Author Archives: Mike

Bird eggs and babies – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Mike Robbins

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Mike

Letter to The Beach Reporter by Mike Robbins

Published in The Beach Reporter on Thursday, July 23, 2015.

Bird eggs and babies

I read with concern the tree trimming troubles letter (July 16, The Beach Reporter). Elizabeth Courtenay wrote, “It is a violation of state and federal law to trim or cut trees or shrubs while night herons and great blue herons are nesting, but there are regular violations of these laws in the South Bay.”

My concern was not with people exercising their right to choose to trim their trees, but with laws that place greater value on bird nests and eggs than on unborn human babies with heartbeats and brainwaves — the vital signs used to determine whether a born person is alive or dead.

Americans have killed (aborted) 57 million little human beings dehumanized as “indistinguishable tissue masses” since 1973. Even when small enough to fit on a quarter coin (e.g., at 8 weeks), they have little arms and legs, fingers and toes, and a head with identifiable but still forming eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

The only difference between unprotected unborn persons and protected born persons is their size, location, level of development and capability for independent living. It is illegal to kill born persons, young and old, based on these criteria, but not to gruesomely and painfully dismember and kill unborn persons. Yet it is a serious state and federal crime to disturb a bird nest.

America’s moral compass is broken.

The AbortionNO.org website has graphic but educational photos showing the level of development of unborn persons at 7 to 26 weeks (AbortionNO.org/abortion-photos). Learn the truth, if you dare.

Mike Robbins
El Segundo Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Beach Reporter Letters, Birds, Environment, Ethics, Genocide, Letters to the Editor, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bird eggs and babies – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Mike Robbins

Call a Taxi? – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Lillian Wendel

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Mike

Call a Taxi?

I just saw the letter about the outrageous ambulance bill. I had the same thing happen to my daughter. Not only was the dollar amount outrageous, but how much of the bill is going to the firm contracted to collect the payment? This city should be ashamed. Next time folks, call a taxi.

– Lillian Wendel

NOTE: This letter is in response to the July 16, 2015 letter to the El Segundo Herald titled “Feels Bill is Excessive and Unnecessary” by Marc Rener about El Segundo, California paramedic transport bills sent to residents who call 911 and are taken to the hospital, although city taxes already pay for the fire department.

Feels Bill is Excessive and Unnecessary – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

Continue reading →

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Call a Taxi? – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Lillian Wendel

Response to Letter Submitted by Robert Clark Published in the July 16, 2015 Herald

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Mike

Response to Letter Submitted by Robert Clark Published in the July 16, 2015 Herald

My name is Mitch Tavera and I am the Chief of Police of the El Segundo Police Department. On July 16, 2015, the El Segundo Herald published a letter from a Robert Clark in which he accuses an El Segundo Police Officer of threatening and intimidating him after he spoke publicly, several years ago, at a city council meeting. Mr. Clark did not disclose the date of this alleged incident nor did he provide the name of the officer. I would like to address this letter to Mr. Clark.

Mr. Clark- As all allegations of misconduct against my employees are extremely important to me, I ask that you contact me personally, in order to conduct a thorough investigation into your claims. Please understand, in order to conduct a thorough inquiry into this matter, we require your cooperation and additional information from you. Thanks in advance.

– Mitch Tavera, Chief of Police, 310-524-2280

Continue reading →

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, Letters to the Editor, Police Officers Commiting Crimes, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Response to Letter Submitted by Robert Clark Published in the July 16, 2015 Herald

Feels Bill is Excessive and Unnecessary – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Mike

Feels Bill is Excessive and Unnecessary

June 6, I made an emergency 911 call, for my mother. The paramedics arrived, then paramedics transported her to the emergency room at Marina Del Rey , 5.3 miles away. She was treated and is now doing fine, until July 3. She received a bill from the City of El Segundo, with a Sacramento address, demanding $1,853.75 “for services”.

It turns out this is an agency hired by El Segundo to collect money for services for transporting her, an El Segundo resident, in an El Segundo city vehicle, by El Segundo City paramedics and that she is responsible for that bill in full.

I brought this up at the 7/7/2015 council meeting. After a discussion with the Fire Chief, he stated this is now the policy in El Segundo, to bill the residences/taxpayers of El Segundo for services by El Segundo paramedics, using El Segundo City equipment, even though the taxpayers of this city continually pay for both.

There are seniors here, on a fixed income, who don’t even make half of $1,853.75 in a month. This collection is not only excessive, but unnecessary.

I find it offensive that our residence/taxpayers who paid, in 2014, firefighter salaries who make between $100,000 to $285,000, that are supplied with multimillion dollar vehicles and the best equipment, that now these same taxpayers will have to pay extra for a service by city employees to do the job they were hired for in the first place.

