Police Union Fundraiser Mailer – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Mike

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, December 10, 2015 in the Letters section on page 4. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit, including the title.

Police Union Fundraiser Mailer

The police officers’ “association” (union) sent out their annual union fundraiser mailer, exploiting murders of police officers elsewhere to solicit money from residents and businesses. Giving them money is absurd for many reasons. If you already gave them money, try to get it back.

First, the non-deductible contributions go to their union. The police and fire unions spent more than $10,000 in their labor contract campaign for 11 half-page newspaper ads, two city-wide mailers, and mobile billboards driven around town with falsehoods attacking our city council for doing their job to protect our city from bankruptcy.

Second, the police and fire unions contributed $10,000 to Measure A in 2014. Measure A was eleven tax hikes in one measure, on residents and businesses, to pay for big past and future police and fire compensation and pension increases.

Third, the unions don’t need our donations. Police and firefighters are paid far more than nearly all El Segundo residents. Their total compensation has been about $150,000 to $385,000 each per year, with three to six million dollar pensions, due to union campaigning to elect city councilmembers who give the biggest pay and pension increases – and raise our taxes and fees to pay for it.

And fourth, the union solicitation is corrupt. It uses realistic-looking fake ESPD police badges, and many residents believe they will get faster and better service or avoid a ticket if they pay off the union and put the union’s police badge decal on their window.

– Mike Robbins

A scan of the police union’s political campaign fundraiser mailer will be provided below as soon as time permits.

Posted in Economy and Economics, 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, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Police Union Fundraiser Mailer – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Union Offers and Counter-Offers – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Posted on November 19, 2015 by Mike

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, November 19, 2015 in the Letters section on pages 2 and 14. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit, including the title.

Union Offers and Counter-Offers

The police and firefighter “associations” (unions) spent more than $10,000 in their dishonest labor contract campaign since 5/28/15, including 11 half-page newspaper ads, two city-wide mailers, and mobile billboards driven around town, attacking Mayor Suzanne Fuentes
and our City Council for doing their job to protect our city from bankruptcy.

The unions claimed (7/30/15 ad) “We don’t want raises. We just want to stop the cuts.” False. The Police Union Contract Offers and Counter- Offers finally posted on the City website shows they want 9% in general pay raises (3% per year for 3 years), including retroactive raises, in addition to automatic 5% annual step raises, periodic longevity raises, and various special compensation raises hidden in their union contract. They want the City to pay most of the CalPERS Pension Employee Contribution, in addition to the full Employer Contribution. They want taxpayers to fund nearly all of their three to six million-dollar pensions and their healthcare. And they want to work only three days per week.

There’s no budget surplus as the unions claimed. The City must replenish the Reserve Fund, repay money borrowed from the Equipment Replacement Fund, and fund the backlog of tens of millions of dollars in deferred infrastructure maintenance.

Police and firefighter total compensation has been about $150,000 to $385,000 each per year, due to union campaigning to elect City Councilmembers. The unions are not being mistreated. It is they who are mistreating us with their Culture of Entitlement, Ingratitude, and Corruption.

– Mike Robbins

The police and fire union labor contract negotiation offers and counter-offers, released by the City of El Segundo after reluctant and delayed permission of the unions, will be provided here as soon as time permits.

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, 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 Union Offers and Counter-Offers – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

EDD and Me – by Heidi Maerker, CEO of Herald Publications

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Mike

The following article by the CEO of Herald Publications was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, October 15, 2015 in the Letters section on pages 3 and 13.

EDD and Me

Dear Readers,

I usually don’t share my opinion in Herald Publications newspapers, but I think this is important, especially to other small business owners.

A few months ago, I received a letter notifying me that Employment Development Department (EDD) wanted to conduct an audit. EDD is part of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and handles the audit and collection of payroll taxes and maintains employment records for California workers.

I had just been audited by State Fund and wasn’t too concerned. Turns out it wasn’t a routine audit. EDD was on a mission to reclassify my independent contractors as employees, which they did. I went from having five part-time employees to over 25 employees and I was fined $13,000. EDD did not discuss their findings with me or ask me any questions related to my Independent Contractors. They reclassified everyone I issued a 1099 in the past three years, regardless of the circumstances. I was stunned and didn’t know where to turn.

I had to hire attorneys to represent me and I reached out to anyone I could think of to help. I contacted my newspaper association California Newspaper Publishers Association (CNPA), Congresswoman Maxine Waters office, Senator Ben Allen’s office, Assembly Member Autumn Burke’s office, Supervisor Don Knabe’s office and El Segundo Mayor Suzanne Fuentes. Only Mayor Fuentes took action.

