Category Archives: El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases

Articles on proposed and actual tax and fee increases in the city of El Segundo, California, to pay for the wildly excessive and unsustainable firefighter and police union salaries.

Send In Fee Hike Protest Ballots ASAP! – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Send In Fee Hike Protest Ballots ASAP!

We need every El Segundo resident, property owner, business, and water customer to act now to stop nine water fee rate hikes and five sewer fee rate hikes scheduled for 2015-2019. These hikes will also increase business water utility taxes. It makes no sense to raise fees and taxes when we are still paying millions of dollars yearly in excess City employee compensation and pensions that have no relation to reality – only to City union campaign support for City Council candidates.

Failure to send in Protest Ballots counts as “yes, raise our fees and taxes” votes. Businesses and landlords will pass the hikes on to customers and tenants.

Please complete, sign, date, and send in your new set of Protest Ballots (marked “new” on envelope) – one for Water and one for Sewer. The old ballots won’t be counted. A Water and Sewer Protest ballot for each real estate parcel should be mailed or hand-delivered to the City Clerk.

Every property owner, water customer, or authorized representative can vote the protest ballots. Whether or not you are eligible to vote, please call and email every person and business you know that resides or owns property in town and urge them to vote.

Ballots must be received before 6:00 PM Tuesday, January 20, 2015, or else at the 7:00 PM City Council meeting that night before the public hearing is closed.

For replacement ballots or information, visit or call the City Clerk immediately at 310-524-2305.

– Mike Robbins


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Posted in ALERTS, California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Send In Fee Hike Protest Ballots ASAP! – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Water/Sewer Protest Ballot Reminder – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Liz Garnholz

Water/Sewer Protest Ballot Reminder

This letter is a water/sewer protest ballot reminder to send in your protest ballots. Fact, 50% plus 1 of the water and sewer protest ballots must be returned in order for these rates to not increase/escalate over the next four years. Failure to return protest ballots are by default a YES increase the water and sewer rates vote. If you have lost your ballots the City Clerk’s office will issue you new ones.

There are three ways to return your protest ballots. One, by mail. Two, in person at City Hall/City Clerk’s office by the end of the workday Tuesday, January 20, 2015, 6pm. Third, by returning your protest ballots before the close of the Protest Ballot Public Hearing portion of the Tuesday, January 20, 2015 council meeting. Again, the Protest Ballot Public Hearing is part of the January 20, 2015 council meeting and ballots must be returned by the end of the Protest Ballot Public Hearing portion of that council meeting.

Some sad water/sewer protest ballot facts. Only 27% and 30% protest ballots were returned in years 2006 and 2009 respectively. Obviously protest ballots are a group effort so please do your share.

– Liz Garnholz


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Posted in ALERTS, California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Letters to the Editor, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Water/Sewer Protest Ballot Reminder – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Liz Garnholz

November 4, 2014 General Election News and Information

By Michael D. Robbins
October 31, 2014

Election information and recommendations for the November 4, 2014 General Election will be posted here on the days leading up to the election. Please check back regularly. This will include recommendations for candidates and ballot measures, possibly including judges.

Here are some ground-rules for this election:

  1. Vote Against Scott Houston!
    Vote for Stephen Murray instead for West Basin Municipal Water District, Division 4 Director.
  2. Vote Against Al Muratsuchi!
    Vote for David Hadley instead in California’s 66th State Assembly District.
  3. Ignore All Campaign Slate Mailers!
  4. Vote Against Candidates Endorsed and Supported by Firefighter, Police, Teacher, and Other Government Employee Unions who expect large pay and pension increases and tax hikes to pay for those increases.
  5. Vote Against Candidates Endorsed by Militant And Extortionist Labor Unions who artificially increase consumer prices and taxes.

VOTE AGAINST SCOTT HOUSTON!

Vote for Stephen Murray instead.

BE SURE to vote AGAINST Scott Houston for West Basin Municipal Water District, Division 4, Member of the Board of Directors if you DO NOT want additional unnecessary water rate increases. Vote for Stephen Murray instead. All three candidates are “progressive” (ultra-liberal) Democrats, but Scott Houston is the absolute worst. If he had his way and was successful, El Segundo residents and businesses would have lost our local fire department, and would have suffered at least THIRTEEN TAX HIKES to pay for wildly excessive and unsustainable firefighter and police union salary, benefits, and pension increases handed out as rewards for campaign support to City Council candidates.

VOTE AGAINST AL MURATSUCHI!

Vote for David Hadley instead in California’s 66th State Assembly District.

He has voted as a rubber stamp for nearly all of the radical Democrat agenda, including making California into a sanctuary state for illegal aliens including gangsters, drug smugglers, and terrorists; expanding rights and privileges for illegal aliens while reducing rights and freedoms for citizens; banning plastic bags; banning traditional self-defense, sporting, and collectible firearms including even single-shot handguns; and more.

IGNORE ALL CAMPAIGN SLATE MAILERS!

Candidates and campaigns for and against ballot measures PAY to appear in those slate mailers regardless of their political party, voting record, politics, and agendas. They are phony and deceptive. They almost always have no connection to the causes they claim they represent, such as protecting Proposition 13, taxpayers, and women. They are tailored for the registered political party of the recipients to deceive them.

There will be more information to come. Please check back regularly between now and the close of polls on election day, and after election day for recommendations and analysis.

VOTE AGAINST CANDIDATES ENDORSED AND SUPPORTED BY BY FIREFIGHTER, POLICE, TEACHER, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE UNIONS

Firefighter, police, teacher, and other government employee unions endorse, contribute to, and support the campaigns of the candidates and ballot measures that will give them the biggest salary, benefits, and pension increases, no matter how excessive and unsustainable, and raise our taxes and fees to pay for it all. That is why many cities in California are being pushed down the road toward bankruptcy, and some have already filed for bankruptcy.

There is an inherent and unavoidable conflict of interest when government employees are allowed to unionize and engage in collective bargaining, and then exercise their inalienable First Amendment right to campaign to elect (hire) their own bosses who will negotiate their salaries, benefits, and pensions with them and give final approval in secret (closed session) meetings.

VOTE AGAINST CANDIDATES ENDORSED BY MILITANT AND EXTORTIONIST LABOR UNIONS

Vote against candidates endorsed by unions that use militant and extortionist tactics including sabotage, endangerment, and/or violence to force employers to unionize their employees and meet the union bosses’ demands, or be forced out of business.

Vote against candidates endorsed by the SEIU. Their official Contract Campaign Manual, made public by discovery in a lawsuit against them, teaches extortionist methods to sabotage businesses in ways that can get innocent employees and customers killed.

Thank you.

Mike Robbins


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Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Firefighter Union Corruption, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on November 4, 2014 General Election News and Information

Phony Candidates and Slate Mailers – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marianne Fong

Phony Candidates and Slate Mailers

Vote for Murray for West Basin Municipal Water District.

I received a phony campaign slate mailer titled “SAVE PROPOSITION 13 NEWSLETTER” with Scott Houston’s name and photo in it. It’s not a newsletter at all, but a deceptive campaign slate mailer that has nothing to do with Proposition 13.

This is ironic. The current newsletter of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, founded by Proposition 13 sponsor Howard Jarvis, honors Mike Robbins as a “Hometown Hero” for leading the successful campaign against Measure A and its eleven tax hikes last April, despite city unions contributing $17,500 to the “Yes on A” campaign. But Scott Houston supported Measure A! See his 3/13/14 Herald letter. And Houston ran for Democratic Party Central Committee on 6/3/08 as a self-described progressive (extreme tax-and-spend liberal).

A call to HJTA confirmed they do not endorse Scott Houston, and have no connection to nor control over that slate mailer. Houston paid to get his name and photo in it, as indicated by the asterisk next to his name. … Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter Union Corruption, Letters to the Editor, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Phony Candidates and Slate Mailers – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marianne Fong

Vote AGAINST Scott Houston – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Vote AGAINST Scott Houston

Vote AGAINST Scott Houston for West Basin Municipal Water District Board of Directors if you don’t want additional unnecessary water rate increases. Two-time City Council loser Houston is the absolute worst of three “progressive” (ultra-liberal/leftist) Democrats running. Vote FOR Stephen Murray instead.

Houston supported Measure P, the firefighter union’s initiative (4/10/12 ballot), which was defeated by 90% of El Segundo voters. It would have disbanded our local Fire Department and transferred our fire and paramedic services, and firefighters, to Los Angeles County for inferior services. It would have eliminated 31% of our on-duty firefighters, two paramedic squads, and all three paramedic transport ambulances, doubling hospital transport times.