Something has to change now.

– Marc Rener

Continue reading →

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, Firefighter Union Corruption, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Letters to the Editor, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Feels Bill is Excessive and Unnecessary – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

Union Activism – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Mike

Union Activism

The firefighter and police officer “associations” are labor unions. They spent thousands of dollars campaigning for a month, with deceptive campaign ads and mailers, to keep millions of dollars per year in excess compensation they receive as rewards for their support for past City Council candidates.

None of the firefighters and only one fourth of the police live in town. They want to control and run our city for their own financial benefit.

Their unions exist to continuously increase their compensation, no matter how excessive and unsustainable, at our expense in money and safety. They support candidates and ballot measures that will maximize their pay, and raise our taxes and fees to pay for it.

For example, the firefighters put Measure P on the 4/10/2012 ballot to maximize their compensation, but reduce our safety. It would have forced El Segundo to contract with the L.A. County Fire Department for an inferior level of service. We would have lost our three paramedic transport ambulances, and been forced to use out-of-town ambulance companies, doubling hospital transport times. The firefighters hired a campaign consultant, election lawyers, and professional pollsters. They probably spent over $100,000. I led the grassroots campaign against Measure P. Thankfully, 90% of voters voted “No”.

The city unions contributed $17,500 to the Measure A campaign (4/8/2014). Measure A was eleven tax hikes in one measure, on residents and businesses. I led the campaign against Measure A. We won again. The union activism shows Council is doing its job.

– Mike Robbins

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, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Union Activism – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Worried About Repercussions – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Robert Clark

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Mike

Worried About Repercussions

The ES Public Safety Unions compensation contracts are being discussed by the City Council. I’m not here to argue for or against what the Unions are asking for, but most Public Safety union members pay and benefits seem fairly generous.

Recently, I discovered many ES residents will not express their point of view about Public Safety employee’s compensation in public if they are not in support of raises.

Why? Many are concerned about possible repercussions. I understand those concerns.

Several years ago I spoke at a City Council meeting. I assumed the council was the right place to ask for some added enforcement for traffic safety. I was wrong.

Several days later, I received a call from an ESPD officer I knew on a personal level. I was told that I had embarrassed the department, and warned to look out for tickets for offences I don’t recall doing! Like parking near a fire hydrant or in a handicap spot – tickets that cost many $100’s of dollars in fines! I was shocked… and intimidated.

I never received a surprise ticket, but it changed me. What was communicated to me was clearly illegal. But it works. If someone speaks publically against Public Safety Union contracts or matters, will they get a parking or speeding ticket for something they did not do? It’s intimidating to know the union members have that power.

We live in a very small town, and there are many citizens of El Segundo who feel this way – Intimidated.

– Robert Clark

Continue reading →

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Police Officers Commiting Crimes, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Worried About Repercussions – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Robert Clark

FLYER: Send in Water & Sewer Fee Increase Protest Ballots ASAP !

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Mike

The following flyer is being distributed city-wide to residents and small businesses in the City of El Segundo today, on Sunday, January 11, 2014. Look for it attached to or near your front door or the gate or fence leading to your front door. It may be in a plastic bag due to rain. If you did not receive the flyer, you can download the PDF file and view it, print and give it to others, and/or email it to others in town.

Click HERE to download or view the “Send in Water & Sewer Fee Increase Protest Ballots ASAP !” flyer PDF file.

Send in Water & Sewer Fee Increase Protest Ballots ASAP !

Every Water Customer, Property Owner, & Authorized Representative Can Vote – Failure to Vote Counts as a “Yes, RAISE OUR FEES & TAXES” Vote !

Call & Email every Person & Business You Know that Resides or Owns Property in Town and Ask Them to Vote & Inform Their Contacts

All Protest Ballots must be received by the City Clerk by Tuesday, January 20, 2015

This grass-roots flyer contains facts you need to know to Stop these Fee Hikes

Background

  • This is our Last Chance to Stop the 9 Water Fee Rate Hikes and 5 Sewer Fee Rate Hikes scheduled by the City of El Segundo for 2015-2019
  • These permanent rate hikes are in addition to the annual water rate hikes automatically passed on to us from the up-stream water providers – Metropolitan Water District (MWD) and West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD)
  • These hikes will also increase Business Water Utility Taxes
  • Businesses and Landlords will pass the hikes on to customers and tenants
  • It makes no sense to raise fees and taxes when we are still paying millions of dollars yearly in excess City employee compensation and pensions that have no relation to reality – only to City union campaign support for City Council candidates
  • We pay Police & Firefighters $150,000 to more than $345,000 total annual compensation