Mayor Fuentes reached out and connected me to Assembly Member David Hadley’s office. These two elected officials stepped up and actively helped me. Sarah Wilfong, of Assembly Member Hadley’s office, regularly reached out to me and monitored what was happening, contacted EDD on my behalf and I felt supported 100%.

EDD had made factual and procedural errors in my case and, in my opinion, acted inappropriately. I would have liked EDD to recognize their errors, much sooner, but they had taken a contentious position against me, from the beginning, and dug in their heels. They told me I’d be looking at over a year, before my appeal got in front of a judge and I’d be accumulating fines while I waited. However, due the efforts of Assembly Member Hadley’s office, EDD finally acknowledged they were wrong and reversed their findings. It took EDD three months to back down and my attorney bill was $20,000, but it was over – for now.

I’m certain, that without the actions of Mayor Fuentes and Assembly Member Hadley and his office, my case would have dragged on for over a year and cost me much more money. These are politicians that do care about small businesses and they will help you.

– Heidi Maerker, CEO, Herald Publications

Comments by Mike Robbins

This is undoubtedly only one of many abuses by exceedingly powerful, corrupt, and unaccountable alphabet soup government agencies from whom the Founders tried to protect us.

As Lord Acton famously said,

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

It is quite possible Herald Publications was targeted by the EDD for something printed in the paper that somebody did not like. A legislator or government bureaucrat may have been offended, or a private citizen may have made a false anonymous report to EDD to misuse the powerful government agency as a weapon against this small local newspaper publishing business.

Government cannot abuse power it does not have, so the best way to prevent or minimize government abuse is to limit the power of government to the minimum necessary for it to perform its legitimate and authorized duties. Left unchecked, government tends to grow in size, cost, and power, because other people are forced to pay for it and to suffer its abuses.

The people must wake up to the fact that the Democratic party has been hijacked by socialists and Marxists, whose agenda can be described in in four words: ACCUMULATE AND ABUSE POWER. There is no legitimate reason to accumulate excessive amounts of government power, and those who do so cannot be trusted.

This accumulation and abuse of power occurs at all levels of government – local, state, and federal government – with higher levels of government having greater amounts of power to abuse.

The “Democratic” party, under president Bill Clinton and even more so under President Barack Obama, have effectively weaponized many if not most federal government agencies, including the IRS, EPA, BATF, DEA, and others, using them for domestic surveillance and to harass and punish those who dare to exercise their Free Speech rights to criticize their policies, or to contribute money to opposing candidates. Republicans and conservatives have had harassment tax audits, raids on their businesses, litigation, and criminal prosecution, for political harassment and punishment, with no legitimate justification.

Although the Republican party is imperfect, it is by far the best party for protecting individual liberty and maintaining rational, effective, and productive domestic and foreign policy. The fact that Bernie Sanders, a Marxist who admits to being at least a Socialist, can run for President of the United States and have a chance of winning the Democratic party’s nomination shows how extreme and dangerouss the Democratic party has become. And Hillary Clinton, who together with Barack Obama is one of the most unqualified and unaccomplished presidential candidates, is trying to run to the left of Bernie Sanders on important issues.

The Democratic party is beyond reform. It even purged out Joe Lieberman, who is very liberal on most issues, because he supports Israel, a strong military and national defense, and the war in Iraq.

For many decades, the Democratic party has been relentlessly attacking Four Pillars of Liberty the Founders created for us:

  1. Limited Enumerated Powers of the Federal Government, e.g., Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution lists the limited powers of Congress, and the Tenth Amendment in the bill of rights makes it clear that powers not explicitly delegated and authorized to the federal government belong to the people or the states.
  2. Separation and Balance of Powers in the federal government with Checks and Balances, where each branch is supposed to jealously guard its own enumerated powers from encroachment and usurpation by any other branch. Leftist Democrat presidents nominate leftist activist judges who legislate from the courthouse and effectively amend the Constitution, in violation of Article 5 which explicitly defines the only two methods of amending it – and they don’t involve any judges.
  3. Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms, as a deterrent and a protection against government tyranny. The Second Amendment recognizes a pre-existing God-given Natural Right to self-defense against common criminals, and against government tyrants. Rights given by God cannot be legitimately taken away by man. We cannot trust the Democratic party and politicians, because they take away our protection against government tyranny, and against them. As a minimum, the Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear (own, possess, and carry) individual (non-crew-served) dual-use weapons, that have both civilian and military uses. The Democratic party has had an agenda for decades to ban and confiscate traditional self-defense, sporting, and collectable handguns, rifles and shotguns from ordinary non-violent, law-abiding Americans.
  4. A Love and Passion for Liberty and the Desire and Willingness to Risk Everything Protect and Preserve It. Leftist Democrat teachers and college professors, and propaganda news readers, indoctrinate Americans to devalue and give up their liberty, rather than value and protect it. It is easier to protect and preserve liberty than to regain it once lost, especially without outside help. But who outside America is capable and willing to liberate us if we lose our liberty?

– Mike Robbins

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo News, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Tax Policy and Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on EDD and Me – by Heidi Maerker, CEO of Herald Publications

Feels Neither is Right – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Mike

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, September 24, 2015 in the Letters section on page 2. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit, including the title.

Feels Neither is Right

A “fee” over $1,800 to any El Segundo resident, for the transportation and mileage only, to the nearest emergency room, by city paid (taxpayers) paramedics in a city paid (taxpayers) vehicle. Why? the city wants to “recover” back some of the 14 million dollars it pays to the fire department for doing their job. Please note, at 3 a.m. paramedics would still be paid the same whether they responded to a 911 call or were left sleeping.

June 2014, Thursday morning at 7:30 A.M. a special council meeting, agenda page 4, to charge an “additional fee” (unknown to most citizens) for the transportation by El Segundo paramedics. They claimed a “recovery” of $180,000 to the city. I have invoices from Wittman, who’s doing the “recovery” collection, and what was paid to the City from June 2014 to July 2015. $180,000? try over $800,000.

The 9/15/15 council agenda about the budget, on page C-2, states “collecting for fire inspection fees and for non-resident paramedic transportation”. So is the budget fee statement incorrect or the city wrongfully charging its citizens? Either way taxpayers already paying for their city paramedic service should not be charged an “additional fee” if they use that service. What would happen if the people of El Segundo hired someone to “recover” the money for the days, months and years for fire services that they didn’t call for?

Neither is right, yet the city is doing it. Again why?

– Marc Rener

A scan of a bill for more $1,850 received by an El Segundo resident for a fire department paramedic ambulance transport to a local hospital will be provided as soon as time permits.

This is clearly a case of double-billing or double-taxation, because taxes already pay for the entire city fire department. Furthermore, is is even more unfair to charge so much money when the City pays the firefighter (and police) union members total annual compensation of $150,000 to more than $350,000 each, as a reward for their endorsements, contributions, and campaign expenditures of thousands of union campaign dollars in support of past City Council Candidates.

Posted in California, Economy and Economics, El Segundo, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter Union Corruption, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Letters to the Editor, News, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Feels Neither is Right – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

Overpriced and Imperfect – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins – With proof and background information

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Mike

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, August 27, 2015 in the Letters section on page 3. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit, including the title.

Overpriced and Imperfect

The El Segundo police and fire unions have retired fire department employees extolling their perfection to defend huge pay raises. They’re overpriced, and usually do a good job, but not always. Here are some examples.

One police officer took an unauthorized and unreported hour break reading a newspaper in a patrol car at the beach during patrol duty. Another left a patrol car unattended with the engine running and windows down, in front of City Hall on Holly Ave., across from Stuft Pizza where kids hang out. That attractive nuisance could have cost lives and millions of tax dollars had a kid taken it for a joyride and crashed.

El Segundo police sergeant Rex Fowler caused an accident that killed Hawthorne police motorcycle officer Andrew Garton, during escort duty in Torrance for a royal funeral procession for Manhattan Beach police officer Mark Vazquez, who died of cancer. Garton’s widow sued El Segundo for $25 million for wrongful death, and Hawthorne filed a $718,655 claim for damages against El Segundo.

Firefighter Michael Archambault was arrested, convicted, and sentenced for shoplifting five products totaling $354.95 from Costco. He was allowed to retire early with a $110,251/ year pension.

An El Segundo resident, a firefighter for another agency, suffered permanent disability because, he said, the paramedics claimed he was okay and refused to transport him to the hospital while he was having a stroke, allowing them to get back to the fire station to watch a big sports game on TV.

– Mike Robbins

Here is proof and background information for the statements and examples in this letter.

This information was updated on April 21, 2015 to add the annual CalPERS pension income for retired El Segundo Fire Battalion Chief David K. Sharp for 2014 – a whopping $177,841.56 – not even counting benefits!

This information was also was updated to add the annual CalPERS pension income for retired El Segundo Fire Engineer (and firefighter union member) Michael J. Archambault for 2014 – a huge $111,937.56 – not even counting benefits!

The El Segundo police and fire unions have retired fire department employees extolling their perfection to defend huge pay raises.

David K. Sharp submitted an “op-ed” column which which was published on page 3 of the June 11, 2015 edition of the El Segundo Herald. It was basically an advertisement defending the excessive and unsustainable salaries and pensions of the El Segundo Firefighters’ Association (union) and their managers. He is a retired El Segundo firefighter who was a fire union member for most of his career, until he achieved his final rank of Fire Battalion Chief. He retired in 2007, and received $171,335.76 in 2012 and $174,770.76 in 2013 from his taxpayer-funded CalPERS pension after working for only 31.76 years.

Here is proof for David K. Sharp’s California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS) pension. It is provided by the TransparentCalifornia.com website. They obtained it from Public Records Act requests made to CalPERS.

Here is my summary and formatting of Sharp’s CalPERS pension information in the TransparentCalifornia.com database (I added his last position):

City Employee:     David K Sharp
Agency:            City of El Segundo, California
Last Position:     Fire Battalion Chief
Retired in:        2007
Years of service:  31.76
Pension:           CalPERS
2014 Total*        $177,841.56
2013 Total*        $174,770.76
2012 Total*        $171,335.76
  * Excluding benefits.

Note that public employee retirees in CalPERS get automatic pension Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) raises each year. Also, CalPERS pensions are a defined benefit pension plan and not a defined contribution plan like a 401(k), so CalPERS payments are guaranteed by the taxpayers regardless of investment portfolio performance and any risky investment portfolio mismanagement.

See David K. Sharp’s CalPERS pension information in the TransparentCalifornia.com database here:

http://TransparentCalifornia.com/pensions/search/?q=David+K+Sharp&a=&y=&s=

Rosemarie Radomsky, who submitted the “Who You Gonna Call?” letter to the editor of the El Segundo Herald, published on page 3 of the August 20, 2015 edition, is a retired City of El Segundo employee who worked as an administrative analyst in the fire department, according to a former El Segundo fire department employee. She is listed in the CalPERS pension database at TransparentCalifornia.com as a retired City of El Segundo employee with 10.85 years of service with the city. She retired in 2001.

See Rosemarie Radomsky’s CalPERS pension information here:

http://TransparentCalifornia.com/pensions/search/?q=Rosemarie+Radomsky&a=&y=&s=

Her letter made multiple false statements to defend the firefighters’ excessive compensation packages, and attacked an El Segundo resident who correctly noted stated that the firefighters are paid to sleep. In fact, they are paid regularly scheduled overtime at 150% of the regular pay rate, including regular and overtime pay for sleeping. Ms. Radomsky knows that the firefighters are paid to sleep, having worked in the fire department. They are on-duty for 48 hours, and have the next four days off. They are also paid to eat. That is why the firefighters have beds, sleeping and living quarters, and a kitchen in each fire station.

One police officer took an unauthorized and unreported hour break reading a newspaper in a patrol car at the beach during patrol duty.

An El Segundo City Council Member reported to me, and to the City Manager at the time, that he personally witnessed an El Segundo police officer reading a newspaper in a black-and-white patrol car parked at the beach for an hour. He told me the City Manager checked on which police officer was driving that patrol car, and on the work and break schedule for that officer.

The officer was parked at the beach taking an extended unauthorized break during paid work hours. The City Council Member told me the City Manager said he would take care of it. City employee disciplinary actions are not publicized because that would violate the employee’s privacy rights.

Another left a patrol car unattended with the engine running and windows down, in front of City Hall on Holly Ave., across from Stuft Pizza where kids hang out. That attractive nuisance could have cost lives and millions of tax dollars had a kid taken it for a joyride and crashed.

I personally observed the black-and-white El Segundo police car parked in front of City Hall, on Holly Avenue, right across from Stuft Pizza where local kids hang out. The windows were down, the key was in the ignition with other keys on the same key ring, and the engine was running. The noise of the engine running got my attention. I waited for some time standing next to the driver door, guarding the police car, hoping the officer would return soon. Then I turned the engine off, removed the key, went straight to the City Manager at the time, pointed out the police car from his office window, told him what happened, and gave him the key ring. He said he would take care of it.

Again, city employee disciplinary actions are not publicized because that would violate the employee’s privacy rights.

