Tag Archives: Manhattan Beach

Let’s Be Realistic – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Jane Waag Friedkin

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Mike

Let’s Be Realistic

Incumbent City Council candidate Marie Fellhauer said she “is fighting to get our fair share of the county property tax levy.” That may sound nice as a campaign slogan, but it has little basis in reality.

She compares El Segundo and Manhattan Beach with respect to property tax revenue, but not business tax revenue. Is she willing to give up a share of El Segundo’s massive business tax revenue in exchange for a share of Manhattan Beach’s property tax revenue?

Fellhauer and Dave Atkinson voted to charge El Segundo residents and non-residents fire department ambulance transport fees of $1,850 or more per transport. They had plenty of time to rescind the fees, but did not, even though residents spoke against them at City Council meetings. Is it realistic to believe they might rescind these fees after they are re-elected for another four years?

Is it realistic to believe Fellhauer would have rejected the police and fire union endorsements had they decided to endorse her? Her allies and supporters, former Mayors Eric Busch, Bill Fisher, and Sandra Jacobs, all received police and fire union endorsements and campaign expenditures. The firefighters even delivered and installed their campaign signs.

Fellhauer claims she’s making a sacrifice by declining City Council benefits. She said others should make the same sacrifice. However, she is not making any sacrifice because she gets generous benefits through her LAPD job. City Council pays only about $10,800 per year. Hopefully, the benefits help attract more competent and honest candidates.

– Jane Waag Friedkin

Continue reading →

Posted in California, Economy and Economics, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter Union Corruption, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Letters to the Editor, Manhattan Beach, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Let’s Be Realistic – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Jane Waag Friedkin

Measure ‘A’ – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Richard J. Switz

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Mike

Measure ‘A’

While reviewing my sample ballot, Measure ‘A’ reminded me of an old carpenter helpers’ comment, to wit: “I’ve cut this board off twice, and it is still too short!”

Measure ‘A’ proponents say our tax structure for businesses is lower than neighboring cities… isn’t that the way it should be if we intend to attract new business? I’m befuddled to hear Council candidates tout a need for new business on the one hand, while at the same time strongly support measures for increasing taxes on the other.

Measure ‘A’ has the strong flavor of a Council wanting additional revenue, although supportive comments are weak to justify the need. Councils’ resolution mentions a fraction of the added revenue might be set aside for City projects, although this is a far cry from a Council commitment explaining how funds would be used; resolutions have no enforceable mechanism. Readers are urged to continue reading their ballot carefully to learn of several additional flaws in the proposition.

Speaking of surrounding cities I was surprised to learn, based on a simple Google search the stark difference between our current budget and that of Manhattan Beach. A rough comparison shows our budget is approximately twice that of Manhattan Beach, even though they likely have twice our population.

I hope this letter motivates you to demand that our elected officials do a better job … 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, Letters to the Editor, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Measure ‘A’ – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Richard J. Switz

No to Proposition 30 – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Kurt Schweter

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Mike

It seems that The Beach Reporter has decided to jump into the political arena and into the deep end for that matter.

Proposition 30 is yet another shifty tax increase, disguised to “save the children” yet once again. The money will go to schools and nobody can touch it, just like Jerry Brown promises. (Anybody buying this one?) But where in the “schools” — classrooms, teachers, supplies, teacher benefits? … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, California, Elections, Letters to the Editor, Manhattan Beach, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on No to Proposition 30 – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Kurt Schweter

Wake up – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Donald Sellek

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Mike

The local papers for years have been full of public sector mandates, ultimatums, teacher, police, firefighter and meter maid demands for unsustainable salaries, retirement perks, benefits, and legacy costs that are driving cities across America into bankruptcy. Last night, Hermosa Beach was front and center on Fox News nationally for the unsustainable costs of “meter maids,” while unmentioned was the ongoing teachers’ demands in the same “me,” “I” and “mine” cauldron of selfishness. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, California, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Hermosa Beach, Letters to the Editor, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, School Teachers Union Corruption, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Wake up – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Donald Sellek

iPads without science – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Mitch Williams

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Mike

iPads without science

For four and a half years, I taught Mira Costa’s technology courses, including AP Computer Science, and Video Game Development, applying high school math to 3D graphics. So, I had vested interest in MBUSD’s technology plan.

I certainly support technology in education – previously, I was manager of software for “Math Blaster,” the top-selling children’s educational video game.

MBUSD’s commitment to technology brought hope. However, that fell apart when, in September, an employee was badly injured by an electrical shock from the lab’s high voltage lines. As a teacher, I was never informed by MBUSD, though they knew the dangers as this computer lab was featured in the Proposition BB video in 2008.

After a three-week delay, we returned to the outdated computers. As MBUSD Deputy Superintendent Rick Bagley wrote to the State of California “these computers were largely inoperable” and “none of them were usable.”

