>well short of the money that it's spending, I'm here

165
00:09:57.480 --> 00:10:01.200
<v Speaker 2>to tell you I don't understand it. I know a

166
00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:03.559
<v Speaker 2>little bit about math, in sort of a fifth grader

167
00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:08.600
<v Speaker 2>sort of way, addition, subtraction of maybe some multiplication and division,

168
00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:12.720
<v Speaker 2>the simple stuff. But I don't understand this. And according

169
00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:16.799
<v Speaker 2>to a recent report from independent news organization Crosstown, LA,

170
00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:21.039
<v Speaker 2>the city as a LA City is fighting this losing

171
00:10:21.080 --> 00:10:26.399
<v Speaker 2>war over parking and parking enforcement data has been analyzed,

172
00:10:26.679 --> 00:10:29.639
<v Speaker 2>and it shows that LA is spending tens of millions

173
00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:35.240
<v Speaker 2>of dollars more on parking enforcement than it is receiving

174
00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:40.480
<v Speaker 2>from parking tickets. I had no idea that parking enforcement

175
00:10:40.919 --> 00:10:44.440
<v Speaker 2>had such a high overhead. In the fiscal year that

176
00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:48.240
<v Speaker 2>just ended in June of twenty twenty four, LA gave

177
00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:50.360
<v Speaker 2>out two million parking tickets.

178
00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:51.200
<v Speaker 1>That much.

179
00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:54.600
<v Speaker 2>I believe the city collected about one hundred and ten

180
00:10:54.679 --> 00:10:56.440
<v Speaker 2>million dollars in parking fines.

181
00:10:56.919 --> 00:11:02.200
<v Speaker 1>I damn sure believe that. But also LA was spending.

182
00:11:02.039 --> 00:11:08.759
<v Speaker 2>Eighty eight million on parking enforcement expenses like salaries and equipment,

183
00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:12.320
<v Speaker 2>and when you add in the cost of pensions and

184
00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:16.559
<v Speaker 2>other obligations and liabilities, that figure jumped to more than

185
00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:18.440
<v Speaker 2>one hundred and seventy six million.

186
00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:20.320
<v Speaker 1>So let's quickly review.

187
00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:23.559
<v Speaker 2>The city collected about one hundred and ten million in

188
00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:28.320
<v Speaker 2>parking fines, but the city was spending about one hundred

189
00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:33.240
<v Speaker 2>and seventy six million dollars during that same time. That

190
00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:38.279
<v Speaker 2>is a sixty five million dollars shortfall. How do you

191
00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:43.519
<v Speaker 2>come out sixty five million dollars short in parking enforcement?

192
00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:45.039
<v Speaker 1>I don't know.

193
00:11:45.480 --> 00:11:47.679
<v Speaker 2>I don't have a reasonable answer for you. I can

194
00:11:47.720 --> 00:11:51.080
<v Speaker 2>tell you about some of the contributing factors. I can

195
00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:54.200
<v Speaker 2>say confidently and people would understand if I told you

196
00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:59.000
<v Speaker 2>the COVID nineteen pandemic in a general sense made bad

197
00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:03.879
<v Speaker 2>matters worse because we weren't driving during the pandemic, or fewer.

198
00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:05.279
<v Speaker 1>People are actually going to work.

199
00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:08.279
<v Speaker 2>So revenue in the fiscal year that ended in June

200
00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:11.799
<v Speaker 2>twenty twenty one was down thirty seven percent from the

201
00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:15.759
<v Speaker 2>prior year. But that's just the pandemic that was a

202
00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:19.120
<v Speaker 2>good four years ago. But the figures I just told

203
00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:23.559
<v Speaker 2>you about was for fiscal year twenty twenty four. I

204
00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:27.919
<v Speaker 2>don't get it. Here's something else to consider post pandemic.

205
00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:32.840
<v Speaker 2>Fewer people are commuting, Okay, that makes sense. Fewer people

206
00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:37.600
<v Speaker 2>are filling city centers, and fewer cars are on their

207
00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:43.200
<v Speaker 2>road overstaying their parking location or parking where they should.

208
00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:45.639
<v Speaker 1>Okay, that makes sense on some level, But.

209
00:12:45.639 --> 00:12:51.840
<v Speaker 2>That only speaks to a decrease in parking revenue. I

210
00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:58.919
<v Speaker 2>don't understand what parking enforcement is doing, which necessitates the

211
00:13:00.120 --> 00:13:06.399
<v Speaker 2>exorbitant costs of salaries and also equipment. I'm thinking about

212
00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:10.879
<v Speaker 2>that subcompact car that parking enforcement people will drive around

213
00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:11.320
<v Speaker 2>the city.