El Segundo police sergeant Rex Fowler caused an accident that killed Hawthorne police motorcycle officer Andrew Garton, during escort duty in Torrance for a royal funeral procession for Manhattan Beach police officer Mark Vazquez, who died of cancer. Garton’s widow sued El Segundo for $25 million for wrongful death, and Hawthorne filed a $718,655 claim for damages against El Segundo.


El Segundo, California police sergeant Rex Jay Fowler.
El Segundo, California police sergeant Rex Jay Fowler.


Hawthorne, California police motorcycle officer Andrew Garton. He was killed in a motorcycle collision caused primarily by El Segundo police sergeant Rex Jay Fowler on May 26, 2011 at about 12:40 p.m. in Torrance, California.
Hawthorne, California police motorcycle officer Andrew Garton. He was killed in a motorcycle collision caused primarily by El Segundo police sergeant Rex Jay Fowler on May 26, 2011 at about 12:40 p.m. in Torrance, California. Click the photo to see a larger image.

When I heard the news of this terrible accident, I was saddened and prayed for Hawthorne Officer Andrew Garton’s family, and for El Segundo Sergeant Rex Fowler’s full and speedy recovery from his broken leg which needed surgery. It was a terrible tragedy, and as a former motorcycle rider, I have a special comradely and fondness for motorcycle riders. I carefully watch for motorcycles and give them plenty of space while driving.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) accident investigation report placed most of the blame for causing the accident on Sergeant Rex Fowler, as reported in the Daily Breeze newspaper. Rex Fowler’s excessive speed and lack of motorcycle driving skill were cited as significant factors causing the accident.

The City of Hawthorne also placed the blame for causing the accident on Sergeant Rex Fowler in the claim for damages they filed with the City of El Segundo.

Here are links to newspaper articles about the funeral procession motorcycle accident that support what I wrote:

DAILY BREEZE
El Segundo officer mostly to blame for funeral procession accident, CHP report says
By Larry Altman Staff Writer
Posted: 03/30/12, 12:01 AM PDT
http://www.DailyBreeze.com/general-news/20120330/el-segundo-officer-mostly-to-blame-for-funeral-procession-accident-chp-report-says

DAILY BREEZE
City of Hawthorne files claim blaming El Segundo officer for funeral crash
By Larry Altman and Kristin S. Agostoni Staff Writers
Posted: 12/02/11, 12:01 AM PST
http://www.DailyBreeze.com/general-news/20111202/city-of-hawthorne-files-claim-blaming-el-segundo-officer-for-funeral-crash

Same article in the Pasadena Star News:

PASADENA STAR-NEWS
City of Hawthorne files claim blaming El Segundo officer for funeral crash
By Larry Altman and Kristin S. Agostoni Staff Writers
Posted: 12/02/11, 12:01 AM PST
http://www.PasadenaStarNews.com/general-news/20111202/city-of-hawthorne-files-claim-blaming-el-segundo-officer-for-funeral-crash

DAILY BREEZE
Hawthorne police distance themselves from city’s claim in Garton case
By Sandy Mazza Staff Writer
Posted: 12/08/11, 12:01 AM PST
http://www.DailyBreeze.com/general-news/20111208/hawthorne-police-distance-themselves-from-citys-claim-in-garton-case

Same article in the Whittier Daily News:

WHITTIER DAILY NEWS
Hawthorne police distance themselves from city’s claim in Garton case
By Sandy Mazza Staff Writer
Posted: 12/08/11, 12:01 AM PST
http://www.WhittierDailyNews.com/general-news/20111208/hawthorne-police-distance-themselves-from-citys-claim-in-garton-case

DAILY BREEZE
Widow files lawsuit in motorcycle death of Hawthorne officer Andrew Garton
By Kristin S. Agostoni and Larry Altman Staff Writers
Posted: 03/21/12, 12:01 AM PDT
http://www.DailyBreeze.com/general-news/20120321/widow-files-lawsuit-in-motorcycle-death-of-hawthorne-officer-andrew-garton

DAILY BREEZE
Wife of Hawthorne officer killed in motorcycle accident files $25M claims
By Carley Dryden Staff Writer
Posted: 11/25/11, 12:01 AM PST
http://www.DailyBreeze.com/general-news/20111125/wife-of-hawthorne-officer-killed-in-motorcycle-accident-files-25m-claims

CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Wife of Hawthorne officer killed in motorcycle accident files $25M claims
By Carley Dryden Staff Writer
Posted: 11/25/2011, 01:16:45 PM PST
Updated: 11/25/2011, 01:34:07 PM PST
http://www.ContraCostaTimes.com/california/ci_19411521

