Tag Archives: Bill Fisher

Mike Robbins’ Public Communications at the May 3, 2016 El Segundo City Council Meeting

First, I want to thank outgoing Mayor Pro Tem Carl Jacobson for his many decades of service to the City and the citizens of El Segundo, as Mayor, as Mayor Pro Tem, as Councilmember, on the Planning Commission, and in other capacities.

I had the privilege of serving on City Council with Carl Jacobson as mayor. We agreed on most issues, but when we disagreed, I always knew he was honest, intelligent, competent, and doing what he believed was in the best interest of the City and the citizens of El Segundo.

Second, I would like to congratulate the newly elected City Council Members, Don Brann, Carol Pirsztuk, and Drew Boyles. The City Council election turned out the way I believe will be best for our City. I am disappointed with the passage of Measure B, the 50 percent increase in the Hotel Transient Occupancy Tax.

I hope that increase in City tax revenue will not trigger a clause in the union contracts to give automatic additional COLA pay raises to the City employees. Such a clause existed in the previous union contracts. …

Any change in the way the mayor and mayor pro tem are elected should be based on what is best for the citizens of El Segundo, and should be put before the voters of El Segundo. All of the pros and cons of such a change should be carefully considered before putting the question before the voters. … Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Hotel Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), El Segundo Measure B TOT Tax Hike, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter Union Corruption, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mike Robbins’ Public Communications at the May 3, 2016 El Segundo City Council Meeting

Eight Reasons to Vote Out the Incumbents – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Eight Reasons to Vote Out the Incumbents

1.) Marie Fellhauer and Dave Atkinson voted for at least twelve tax hikes.

2.) They voted to charge residents more than $1,850 for each fire department paramedic ambulance transport to the hospital, even though taxes pay for that.

3.) They voted to lease out the driving range for up to 50 years, at CenterCal’s option, without a competitive bid, for much less money than it’s worth, to build a huge TopGolf sports bar with an enlarged driving range as an accessory. The lease will take land away from the golf course, restaurant, and pro-shop; eliminate hole #1; and reduce the yardage, difficulty, and possibly safety of the golf course.

4.) They used falsified financial data to misrepresent that the golf course is losing money to justify their sweetheart deal.

5.) They voted to remove more competent and honest Carl Jacobson from the Mayor’s office and make Bill Fisher mayor, in the middle of Jacobson’s term without justification.

6.) They and two police union members ambushed then City Council candidate Mike
Dugan in 2014, rudely disrupting his Meet the Candidate night at the Moose Lodge. They kept interrupting him, made false accusations, and wouldn’t let him talk.

7.) Fellhauer tried to eliminate City Council Member (but not City Clerk and Treasurer) benefits, to discourage candidates from running against her. She gets lavish benefits from LAPD.

8.) A Fellhauer camp political operative repeatedly pressured challenger Don Brann to stop running against her for City Council.

– Mike Robbins


Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Hotel Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), El Segundo Measure B TOT Tax Hike, El Segundo News, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Eight Reasons to Vote Out the Incumbents – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Vote Out the Incumbents – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marianne Fong

Vote Out the Incumbents

Now’s our chance to vote-out incumbents Marie Fellhauer and Dave Atkinson. Both of them, and un-elected Mayor Bill Fisher, are the Gang of Three who staged a coup and ousted Carl Jacobson from the mayor position in the middle of his term, without any legitimate reason. It was a disgraceful, unprecedented, destabilizing power-grab to make Fisher mayor to increase his re-election chances, and advance their agenda.

Fellhauer and Atkinson voted for $1,850+ paramedic ambulance hospital transport fees charged to residents and nonresidents, and many big tax and fee increases, including Measure A – eleven tax hikes in one measure, on residents and businesses.

They voted to bring in CenterCal and TopGolf, and change the golf course driving range into a giant sports bar with the driving range as a back-end, rather than keep it family- and kid-friendly.

The driving range lease requires reconfiguration of the golf course in addition to the driving range. It will take considerable land area from the existing golf course to expand the driving range, making the golf course less challenging and less safe.

Fellhauer and Atkinson voted to extend the driving range lease for up to 50 years, at CenterCal’s option, for substantially less money than was determined using Mike Dugan’s research and analysis. Most voters will be dead before the 50-year lease expires.

