Whats a lame duck? In politics, a lame duck is an outgoing politician who is in their last term of office. West Hollywood has two lame ducks on the city council. Quack, quack, Vice Mayor John Heilman will finally end his reign of influence over West Hollywood in 2026, and Council member Lauren Meister will join Heilman as the first two West Hollywood politicians to leave office due to the term limits initiative Measure C that was passed by voters in 2011.
Lame ducks are often seen as having less influence than other members due to their limited time left in office. Conversely, a lame duck is free to make decisions that favor friends, or payback to foes without fear of consequence.
According to Wikipedia “Even at the local level, politicians who do not seek re-election can lose credibility and influence. Uncompleted projects may fall to the wayside as their influence diminishes.”
What does that mean for West Hollywood to have 2 lame ducks on the council, with the 3 other council members, all supported by UNITE HERE Local 11? It means that the union is in charge of the policy and the people lost their voice. The city council is not an independent body for the people. It’s a 3-vote lock in which the union masters pull the strings on city policy and direction.
The issues which the ducks will vote on in the next two years are plentiful. All those Builder’s Remedy projects, 5 oversized developments that will change the landscape of the streets and neighborhoods they occupy. The Builder’s remedy projects as proposed came to life when the previous city council failed to pass an on-time housing element. A six story building on Huntley next to a single family home. Another on Ashcroft in the heart of West Hollywood West. Council member Meister is the only member on the dais that voted against passing the on-time housing element.
The majority of the city council and its 3-lock vote majority is keen on trading affordable housing in exchange for new luxury developments. Note the Viper Room project which was passed 3-2, with all 3- unite here local 11 candidates voting in favor of the project. A side deal would marry the developer to the Unite Here local 11 by guaranteeing the hotel workers in that project will be ‘unionized’,with UNITE HERE employees.
The UNITE HERE Local 11 agenda pushes affordable housing ‘for their workers to afford to live where they work’, and we can expect most outsized developments with density bonuses, and other variances no matter its impacts to the residents. The net result is more landlords will opt to sell and more buildings will be torn down and more residents will be displaced. We can expect a higher trend line for rents and additional costs of labor to employers.
Another 3-vote lock will shut the discussion down to any changes to the Fountain Ave. Streetscape project. All 3 vote lock majority UNITE HERE Local candidates and also have the support of Streets for All, and West Hollywood will lead the way in reducing mobility for cars.
The issues are many and the trickle down effects to residents can be seen all over the city. Surcharges at most restaurants, the highest sales tax in the nation, the high cost of commercial rents and cost of living in the region, vacant storefronts and property values in West Hollywood pressured by increasing taxes and a quality of life that has changed for many long term residents.
The elder ducks, Heilman and Meister, both in their 60’s came into office as resident serving politicians. Both carved out a West Hollywood that had its own aura, and mystic. Heilman has served on the council since 1984 and helped to usher in a new city that promised affordability through its rent control provisions. In our 40 years of history the total number of affordable housing units built and maintained in the city of West Hollywood was approximately 1100 units as of the end of 2024. Hardly a success. Affordability for the rest of us has vanished.
Meister’s duckling is more interesting. Neighborhood advocate who helped to run the Measure C term limit campaign to propel her into a council seat. When asked how she feels about being the first to term out she replied, “12 years is enough”. But the goals of term limits to limit political influence, and big money in politics backfired after the council voted to move the city council election form March to November and coincide with the national presidential eleciton. Our local politics has been quickly swept away and the big power interests have taken over. Meister, ‘the one with the popcorn hair’ as described by a resident, may be the last duckling of a foregone era. An era we may call Camelot.. when our council members worked their way up the ladder to serve the community and candidates and council members were not hand picked by union bosses.
Footnote: John Heilman and Lauren Meister are the only non-union candidates to win a city council seat in the past 3 election cycles of 2020, 2022, and 2024. UNITE HERE Local 11 money was behind the candidacies of Sepi Shyne, John Erickson, Chelsea Byers, and Danny Hang and operate a 3-lock majority on the West Hollywood City Council.
This comment is about Apartheid and the National Socialist Party in WW2.
t’s a headline from a posted article online…for those who are not acquainted with either of the concepts.
The holocaust and apartheid: similarities and differences: a comparative study
It’s kind of funny, the guy who can’t even get elected once to WeHo city council is calling the people who keep getting re-elected ‘lame’. Heilman and Meister are clearly doing something right.
Your very dumb if you do not know what a ‘lame duck’ is in political terms. Its not a name call, and has nothing to do with me. It has to do with their last term in office.
I agree. Did any of you gotohigh school?
This lonely person has little to do but read your column and complain anonymously.
I don’t think it is fair to further divide our city council. My hope is that this council begin to stop voting on a 3-2 base that favors Local 11,Streets For All, and Orange Barrel. It is time to truly believe in researching and listening to actual residents whom are just as concerned with policies that will affect all For a Country now run by the wealthy let us ask city council to listen to the citizens rather than whom lines their pockets and campaigns One prime example of a poorly planned ordinance that council passed was the 12 month… Read more »
As I said on another article, its time for the State of California to place West Hollywood in receivership to clean up the corruption that’s happening every single day.
lol
They are lame ducks long before they enter their last term. Meister never had a majority and Heilman.was one thing before he was another .
“Bitter! Party of one!”
Sounds like a lot of sour grapes from a man who couldn’t convince anyone to vote for him.
With this sort of vile mudslinging, we can easily understand why Sepi Shyne wouldn’t give Larry/WEHOville the time of day.
Maybe you are the bitter one, it’s called projection. Larry couldn’t get anyone to vote for him? Really? Larry came in third behind two candidates that had their seats bought for them by a very crooked organization. Larry truly earned every vote he got, which were many. Larry is actually the tue winner here. Cheating doesn’t count. Oh yeah, Bye Shepi.
Hey thanks.
I think that the block you denigrate so much is merely, and I mean in the “slight” sense, more progressive than the ducks and you are. I agree with you on needing more affordable housing and I am not a fan of high-rises. I say that the union is not ruining our city, but that younger, more Progressive politics are. And I wholly disagree, with that ruination label. I am a adherent of Progressivism. And I disagree that Meister and Heilman will be lame ducks for two years. Foregone or bygone? And another thing, I see few or no bicyclists… Read more »
So, the adults will be leaving the room. So sad. The only 2 people I trust on Council. What’s next?
The further decline of our city.
I’m sure all this is true, but the only thing I want to say about John Heilman is that he was WeHo Mayor during the era when WeHo was at its most awesome– safe, fun, vibrant, fabulously gay, and the envy of the world. The writer makes valid points about the lack of affordable housing, etc., but I only wanted to commend Heilman for the aspects mentioned. WeHo really felt like a magical place for those years as opposed to the last few years. So, I don’t know him or have a horse in this race, but I will always… Read more »
“but I will always cherish the memories of those amazing years in the ’90s through mid-2000s or so”
Rose colored glasses. You’re older now. You were in the prime of your life back then.
Duck, duck, our goose is cooked.
Lauren and John are the only two council members who have life experience and understand the big picture. We’re in trouble within any alternative viewpoints.
Duck Duck – and Goose Goose Goose