Trash Tampering – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by J. R. Bob Siegel

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, February 24, 2011 in the Letters section on page 3. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit.


Trash Tampering

I was very happy to see (via a complaining letter-to-the editor in the ES Herald) that the ESPD mounted a targeted offensive against the proliferation of CRV bottle thieves who have been prowling our streets, digging for recycle profits.

I am glad to read that the ESPD apparently made arrests in the case, because in the past the offenders have generally been ‘advised and released’, to leave with their stolen property.

Sadly, the writer of the letter seemed surprised that the arrests were made even though his neighbor would not have pressed charges. It should be made clear that a complaining witness/victim is not needed, as long as the officer sees the theft act.

Citizens can also make a citizens’ arrest for acts they witness, if the police officers did not see the act, or do not want to do an arrest. These matters may be trivial on their face, but these subjects are also casing residences and vehicles for burglary and bike theft.

The City has issued stickers to apply to trashcans for recycling. Perhaps, an add-on to the sticker (or a separate sticker) quoting the crime of Trash Tampering and Removal of Contents (ES Municipal Code; Title Five, Chapter Two; Paragraph Five) could be generated and applied to all recycling containers. This should be adequate notice to these gleaners.

Thank you for all increasing Police attention to this ‘quality of life’ issue.

J.R. Bob Siegel

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Ted Lieu’s campaign mailer featured 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements and 38 counterfeit badges

by Michael D. Robbins
Director, Public Safety Project, PublicSafetyProject.org

February 15, 2011

El Segundo voters received a campaign mailer for Ted Lieu, a soft-on-crime, tax-and-spend leftist politician running for state senate in the extremely gerrymandered California Senate District 28 (CA SD 28). The campaign mailer featured 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements made to look like legitimate public safety endorsements, and 38 counterfeit badges which are actually government employee union logos.

Soft-on-crime, tax-and-spend politicians frequently use the cover of deceptive government employee union endorsements to masquerade as tough-on-crime, fiscally conservative politicians.


Front side of Ted Lieu’s campaign mailer featuring 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements and 38 counterfeit badges which are actually union logos.


Back side of Ted Lieu’s campaign mailer featuring 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements and 38 counterfeit badges which are actually union logos.

Ted Lieu, a California state legislator representing the extremely gerrymandered California Assembly District 53 (CA AD 53), ran for election in a special primary election to fill the vacancy created in CA SD 28 Senate District (CA 28th SD) by the death of Democrat State Senator Jenny Oropeza from Long Beach.

Jenny Oropeza died Wednesday evening, October 20, 2010, before the November 2010 general election. The Democrats campaigned heavily to win her election even though she was dead. Democrat Secretary of State Debra Bowen sent out a special voter information mailer to inform voters they could still vote for her even though she was dead, and that if she won the election, a special election would be held to fill her vacant seat. Republicans cried foul, claiming this mailer was a publicly funded campaign mailer that would not have been sent by the Democrat Secretary of State had the dead candidate been a Republican.

Click on the images below to view a full-size scanned image of the front and back of the Ted Lieu deceptive campaign mailer.

Note that the El Segundo Police Officers Association (union), Redondo Beach Police Officers Association (union), Torrance Police Officers Association (union), and Torrance Firefighters Association (union) all appear in the Ted Lieu endorsement list. These employee associations, which are actually government employee labor unions, almost always endorse and support the most extreme soft-on-crime and tax-and-spend politicians who will help them get the biggest increases in salaries, benefits, and pensions.

Government employee unions engage in collective bargaining with, and financially benefit from legislation enacted by, the politicians whose campaigns they support. Government employee unions, including police and firefighters unions, have inherent and unavoidable conflicts of interest that lead to massive political corruption; budget deficits that drive cities, counties, and states into or towards bankruptcy; and large tax increases and abuse of the taxpayers.

An examination of Ted Lieu’s voting record shows that he has an extreme leftist voting record for ever-increasing taxes and government regulation, and dangerous laws that increase violent crime that protect criminals while endangering their intended victims.