Houston lobbied the City Council (2/15/11 meeting video) to enact Measure P directly into law without allowing the voters to vote on it!

Houston supported THIRTEEN TAX HIKES, including ELEVEN TAX HIKES in Measure A (4/8/14 ballot; 3/13/14 Herald letter).

Houston took endorsements and huge campaign contributions from the police officers’ “association” (union). Police, firefighter, and other government unions support candidates and ballot measures that will give them the biggest pay and pension increases, and raise our taxes to pay for it. That’s why our police and firefighters are paid $150,000 to $330,000 each in total annual compensation.

Houston campaigns claiming qualifications and positions he does not possess. He wants to use WBMWD as a stepping stone to higher office to promote Big Government tax-and-spend “progressive” politics.

Houston is a government union puppet, not a representative of the people.

– Mike Robbins


NOTE BY MICHAEL D. ROBBINS:

This letter was submitted with an error that is corrected above. “Metropolitan” was corrected to “Municipal”. I was researching both the West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD) and its up-stream water provider Metropolitan Water District (MWD) just before I wrote this letter, hence the mistake.


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Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Vote AGAINST Scott Houston – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) honors former El Segundo City Councilman Mike Robbins as a “Hometown Hero”

October 1, 2014

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA), founded by California Proposition 13 sponsor Howard Jarvis, has honored former El Segundo City Councilman Mike Robbins as a “Hometown Hero” for leading the successful campaign to defeat Measure A in the April 8, 2014 El Segundo General Municipal Election. Measure A had ELEVEN tax hikes in one ballot measure!

Here is the article in their official statewide newsletter, Taxing Times, Vol. 40, Issue 3 for Fall 2014:


HOMETOWN HEROES

HJTA was very pleased to receive the following update from former El Segundo councilman Mike Robbins after local Election Day, April 8. Here are excerpts:

We had a great victory in El Segundo last night! The citizens and taxpayers won, and the city-employee unions with lots of campaign money and a significant conflict of interest lost – AGAIN!

Thank you to everyone who helped.

El Segundo Measure A, ELEVEN TAX HIKES IN ONE MEASURE, taxing RESIDENTS and BUSINESSES, lost by 57% NO to 43% YES, despite the “Yes on A” campaign spending a whopping $33,129.87 in small-town El Segundo, including $17,500 from four city-employee unions – $5,000 from the fire union, $5,000 from the police union, $5,000 from the city employees’ union, and $2,500 from the California Teamsters Public Affairs Council in Sacramento (supervisory and professional employees’ union) at a cost of $25.74 per vote.

Measure A would have created new taxes on residents for electricity, water, gas, and all forms of “communications services,” including landline telephones, cell phones, Internet, cable TV, and satellite, to pay for excessive compensation and pensions for city employees. Firefighters and police are paid $150,000 to more than $380,000 each in total compensation per year.

I, together with two other former El Segundo City Council members, and two other long-term city residents, co-authored and submitted an argument against Measure A and a rebuttal to the argument for Measure A, and I authored and distributed two one-page double-sided campaign flyers on Saturday, April 5, and a third on Sunday, April 6.

The HJTA hat is off to Mike and other active El Segundo taxpayers who made this victory possible.



Scan of top half of front page of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) newsletter (Vol. 40, Issue 3, Fall 2014).

Scan of top half of front page of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) newsletter (Vol. 40, Issue 3, Fall 2014).


Scan image of the article in the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) newsletter (Vol. 40, Issue 3, Fall 2014), honoring Mike Robbins as a "Hometown Hero".

Scan image of the article in the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) newsletter (Vol. 40, Issue 3, Fall 2014), honoring Mike Robbins as a “Hometown Hero”.


NOTE FROM MICHAEL D. ROBBINS:

I am pleased to be recognized and honored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA), in its statewide newsletter, as a “Hometown Hero” for my leadership role in defeating ballot Measure A in the El Segundo, California General Municipal Election on April 8, 2014. Measure A was ELEVEN TAX HIKES IN ONE MEASURE, taxing RESIDENTS and BUSINESSES to pay for wildly excessive compensation and pensions for city employees. … Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) honors former El Segundo City Councilman Mike Robbins as a “Hometown Hero”

El Segundo Police and Firefighters Got Huge Raises During the Great Recession

by Michael D. Robbins
Director, Public Safety Project, PublicSafetyProject.org

May 20, 2014

The April 8, 2014 El Segundo General Municipal Election is over, and Mayor Bill Fisher has been defeated, in large part because of his tax-and-spend policies and his support for wildly excessive and unsustainable pay raises for the already over-compensated firefighter and police unions that helped launch his political career with lots of campaign support, and for their managers to prevent “salary compaction”.

