Tag Archives: Letter to the Editor

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

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


Continue reading

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

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

Call a Taxi?

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

– Lillian Wendel


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

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


Continue reading

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

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

Feels Bill is Excessive and Unnecessary

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

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

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

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

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

Something has to change now.

– Marc Rener


Continue reading

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

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

Union Activism

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

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

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

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

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

– Mike Robbins


Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases, Measure P - Firefighters Union Initiative, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Union Activism – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

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

Worried About Repercussions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Robert Clark


Continue reading

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

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

Send In Fee Hike Protest Ballots ASAP!

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Mike Robbins


Continue reading

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

Phony Candidates and Slate Mailers – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marianne Fong

Phony Candidates and Slate Mailers

Vote for Murray for West Basin Municipal Water District.

I received a phony campaign slate mailer titled “SAVE PROPOSITION 13 NEWSLETTER” with Scott Houston’s name and photo in it. It’s not a newsletter at all, but a deceptive campaign slate mailer that has nothing to do with Proposition 13.

This is ironic. The current newsletter of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, founded by Proposition 13 sponsor Howard Jarvis, honors Mike Robbins as a “Hometown Hero” for leading the successful campaign against Measure A and its eleven tax hikes last April, despite city unions contributing $17,500 to the “Yes on A” campaign. But Scott Houston supported Measure A! See his 3/13/14 Herald letter. And Houston ran for Democratic Party Central Committee on 6/3/08 as a self-described progressive (extreme tax-and-spend liberal).

A call to HJTA confirmed they do not endorse Scott Houston, and have no connection to nor control over that slate mailer. Houston paid to get his name and photo in it, as indicated by the asterisk next to his name. … Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter Union Corruption, 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 Phony Candidates and Slate Mailers – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Marianne Fong

April 15 Council Meeting – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

April 15 Council Meeting

The Council meeting after the election should have been a straightforward ceremonial passing of power from the old to the new Council. However, defeated Mayor Bill Fisher made the meeting all about himself, and then his ally, Marie Fellhauer, made it all about attacking newly elected Council Members Suzanne Fuentes and Mike Dugan.

Fisher used his bully pulpit for the last time. He gave a long-winded speech repeating his campaign material, taking credit for the work and accomplishments of others including Carl Jacobson and even myself. As usual, he stated numerous falsehoods, and without any proof or evidence, accused others of lying even though they backed up their statements with evidence.

Police Union member Marie Fellhauer put an item on the agenda designed to achieve a political end. It read, “Consideration and possible action to discuss the salary and benefits that the City Council members receive and whether such should be reduced or eliminated either voluntarily or through formal action.”

Eliminating Council pay and benefits will make it difficult to attract honest, competent, independent candidates. This will help the Police and Fire Unions elect their own candidates and pack the Council with Union Puppets. It will also help Fellhauer and Atkinson run for re-election with minimal or no competition.

The election might be canceled due to lack of candidates, as in 2006, when Fisher was appointed after potential candidates were intimidated by the unprecedented 2004 campaign spending. It would’ve happened this time, if not for Dugan.

– Mike Robbins


Continue reading

Posted in California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, Measure A - 5 New Taxes and 6 Tax Inceases, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on April 15 Council Meeting – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Mike Robbins

Post-election Council meeting – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Michael Robbins

Post-election Council meeting

The El Segundo Council meeting after the election should have been a straightforward ceremonial passing of power from the old to the new Council. However, defeated Mayor Bill Fisher made the meeting all about himself, and then his ally, Marie Fellhauer, made it all about attacking newly elected Council members, Suzanne Fuentes and Mike Dugan.

Fisher used his bully pulpit for the last time. He gave a long-winded speech repeating his campaign material, taking credit for the work and accomplishments of others including Carl Jacobson and even myself. As usual, he stated numerous falsehoods and, without any proof, accused others of lying even though they backed up their statements with evidence.

Police union member Marie Fellhauer put an item on the agenda designed to achieve a political end. It read, “Consideration and possible action to discuss the salary and benefits that the City Council members receive and whether such should be reduced or eliminated either voluntarily or through formal action.”

Eliminating Council pay and benefits will make it difficult to attract honest, competent, independent candidates. This will help the police and fire unions elect their own candidates and pack the Council with union puppets. It will also help Fellhauer and Atkinson run for re-election with minimal or no competition.

The election might be canceled due to a lack of candidates, as in 2006, when Fisher was appointed after potential candidates were intimidated by the unprecedented 2004 union and special interest campaign spending. It would have happened this time, if not for Dugan.

Michael Robbins
El Segundo Continue reading

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, News, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Post-election Council meeting – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Michael Robbins

Council pay procedures – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Marianne Fong

Council pay procedures

Marie Fellhauer ruined the April 15 El Segundo City Council meeting, which was supposed to be a peaceful transition for the newly elected Council. She put an item on the agenda to eliminate pay and benefits for elected Council members, but interestingly, not for the elected city clerk and treasurer who are paid significantly more.

Fellhauer falsely claimed the Council cannot cut union salaries and compensation and, therefore, Council member pay and benefits should be eliminated. Obviously, her real agenda is to punish newly elected Council members who support union compensation and pension reforms necessary to keep our city solvent and viable. Fellhauer is angry and vindictive because she lost her Council majority when Fisher lost the election.

Fellhauer demanded Suzanne Fuentes and Mike Dugan give up their $900 per month City Council pay and benefits if she gives up hers. She neglected to mention she is a highly paid police union member in Los Angeles with a lavish pension and benefits, and a cushy desk job, all at taxpayer expense.

El Segundo City Council pay is low. We are fortunate to have Suzanne Fuentes and Mike Dugan on Council. Both are experienced managers from major corporations. It is the overpaid police and fire unions that are causing serious financial problems, not City Council pay.

Fellhauer wants to punish honest, independent, more qualified Council members. Clearly, the police and fire union members who don’t even live in town have a representative in Marie Fellhauer, but the residents and taxpayers do not.

Marianne Fong
El Segundo Continue reading

Posted in Beach Reporter Letters, California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo News, Elections, Firefighter and Police Union Compensation and Pensions, Firefighter Union Corruption, Government Employee Compensation and Pensions, Letters to the Editor, News, Police Union Corruption, Political Corruption, Politics, Union Corruption | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Council pay procedures – Letter to The Beach Reporter by Marianne Fong