214
00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:12.840
<v Speaker 1>You know what they are.

215
00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:16.080
<v Speaker 2>You're looking out for them when you're parking illegally, or

216
00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:18.639
<v Speaker 2>you're parking you haven't fed the meter. You know, you're

217
00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:20.720
<v Speaker 2>looking for that car. I look at that, and I

218
00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:22.399
<v Speaker 2>look at the person getting out of the car, and

219
00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:26.320
<v Speaker 2>I got it. Okay, that is a tangible expense that

220
00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:29.240
<v Speaker 2>you and I can understand. We see the car, we

221
00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:32.000
<v Speaker 2>see the person, we see the person. We know there

222
00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:36.159
<v Speaker 2>is an associated salary. That makes sense. Okay, Maybe that

223
00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:38.480
<v Speaker 2>little thing they're holding in their hand which they're using

224
00:13:38.519 --> 00:13:41.200
<v Speaker 2>to write the ticket, that makes sense. But I can't

225
00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:44.600
<v Speaker 2>think of anything else. Clearly there is something else. But

226
00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:48.960
<v Speaker 2>I can't think of anything else which actually costs millions

227
00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:51.159
<v Speaker 2>and millions of dollars. They said the pensions, All right,

228
00:13:51.200 --> 00:13:55.159
<v Speaker 2>then what else are they using? What else are they needing?

229
00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:59.120
<v Speaker 2>What else are they spending millions and millions of dollars on?

230
00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:03.519
<v Speaker 2>You would think you would think that parking enforcement would

231
00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:07.200
<v Speaker 2>be a cash cow for the city, not a loss leader.

232
00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:11.440
<v Speaker 2>You wouldn't think that parking enforcement alone would lead to

233
00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:16.080
<v Speaker 2>sixty five million dollars in a shortfall. You would be

234
00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:19.200
<v Speaker 2>able to then argue that, well, if we stopped enforcement

235
00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:22.840
<v Speaker 2>of parking, we would at least cut out some of

236
00:14:22.840 --> 00:14:26.440
<v Speaker 2>the loss that were incurring every single year. Just stop

237
00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:29.399
<v Speaker 2>trying to enforce parking. We know about they have this

238
00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:33.159
<v Speaker 2>new system, this AI technology which will detect your car

239
00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.720
<v Speaker 2>if it's in a bus lane.

240
00:14:35.159 --> 00:14:36.320
<v Speaker 1>Is that some of the expense.

241
00:14:36.440 --> 00:14:39.519
<v Speaker 2>I don't know, but you would think that anything which

242
00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:45.399
<v Speaker 2>is costing you sixty five million dollars more than what

243
00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:50.120
<v Speaker 2>you're bringing in probably needs to be amended on the budget.

244
00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:52.279
<v Speaker 1>I don't know. I don't remember the last time I

245
00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:53.480
<v Speaker 1>received a parking ticket.

246
00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:56.759
<v Speaker 2>I am fortunate enough to have a garage to park

247
00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:59.519
<v Speaker 2>my car in and a garage at which to park

248
00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:02.840
<v Speaker 2>my car at work, and I understand not everyone has

249
00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:05.759
<v Speaker 2>that luxury. And if you've driven through Hollywood and tried

250
00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:08.279
<v Speaker 2>to park in Hollywood at night, there's a good chance,

251
00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:10.279
<v Speaker 2>and that's considered a part of the city of LA

252
00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:12.480
<v Speaker 2>there's a good chance that you may get a parking

253
00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:17.200
<v Speaker 2>ticket and or get your car Toad. I've only been

254
00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:20.240
<v Speaker 2>Toad once. Emmi King, have you ever been Toad? And

255
00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:23.039
<v Speaker 2>I know I ask you this only because you are

256
00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:26.399
<v Speaker 2>you're not an La native, so you may not have

257
00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:28.399
<v Speaker 2>known the racket which is LA parking.

258
00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:29.639
<v Speaker 1>Over the previous decades.

259
00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:35.200
<v Speaker 2>I have not been told, but every time I go

260
00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:37.000
<v Speaker 2>to Pasadena, I get a parking ticket.