Click on the images below to display a larger scanned image of the deceptive Ted Lieu campaign mailer in a new window.



Front side of Ted Lieu’s campaign mailer featuring 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements and 38 counterfeit badges which are actually union logos. Click on the image to see a larger one.



Back side of Ted Lieu’s campaign mailer featuring 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements and 38 counterfeit badges which are actually union logos. Click on the image to see a larger one.

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo News, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Police Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ted Lieu’s campaign mailer featured 36 deceptive government employee union endorsements and 38 counterfeit badges

Recycle Bin Sting – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Jim Dutchess

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, February 10, 2011 in the Letters section on page 3. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit.


Recycle Bin Sting

The El Segundo Police Department is currently conducting an undercover sting operation targeting people who are getting recycle cans and bottles from the curbside bins. I was witness to an arrest made by two uniformed policemen in two undercover cars, with a third black & white vehicle and another officer to transport the man to jail. Why so many needed to cruise the streets? The man involved was removing about 40 cents worth of aluminum cans from my neighbor’s trash.

El Segundo is in the middle of a large deficit, causing city worker layoffs and furlough days. How much money is this undercover operation costing our city? It would be interesting to know who implemented this “crack down”-was it City Hall or the Police Chief?

In ending this letter I want to mention my neighbor did not, and would not, press charges, realizing this man was only looking to help himself in these difficult times.

Jim Dutchess

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Fix the City – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, February 10, 2011 in the Letters section on page 6. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit.


Fix the City

Mayor Busch is so concerned about the current trash contract and the $123,000 that, he professes, “could” have been saved. Quit looking for spare change in the “city’s sofa cushions.” I would like to point out the fact that this mayor and others have continually skirted “other” serious costs to the city of El Segundo.

1) $197,000 a year: The parking structure (paid with 1.1 million taxpayers dollars), and a 34 year contract for parking places that still has over 25 years left to go. Reason? For a financial political payment to a politician.

2) Over 3 million dollars a year to the fire fighters union, not in wages, but special compensation, like the one that is continually paid year after year, even after retirement, just because at one time, in their past life, they received a diploma. Reason? Payment again for political support.

3) Over $225,000 a year, this is a “starting wage and benefits” for a person hired off the street as a director, who’s “qualifications” were to instruct the city to pay $80,000 dollars to hire a outside company to do a job “she” did not have time nor the “expertise” to do. Reason? I don’t know…yet, But I bet it’ll be good. There are far too many excessive expenses being paid that are not necessary to keep this city running properly.

The Mayor should focus on fixing this city, now, and not critique his resume for some “ future” political position.

Marc Rener

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fix the City – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

“Free” Trash Collection – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by George Hoopes

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, February 10, 2011 in the Letters section on page 3. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit.


“Free” Trash Collection

The Feb. 3 edition of the El Segundo Herald had a front-page article entitled “Free Trash (collection) to Continue…” Let’s get one thing straight! There is no such thing as free trash collection in El Segundo and your contributing writer, Brian Simon, fully knows that; so why does he use the front page of the newspaper to perpetuate his cockamamie lies by continuously repeating “free trash collection”?

It’s not free! It never has been free! It never will be free! El Segundo property owners pay and pay dearly-through ultra-high property taxes for this service. That’s one of the reasons we have property taxes. That’s why we pay property tax.

Appallingly, even City Attorney, Mark Hensley, wrongfully and egregiously refers to this trash collecting as “free”. Maybe he would best be advised to go back to law school and review the word “free”. Does Mr. Hensley serve the City Council “free”?

George Hoopes

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Time for Real Compensation Reform – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Richard Arabian

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, February 10, 2011 in the Letters section on page 3. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit.


Time for Real Compensation Reform

El Segundo voters have now soundly rejected both the Business Utility Tax Increase and Trash Fee Proposal, sending a strong and clear message to Council and unions-get our labor expenses permanently under control. Residents/ taxpayers expect and deserve public services, especially fire and police, to be provided at realistic costs, not those unions demand. We don’t support salary/benefit arrangements placing a number of employees in the top five percent income bracket nationwide, nor bloated staffing levels. We don’t wish to pay the employee share of CalPERS retirement contributions or “special pay” supplements, further spiking total compensation. Pandering to union agendas, for whatever reason, must stop now.