El Segundo voters voted-out Bill Fisher. Now it’s time to finish the clean-up job and vote-out incumbents Fellhauer and Atkinson. They don’t listen and are not fiscal conservatives.

– Marianne Fong
Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Vote Out the Incumbents – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marianne Fong

Elect Brann and Pirsztuk – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Elect Brann and Pirsztuk

I led the successful grassroots campaign against Measure P, the firefighters’ union initiative to hijack our fire department and contract with Los Angeles County for a significantly reduced level of service, all to lock-in and protect their excessive and unsustainable total annual compensation of $150,000 to more than $350,000 per year. I also led the successful grassroots campaign against the residential trash collection fees, because taxes already pay for that, and against Measure A, eleven tax hikes in one ballot measure, on residents and businesses.

City Council candidates Marie Fellhauer, Dave Atkinson, and Drew Boyles all publicly endorsed Measure A and were featured in campaign mailers supporting it. Candidates Don Brann and Carol Pirsztuk are fiscal conservatives who did not endorse or support Measure A.

I support Don Bran for City Council because he is intelligent and fiscally conservative, has no hidden agenda, he listens, and if he makes a mistake, he learns and corrects it. Likewise, I support Carol Pirsztuk.

Brann voted, together with Fellhauer’s allies and supporters Eric Busch and Bill Fisher, to hire the disastrous City Manager Doug Willmore. Willmore cost our city millions of dollars. He wanted to effectively mortgage City Hall for 10.3 million dollars to pay for the 11.25% to 32.3% in raises Busch and Fisher gave to the already overpaid firefighters and police during the Great Recession. Brann realized his mistake and corrected it before leaving City Council, by voting with Carl Jacobson and Suzanne Fuentes to fire Willmore.

– Mike Robbins


Related Article:

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) honors former El Segundo City Councilman Mike Robbins

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.

( Continue reading … )


Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo Hotel Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), El Segundo Measure B TOT Tax Hike, 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, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Elect Brann and Pirsztuk – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

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. …


Continue reading

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


Continue reading

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

Council pay procedures – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Marianne Fong

Council pay procedures

Marie Fellhauer ruined the April 15 El Segundo 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 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 a 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 the overpaid police and fire unions that are causing serious financial problems, not City Council pay.

Fellhauer wants to punish honest, independent, more qualified Council members. Clearly, the police and fire union members who don’t even live in town have a representative in Marie Fellhauer, but the residents and taxpayers do not.

Marianne Fong
El Segundo Continue reading

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, 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, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Council pay procedures – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Marianne Fong

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

Can We Save Mayberry? – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

Can We Save Mayberry?

First council meeting after an election “traditionally” has consisted of well wishes and thanking the people for their vote, turned into 30 minutes of half-truths, lies, condescending remarks and placing blame on others that did not vote their way. We have lost our “Mayberry” traditions by self-serving politicians who prefer a “Santa Monica” version of El Segundo.

Ex-mayor Fisher “claims” he had to “jump in” before “the economic time frame door closed”. No time for “traditional” change of Council leadership. It’s my opinion, in 2012, when Mayor Busch decided not to run, Bill Fisher assumed he was the “heir” to the Mayoral throne. But he wasn’t elected Mayor or re-elected Mayor Pro-tem. He became just an ordinary councilman. Thus started the “plot” to obtain his desired title, which he executed 5/21/13.

As for his frequent misstatement of facts, let’s just take Fisher’s repeated claim that the firefighters union took a 9% cut in salary and a 17.5% cut in compensation in 2010. He repeated this claim in council meetings on 3/4/14, 3/18/14, 4/1/14 and 4/15/14. Fisher has never shown any documentation to verify these claims. He’s just talk.

For years Fisher has refused to examine my documents to disprove me. On 4/15/14 during Public Communications, I again produced these documents. Neither Fisher nor his loyal supporters Fellhauer and Atkinson asked to see these documents during or after any of these meetings. Apparently they think repeating falsehoods often makes them true.

– Marc Rener Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, News, Political Corruption, Politics, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Can We Save Mayberry? – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener