Daily Archives: March 15, 2012

Settlement Scheme? – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Jerry Wellfonder

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Mike

Settlement scheme?

It appears that former City Manager Doug Willmore has engaged liberal news organizations in a smear campaign against Carl Jacobson and Chevron, to get Carl unelected. Carl has been an honest, hard-working, selfless council member for many years. So why would Willmore smear Carl? Is this Willmore’s revenge against the only council member who voted to fire him who is also running for re-election?

It may be far more sinister than revenge. Willmore has two supporters and allies on city council – Mayor Eric Busch and Councilman Bill Fisher. Busch is not running again, and Fisher is Willmore’s only ally guaranteed to be on council after the coming election. If Willmore can get two more allies elected to the council in April, then he can get a multi-million dollar payoff in the guise of a “settlement” to his frivolous lawsuit against the city. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, California, Doug Willmore's Great Chevron Shakedown, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, Elections, Letters to the Editor, Political Corruption, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Settlement Scheme? – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Jerry Wellfonder

Invites Houston Back – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Rich Negrete

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Mike

Invites Houston Back

Economic decisions, fire department status and three council positions loom large. Of the latter, I’m giving each candidate equal weight, even to one who’s a friend.

I found candidate Houston’s current position on retaining our fire department curious, assuming that it is indeed him that addressed the city council on February [15,] 2011, imploring them to immediately forgo our own stations to county control and then expressing his disappointment in their “kicking the can down the road”. I’m trying to reconcile the words and demeanor of the man from 2011 (video courtesy of You Tube) with his new claim of “unequivocal support” in the opposite direction. His letter in last week’s Herald not only shed no light, but accused opponents of misrepresentation. How so? … Continue reading →

Posted in El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Invites Houston Back – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Rich Negrete

Candidate Works Hard for the City – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Carl Jacobson

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Mike

False accusations are flying. It is unfortunate during this important time that I am forced to maintain silence about critical city issues. Due to pending litigation involving a personnel issue, there are many things that I am unable to discuss. Though it would be beneficial to my campaign to talk about the specifics, my responsibility to our city comes before my personal desires.

What’s behind the 1994 Chevron Settlement Agreement? Refineries use or repurpose almost all the product that comes into their facilities, utilizing their waste products to create energy sources and other products. The taxation structure of a refinery is unique because it uses its own source product to generate electricity. … Continue reading →

Posted in El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Candidate Works Hard for the City – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Carl Jacobson

Long memory – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Mary Olinick

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Mike

I laughed when I learned Jan Cruikshank criticized Michael Robbins’ “Candidate Ranking” letter. I will be voting for Robbins’ three top-tier candidates: Carl Jacobson, Dave Atkinson, and Dave Burns.

It’s not surprising Cruikshank supports Robbins’ bottom-tier candidates – Cindee Topar, Cindy Mortesen, and Scott Houston. Houston is allied with the firefighter and police unions. He took police union money and their endorsement in 2010. He read a script almost identical to the fire union representative’s script at the Feb. 15, 2011 City Council meeting, pressuring the city council to enact Measure P into law without letting the people vote on it. And Topar was campaign manager for a firefighter.

Cruikshank was the firefighter union’s candidate back in 1992. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Long memory – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Mary Olinick

Smearing For Dollars – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Jerry Wellfonder

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Mike

It appears that former City Manager Doug Willmore has engaged liberal news organizations in a smear campaign against Carl Jacobson and Chevron, to get Carl unelected. Carl has been an honest, hard-working, selfless council member for many years. So why would Willmore smear Carl? Is this Willmore’s revenge against the only council member who voted to fire him who is also running for re-election?

It may be far more sinister than revenge. Willmore has two supporters and allies on city council – Mayor Eric Busch and Councilman Bill Fisher. Busch is not running again, and Fisher is Willmore’s only ally guaranteed to be on council after the coming election. If Willmore can get two more allies elected to the council in April, then he can get a multi-million dollar payoff in the guise of a “settlement” to his frivolous lawsuit against the city. … Continue reading →

Posted in El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Smearing For Dollars – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Jerry Wellfonder

Dangerous consequences – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Marianne Fong

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Mike

I witnessed the aftermath of a car accident in Gardena. A car was overturned, and a man sat in the street, missing his legs, surrounded by five Gardena city police cars positioned to prevent him from getting hit again. He moaned in pain and screamed for someone to help him, but nobody there could help.

There were no paramedics yet, and no ambulance, because Gardena uses the L.A. County Fire Department, just as El Segundo will if Measure P passes.

Measure P eliminates our city fire department and contracts with the L.A. county fire department for at least ten years. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, Letters to the Editor, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dangerous consequences – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Marianne Fong

Legal and reasonable – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Michael D. Robbins

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Mike

I served with Carl Jacobson on City Council and have known him for decades. Carl has always been an extremely honest, hard-working, and productive councilman, giving much of his life to our community. He is independent of unions and other special interests, and votes what he believes is best for our city.

Fired city manager Doug Willmore enlisted anti-business news organizations to smear Chevron and Carl with a dishonest propaganda campaign.

There was plenty of good cause to fire Willmore. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Legal and reasonable – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Michael D. Robbins