Daily Archives: March 1, 2012

Candidate Ranking – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Michael D. Robbins

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Mike

Here’s my candidate ranking from best to worst:

1. Carl Jacobson – Extremely intelligent, honest, experienced, dedicated. Independent of city unions, special interests. Votes what is best for city. City’s organizational memory.

2. Dave Atkinson – Intelligent, valuable experience turning around businesses, independent of city unions, special interests. Fiscal conservative.

3. Dave Burns – Intelligent. Early critic of Measure P and unsustainable safety union contracts. Open on issues.

4. Mike Dugan – Intelligent, valuable engineering and business experience, understands city must live within its means. But not committed to any specific city union contract reform. …
Continue reading →

Posted in El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Candidate Ranking – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Michael D. Robbins

Herald didn’t validate comments – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Richard Lundquist

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Mike

Note that the following conspicuous correction in response to that letter was published on page 2:

Correction
In the February 16 article, “Split Council Fires City Manager Willmore,” we reported that according to Ron Swanson, Continental Development Corporation’s Richard Lundquist called him on February 9 and exclaimed, “What are they doing?” in response to Willmore’s possible termination. For the record, Mr. Lundquist clarified that Swanson called him that day and that he never said, “What are they doing?” We regret the error.

This correction was necessary because the Herald news reporter mistakenly trusted local resident Ron Swanson when he made statements to influence the El Segundo City Council at their special meeting on February 9, 2012, called to fire new city manager Doug Willmore. Swanson, a friend and ally of Willmore, claimed that Richard Lundquist, a wealthy and influential real estate developer and philanthropist with Continental Development in El Segundo, called him and was upset the City Council was going to fire Willmore. Local residents seem to recall this was not the first time Swanson made false statements to the City Council to influence them to help a friend of his to public funds.

Herald didn’t validate comments

While reading an article in the February 16, 2012, edition of the El Segundo Herald entitled “Split Council Fires City Manager Willmore,” I was quite disappointed to see my name mentioned. The article states that I called Ron Swanson to discuss the issue. I did not call Ron Swanson; he called me. It continues to say that I exclaimed “What are they doing?”[Italics original]. I said no such thing.

I am surprised that your paper made no attempt to contact me to corroborate or validate my participation in the assertions made by Mr. Swanson at the City Council meeting. … Continue reading →

Posted in Doug Willmore’s Great City Shakedown, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Herald didn’t validate comments – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Richard Lundquist

Excerpts from the March 1, 2012 El Segundo Herald Article on Chevron

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Mike

Asked about the lack of response to Willmore and if he had formed a legal opinion on the Chevron matter, El Segundo City Attorney Mark Hensley said he could not disclose information due to attorney/client privilege. However, he pointed out that for events “that happened 20 years ago and based on statutes that go back a quarter of a century, the process of reviewing all that is lengthy. There are statute of limitations issues…Had I been asked about something that happened 20 years ago, it would take a considerable amount of time to study it.”

A Council member in 1993, Mike Robbins confirmed that “the City was going to get sued by MRC, Chevron or both—and reached a legal settlement where the City paid MRC a reduced amount, Chevron effectively paid the City the amount paid to MRC, and Chevron’s future tax liability was more clearly defined.” Robbins went on to describe MRC’s approach as “hostile and aggressive,” and felt the firm “endangered the City’s business retention and attraction program.”

Asked to elaborate why the UUT deal with Chevron was fair, Robbins explained that El Segundo is a low-tax city by choice and can’t be compared to other municipalities. He added that Chevron is a unique case because its giant 951-acre parcel is self-contained. “The City does not pay to provide and maintain all the City infrastructure and services on the massive Chevron property that it provides for all the other business and residential properties in town,” Robbins said. “These include many miles of roads, alleys, sidewalks, storm drains, water and sewer pipes, street lighting, trees, landscaping, street sweeping, residential trash collection, and police patrols, as well as public parks and recreation facilities. It is not fair to charge Chevron taxes for City infrastructure and services that it does not receive.”

Meanwhile Councilmember Jacobson, who was El Segundo’s Mayor at the time of the settlement, described MRC as a “bounty hunter” since the company stood to make a 25 percent fee. “They were trying to charge Chevron for its own gas and the Council didn’t agree,” he said. Jacobson maintained that the Chevron UUT settlement was approved in public—not closed—session. “There was nothing secret about it.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Doug Willmore's Great Chevron Shakedown, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Excerpts from the March 1, 2012 El Segundo Herald Article on Chevron