However, Fisher, and also El Segundo Police Sergeant and former El Segundo Police Officers’ Association (union) President Mike Gill, have continued to campaign after the election is over. They continue to claim the El Segundo firefighter and police union salary increases I cited in my information flyers distributed before the election never happened, despite my overwhelming proof. Here is even more detailed proof for those who won’t click on the links to the official El Segundo City Council Agenda Packet PDF files on the City’s website to read the documents.

Sergeant Mike Gill’s multiple false statements at the May 6, 2014 El Segundo City Council meeting are troublesome, given that he is a sworn police sergeant in a position of authority and public trust, who must be trusted to testify honestly and accurately in court in the normal course of his police duties.

Mayor Fisher supported pay raises ranging from 11.25% to 23% for the firefighter and police unions, in three or four installments over three years, and single pay raises ranging from 14.9% to 32.3% for their managers, during the first three years of the Great Recession. All of the raises were approved well after the Great Recession started, and many included retroactive pay raises effective up to 6 and 9 months before the union contracts were approved. The firefighter and police union contracts included additional 5% annual “step raises”, and additional periodic “longevity raises”.

The pay raises were approved first in closed session City Council meetings, and then again in public as a formality at the open session City Council meetings referenced in the table below.

The total pay raises included the following (not counting compounding, which actually results in higher total raises):

JOB CLASSIFICATION PAY RAISE DATE APPROVED CONSENT AGENDA ITEM
Firefighters 11.25% April 7, 2009 E11
Fire Engineers 11.25% April 7, 2009 E11
Fire Captains 11.25% April 7, 2009 E11
Police Officers 15.0% April 7, 2009 E12
Police Sergeants 15.0% April 7, 2009 E12
Police Lieutenants 18.0% April 7, 2009 E8
Police Captains 23.0% April 7, 2009 E8
Fire Battalion Chiefs 16.9% December 2, 2008 E8
Deputy Fire Chief 14.9% December 2, 2008 E8
Police Chief 23% December 2, 2008 E8
Fire Chief 32.3% December 2, 2008 E8

In addition to the above pay raises, the firefighter and police employees were (and still are) given 5% annual “step raises” in each of the first four or five years after the year they are promoted or assigned to a new position.

In addition to the above pay raises, the firefighter and police employees were (and still are) given periodic “longevity” raises every so many years.

The information below provides details about the big pay raises given to the El Segundo firefighters and police during the Great Recession.


A short list of police and firefifghter pay raises in 2009 and 2008 appear below, followed by more detailed lists of police and firefighter key contract provisions.


The firefighters union contract MOU No. 3928 was approved at the April 7, 2009 El Segundo City Council meeting (Consent Agenda item E11), well after the 2008 recession started. Look at the agenda item (E11) in the Agenda Packet to see the MOU. It covers the Firefighter, Fire Paramedic, Fire Engineer, and Fire Captain ranks (but not the Battalion Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, and Fire Chief ranks, which are management ranks).

It provided an 11.25% raise during the Great Recession, in the form of three consecutive 3.75% raises.

It included the following (and other) terms:

  1. Three-year term, commencing on July 1, 2008, and ending on September 30, 2011.
  2. A 3.75% salary increase for Firefighters, Fire Engineers, and Fire Captains, retroactively effective October 14, 2008.
  3. A 3.75% salary increase for Firefighters, Fire Engineers, and Fire Captains, effective July 1, 2009.
  4. A 3.75% salary increase for Firefighters, Fire Engineers, and Fire Captains, effective July 1, 2010.


The police officers union contract MOU No. 3929 was approved at the April 7, 2009 El Segundo City Council meeting (Consent Agenda item E12), well after the 2008 recession started. Look at the agenda item (E12) in the Agenda Packet to see the MOU. It covers the Police Officer and Police Sergeant ranks (the two lowest ranks).

It provided a 15% raise during the Great Recession, in the form of three consecutive 5% raises.