Details

  • Every Water Customer, Property Owner, or Authorized Representative of either can vote the Protest Ballots
  • Whether or not you’re eligible to vote, please call and email every person & business you know that resides or owns property in town and urge them to vote & notify their contacts
  • Download this flyer at PublicSafetyProject.org and email or give it to your contacts
  • Complete, Sign, Date, & Send In your NEW set of Protest Ballots (marked “NEW” on envelope) – one for Water and one for Sewer (OLD Protest Ballots won’t be counted)
  • Both a Water Protest Ballot and a Sewer Protest Ballot for each real estate parcel should be hand-delivered or mailed to the City Clerk at City Hall, 350 Main Street
  • Protest Ballots must be RECEIVED before 6:00 PM Tuesday, January 20, 2015, or else at the 7:00 PM City Council meeting that night before the public hearing is closed
  • To get replacement ballots by mail, or information, contact the City Clerk ASAP at 310-524-2305 or at City Hall, 350 Main Street (southeast corner at Holly Ave.)

Authored by Michael D. Robbins. Not authorized or endorsed by any candidate or committee.

Paid for by Michael D. Robbins, P.O. Box 2193, El Segundo, CA 90245. 1/8/2015 Rev. 4

NOTES:

The following information was not all on the flyer, but should be helpful.

We need another 1,400 completed Water Protest Ballots and 1,400 Sewer Protest Ballots delivered to the City Clerk’s office and received by Tuesday, January 20, 2015. We need everyone to do their share to help stop the water and sewer fee rate increases.

Please help by calling and emailing your friends and relatives in town. Also, please knock on the doors of everyone on your block, ask if they sent in their Water and Sewer Protest Ballots yet. If not, encourage them to request replacement Protest Ballots if needed, and to turn in their completed Protest Ballots.

If you lost or did not receive your NEW Water Fee Rate Increase Protest Ballot and NEW Sewer Fee Rate Increase Protest Ballot (both in the same envelope marked “NEW”), then you need to contact the El Segundo City Clerk’s office as soon as possible to request replacement Protest Ballots, because the City Clerk will mail you new Protest Ballots which takes time.

(The OLD Protest Ballots won’t be counted. They had an incorrect public hearing date on them.)

You may hand-deliver or mail your completed, signed, and dated protest ballots back to the City Clerk. If your mail may not arrive at City Hall by Tuesday, January 20, 2015, then please hand-deliver them. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALERTS, 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, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on FLYER: Send in Water & Sewer Fee Increase Protest Ballots ASAP !

Send In Fee Hike Protest Ballots ASAP! – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Mike

Send In Fee Hike Protest Ballots ASAP!

We need every El Segundo resident, property owner, business, and water customer to act now to stop nine water fee rate hikes and five sewer fee rate hikes scheduled for 2015-2019. These hikes will also increase business water utility taxes. It makes no sense to raise fees and taxes when we are still paying millions of dollars yearly in excess City employee compensation and pensions that have no relation to reality – only to City union campaign support for City Council candidates.

Failure to send in Protest Ballots counts as “yes, raise our fees and taxes” votes. Businesses and landlords will pass the hikes on to customers and tenants.

Please complete, sign, date, and send in your new set of Protest Ballots (marked “new” on envelope) – one for Water and one for Sewer. The old ballots won’t be counted. A Water and Sewer Protest ballot for each real estate parcel should be mailed or hand-delivered to the City Clerk.

Every property owner, water customer, or authorized representative can vote the protest ballots. Whether or not you are eligible to vote, please call and email every person and business you know that resides or owns property in town and urge them to vote.

Ballots must be received before 6:00 PM Tuesday, January 20, 2015, or else at the 7:00 PM City Council meeting that night before the public hearing is closed.

For replacement ballots or information, visit or call the City Clerk immediately at 310-524-2305.

– Mike Robbins

Continue reading →

Posted in ALERTS, 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, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Send In Fee Hike Protest Ballots ASAP! – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Water/Sewer Protest Ballot Reminder – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Liz Garnholz

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Mike

Water/Sewer Protest Ballot Reminder

This letter is a water/sewer protest ballot reminder to send in your protest ballots. Fact, 50% plus 1 of the water and sewer protest ballots must be returned in order for these rates to not increase/escalate over the next four years. Failure to return protest ballots are by default a YES increase the water and sewer rates vote. If you have lost your ballots the City Clerk’s office will issue you new ones.

