BEVERLY HILLS
March 8, 2013 | Page 30 Publisher Clifton S. Smith, Jr ******* Associate Publisher Marcia W . Hobbs Senior Editor John L. Seitz Special Sections Editor Steve Simmons ****** Founding Publisher March Schwartz (Publisher 1965-2004) The Courier is proud to be a
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From the Publisher CLIF SMITH
THE ELECTION...‘JUST THE FACTS!!’ We’re more pleased that the people, given Well, that’s what Jack Webb (“Sgt. Joe the facts, saw things as we see them – the future Friday”) used to say on Dragnet. As of press time, we await the final count of Beverly Hills needs to be secure, not spent from Tuesday’s city council election. With about today or committed to pensions no city can 500 votes left to count, reform candidate Vice afford. Common sense tells us that “pensions” Mayor John Mirisch decisively leads current sec- pay people for NOT working. How do we pay ond-place finisher Mayor Willie Brien. Mirisch people TO work? The “fairness” aspect looms will be elected to a second term and tradition says large. Fact: not one employee of Beverly Hills he will be named the next mayor of Beverly Hills. pays one penny towards their own retirement. Mayor Brien, the overwhelming choice of the That is just not fair. Everyone else has to pay for “old guard” insiders has a slim 62 vote advantage some or all of their own retirement. We support over former Mayor Nancy Krasne and 82 vote our public employees, but we will need people lead over planning commissioner Brian in 5, 10, 20 years in those same positions. If we Rosenstein. This narrow edge comes despite tens spend all our money for retired workers, how do of thousands of dollars of campaign ads and we hire and pay current workers? Every governspending to support what most observers would ment entity in the U.S. faces the same dilemma. It is fun to be vilified? Of course not. What have thought would have been a shoo-in for “Willie.” Three will win seats. Right now, it’s were our articles? Charts, facts, figures, amounts. probably a toss-up between Krasne and Not insults or vitriol. In return, we got back hate Rosenstein. By the time many read this editorial, mail. No fun, but that’s the price of serving the community as a real newspathe decision will be known. “If you want to know per, not a PR sheet for some. What to make of this We cite as our authority election? what’s going on in your Mirisch is an unrepentant town—whether the news is for this, among others, George Orwell and Warren reformer. His motto: “The government must stop treat- about the mayor or taxes or Buffett. Orwell wrote, “The furing the people like an ATM high school football—there machine,” clearly resonated. is no substitute for a local ther a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate He never backed away from his positions. His votes for newspaper that is doing its those that speak it.” Buffett, who just spent —Warren Buffett transparency in government, job. nearly $400 million buying disclosure of union contracts in time for the people to be heard, and a dedica- newspapers, wrote in his most recent annual lettion to future fiscal sanity earned him first place. ter to his Berkshire Hathaway shareholders last Months ago, many speculated he could not even Friday: “If you want to know what’s going on in be reelected. Now, he takes office with a clear your town—whether the news is about the mayor mandate for reform. This comes after two years or taxes or high school football—there is no sub“in the wilderness” losing council vote after stitute for a local newspaper that is doing its job.” We did our job – we published facts. council vote 2-3 (joined only by reform Our view remains the same: “it’s about poliCouncilmember Lili Bosse). Now he has the third vote if Krasne or Rosenstein honor their pledges cy, not personality. If Willie Brien is so deserving and their direct statements. Mirisch, unlike Brien, of reelection, why not tout his record instead of had no need to resort to “independent expendi- hurling vicious insults at others?” The answer is ture” committees or outside political clubs to gen- obvious. His views will in the main be opposed in the next council. John Mirisch and Lili Bosse— erate hate mailers. joined either by Nancy It is telling that Brien Krasne or Brian Rosennever said a word to stop stein (or the long shot— the hate mail. What does both), will proceed with that tell you? reform. Bosse will beKrasne and Rosencome vice mayor. They stein, to greater or lesser will look to the future —5, degrees, sounded the 10 years down the road. same themes as Mirisch. Their task will be to stop Only Mayor Brien