The late Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley was as soon as caught steering metropolis contracts to his son. Confronted by hard-boiled Chicago reporters, Mayor Daley appeared straight at them and mentioned, “If a father can’t assist his son, who can he assist?”
That ended the controversy. Chicago authorities was legendary for corruption, everyone knew about it, however the potholes acquired fastened and so did the parking tickets, and so long as the town labored, individuals had been advantageous with it.
If all the pieces was working in Los Angeles County, individuals may be advantageous with the identical type of corruption.
Every little thing’s not advantageous. Every little thing’s worse, from crime to homelessness to the jail system to the probation division to the Public Well being division to the remainder of the record of issues which are inflicting individuals to pack up and depart L.A. County.
However not everyone is aware of in regards to the corruption. For instance, do you know that one of many 5 members of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, who’s operating for re-election, is responsible of brazen and long-standing nepotism that has routed hundreds of thousands of taxpayer {dollars} to her shut family?
Janice Hahn was sworn in as a newly elected supervisor in December 2016 surrounded by household. Her brother, Superior Courtroom decide and former L.A. mayor James Hahn, administered the oath of workplace as her two sons, Danny and Mark Baucum, appeared on.
Hahn instantly employed Mark and his spouse Jaclyn, who each held the title of Supervisor’s Deputy II in 2017. Mark was paid complete compensation, together with advantages, of $154,712. Jaclyn collected $89,445, presumably reflecting lower than a full yr on the county payroll.
Mark and Jaclyn acquired raises in 2018, bringing their complete compensation to $185,239 and $147,627, respectively. In 2019 they had been bumped as much as the title of Supervisor’s Deputy III, with pay and advantages totaling $199,875 and $154,772.
Beginning in 2020, Jaclyn moved over to the County Well being Company with the title of “Deputy, Administration Applications.” Her complete compensation rose to $186,682, then $232,001 in 2021, then $267,747 in 2022.
Mark was promoted to “Supervisor’s Assistant Chief of Workers,” with complete compensation in 2020 of $224,992 and in 2021, $281,580. In 2022 he grew to become Chief of Workers ― base wage $201,413, complete compensation $323,729.
Hat tip to Redstate’s Jennifer Van Laar for digging out the main points of the Hahn household enterprise. Compensation figures can be found at data.lacounty.gov.
What does the regulation say about this?
In keeping with the California Code of Laws, Title 2, Part 87, titled, “Anti-Nepotism,” nepotism is outlined as “an worker’s use of affect or energy to rent, switch, or promote an applicant or worker due to a private relationship,” and it’s “expressly prohibited within the state office.”
Whether or not that applies equally to the county office could also be in query, however final October the L.A. County Division of Human Sources issued a memo to all division heads about “nepotism and private relationships.” Underneath the county’s insurance policies, nepotism is prohibited, however “requests for exceptions” could be made in writing.
Maybe what Janice Hahn has been doing since she took workplace as a supervisor in late 2016 is authorized, technically. There could also be a letter within the file that she wrote and permitted herself.
It’s nonetheless not okay. Together with the wage and advantages that Hahn earned as an elected official, in six years these three members of the Hahn household have collected pay and advantages totaling greater than $4.3 million.
And she or he desires to lift your taxes. Hahn advised our editorial board that she helps placing one other tax improve for homelessness applications on the poll this fall.
Who’s operating in opposition to her? Two individuals who each advised our editorial board they completely oppose one other tax improve for homelessness applications.
The candidates are Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank and former L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva.
Villanueva has deep information of the challenges dealing with the county, particularly in public security and homelessness. John Cruikshank has spectacular information of native authorities, housing points, small enterprise challenges and infrastructure wants, and he has strongly supported taxpayer rights.
Solely 4th District residents could vote on this race, however everybody in L.A. County might be higher off if the Hahn dynasty is delivered to an finish.
Write Susan@SusanShelley.com and observe her on Twitter @Susan_Shelley
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