It included the following (and other) terms:

  1. Three-year term, commencing on July 1, 2008, and ending on September 30, 2011.
  2. A 5% salary increase for Police Officers and Police Sergeants, retroactively effective October 14, 2008.
  3. A 5% salary increase for Police Officers and Police Sergeants, effective July 1, 2009.
  4. A 5% salary increase for Police Officers and Police Sergeants, effective July 1, 2010.


The Police Managers union contract MOU No. ____ was approved at the April 7, 2009 El Segundo City Council meeting (Consent Agenda item E8), well after the 2008 recession started. Look at the agenda item (E8) in the Agenda Packet to see the MOU. It covers the Police Lieutenant and Police Captain ranks.

It provided an 18% raise for Police Lieutenants and a 23% raise for Police Captains during the Great Recession, in the form of four consecutive raises effective retroactively on July 1, 2008 and October 1, 2008, and also on October 1, 2009 and October 1, 2010. (ARTICLE 2 SALARY, Section 2.01 Base Salary, Agenda Packet page 75)

It included the following (and other) terms:

  1. A 4% salary increase for Police Lieutenants and Police Captains, retroactively effective July 1, 2008. (ARTICLE 2 SALARY, Section 2.01 Base Salary, Agenda Packet page 75, MOU page 3)
  2. A 9% salary increase for Police Captains and a 4% salary increase for Police Lieutenants, retroactively effective October 1, 2008. (ARTICLE 2 SALARY, Section 2.01 Base Salary, Agenda Packet page 75, MOU page 3)
  3. A 5% salary increase for Police Lieutenants and Police Captains, effective October 1, 2009. (ARTICLE 2 SALARY, Section 2.01 Base Salary, Agenda Packet page 75, MOU page 3)
  4. A 5% salary increase for Police Lieutenants and Police Captains, effective October 1, 2010. (ARTICLE 2 SALARY, Section 2.01 Base Salary, Agenda Packet page 75, MOU page 3)


December 2, 2008 El Segundo City Council Resolution-Management Raises (0.98 MB PDF file)

The City Council resolution providing Executive Management, Mid-Management/Confidential, and Public Safety Management city employee raises and benefits increases was approved at the December 2, 2008 El Segundo City Council meeting (Consent Agenda item E8), well after the 2008 Great Recession started. Look at the agenda item (E8) in the Agenda Packet to see the Resolution approving the raises. It covers the Battalion Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, Fire Chief, and Police Chief ranks, which are all management ranks).

It provided substantial raises to prevent salary compaction between management employees and their subordinate union member employees who received large pay increases. Thus, large union employee raises are used as justification for large management employee raises.

It included the following (and other) terms:

  1. Salary Compaction (Compression) in the Police and Fire Departments


    In order to address salary compaction (compression) issues between management job classifications and (labor union) bargaining unit job classifications, the following salary increases establish 5% compensation differentials
    between supervisors and subordinates
    , and result in the Police chief and Fire Chief being assigned to the same salary range. Salary Compaction Pay Adjustments, with the exception of the Fire Chief, effective July 1, 2008, will be effective October 1, 2008. The percentage increases listed below include the 4% salary increase provided to all Management/Confidential Employees.

    1. An increase of 16.9% to the Salary Range for Battalion Chief (Salary Range 60f).
    2. An increase of 14.9% to the Salary Range for Deputy Fire Chief (Salary Range 69f).
    3. An increase of 32.3% to the Salary Range for Fire Chief (Salary Range 70f).
    4. An increase of 23% to the Salary Range for Police Chief (Salary Range 60p).

      PAY – LEAVE PAYOUT – PENSION SPIKE:

      Police Chief David Cummings received a 23% pay increase effective October 1, 2008, which spiked his pay, his vacation and sick leave payout (cash-out) value (for his vacation and sick leave hours which were accrued, accumulated, and rolled-over from year to year), and his pension. His total 2009 earnings was $425,775 – consisting of $225,627 Regular Earnings, $480 Special Compensation, and $199,668 Leave Payout. He retired in 2009 with a pension of $210,213.36 yearly ($17,517.78 monthly) according to CaliforniaPensionReform.com, plus medical insurance, for the rest of his life.

      The reason given for his 23% pay increase that spiked his pay, leave payout, and pension was salary compaction, also known as salary compression, caused by (large) pay increases given to the police union members.

  2. A 4.0% salary increase for all Executive Management, Mid-Management/Confidential Employees, with the exception of the City Manager, effective 7/5/2008.