EASY READER NEWS
Police officer’s widow files $25 million claims against Manhattan Beach and El Segundo
El Segundo, Manhattan Beach
By Alene Tchekmedyian
Added on December 1, 2011
http://www.EasyReaderNews.com/41083/officer%E2%80%99s-widow-files-claim-against-city/

Here are links to download four different claim forms filed on behalf of Hawthorne police officer Andrew Garton’s widow and two sons Garrett and Grant, the City of Hawthorne, and from Rex Fowler himself. Another driver, John Robert Mitchell, who suffered damages from the accident, also filed a claim against El Segundo:

“2011-11-08-El Segundo-Claim 11-57 Tracy Garton-Garrett Garton-Grant Garton via Panish Shea and Boyle LLP.pdf” (464 KB PDF file)

“2011-11-17-El Segundo-Claim 11-57A City of Hawthorne.pdf” (151 KB PDF file)

“2011-06-20-El Segundo-Claim 11-34 John Robert Mitchell via Allstate Insurance Company.pdf” (683 KB PDF file)

“2011-07-13-El Segundo-Claim 11-34A John Robert Mitchell via Allstate Insurance Company.pdf” (811 KB PDF file)

Firefighter Michael Archambault was arrested, convicted, and sentenced for shoplifting five products totaling $354.95 from Costco. He was allowed to retire early with a $110,251 per year pension that was increased to $111,937 in 2014 by an annual COLA.


Torrance, California Police Department Booking Photo of El Segundo firefighter Michael Joseph Archambault, arrested on April 12, 2011 for shoplifting five products totaling $354.95 from Costco.

Torrance, California Police Department Booking Photo of El Segundo firefighter Michael Joseph Archambault, arrested on April 12, 2011 for shoplifting five products totaling $354.95 from Costco. Click the photo to see a larger image.

Michael Joseph Archambault’s arrest and charge for violating California Penal Code Section 484(A) is documented in public record documents, and also in Daily Breeze and L.A. Weekly news stories. Archambault pled “no contest”, which is equivalent to a guilty plea for conviction purposes, and was convicted and sentenced. The $354.95 value of the five products Archambault stole was below the threshold for a felony violation.

According to my information, Archambault was sentenced to community service, probation, and a ban from Costco. After completing his sentence, Archambault was allowed to have his conviction expunged from his criminal record in accordance with California Penal Code section 1203.4 on February 11, 2014, or 2/11, which ironically, reminds us of Penal Code Section 211, which is felony robbery!

CA P.C. 211. Robbery is the felonious taking of personal property in the
possession of another, from his person or immediate presence, and
against his will, accomplished by means of force or fear.

However, Archambault was still convicted and sentenced for his crime.

Here are some links to newspaper articles and public record documents about Michael J. Archambault’s arrest:

DAILY BREEZE
El Segundo firefighter arrested on suspicion of shoplifting from Costco
By Larry Altman and Kristin S. Agostoni Staff Writers
Posted: 04/14/11, 12:01 AM PDT
http://www.DailyBreeze.com/general-news/20110414/el-segundo-firefighter-arrested-on-suspicion-of-shoplifting-from-costco

LA WEEKLY
Rich Fireman Named in Shoplifting
By Paul Teetor
Thursday, May 26, 2011
http://www.LAWeekly.com/news/rich-fireman-named-in-shoplifting-2170708

PUBLIC SAFETY PROJECT
El Segundo firefighter Michael Archambault arrested at Costco for allegedly shoplifting five products worth $354.95 (Booking Photo)
by Michael D. Robbins
Posted on May 25, 2011
http://PublicSafetyProject.org/blog/2011/05/25/el-segundo-firefighter-michael-archambault-arrested-for-shoplifting/

PUBLIC SAFETY PROJECT
Could Firefighter’s Arrest be the Result of a Culture of Entitlement?
by Michael D. Robbins
Posted on May 25, 2011
http://PublicSafetyProject.org/blog/2011/05/25/could-firefighters-arrest-be-result-of-culture-of-entitlement/

Los Angeles County Superior Court Criminal Defendant Index search result:

http://PublicSafetyProject.org/ca/el-segundo/files/docs/archambault/2011-05-23-Los%20Angeles%20Superior%20Court-Criminal%20Index-Search%20Result.pdf

http://PublicSafetyProject.org/ca/el-segundo/files/docs/archambault/2011-05-23-Los%20Angeles%20Superior%20Court-Criminal%20Index-Search%20Result-C.html

