Category Archives: Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor of local El Segundo and South Bay California newspapers. Letters on fiscal responsibility, government spending, taxes, and government employee unions are of special interest here, although other subjects also appear here.

Kudos to El Segundo voters – Letter to the Daily Breeze by Michael D. Robbins

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Mike

Daily Breeze

dailybreeze.com

LAX TO L.A. HARBOR

Letters to the Editor for Monday, April 23, 2012

Posted: 04/22/2012 02:02:23 PM PDT
April 22, 2012 9:27 PM GMT
Updated: 04/22/2012 02:26:15 PM PDT

Kudos to El Segundo voters

Thank you to the 90 percent of El Segundo voters who rejected Measure P. We saved El Segundo City Fire Department from selfish firefighters only interested in maximizing their salaries and job security. Measure P would have disbanded our Fire Department, contracted with Los Angeles County for significantly reduced emergency services and endangered lives. The firefighter union quit campaigning when their professional polls determined it would lose by a wide margin because of our early and sustained campaign against P. They did not give up as a favor to residents. We defeated the two candidates endorsed and funded by the self-serving police union: Progressive candidate Scott Houston who falsely campaigned as a conservative and Cindy Mortesen.

— Michael D. Robbins, El Segundo

Note: This letter was edited down by the Daily Breeze from the original 150 word letter that was submitted. Here is the original letter as it was submitted:

El Segundo Election Victories

Thank you to the 90 percent of voters who voted against Measure P, the firefighter union’s initiative, and those who campaigned against it. We saved our city fire department from selfish firefighters only interested in maximizing their salaries and job security. Measure P would have disbanded our fire department, contracted with L.A. County for significantly reduced emergency services, and endangered lives.

The firefighter union quit campaigning when their professional polls determined it would lose by a wide margin, due to our early and sustained campaign against P. They did not give up as a favor to residents.

We defeated the two candidates endorsed and funded by the self-serving police union – Progressive candidate Scott Houston, who falsely campaigned as a Conservative, opposite his true record, and Cindy Mortesen.

I wonder how the police officers and firefighters can be trusted on their jobs when they are blatantly dishonest in city election campaigns. … Continue reading →

Posted in Daily Breeze Letters, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, Firefighter Union Corruption, Letters to the Editor, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative, Police Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Kudos to El Segundo voters – Letter to the Daily Breeze by Michael D. Robbins

Supports Jacobson – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Helen Armstrong

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Mike

Supports Jacobson

It was my deceased husband, Mayor Charles “Chip” Armstrong, who encouraged Carl Jacobson to expand his involvement in public service 30 years ago because of all of his wonderful qualities. Carl is an honorable representative of the people who has devoted decades of his life to serving us and our city. The least we can do is show Carl our respect and give him our vote, if nothing else.

Carl has always been independent, running low-budget campaigns without special interest support. Carl doesn’t boast about his numerous accomplishments and what he has done for us. But please review his campaign flier and his Web site at jacobson-es.com for his history of service and accomplishments for our community.

Carl is not in it for money, power, or bragging rights, but only to do good. He has no hidden agendas and is not using El Segundo as a stepping stone to higher office. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, Letters to the Editor | Comments Off on Supports Jacobson – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Helen Armstrong

Vote for independence – Letter to the Beach Reportor by Illeen Joscha

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Mike

Vote for independence

The newly-released city documents and e-mails tell all. The firefighter and police unions were behind this push to extort $10 million per year in new taxes from Chevron, to pay for their astronomical and unsustainable salaries and benefits that have averaged $211,000 ($342,000 maximum) per individual per year for firefighters and $178,000 ($304,000 maximum) for police.

These self-serving safety unions are supporting Scott Houston (who took a police union endorsement, large campaign contribution, and other support in 2010), Marie Fellhauer (a police union member herself), and Cindee Topar (former City Council campaign manager for a firefighter union member and a militant union official herself) for City Council. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Vote for independence – Letter to the Beach Reportor by Illeen Joscha

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

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Mike

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

His own words – Letter to the Beach Reporter by David Burns

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Mike

His own words

Before our City Council election, it’s incumbent upon every voter to verify facts before taking e-mails, editorials and hearsay as fact. I refuse to engage in the mud slinging and conjecture flooding e-mail boxes and newspapers. I’m writing now because I take issue when my name is attached to words I did not say.

When I am used to promote someone else’s opinion, I respond. Mr. Gerhardt VanDrie asked me if a petition came forward with validated signatures supporting a barrel tax, would I block it with my vote as a City Council member? My answer was, “No, I wouldn’t block any verified petition from the citizenry of El Segundo as a matter of democratic principal.”

For example, I wouldn’t have blocked Measure P although I’ve been extremely vocal against it. VanDrie’s editorial addresses other topics, which may infer my support. This action is wrong. If you want to know my opinion – ask me. If you want to verify facts about our former city manager – read El Segundo’s public records. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on His own words – Letter to the Beach Reporter by David Burns

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 →

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Unsuitable suits – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Jenny Hughes

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Mike

Unsuitable suits

Thankfully I’m the mother of two young men who have already finished high school because if I had two girls who wanted to play beach volleyball, I’d have to say no. I could only shake my head at the photo of the Mira Costa girls’ beach volleyball team. What are these parents thinking? One of these girls is a freshman; that would make her at least 14. I would be petrified to allow my 14-year-old, let alone 16 or 17, to parade around in such a revealing suit. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, Hermosa Beach, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Unsuitable suits – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Jenny Hughes

City Manger’s Misconduct – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Michael D. Robbins

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Mike

City Manger’s Misconduct

New evidence of fired City Manager Doug Willmore’s misconduct was revealed with the latest public records release of city documents and emails (available at ElSegundo.org and PublicSafetyProject.org).

Willmore politicized City Hall. His secretary, Mickie Tagle, used city-paid time and public resources to do political opposition research against Chevron and against residents who criticized Willmore’s efforts to shakedown Chevron for an additional $10 million per year in taxes. One email showed she even tried to dig up dirt on me! Finance Director Deborah Cullen was also enthusiastically involved in Willmore’s shakedown efforts.

The emails show Willmore was doing Mayor Eric Busch’s bidding, taking direction from Busch in his attempt to extort more money from Chevron, without a majority of Council members even knowing about it. The city manager is legally required to take direction only from a majority vote or consensus of the City Council. Busch and Willmore targeted Chevron because they “can’t move” their refinery, and because of environmental politics.

The emails also show the fire and police unions have been behind this push to raise taxes to pay for their wildly excessive and unsustainable compensation and pensions. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, Doug Willmore's Great Chevron Shakedown, El Segundo, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on City Manger’s Misconduct – Letter to the Beach Reporter by Michael D. Robbins

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

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

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Mike

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