dethe rise of “unfunded liamurred, faced with his bilities” and to upgrade actual voting record of the City’s part in the battle pro-spending, pro-staff, and pro-Metro positions. Much of the money to stop the tunnels underneath Beverly Hills High spent on his behalf tried to conceal that record or School. Will these people “stick to their guns”? divert attention from it. The argument was: “He’s a great guy, so vote for him [and ignore his Always a question with elected officials. We record'].” That failed to earn him a first-place fin- hope so. The vote of the people of Beverly Hills is ish as he finished hundreds of votes behind four years ago. In the process, we were called every pretty clear—the people want their City for themname in the book for pointing out that $106 mil- selves, not paid staff retirement benefits. They lion in unfunded liabilities is a relevant fact. We want transparency in government. They demand don’t believe that “accounting treatments” that that our local government: “Stop treating the peobury new debts are the same as having a surplus. ple like an ATM machine.” And this is right and Naturally, we are pleased the voters sided proper. It’s also why we vote in the first place. The Courier printed facts and advocated with The Courier to elect a solid majority of proreform candidates regardless of whether Krasne or positions that will guarantee that Beverly Hills Rosenstein wins. In the off-chance that Brien will still enjoy unequalled public safety—police, drops below the other two, the vote for policy fire, paramedic—into the foreseeable future. To claim otherwise is just not supported by over personality would be complete. Maybe the facts. that’s why he lost the election-day vote.
Rabbi Jacob Pressman THE NAME CHANGE GAME While working on another subject, I was struck once again by the way many people, particularly those in show business, have changed their original names. In more prestigious times, many changed their given names for something that played better in literature or entertainment. Let me share a few of those changes, which may be of interest to you: •Woody Allen was born Allan Stewart Konigsberg. •Dyan Cannon was born Samille Diane Friesen. •Elliot Gould was Elliot Goldstein. •Estelle Harris was Estelle Nussbaum. •Michael Landon was Eugene Maurice Horowitz. •Piper Laurie was Rosetta Jacobs. •Steve Lawrence was Sidney Liebowitz. •Cute Shari Lewis was born Sonia Phyllis Hurwitz. •Joan Rivers shortened hers from Joan Alexandra Molinsky Sanger Rosenberg. •Gene Wilder was Jerome Silberman. •Bea Arthur was Bernice Frankel. •Popular Lauren Bacall was born Betty Joan Perske. •Mel Brooks came in as Melvin Kaminsky. •Lenny Bruce as Leonard Schneider. •Samantha Harris was born Samantha Harris Shapiro. •Winona Ryder was born Winona Horowitz. •Nikki Ziering was born Natalie Schiele. •Brad Garrett was born Bradley Harold Gerstenfeld. •Lesli Kay was born Lesli Pushkin. •Jon Stewart was born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz. •Jason Alexander came in as Jay Greenspan. •Jane Seymour was born Joyce Frankenberg. •Albert Brooks was born Albert Lawrence Einstein. •Bob Dylan was born Robert Allen Zimmerman. •Lainie Kazan was Lanie Levine. •And finally, little Jackie Pressman from West Philadelphia, changed my name to Dr. Rabbi Jacob Pressman, DD, DR, your devoted servant, and proud contributor to The Beverly Hills Courier.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR One of the nice things about living here is that many parts of it are walkable. This past Saturday my peregrinations took me to my haircut on Roxbury near Wilshire, Whole Foods on Crescent, the bank on Beverly and South (“little”) Santa Monica, and the pharmacy a few blocks west at Bedford. I noticed that Beverly HIlls is becoming almost as dirty as neighboring Los Angeles. The sidewalks are littered, cracked, and stained with chewing gum, tar, unidentifiable material, and dog waste in various states of freshness or aging. If we are to remain a world-class destination, municipal efforts should be dedicated to fixing and cleaning the sidewalks, at least in the triangle bounded by Wilshire, Canon or Crescent to the east, and “little” Santa Monica, and perhaps extending along South Beverly Drive from Wilshire to Olympic. Some businesses, mainly restaurants and coffee shops, have someone sweep the sidewalk and street in front of them, but most do not. Maybe we could even install nice patterned sidewalks like some cities do. But existing sidewalks should be in good shape and clean. Daniel Fink
Cartoon for The Courier by Janet Salter
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