261
00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:41.320
<v Speaker 1>Okay, Pasadena, all right, you're really good about nailing you

262
00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:42.600
<v Speaker 1>conor Have you.

263
00:15:42.600 --> 00:15:45.919
<v Speaker 2>Ever had a problem with parking and parking tickets in

264
00:15:46.679 --> 00:15:49.879
<v Speaker 2>and around Los Angeles?

265
00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:53.080
<v Speaker 1>Parking, yes, parking tickets no.

266
00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:58.000
<v Speaker 2>I don't see how given the amount of tickets that

267
00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:01.679
<v Speaker 2>they're willing to give out that we as the City

268
00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:05.200
<v Speaker 2>of Los Angeles would be sixty five million dollars short,

269
00:16:06.039 --> 00:16:08.320
<v Speaker 2>how does it get to that point? Where is that

270
00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:11.120
<v Speaker 2>money being spent? And I'm not one of those people

271
00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:15.320
<v Speaker 2>look waste, fraud and abuse. I just have a genuine question,

272
00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:20.559
<v Speaker 2>because I have a genuine lack of understanding. You would

273
00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:24.799
<v Speaker 2>think a reasonable person. I would like to think I'm reasonable,

274
00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:29.639
<v Speaker 2>but a reasonable person would question how parking enforcement costs

275
00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:35.879
<v Speaker 2>so damn much, given that the tickets usually are so oppressive.

276
00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:37.960
<v Speaker 2>It's not like we're talking about a twenty five or

277
00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:40.279
<v Speaker 2>thirty dollars ticket. You can easily see an eighty five

278
00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:43.279
<v Speaker 2>dollars ticket. And that's assuming you're paying it on time.

279
00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:45.799
<v Speaker 2>And if you're like me back in the day, I

280
00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:48.159
<v Speaker 2>never paid a parking ticket on time. It was just

281
00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:52.200
<v Speaker 2>never a priority, and then the penalties and fees rack up,

282
00:16:52.200 --> 00:16:54.440
<v Speaker 2>and all of a sudden, it's double that amount. How

283
00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:57.360
<v Speaker 2>is it we're losing money on parking enforcement? I would

284
00:16:57.399 --> 00:16:59.720
<v Speaker 2>love someone to tell me, but right now all we

285
00:16:59.799 --> 00:17:03.759
<v Speaker 2>know is we are losing money and there's no reasonable

286
00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.079
<v Speaker 2>explanation for it. And then when you look at the

287
00:17:07.079 --> 00:17:12.799
<v Speaker 2>bigger picture, how the city has a billion dollars shortfall.

288
00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:15.839
<v Speaker 2>Don't think I'd forgotten about that, and you realize that

289
00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:20.880
<v Speaker 2>something fundamentally is a miss in how the city of

290
00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:25.640
<v Speaker 2>Los Angeles is being run. This is just one example

291
00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:29.920
<v Speaker 2>of clearly many examples of LA not being able to

292
00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:31.039
<v Speaker 2>do the right thing.

293
00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:32.599
<v Speaker 1>It's a Bill Handle show.

294
00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:35.000
<v Speaker 2>I'm o Kelly and for Bill, We're live everywhere on

295
00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:38.359
<v Speaker 2>the iHeartRadio app. But there are Democratic town halls going

296
00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:41.160
<v Speaker 2>on all around the country. You know that the Democrats

297
00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:44.039
<v Speaker 2>have had a bad goal of it. As of late,

298
00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:48.880
<v Speaker 2>they've received the lowest approval ratings, and I would say

299
00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:52.160
<v Speaker 2>in the past thirty forty years at least, what is

300
00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:55.200
<v Speaker 2>going on inside the party? They've been mad at Chuck

301
00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:59.640
<v Speaker 2>Schumer for going along with Republicans for the Continuing Resolution,

302
00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:02.319
<v Speaker 2>What the hell is going on? And joining us right now.

303
00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:06.200
<v Speaker 2>To help us sort it out, is Alicia Mieva's News

304
00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:09.160
<v Speaker 2>Nation reporter, Alicia, what is going on?

