Tag Archives: Letter to the El Segundo Herald

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

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


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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

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


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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

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


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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

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


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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


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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


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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


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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


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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


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

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

Water/Sewer Protest Ballot Reminder

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

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

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

– Liz Garnholz


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Posted in ALERTS, California, El Segundo, El Segundo Election Coverage, El Segundo Herald Letters, El Segundo News, El Segundo Tax and Fee Increases, Elections, Letters to the Editor, Politics, Tax Policy and Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Water/Sewer Protest Ballot Reminder – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Liz Garnholz