There are three ways to return your protest ballots. One, by mail. Two, in person at City Hall/City Clerk’s office by the end of the workday Tuesday, January 20, 2015, 6pm. Third, by returning your protest ballots before the close of the Protest Ballot Public Hearing portion of the Tuesday, January 20, 2015 council meeting. Again, the Protest Ballot Public Hearing is part of the January 20, 2015 council meeting and ballots must be returned by the end of the Protest Ballot Public Hearing portion of that council meeting.

Some sad water/sewer protest ballot facts. Only 27% and 30% protest ballots were returned in years 2006 and 2009 respectively. Obviously protest ballots are a group effort so please do your share.

– Liz Garnholz

Continue reading →

Posted in ALERTS, 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, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Water/Sewer Protest Ballot Reminder – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Liz Garnholz

November 4, 2014 General Election News and Information

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Mike

By Michael D. Robbins
October 31, 2014

Election information and recommendations for the November 4, 2014 General Election will be posted here on the days leading up to the election. Please check back regularly. This will include recommendations for candidates and ballot measures, possibly including judges.

Here are some ground-rules for this election:

  1. Vote Against Scott Houston!
    Vote for Stephen Murray instead for West Basin Municipal Water District, Division 4 Director.
  2. Vote Against Al Muratsuchi!
    Vote for David Hadley instead in California’s 66th State Assembly District.
  3. Ignore All Campaign Slate Mailers!
  4. Vote Against Candidates Endorsed and Supported by Firefighter, Police, Teacher, and Other Government Employee Unions who expect large pay and pension increases and tax hikes to pay for those increases.
  5. Vote Against Candidates Endorsed by Militant And Extortionist Labor Unions who artificially increase consumer prices and taxes.

VOTE AGAINST SCOTT HOUSTON!

Vote for Stephen Murray instead.

BE SURE to vote AGAINST Scott Houston for West Basin Municipal Water District, Division 4, Member of the Board of Directors if you DO NOT want additional unnecessary water rate increases. Vote for Stephen Murray instead. All three candidates are “progressive” (ultra-liberal) Democrats, but Scott Houston is the absolute worst. If he had his way and was successful, El Segundo residents and businesses would have lost our local fire department, and would have suffered at least THIRTEEN TAX HIKES to pay for wildly excessive and unsustainable firefighter and police union salary, benefits, and pension increases handed out as rewards for campaign support to City Council candidates.

VOTE AGAINST AL MURATSUCHI!

Vote for David Hadley instead in California’s 66th State Assembly District.

He has voted as a rubber stamp for nearly all of the radical Democrat agenda, including making California into a sanctuary state for illegal aliens including gangsters, drug smugglers, and terrorists; expanding rights and privileges for illegal aliens while reducing rights and freedoms for citizens; banning plastic bags; banning traditional self-defense, sporting, and collectible firearms including even single-shot handguns; and more.

IGNORE ALL CAMPAIGN SLATE MAILERS!

Candidates and campaigns for and against ballot measures PAY to appear in those slate mailers regardless of their political party, voting record, politics, and agendas. They are phony and deceptive. They almost always have no connection to the causes they claim they represent, such as protecting Proposition 13, taxpayers, and women. They are tailored for the registered political party of the recipients to deceive them.

There will be more information to come. Please check back regularly between now and the close of polls on election day, and after election day for recommendations and analysis.

VOTE AGAINST CANDIDATES ENDORSED AND SUPPORTED BY BY FIREFIGHTER, POLICE, TEACHER, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE UNIONS

Firefighter, police, teacher, and other government employee unions endorse, contribute to, and support the campaigns of the candidates and ballot measures that will give them the biggest salary, benefits, and pension increases, no matter how excessive and unsustainable, and raise our taxes and fees to pay for it all. That is why many cities in California are being pushed down the road toward bankruptcy, and some have already filed for bankruptcy.

There is an inherent and unavoidable conflict of interest when government employees are allowed to unionize and engage in collective bargaining, and then exercise their inalienable First Amendment right to campaign to elect (hire) their own bosses who will negotiate their salaries, benefits, and pensions with them and give final approval in secret (closed session) meetings.

VOTE AGAINST CANDIDATES ENDORSED BY MILITANT AND EXTORTIONIST LABOR UNIONS

Vote against candidates endorsed by unions that use militant and extortionist tactics including sabotage, endangerment, and/or violence to force employers to unionize their employees and meet the union bosses’ demands, or be forced out of business.

Vote against candidates endorsed by the SEIU. Their official Contract Campaign Manual, made public by discovery in a lawsuit against them, teaches extortionist methods to sabotage businesses in ways that can get innocent employees and customers killed.

Thank you.

Mike Robbins

Continue reading →

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Firefighter Union Corruption, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on November 4, 2014 General Election News and Information