Torrance, California Police Department response to the California Public Records Act (CPRA) request submitted by Mike Robbins, received only after sending a Notice of Violation of the California Public Records Act to the Torrance Mayor, City Council, City Attorney, City Manager, and Police Chief, citing the CPRA sections being violated:

http://PublicSafetyProject.org/ca/el-segundo/files/docs/archambault/2011-05-12-Torrance%20PD%20PRA%20response%20re%20Michael%20Archambault%20arrest.pdf

Here is proof for Michael Archambault’s California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS) pension. It is provided by the TransparentCalifornia.com website. They obtained it from Public Records Act requests made to CalPERS.

Here is my summary and formatting of Archambault’s CalPERS pension information in the TransparentCalifornia.com database (I added his last position):

City Employee:     Michael J Archambault
Agency:            City of El Segundo, California
Last Position:     Fire Engineer
Retired in:        2011
Years of service:  28.31
Pension:           CalPERS
2014 Total*        $111,937.56
2013 Total*        $110,251.32
2012 Total*        $108,089.64
  * Excluding benefits.

Note that public employee retirees in CalPERS get automatic pension COLA raises each year. Also, their defined benefit pension plan payments are guaranteed by the taxpayers regardless of investment portfolio performance and any investment portfolio mismanagement.

See Michael J. Archambault’s CalPERS pension information in the TransparentCalifornia.com database here:

http://TransparentCalifornia.com/pensions/search/?q=Michael+J+Archambault&a=&y=&s=

An El Segundo resident, a firefighter for another agency, suffered permanent disability because, he said, the paramedics claimed he was okay and refused to transport him to the hospital while he was having a stroke, allowing them to get back to the fire station to watch a big sports game on TV.

I know this El Segundo resident. He told me sufficient information about his stroke and how the El Segundo firefighters and paramedics abandoned him as their patient and refused to take him to the hospital where he could get a drug to prevent long-term disability from his stroke if administered in time. I will provide more details on his case later. He is more believable than the El Segundo firefighter and paramedic union members, who have a culture of entitlement, and a history of dishonesty in their political campaigns to elect their own bosses who will raise their pay and our taxes.

Posted in California, Crimes, 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, Firefighters Commiting Crimes, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, News, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Overpriced and Imperfect – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins – With proof and background information

Cut the Raises – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Mike

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, August 13, 2015 in the Letters section on page 3. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit, including the title.

Cut the Raises

The El Segundo Total Compensation Survey on the City website shows the police and firefighters are substantially over-compensated when compared to ten other South Bay and nearby survey cities.

The police and firefighter unions changed their campaign slogan to “We don’t want raises. We just want to stop the cuts.” But they already got their raises – many huge raises during the Great Recession – that are budget-busters. And they are talking about only one out of many annual and periodic raises hidden in their union contracts, including raises on top of raises.

There are no new police or firefighter staffing cuts as they want us to believe. The City Council is funding three additional police positions. And if the firefighters got their way, we would have fewer firefighters per shift. They put Measure P on the 4/10/2012 ballot to maximize their compensation, but reduce staffing to only 12 firefighters and no paramedic transport ambulances per shift.

The firefighters lied to the voters, saying that signing their initiative petition would preserve our local fire department, when it would have disbanded it, forced El Segundo to contract with Los Angeles County for an inferior level of service, and transferred the firefighters to the County. The fire union lobbied the City Council (2/15/11 meeting) to enact Measure P directly into law without letting us vote on it. When we finally got to vote, 90.1% voted “No”, even though the firefighters probably spent over $100,000 on their campaign.

We cannot trust them.

– Mike Robbins

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, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Cut the Raises – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Questions the Phrase “Dehumanizing” – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Mike

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, August 13, 2015 in the Letters section on page 3. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit, including the title.

Questions the Phrase “Dehumanizing”

8/4/15 Council meeting was another organized parade of union members and their companions programed to parrot the slogans of the unions. The firefighter’s union constant fabrication about seven years of salary and compensation cuts. Since 2009 there has not been any department cuts to the firefighters salary or special compensation (source, city records). Both these salaries and special compensations have risen every year and are at all time highs. One firefighter’s earnings, in 2014, was $285,785, more than anybody in El Segundo, even the city manager.

