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Hatchet job – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Carol L. Well

Hatchet job

Has anyone else in El Segundo been receiving anonymous e-mails re: the upcoming election? The first was from Think. ElSegundo urging all of us to watch “SoCal Connected” and listed all dates and times. We all know what that hatchet job was about. We heard only one side of this story. It’s so easy these days to blame big companies, and especially big oil companies, for everything. A more thorough understanding is needed to understand what was going on, how decisions were reached, and what legal counsel was received, etc. Let’s not pass judgment with only half the story.

The second anonymous group is calling themselves OMG.ElSegundo. I was quite offended by their e-mail and “replied” on my computer asking who they were, who they represented, and what their agenda is. They still would not identify themselves in a follow-up e-mail. They prefer to hide behind the Internet and sling mud, but don’t want to face any consequences.

They don’t feel strong enough about their convictions to stand up and identify themselves. … Continue reading

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hatchet job – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Carol L. Well

Responsibility to identify – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Karl W. Jacobs

Responsibility to identify

To all El Segundo voters: I am a long-time (25-plus years) resident and small business owner in El Segundo and I am sick and tired of the “nasties” that seem to crawl out of their holes at election time. In particular, I address those who hide behind the e-mails circulating from “omg.elsegundo.” I do believe in free speech, but, those who belittle persons with whom they disagree or have issues, justified or not, should at least be willing to identify themselves.

I have posted questions and responses to both our former city manager’s blog and to omg.elsegundo, without any replies from the writers of the unproven allegations on Chevron USA and the discrediting of a current city councilman running for re-election. Note that all of the candidates for City Council have stated their stands on the issues and have gone on the record. There was a very informative two-page article in the El Segundo Herald on March 15. … Continue reading

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, Doug Willmore's Great Chevron Shakedown, Doug Willmore’s Great City Shakedown, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Responsibility to identify – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Karl W. Jacobs

Dirty politics – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Dianna K. Day

Dirty politics

Recently there have been some nasty reports by media outside El Segundo, presenting a one-sided view of supposed shady dealings by the city and Chevron. The purpose was to shock the audience, not present a thoughtful, balanced picture of questions about the company’s taxes.

What was shocking to me, as a lifelong resident of El Segundo and a Chevron employee, was the blatant misinformation, inaccurate statements wrongly presented as facts, and the lack of equal time given to those who didn’t share the anti-big-oil hysteria promoted by the reporters and producers.

It would have been nice to hear from the former mayors, community leaders and others who were troubled not by the idea of looking into Chevron’s tax history but by the rush to put a tax increase on the ballot without first fully investigating the facts. It would have been nice if the TV producers had interviewed those folks instead of an out-of-town political activist with no ties to our community.

Now there’s an unsigned ad in the El Segundo Herald encouraging voters to watch this biased, unbalanced “report,” which slams not only Chevron but a current City Council candidate, and then go to the polls. … Continue reading

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dirty politics – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Dianna K. Day

Are Chevron’s taxes too high? – Letter to the Daily Breeze by Michael D. Robbins

Are Chevron’s taxes too high?

El Segundo’s shakedown of Chevron under threat of a $10 million annual tax hike must stop, or the city will suffer long-term damage to its reputation. City Manager Doug Willmore used a deceptive, one-sided analysis for the Chevron property, rather than a cost-versus-benefits analysis. It’s dishonest to compare tax revenues generated per acre by the refinery with that of other local businesses. Unlike El Segundo, land use in other South Bay cities is mostly residential. Willmore ignored the cost to provide and maintain infrastructure and services for all the residents and businesses that would otherwise exist on the Chevron property if the refinery never existed. And he reduced Chevron’s tax revenue per acre by failing to account for the area of all the public streets, alleys, parks, and schools that would be needed.

If an accurate analysis shows Chevron’s taxes are excessive, will the City Council reduce Chevron’s taxes and apologize? … Continue reading

Posted in Daily Breeze Letters, Doug Willmore's Great Chevron Shakedown, El Segundo, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Are Chevron’s taxes too high? – Letter to the Daily Breeze by Michael D. Robbins

Email – Contact – El Segundo Finance Director Deborah Cullen provided phone/address book (VCF) file for Steve Stark at MuniServices

From: Cullen, Deborah
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 7:07 AM
To: Doug Willmore
Subject: Contact
Attachments: Steve Stark.vcf; ATT00001..txt

Steve Stark.vcf (695 B)
ATT00001..txt (292 B)

Hi Doug,

I don’t have Don’s number but MuniServices/Steve Stark would have it.

Deb Continue reading

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Email from Carol Wingate to entire City Council re Doug Willmore

From: Carol Wingate [cwingate@socal.rr.com]
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 5:05 PM
To: *ALL CITY COUNCIL
Subject: Doug Willmore

Mr. Willmore was hired by the council to improve the financial picture of El Segundo. With
fresh eyes and an outside perspective he followed directions. This process uncovered some
unwelcome facts that seem to be hard for the established political entities to accept. If,
as it appears, Mr. Willmore was fired for doing his job; the City Council might reexamine
their hearts to discover if their loyalties lie with the citizens of El Segundo or
Chevron.
I anticipate your response.

Sincerely,
Carol Wingate

Sent from my iPhone


Notes by Michael D. Robbins:

There were many good cause reasons to fire El Segundo City Manager Doug Willmore. However, he was fired without stating any of the good cause reasons, to reduce the City’s exposure to frivolous litigation. Even so, Doug Willmore filed frivolous lawsuits against the City of El Segundo (i.e., the City’s taxpayers), and personally against each of the three City Council members who did their duty and voted to fire him – Carl Jacobson, Suzanne Fuentes, and Don Brann.

Doug Willmore did not follow the direction of a majority of El Segundo City Council members, but instead catered to and followed direction from Mayor Eric Busch on important issues. His habitual lying to City Council members made it difficult if not impossible for them to trust him. His failure to follow direction, his poor negotiation results, and his written offers to the City employee unions with apparently unauthorized terms unnecessarily cost the City many millions of additional tax dollars per year.


References:Continue reading

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