Strong economy or weak, budget surplus or deficit, competent management should never pay over market for labor. Why are we conspicuously above even the union-inflated salary and per capita staffing ranges of surrounding cities with which we compete? This provides us with substantially more justification to significantly reduce both categories under new contracts to be “negotiated” this year. Council must decide, here and now, whether it represents resident/taxpayer or union interests and act accordingly.

It can’t do both-the priorities are diametrically opposed. Properly managed, we may easily retain our local FD rather than going County, as the savings projected with the latter stem primarily from staffing reductions based upon real requirements.

And we don’t need high-dollar consultants to show us the way. The Council must simply possess the ability and resolve to control the situation. Next time some specifics for getting things done.

Richard Arabian

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Herald Letters, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Time for Real Compensation Reform – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Richard Arabian

Taxpayers Getting Fleeced – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mary Olinick

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, February 10, 2011 in the Letters section on page 6. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit.


Taxpayers Getting Fleeced

I recently received a mailer for Ted Lieu, candidate for State Senate. On that flyer were 37 public employee union endorsements by local and state unions. There was not a single tax payer or government watchdog association. Why would anyone be foolish enough to think this man is running to represent the voters?

The flyer, in essence, is telling us that he doesn’t give a fig for us and that the unions will elect him, that they financed him and that he is beholden only to those unions. Does anyone wonder why such excessive salaries are paid to government workers? Why some public employees are retiring with multi-million dollar pensions? Are we dumb enough to believe that children’s education will not be cut while public employee pensions will remain unscathed?

Recent news reports state that Jerry Brown is expecting these same unions to conduct a door-to-door campaign to insure the proposed tax increases will be passed. Certainly Lieu will ride along. Also, included on this mailer is a list of erstwhile non-partisan Mayors. For some reason these jerks think they ran for non-partisan positions. They think the title of Mayor is their own property to do what they please with it. News flash! That title belongs to Republicans, Democrats and Independents.

Endorse, if you will. But the only title that belongs to you is Mr., not Mayor.

Mary Olinick

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, 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 Taxpayers Getting Fleeced – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mary Olinick

Proposal for City Fire Dept to County – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Art Lavalle

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, February 10, 2011 in the Letters section on page 6. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit.


Proposal for City Fire Dept to County

The county fire department transfer proposal requires that the city of El Segundo pay off all accrued vacation and sick leave of the city fire personnel before they are transferred to the county.

According to the “Daily Breeze” there were two El Segundo city officials that were paid a combined total of $321,000 in accrued vacation and sick leave during 2009. How much do you think it will cost the city to pay off the accrued time for all members of the fire department?

Last week I stated that in ten years the city would get back run down equipment from the county. I was incorrect: In ten years the city will not get any equipment returned. All city fire vehicles and equipment become the property of the county.

El Segundo must additionally pay for up to 20 days vacation and 12 sick days for each employee transferred to the county. Add in the cost of upgrading the cities fire department equipment to county standards and you begin to wonder where the savings are for our city.

Art Lavalle

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Proposal for City Fire Dept to County – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Art Lavalle

Firefighters Union Empty Threats – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Michael D. Robbins

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, February 10, 2011 in the Letters section on page 6. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit.


Firefighters Union Empty Threats

The firefighters union used misinformation, deception, and intimidation to collect petition signatures. As one resident put it, “How do you say ‘no’ to firefighters who show up at your door wearing their association tee-shirts? They know where you live, and they can delay or deny emergency service when you need it.”

Two firefighter union members showed up at the January 18 City Council meeting, demanding their fire department takeover initiative go on a special election ballot. They are not entitled to a special election, because their petition did not contain required language requesting a special election. They threatened to circulate a new petition with the required language if their demands were not met.

This is an empty threat. Too many residents already know about the wildly excessive and unsustainable compensation and pensions the firefighter and police unions received from City Council members whose campaigns they supported.