And I was expected to teach with this? … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, Letters to the Editor, Manhattan Beach | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on iPads without science – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Mitch Williams

Schools but not cities – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Edward Caprielian

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Mike

Lack of visibility and public input during city employee union contract negotiations

Schools but not cities

Question: Are Manhattan Beach residents afforded public hearings on city employee labor negotiations such as those provided between the Manhattan Beach School District and its teachers?

Answer: Absolutely not! The Educational Employment Relations Act requires hearings by school districts to “enable the public to become informed” and provide the public “the opportunity to express itself” and to “know the positions of their elected representatives” before negotiations.

The Meyers-Milias Brown Act covering local government labor relations requires no such public hearing, but neither is there a prohibition. The Manhattan Beach City Council, true to its historic repressive policy of not informing the public and respecting our intelligence, prohibits such efforts.

Question: Has the Manhattan Beach City Council (MBCC) barricade produced fiscal responsibility?

Answer: Absolutely not! Present contracts are replete with fiscally irresponsible provisions including diminished management authority; requiring salary increases but prohibiting decreases; allowing “stealth bonuses” for “extra duties” without required qualifications; and deficient disciplinary procedures including employees receiving pay while being investigated for misconduct with no provisions for deducting income earned from outside employment while on administrative leave.

Because elected officials and managers receive pay and benefits equal to or more than employees, they too benefit from these deficiencies including personnel policies resulting in inadequate measures of managerial performance and “investment vehicles” resulting in accrued vacation and sick leave paid out at current salary rather than when accrued. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach News, News, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Schools but not cities – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Edward Caprielian

Out of touch – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Marianne Fong

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Mike

Last week’s letter from Neil Snow demonstrates how much government union members and their political supporters are out of touch with the real world where the rest of us work, produce things and pay taxes.

Snow presented ludicrous objections to, and gross misrepresentations of, Michael Robbins’ well-reasoned recommendations to reform El Segundo’s city employee union contracts to keep the city from having a financial catastrophe.

He objected to Mr. Robbins’ recommendation that city employees pay all of their pension “employee contribution,” and at least half the total contribution, which is common in private industry, instead of the city paying the entire “employee contribution” and “employer contribution.” Snow misrepresented that recommendation, claiming that Mr. Robbins wanted to make “employees pay their entire pension.”

Snow is out of touch to expect taxpayers to continue paying all of the government union members’ pension contributions, and to expect that union members should never have to contribute a single dollar into their own pensions. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, California, El Segundo, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Out of touch – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Marianne Fong

Doesn’t like unions – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Marc Rener

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Mike

Neil Snow is the epitome of naivete that unions love in their members.

He knows nothing about the payoff and kickbacks (called contributions) made by unions to the politicians who gave them these ridiculous contracts.

Union integrity? Unions can and do recruit aliens, both legal and illegal, as members? S.E.I.U. ring any bells?

So much for the English-speaking Americans workers the unions claim to protect.

The billions of taxpayer dollars to “save” GM? Stockholder shares became worthless, yet 40 percent went to protect the union pensions.

In his letter to the editor in last week’s paper, he “parrots” from union manuals every propaganda terminology and definition. He writes, “‘scabs’ . . . is an euphemism for someone who cannot get a job on their own merit.”

He writes, “Employees who would accept lower wages, no bargaining rights and no job security do an inferior job. Lateness, no show, stealing.”

“Now just imagine those types of employees who would agree to those terms. And now imagine they are firefighters and police,” writes Snow.

Tell that to the non-union waitress at the Kettle restaurant in Manhattan Beach, or the non-union Federal Express Drivers, secretaries, auto mechanics, every person in the U.S. military, the 80 percent (280 million) of Americans in this country who are non-union. Sainthood of unions? … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, California, Crimes, El Segundo, Firefighter Union Corruption, Firefighters Commiting Crimes, Letters to the Editor, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Doesn’t like unions – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Marc Rener

Union provisions need to be changed – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Edward C. Caprielian

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Mike

Union provisions need to be changed

A present provision in the Memorandum of Understanding between the city of Manhattan Beach and the Manhattan Beach Police Officers Association requires mutual agreement on changes in the city’s Employee/Employer Relations Resolution.

In effect, the city is unable, without agreement from POA, to meet its legal responsibilities mandated by state law regarding the determination of legislative and managerial policies. These policies include determining the composition of bargaining units; selection of organizations to represent employees; use of city resources by employee unions; exclusion of high-level managers and confidential employees as union members; and procedures for resolving impasses.

In essence, the POA could dissipate managerial authority by legislating a larger number of smaller bargaining units, creating administrative nightmares, multiple time-consuming negotiations, encouraging end runs to influence elected officials, and union gamesmanship to achieve the highest settlement agreements.

In addition, it creates the specter of managers as union members negotiating agreements across the table with their union employees and fostering divisiveness and competition among managers for scarce resources. Furthermore, the POA is placed to promote processes that remove managerial discretion in the resolution of contract disputes.

These are among the realities that have weakened management authority in the public sector making it the leading cause of the inordinate increases in public employee wages, pension and retirement benefits. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Police Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Union provisions need to be changed – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Edward C. Caprielian