    For reference purposes, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County area averaged 3.52% for the twelve month period from July 2007 – June 2008. …


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Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter Union Corruption, News, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on El Segundo Police and Firefighters Got Huge Raises During the Great Recession

April 15 Council Meeting – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

April 15 Council Meeting

The Council meeting after the election should have been a straightforward ceremonial passing of power from the old to the new Council. However, defeated Mayor Bill Fisher made the meeting all about himself, and then his ally, Marie Fellhauer, made it all about attacking newly elected Council Members Suzanne Fuentes and Mike Dugan.

Fisher used his bully pulpit for the last time. He gave a long-winded speech repeating his campaign material, taking credit for the work and accomplishments of others including Carl Jacobson and even myself. As usual, he stated numerous falsehoods, and without any proof or evidence, accused others of lying even though they backed up their statements with evidence.

Police Union member Marie Fellhauer put an item on the agenda designed to achieve a political end. It read, “Consideration and possible action to discuss the salary and benefits that the City Council members receive and whether such should be reduced or eliminated either voluntarily or through formal action.”

Eliminating Council pay and benefits will make it difficult to attract honest, competent, independent candidates. This will help the Police and Fire Unions elect their own candidates and pack the Council with Union Puppets. It will also help Fellhauer and Atkinson run for re-election with minimal or no competition.

The election might be canceled due to lack of candidates, as in 2006, when Fisher was appointed after potential candidates were intimidated by the unprecedented 2004 campaign spending. It would’ve happened this time, if not for Dugan.

– Mike Robbins


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Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on April 15 Council Meeting – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Post-election Council meeting – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Michael Robbins

Post-election Council meeting

The El Segundo Council meeting after the election should have been a straightforward ceremonial passing of power from the old to the new Council. However, defeated Mayor Bill Fisher made the meeting all about himself, and then his ally, Marie Fellhauer, made it all about attacking newly elected Council members, Suzanne Fuentes and Mike Dugan.

Fisher used his bully pulpit for the last time. He gave a long-winded speech repeating his campaign material, taking credit for the work and accomplishments of others including Carl Jacobson and even myself. As usual, he stated numerous falsehoods and, without any proof, accused others of lying even though they backed up their statements with evidence.

Police union member Marie Fellhauer put an item on the agenda designed to achieve a political end. It read, “Consideration and possible action to discuss the salary and benefits that the City Council members receive and whether such should be reduced or eliminated either voluntarily or through formal action.”

Eliminating Council pay and benefits will make it difficult to attract honest, competent, independent candidates. This will help the police and fire unions elect their own candidates and pack the Council with union puppets. It will also help Fellhauer and Atkinson run for re-election with minimal or no competition.

The election might be canceled due to a lack of candidates, as in 2006, when Fisher was appointed after potential candidates were intimidated by the unprecedented 2004 union and special interest campaign spending. It would have happened this time, if not for Dugan.

Michael Robbins
El Segundo Continue reading

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, News, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Post-election Council meeting – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Michael Robbins

Fellhauer is a Union Puppet – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marianne Fong

Fellhauer is a Union Puppet

Marie Fellhauer ruined the April 15 City Council meeting, which was supposed to be a peaceful transition for the newly elected Council. She put an item on the agenda to eliminate pay and benefits for elected Council Members, but interestingly, not for the elected City Clerk and Treasurer who are paid significantly more.

Fellhauer falsely claimed the Council cannot cut union salaries and compensation, and therefore Council Member pay and benefits should be eliminated. Obviously, her real agenda is to punish the newly elected Council Members who support union compensation and pension reforms necessary to keep our city solvent and viable. Fellhauer is angry and vindictive because she lost her Council majority when Fisher lost the election.

Fellhauer demanded Suzanne Fuentes and Mike Dugan give up their $900 per month City Council pay and benefits if she gives up hers. She neglected to mention she is a highly paid Police Union member in Los Angeles with lavish pension and benefits, and a cushy desk job, all at taxpayer expense.

El Segundo City Council pay is low. We are fortunate to have Suzanne Fuentes and Mike Dugan on Council. Both are experienced managers from major corporations. It is Police and Fire Unions being overpaid that are causing serious financial problems.

Fellhauer wants to punish honest, independent, more qualified Council Members. Clearly, the Police and Fire Union members have a representative in Marie Fellhauer, but the residents and taxpayers do not.

– Marianne Fong Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fellhauer is a Union Puppet – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marianne Fong