If the City Council puts their initiative on any ballot, it should be the April 2012 municipal election ballot, to help preserve our local fire department and save taxpayer money. The later election date will give the City Council time to reign in the wildly excessive and unsustainable firefighter and police compensation and pensions, and to create a two-tier system for new employees with a reduced and sustainable pension formula.

Also, if the firefighters win the election, after spending up to $100,000 or more campaigning, their compensation and pensions will get locked-in at a lower cost to the taxpayers.

Michael D. Robbins


Note by Michael D. Robbins:

City Attorney Mark Hensley explained at a City Council meeting that the firefighters’ union could not legally go back to the voters with a new initiative petition calling for a special election, because the state Elections Code limits initiatives to no more than one on the same subject within a specified time period. I believe that period was one year.

Posted in El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative, Political Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Firefighters Union Empty Threats – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Michael D. Robbins

El Segundo Police Officer Applicant Requirements and Compensation

by Michael D. Robbins
Director, Public Safety Project, PublicSafetyProject.org

February 3, 2011

Entry Level Police Officer Qualifications

Entry level police officer qualifications are fairly minimal, and basically amount to graduating high school or having a G.E.D. equivalent document, having a valid automobile driver’s license, being in reasonably good physical condition, and having correctable vision. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist, or even an assistant to a rocket scientist to get a job as a police officer with incredibly lucrative compensation from two to five times that of a highly skilled and talented professional with decades of experience and one or more advanced degrees in a difficult technical field from a competitive big-name university.

The following information was obtained from the official El Segundo Police Department web pages on the official City of El Segundo web site at:

http://www.ElSegundo.org/police/sworn_employment/entry_level_police_officer/default.asp

Entry Level Police Officers must meet the following qualification requirements.

This is a non-sworn entry level position.

All new hires are required to:

  1. Successfully complete a full-time P.O.S.T. Certified Police Academy of about 26 weeks duration;
  2. OR must have graduated from a P.O.S.T. certified police academy within the 1 year period prior to filing of application;
  3. OR be currently enrolled in a full-time P.O.S.T. certified police academy with a ranking within the top 25% of your class.

Upon successful completion of the mandatory police academy, trainees may be elevated to the rank of Police Officer at the discretion of the Chief of Police.

In addition, candidates must meet the following criteria:

  1. Minimum 20 1/2 years of age at time of written test.
  2. U.S. high school diploma/G.E.D. equivalent. High school must be accredited. College related course work desired.
  3. Must be United States Citizen at time of filing of application.
  4. Possess a valid California Class “C” Driver’s License.
  5. Be of proportional height to weight.
  6. Be physically able to handle all rigorous duties of police work.
  7. Normal hearing and color perception. Minimum vision of 20/100 in each eye, correctable to 20/20.
  8. Smoking and/or the use of tobacco products on or off duty are prohibited as a condition of employment.
  9. Any visible tattoo(s), body art and/or body piercings are prohibited while performing department duties.

Entry Level Police Officer Compensation

Entry level police officer compensation is quite generous.

The following information was obtained from an El Segundo Police Department recruitment advertisement in the February 3, 2011 El Segundo Herald newspaper (on page 18, lower left corner), from the El Segundo Police Officers Association (union) contract, and from the official El Segundo Police Department web pages on the official City of El Segundo web site at:

http://www.ElSegundo.org/police/sworn_employment/entry_level_police_officer/salary.asp

Entry Level Police Officers receive the following compensation.

Salary Range:
$5,407.54 – $6,572.90 per month ($64,890.48 – $78,874.80 per year) with an additional 9% P.E.R.S. contribution paid by the city.
Initial salary placement based upon prior education, training and experience.
During academy training, salary is $4,326.03/month ($51,912.36/year).

(Note: The web ESPD web page listed “$5,150 – $6,259 per month” and “During academy training, salary is $4,120/month.” The higher figures from the February 3, 2011 ESPD recruitment advertisement in the El Segundo Herald newspaper on page 18 are presumed to be correct.)