Also no union firefighters live in town. The union’s president lives in Manhattan Beach and their V.P. lives in San Juan Capistrano. They spoke and used words like “not being able to provide for their families”, “severely understaffed”, “working in one of the most dangerous and hazardous city on the West Coast”. This propaganda makes us lose any admiration for this organization, But when they make accusations like ”personal threats to our families way of life” and “dehumanizing members and their families” now they have lost respect.

Explain how living in million dollar homes between Manhattan Beach and San Diego County, working in one of the safest city in Los Angeles County, making $150,000 to $285,000 a year, early 50’s retirement with six figure pensions is dehumanizing? And the fire department still bills you $1,800 just to transport you to an emergency room.

– Marc Rener

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, News, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Questions the Phrase “Dehumanizing” – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marc Rener

Union Claims Don’t Add Up – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Mike

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, July 30, 2015 in the Letters section on pages 3 and 15. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit, including the title.

Union Claims Don’t Add Up

The firefighter and police “associations” (unions) sent a campaign mailer to all city residents. One side contained propaganda urging attendance at the 7/7/15 City Council meeting, and the other side was a “Stop The Cuts” sign to display during the meeting.

The mailer claimed “millions of dollars in contract concessions over the past seven years”. The unions actually received millions of dollars in excessive and unsustainable pay raises during this period.

The already overpaid firefighter and police unions received the following pay raises during the Great Recession, in three-year contracts approved by City Council on 4/7/09 in Consent Agenda items E11, E12, and E8:

El Segundo Firefighters’ Association (ESFA) received 11.25% in raises for firefighters, paramedics, fire engineers, and fire captains.

El Segundo Police Officers’ Association (ESPOA) received 15% in raises for officers and sergeants.

El Segundo Police Managers’ Association (ESPMA) received 18% in raises for lieutenants and 23% for captains.

The following three year contracts gave all city union members pay raises every year.

All of the above raises were in addition to automatic annual 5% “Step” raises, periodic “Longevity” raises, and many types of “Special Compensation” raises hidden in their union contracts for all six years.

Firefighter and police managers received the following pay raises during the Great Recession, to avoid “salary compaction”, approved by City Council on 12/2/08 in Consent Agenda item E8: Fire Battalion Chiefs, 16.9%; Deputy Fire Chief, 14.9%; Fire Chief, 32.3%; and Police Chief, 23%.

Facts are stubborn things.

– Mike Robbins

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, News, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Union Claims Don’t Add Up – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Not Once, But Twice – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by George Hoopes

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Mike

The following letter to the editor was published in the El Segundo Herald newspaper (HeraldPublications.com) on Thursday, July 30, 2015 in the Letters section on page 15. The El Segundo Herald has a strict 250-word limit, including the title.

Not Once, But Twice

Marc Rener’s letter to the Editor on July 16 is 100% correct! “Something has to change now.”

As property owners and taxpayers we should not be billed twice for the same service. And to charge $1,853.75 to transport a person 5.3 miles is nothing short of filthy Al Capone gangsterism! It seems to me the El Segundo Fire Department has a vulture mentality – they lay around like buzzards, until someone needs help, then take advantage of the situation and pounce on the poor victim’s bank account like a deranged vulture and then claim “that’s our policy.”

Just who invented that policy? Who is responsible for that policy that whack El Segundo taxpayers in the wallet not once, but twice for the same thing?

– George Hoopes

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

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Firefighter Union Corruption, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Letters to the Editor, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Not Once, But Twice – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by George Hoopes

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

The above Letter to the Editor was a response to the Letter to the Editor below.

Letter to The Beach Reporter by Elizabeth Courtenay

Published in The Beach Reporter on Thursday, July 16, 2015.

Tree trimming troubles

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. Two years ago, palms on the Esplanade were “trimmed” drastically after the night herons had nested. Young herons not yet able to fly fell to the ground and were killed by cars or dogs within a day or two. A few herons returned to the Esplanade last year. More arrived this year. I am concerned that the “trimming” will begin again soon.

There has also been illegal trimming of palms in Portofino and King Harbor while the great blue herons are nesting. After the first trimming in Portofino this year, one pair of herons relocated to palms closer to the ocean. After a few weeks, these palms and only these palms were trimmed. It is clear then that the herons were being targeted. Last week, in King Harbor, three adjacent palms in which a pair of great blue herons was nesting were cut drastically.

So who trimmed the trees? The city of Redondo Beach? King Harbor? The homeowners on the Esplanade? It would be good to know so they can be advised not to do so again during nesting season. If the problem is bird poop on cars, then put up signs advising drivers that they may want to use car covers as coastal birds nest here.

Elizabeth Courtenay
Manhattan Beach

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