The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, February 23, 2012 in the Letters section on page 3. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit, including the title.
Scott Houston
Even if a majority votes “NO” on measure P, as they must to save lives and money, it will take only three union-aligned Council members to unilaterally vote to implement Measure P against the will of the voters.
This is not far-fetched. Candidate Scott Houston spoke at the 2/15/11 City Council meeting, during public communications, urging the City Council to enact Measure P as an ordinance and implement it without allowing the voters to vote on it! Houston read a script closely resembling the script read by Bryan Partlow, the firefighter union member who sponsored Measure P because he is the only union member living in town.
Watch the video at the city web site at ElSegundo.org. Under Links, click on “Video”, then on “City Council Archives”, then on the 2/15/2011 Council Meeting View Video link. Or watch the Houston video at http://www.youtube.com/user/PublicSafetyProject.
Houston has campaigned as a pro-business conservative, yet he is a progressive leftist (ultra-liberal, big tax and spender). Houston was endorsed by the radical anti-business and anti-military group, Progressive Democrats of America when he ran for election as a representative to the California Democratic Convention in Sacramento (source: January 8, 2009 Easy Reader, Letters). They advocate “deep cuts to the Pentagon budget”, outlawing war, and redistribution of wealth where you don’t have to be wealthy to have your “wealth” redistributed.
On April 10, let Houston know what you think of his deception and disrespect for your right to vote, by voting for more qualified candidates.
Illeen Joscha
Notes by Michael D. Robbins:
At the February 15, 2011 El Segundo City Council meeting, during the first Public Communications period at the beginning of the meeting, Scott Houston read a script nearly identical to the script read by Bryan Partlow, the fire union representative who sponsored Measure P because he is the only firefighter union member that lives in El Segundo. Both Houston and Partlow urged the City Council to enact Measure P directly into law without an election, and if not then as their second choice, to schedule Measure P for a vote at an early Special Election within only a few months in May, June, or July 2011.
That would have given the firefighters’ union a huge unfair advantage, because the union can fund and organize their campaign almost instantly, while the residents would be just ramping up their campaign after the election is over. The firefighters’ union can easily raise $100,000 or more almost instantly from among their union members, and they have dozens of volunteers to work their campaign because the firefighters only have to work two out of every six days, and they get paid to sleep.
Scott Houston was clearly upset when he spoke again, at the second Public Communications period at the end of the meeting, because the City Council voted 3 to 2 to schedule Measure P for the next regular election, on April 10, 2012, when the he would run for City Council after he lobbied the Council to enact Measure P directly into law without letting the voters vote on it. Those would be the same voters that he would ask to vote for him!
And Scott Houston had proved by his own actions, that he will represent the fire and police unions rather than the voters and taxpayers.
The February 15, 2011, 7:00 p.m. El Segundo City Council meeting minutes read as follows (excerpts):
http://www.elsegundo.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=8487
REGULAR MEETING OF THE EL SEGUNDO CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011 – 7:00 P.M.
7:00 P.M. SESSION
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS (at the beginning of the City Council meeting, on pages 3-4):
Brian Partlow, resident and Initiative proponent, urged Council to adopt the ordinance or place this item on the likely to be called June 7, 2011, Statewide election.
Marc Renner, resident, spoke regarding the date to pick for an election placing the initiative before the voters. He also spoke about employee salaries.
Mike Robbins, resident, spoke regarding the Fire Initiative and urged Council to not place this on a ballot. He urged Council to schedule it for the April 2012 election date.
Scott Houston, resident, spoke regarding budget restrictions and fire and paramedic protection. He urged Council to adopt the initiative ordinance tonight and if not place it on the earliest possible election date.
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS (at the end of the City Council meeting, on pages 7-8):
Scott Houston, resident, expressed his disappointment with Council’s decision to have the election in April of 2012.
Marc Rener, resident, spoke in favor of the April 10, 2012 election date.
Mike Robbins, resident, spoke regarding a contract of adhesion. He also spoke regarding paramedic transport.
El Segundo Police Officers' Association (ESPOA) Exposed