Retirement:
P.E.R.S. 3% at age 50 years based on single highest earning year.
P.E.R.S. pension is a defined benefit plan, not a defined contribution plan.
Pension provides a guaranteed amount of pension income, regardless of investment decisions and market cycles and fluctuations.
(Retire as early as age 50 with up to 90% of single highest earning year pay as the annual pension benefit – 3% per year of service up to a maximum of 90% after 30 years of service for the rest of your life).
9% of regular earnings plus special compensation Employee contribution paid by the City.
City pays Employer contribution on regular earnings plus special compensation plus the 9% Employee contribution paid by the City.
Surviving spouse can assume the entire pension as though s/he was the police employee for the rest of her/his life.
Surviving minor children can get pension benefits after death of employee and spouse.

Optional 401(a) deferred compensation plan with employer contributions in addition to P.E.R.S. pension.

Flex Plan:
Allows for payment of employee paid insurance, medical treatment and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

Medical:
$1,045 per month for employee & dependents’ medical insurance programs. Employee Assistance Program available for employees and eligible dependents. Paid retiree medical at same coverage level as at time of retirement.

Optical, Dental & Term Life Insurance:
Maximum of $135 per month for employee and eligible dependents toward optical and dental. A $10,000 term life insurance policy provided by the City. Employee may purchase additional life insurance coverage at group rates for spouse and dependents.

Holidays:
Paid 120 holiday hours each December. City pays 100% of employee share of P.E.R.S. on holiday pay.

Paid Vacation:
96 hours a year with 1-5 years of service;
120 hours a year with 6-10 years of service;
144 hours a year with 11-15 years of service;
176 hours a year with 16 years of service; and
17-25 years, plus eight hours for each additional year through 25 years of service.
Can roll over and accumulate vacation leave hours and cash them out at a higher rank and pay rate.

Annual vacation accrual sell-back (up to 50%).

Paid Sick Leave:
8 hours a month (12 days a year) plus partial payment for accrual over 1,056 hours and a percentage of unused leave paid upon service retirement or separation.
Can roll over and accumulate sick leave hours and cash them out at a higher rank and pay rate.

Special Assignment Pay:
Special assignments $425/mo. ($5,100/yr.) and motor officer $511/mo. ($6,132/yr.).

Uniform Allowance:
$715 maximum paid annually for maintenance. Uniform, safety equipment and weapon are provided by the city.

Academy Graduates:
Eligible academy graduates may request to be reimbursed for up to $2,000 for their prior academy training.
Requires ranking in the top 25% of academy class, appropriate documentation and City approval.

Tuition Reimbursement:
100% tuition/books of U.C. costs with prior written approval and grade “C” or better.
80% outside the U.C./Cal State system.

Educational Incentive:
$270 – $467/mo. ($3,240 – $5,604/yr.) for A.A. degree and/or Intermediate POST plus 2 years;
$734 – $770/mo. ($8,808 – $9,240/yr.) for Advanced POST plus 3 years;
$917 – $963/mo. ($11,004 – $11,556/yr.) for B.A./B.S. degree plus 3 years; and
$1,353/mo. ($16,236/yr.) for M.A. degree plus 4 years of law enforcement experience.

Bi-lingual pay $283/mo. ($3,396/yr.) for conversational fluency.

Longevity Pay:
5 yrs. of service, $778/mo. ($9,336 /yr.);
10 yrs. of service, $974/mo. ($11,688/yr.);
15 yrs. of service, $1,135/mo. ($13,620/yr.);
20 yrs. of service, $1,353/mo. ($16,236/yr.); and
26 yrs. of service, $1,926/mo. ($23,112/yr.)

Compensatory/Overtime:
Up to 130 hours of compensatory time combined for physical fitness and overtime hours.
Overtime hours are compensated at time and a half.

Other Benefits:
Voluntary participation in Credit Union,
Deferred Compensation Programs – 401(a), etc.;
PERS Home Loan Program;
Direct Payroll Deposit Program;
Personal Computer Loan Program of up to $4,000 interest free; and
Mandatory Catastrophic Leave Program participation.

Posted in El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on El Segundo Police Officer Applicant Requirements and Compensation