305
00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:13.640
<v Speaker 3>I think what we're seeing right now is the Democratic

306
00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:16.519
<v Speaker 3>Party trying to seize the moment with these town halls,

307
00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:19.240
<v Speaker 3>trying to come up with a new identity in this

308
00:18:19.319 --> 00:18:22.519
<v Speaker 3>new age, something they have been criticized for as of late,

309
00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:24.960
<v Speaker 3>and this is clearly their strategy to make that happen

310
00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:28.799
<v Speaker 3>these people's town halls or fight for all our fight

311
00:18:28.839 --> 00:18:31.160
<v Speaker 3>against all our gurchy tour. That is something that is

312
00:18:31.160 --> 00:18:33.240
<v Speaker 3>happening now with the townholes coast to coast, I mean

313
00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:36.759
<v Speaker 3>everywhere from Pennsylvania to Arizona, and they're mostly happening in

314
00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:41.079
<v Speaker 3>Republican strongholds of the DNC, saying they pick these areas

315
00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:44.279
<v Speaker 3>because they say vulnerable GOP house members are and this

316
00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:47.119
<v Speaker 3>is a quote, running scared from their constituents. You know,

317
00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:50.359
<v Speaker 3>the party at this point believe that it has an

318
00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:53.359
<v Speaker 3>opportunity to reach conservative voters who are frustrated in this

319
00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:56.880
<v Speaker 3>moment on how the Trump administration is carrying out its agenda,

320
00:18:57.200 --> 00:18:59.559
<v Speaker 3>a certain policies that are hitting their wallets when they

321
00:18:59.640 --> 00:19:02.039
<v Speaker 3>voted for him to do the opposite, you know, there

322
00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:05.119
<v Speaker 3>are points of things like Elon Musk's chains off of bureaucracy.

323
00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:07.519
<v Speaker 3>We won't forget that moment at seapac a last month,

324
00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:10.359
<v Speaker 3>and really everything that he's done with Doge to slash

325
00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:13.039
<v Speaker 3>government waste but at the same time layoff tens of

326
00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:16.480
<v Speaker 3>thousands of people. So you're seeing Dems like Tim Wall's

327
00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:20.359
<v Speaker 3>AOC Bernie Sanders, hoping that their message at these town

328
00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:24.240
<v Speaker 3>hall you know, turns Republican voters that anger they're having

329
00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:27.039
<v Speaker 3>right now potentially into action aka votes coming to the

330
00:19:27.079 --> 00:19:30.000
<v Speaker 3>Dems come this next election cycle, which is about a

331
00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:32.519
<v Speaker 3>year and a half away from now, but certainly something

332
00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:34.200
<v Speaker 3>on the minds of Democrats right now.

333
00:19:34.279 --> 00:19:38.480
<v Speaker 2>I think objectively speaking, we can agree that there's a

334
00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:43.640
<v Speaker 2>problem not only with the Democrats in elections vis a

335
00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:48.759
<v Speaker 2>v with against Republicans, but also internally in the Democratic Party.

336
00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:53.480
<v Speaker 2>What is it with the democratics in Democrats internally in

337
00:19:53.559 --> 00:19:57.400
<v Speaker 2>which they are unable to find a cohesive strategy in

338
00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.880
<v Speaker 2>which to fight Republicans.

339
00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:00.839
<v Speaker 1>It seems Yeah, you.

340
00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:02.200
<v Speaker 3>Know, I think you've been up a great point that

341
00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:05.880
<v Speaker 3>actually reflected in these town halls, right you know, these

342
00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:08.359
<v Speaker 3>hot town halls haven't been just rallies for Democrats. They've

343
00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:12.000
<v Speaker 3>actually been Democratic voters saying the exact same thing, saying

344
00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:15.160
<v Speaker 3>the old guard, if you will, clearly hasn't worked, right.

345
00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:17.279
<v Speaker 3>It's part of the reason why Trump is now in

346
00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:20.400
<v Speaker 3>office and they lost the election, you know, last year,

347
00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:22.519
<v Speaker 3>and so one of the things again we're hearing in

348
00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:24.960
<v Speaker 3>these town halls is people asking for them to find

349
00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:27.319
<v Speaker 3>a new identity. That may be AOC, that may be

350
00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:30.720
<v Speaker 3>Bernie Sanders, or that may be someone completely new and different.

