DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — I'll post a more full summary of this shortly, but I wanted to get the text of developer Tom Gilmore's public comment on today's Council LATC item onto the web now, twenty minutes or so after he made them:

Councilmembers, the RFP regarding the Los Angeles Theatre Center is once again before you, with a recommendation to receive and file. I ask you to reject this recommendation and continue this item.

Numerous questions regarding the propriety and legality of terminating the existing RFP process in order to pursue negotiations with a respondent whose application was deemed unacceptable exist. At the very least, the appearance of impropriety when considering the defacto enhanced bid from the Latino Theatre Company should give the Council pause.

In addition I am requesting that the City Attorney's office, along with the office of the Chief Legislative Analyst be directed to review the process that has developed subsequent to the recommendation from the Department of Cultural Affairs to approve the RFP in order to ascertain whether Latino Theatre Company representations to the City and State constitute a fraudulent application.

Any claim by any party that this RFP must be set aside because of a change in circumstances is a transparent attempt to void an entirely appropriate and legal process. Language exists within the current RFP to negotiate financial terms, and enables the city to adjust its financial requirements prior to finalizing any agreement, thereby eliminating any need to terminate the RFP process.

I urge you to consider how important it is to maintain the integrity of the City's public process and to continue this item for a period of time that will enable all concerned parties to examine in detail the options before them.

Paragraph breaks are mine, I was working off the television broadcast.