351
00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:33.519
<v Speaker 3>You know, we're even hearing in these town halls. You know,

352
00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:36.319
<v Speaker 3>Democrats are having to deal with calls for Senator Schumer

353
00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:38.680
<v Speaker 3>to kind of step down to no longer be the

354
00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:41.480
<v Speaker 3>leader of the party, especially after he, you know, backed

355
00:20:41.640 --> 00:20:45.799
<v Speaker 3>Trump's government funding bill to a shutdown. They feel like

356
00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:49.519
<v Speaker 3>they need a party that's willing to fight with the Republicans,

357
00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:51.359
<v Speaker 3>who were clearly up to the fight, right. They have

358
00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:53.559
<v Speaker 3>kind of had this revolution, if you will, over the

359
00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:56.440
<v Speaker 3>last two months sixty days that Trump has been in office,

360
00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:59.920
<v Speaker 3>and they're wanting the Democrats to match that. It will

361
00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:02.640
<v Speaker 3>yet to be seen if that's actually what ends up

362
00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:05.519
<v Speaker 3>happening here. But again these town halls are Democrats saying

363
00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:07.880
<v Speaker 3>they're up for the challenge and people saying you need

364
00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:10.519
<v Speaker 3>to be because we're going to vote based on that.

365
00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:12.799
<v Speaker 3>If you actually are willing to stand up to the

366
00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:13.599
<v Speaker 3>Republican Party.

367
00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:15.880
<v Speaker 2>Before I let you go, I have a philosophical question

368
00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:18.240
<v Speaker 2>and hopefully you can help me out with it. I

369
00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:24.720
<v Speaker 2>remember after Mitt Romney lost against Barack Obama in twenty sixteen,

370
00:21:25.319 --> 00:21:28.359
<v Speaker 2>that the Republican Party was lost in the wilderness, not

371
00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:30.680
<v Speaker 2>unlike what the Democrats are right now.

372
00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:33.519
<v Speaker 1>A lot can happen in two years and four years.

373
00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:37.839
<v Speaker 2>Has there been any thought to, hey, Democrats, just stop panicking.

374
00:21:38.119 --> 00:21:42.240
<v Speaker 2>We can't lose or win any elections until twenty twenty six.

375
00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:45.400
<v Speaker 2>Let's be sure that we take our time and get

376
00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:48.200
<v Speaker 2>the right strategy, the right message, and we can be

377
00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:49.079
<v Speaker 2>back on top again.

378
00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:53.319
<v Speaker 3>You know, I think from my vantage point, unfortunately that's

379
00:21:53.319 --> 00:21:55.640
<v Speaker 3>not the case. I think even when you point to

380
00:21:55.720 --> 00:21:58.920
<v Speaker 3>Mitt Romney, you point to Barack Obama, I think Republicans

381
00:21:58.920 --> 00:22:01.640
<v Speaker 3>did well in play the long game. And that's something

382
00:22:01.640 --> 00:22:04.680
<v Speaker 3>that Democrats are struggling with because while they can't win

383
00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:07.559
<v Speaker 3>you know, the White House until you know, mid terms,

384
00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:09.759
<v Speaker 3>at least until twenty twenty six, and certainly the White House,

385
00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:13.400
<v Speaker 3>you know two years after that they're under this immense

386
00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:16.160
<v Speaker 3>amount of pressure to do something. Now, that's part of

387
00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:18.640
<v Speaker 3>what we're hearing at the town hall. So on one hand,

388
00:22:18.680 --> 00:22:20.759
<v Speaker 3>you want them to come up with a long vision,

389
00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:22.519
<v Speaker 3>or they certainly want to come with a long vision,

390
00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:24.920
<v Speaker 3>but they have to have some short term success, whether

391
00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:27.279
<v Speaker 3>it be just ideologically, and I think that's what these

392
00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:30.279
<v Speaker 3>town halls are. They're, you know, an image of what

393
00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:32.240
<v Speaker 3>could come in twenty twenty six, what could come in

394
00:22:32.279 --> 00:22:36.480
<v Speaker 3>twenty twenty eight. But the long game, they have not

395
00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:39.720
<v Speaker 3>telegraphed any of that, and from my vantage point, you know,

396
00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:42.720
<v Speaker 3>I haven't seen it. So that's something that obviously is

397
00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:44.720
<v Speaker 3>concerning for Democratic voters.

398
00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:47.839
<v Speaker 2>Alisa and Naevia's News Nation reporter. Thank you so much

399
00:22:47.880 --> 00:22:49.200
<v Speaker 2>for checking in with us.

400
00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:52.400
<v Speaker 1>Of course, you've been listening to the Bill Handles Show.

401
00:22:52.519 --> 00:22:55.000
<v Speaker 2>Catch my show one day through Friday, six am to

402
00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:58.920
<v Speaker 2>nine am, and any time on demand on the iHeartRadio

403
00:22:59.039 --> 00:22:59.359
<v Speaker 2>app
